Whether a small child or an adult, no matter how old we become, experiencing parental favoritism can be super hurtful. I mean, life is already unfair, so receiving equal love from parents is probably the bare minimum that any children can expect, right?
Even this 17-year-old was immensely frustrated when their dad gave them a $600 gift card for Christmas, while their stepbrother got a used car. Although their dad profusely apologized for the mistake, the teen couldn’t let it go so easily. Read on to find out what they did next!
More info: Reddit
Experiencing parental favoritism can instantly turn the jolly season into a sad one
Image credits: EyeEm / Freepik (not the actual photo)
The 17-year-old poster received a $600 gift card for Christmas, while their 17-year-old stepbrother got a used car
Image credits: carthrowawaypit
Image credits: freepik / Freepik (not the actual photo)
They were super annoyed at this unfairness, as they needed the car to go to work, while their stepbrother didn’t even have a job
Image credits: carthrowawaypit
Image credits: pressmaster / Freepik (not the actual photo)
When they called out their dad’s favoritism, the man apologized profusely, but the poster went to their mom’s house in anger
Image credits: carthrowawaypit
Image credits: Kiwistocks / Freepik (not the actual photo)
The poster felt that the reason their dad gave for the gifts was ridiculous, and they enjoyed using their grandma’s car while living with their mom
Image credits: carthrowawaypit
Image credits: The Yuri Arcurs Collection / Freepik (not the actual photo)
The father felt so bad about the whole situation that he said he would look for another car, and also started sending money to the mom
Image credits: carthrowawaypit
However, despite everything, the poster decided that they needed some space and that they would stay with their mom for a while
Today, we dive into a Christmas story that reveals a toxic secret of this family. The 17-year-old original poster (OP) was thrilled after receiving a $600 gift card from their father. However, this joy quickly turned to anger after they saw that their 17-year-old stepbrother got a used Honda Civic. Considering that both of them had licenses, OP found it really unfair.
Besides, the poster had a part-time job and found it quite difficult to go there, but the other teen didn’t even have a job. When the frustrated poster called out their dad and stepmom for this favoritism, they gave a very ridiculous reason. Apparently, OP was good at fetching rides; meanwhile, the stepbrother kept nagging them to give him lifts all the time.
Annoyed by their dad’s behavior, the poster stormed off to their mom’s place in anger and decided to stay there for the time being. Their father apologized and said that he would look for another car, but OP didn’t want it anymore. They were borrowing their granny’s car, on the condition that they drive her around, and the teen was really enjoying doing that.
However, they started resenting their stepbrother, and more so when the guy accused them of ruining everyone’s Christmas. After OP went to their mom, their dad had been sending them money, and trying to talk, but things were just not the same anymore. All the poster wanted was to focus on their education, as they were one of the few people in their family to go to college.
Image credits: zinkevych / Freepik (not the actual photo)
When they vented online, there were just a few people who called them an entitled brat, but most of the netizens sided with OP. Well, data suggests that the average cost of a used Honda Civic is $15,826, which is nowhere close to the $600 gift card. They could have bought two cars for that amount, so naturally, the poster would feel discriminated against, right?
Surprisingly, studies show that parental favoritism occurs in up to 65% of families. While its impact can be devastating, experts stress that it can lead to depression, anxiety, unstable or even traumatic reactions in personal relationships, and performance anxiety. It may also cause self-esteem issues and feelings of rejection following the child into adulthood.
As if that’s not enough, research also emphasizes that this favoritism sparks a poor sibling relationship, often leading to an intense rivalry. It further states that less-favored siblings may feel inadequate about themselves, which can cause resentment toward the favored one. That’s exactly what happened here, as OP confessed they started resenting their stepbrother.
Although the dad apologized to the poster, there is no denying that the damage was already done. However, many folks complimented OP for handling it well and focusing on themselves rather than being bitter about it. If you were in their shoes, how would you have dealt with the situation? We would love to hear your thoughts, so feel free to type away in the comments below!
Folks online hailed this story as a classic example of favoritism, but felt content that it ended positively for the poster
