We all know that favoritism toward another person leads to nowhere good. It is most especially damaging among families if one sibling is blatantly more favored than the other.
What can worsen this situation is if the parents refuse to acknowledge these biases when called out and instead try to turn the tables on the affronted child.
This is precisely what happened in the story you’re about to read. And as you may expect, the outcome was nothing less than dramatic. Scroll down for the entire text.
Blatant favoritism can be prevalent among many families
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This was a situation among a family of four where both children were still living with their parents
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They decided to sit down and talk it out, which only led to a volatile moment
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According to the author, the parents refused to acknowledge what they did
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Being the “golden child” also comes with significant drawbacks
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It’s easier to see the pain that the less-favored child may be enduring from their biased parents. However, the golden child also has their fair share of struggles.
University of Missouri professor Dr. Megan Gilligan conducted a study and found that the favored child may also feel deep emotional distress. As she tells the BBC, the person may likewise experience the depressive symptoms that the less-favored child tends to go through.
What exacerbates these situations is that parents may intensify their biases once their children reach adulthood. According to Penn State University social psychologist Ilan Shira, parents may favor their children who live closer to them, share the same parental values, and provide emotional and financial support.
Favoritism can be less damaging if parents are transparent about it
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Shira offered a caveat when it comes to parental favoritism: it can only be problematic when “there are consistent and arbitrary differences in treatment.”
“In cases where favoritism is unavoidable (e.g., with newborns, needier children), parents who explain its necessity to the other children can usually offset any negative consequences,” Shira wrote in an article for Psychology Today.
Northeastern University applied psychology professor Laurie Kramer shared a similar sentiment. She emphasized the importance of parents addressing such situations “in a sensitive manner,” where none of their children feel like they are taking the blame or feel at fault.
“You can have more open conversations on all sides to understand," she said.
Instead of explaining why they weren’t making their daughter pay the same amount of rent, the parents lashed out at their child, who was merely airing their grievances. Worse, they blatantly took sides, which led to the explosive argument.
The author was justified in their actions, and it doesn’t seem like the situation will improve anytime soon. It may be best for them to move out and prioritize protecting their peace.
Many people sided with the author
However, some thought everyone involved was at fault
