Kids can be a nuisance at times, but as they grow up, they need to be taught the difference between right and wrong. Because coddling them forever and ignoring their questionable behavior can actually do more emotional harm than good.
So it was but natural for Reddit user airPlaneProperty to be frustrated when her 13-year-old nephew threw his cousin’s crutch down the stairs and wrestled over the other one. Luckily the cousin wasn’t hurt, but the family tried to condemn his actions. However, his mother instantly jumped to his rescue and stated that he was just a kid!
More info: Reddit
The poster and her family had gathered to celebrate her dad's birthday, and her 13-year-old nephew, Tyler, and her cousin's 12-year-old daughter, Brooklyn, were the only kids there
Image credits: freepik / Freepik (not the actual photo)
Brooklyn had injured her ankle so she was using crutches, and the two kids were playing on their own while the adults were together in a different room
Image credits: airPlaneProperty
Image credits: Vika Glitter / Pexels (not the actual photo)
When the adults heard something crash, they all rushed in to see that Tyler had thrown a crutch out the window and was wrestling with Brooklyn to grab the other
Image credits: airPlaneProperty
Image credits: Gustavo Fring / Pexels (not the actual photo)
As Brooklyn fell and started crying, all the adults started calling out Tyler's outrageous behavior and asking him why he did that, but suddenly his mom jumped to his defense
Image credits: airPlaneProperty
The poster was mad after she claimed that he was "just a kid", so she called her out for it, but this resulted in her sister getting angry with her
In today’s story, the Original Poster (OP) tells us that her sister, Elle, has a 13-year-old son, Tyler. Their family, including a few cousins, had all gathered to celebrate their father’s birthday. Little did they know that this pleasant family get-together would end up turning sour.
What happened is that their cousin, Grace's 12-year-old daughter, Brooklyn, had recently injured her ankle and had to use crutches for a while. And at the function, while the adults were together, the two younger ones were playing by themselves. But everyone rushed to them after they heard a crash.
It turns out that Tyler grabbed Brooklyn’s crutch and threw it down the stairs. But that was not all; he was also trying to grab the other one and the two were wrestling over it. Now this ended with Brooklyn falling over the couch and bursting into tears. Considering that she was already injured, it must’ve been quite a scary incident for her.
It was obvious that the family would hold Tyler accountable for his actions and even Grace was questioning him about why he really did it. But while they were condemning his actions, Elle jumped in front of them, as OP said, like a soldier, and started defending her son. She said, “No one was hurt and he’s just a kid.”
Well, the poster told her that he's not a kid, and that was not an excuse for his terrible behavior. But Elle was having none of it as she felt that everyone was overreacting. She was furious at all of them, and especially at the poster for admonishing her "kid" like that. Due to her sister’s anger, OP wondered whether she had taken things too far and vented on Reddit.
Image credits: Liza Summer / Pexels (not the actual photo)
The Redditors were amazed by her sister’s enabling attitude, to say the least. Even they agreed with OP and claimed that the 13-year-old is not a kid, but a teen who should be held responsible for his own actions. They said that if his enabling mom kept waving off his atrocious behavior, he would never learn from his mistakes.
“Parents might enable their kids for a variety of reasons, like desire to protect or fear of conflict. And although it often stems from love and concern, sometimes it leads to unintended negative consequences,” Eden Lobo, a counselor and psychology professor, told Bored Panda.
She also added that while enabling often comes from a place of love, it can prevent children from developing important life skills such as resilience, responsibility, and independence. She believes that it also unintentionally hinders a child's growth, making it more difficult for them to thrive as emotionally mature adults.
Many people commented that even children younger than Tyler would be thoughtful enough to not mess with someone who's already injured and using crutches. They felt that he was acting like an unempathetic bully and they blamed the mom for not holding him accountable for his actions and not making him face the consequences.
Prof. Lobo also stressed that a lack of responsibility can contribute to the development of behavioral issues, such as defiance, aggression, or delinquency. She mentioned that without boundaries, teens may test limits more aggressively, potentially leading to more serious consequences down the line.
Folks were also concerned about the lack of discipline the teen had. They said that some discipline is necessary to make good humans out of people. Prof. Lobo also agreed that discipline is a vital aspect of raising well-rounded, responsible, and emotionally healthy teens. She added that it provides the structure and guidance they need to grow into capable and independent adults.
Understanding things from an expert definitely helps in any scenario. Wouldn’t you agree? Also, let us know your thoughts on this story in the comments below!
Folks were stumped by the enabling mom who was ruining Tyler, and they also declared that he's not a kid but a teen and he definitely behaved like a bully
