"Without honor, you have no family," says Dom Toretto in one of the films in the Fast & Furious franchise, and it's hard to disagree. After all, this guy is an outstanding expert not only on fast cars but also on family matters. Incidentally, here's further proof that honor matters, even if you are family in name only.
Yes, the author of the story we're about to tell you today is a young adult who, at their age, not only had to bear the burden of caring for three younger siblings but also protecting them from the negative and unwanted influence of their own mother. However, let's not get ahead of ourselves.
More info: Reddit
Sometimes, the most bitter thing you can experience in your family is outright neglect from your parents and the realization that you're nothing but a burden to them
Image credits: Freepik / Freepik (not the actual photo)
The author of the post is 21, and they're the second-oldest sibling of their mom's five kids
Image credits: Stockbusters / Freepik (not the actual photo)
The mom was quite a neglectful parent, and she always considered her offspring a problem for her personal life
Image credits: NoticeImpressive8683
Image credits: prostock-studio / Freepik (not the actual photo)
Recently, the oldest sibling even won custody over the youngest kids from their mother, and then the woman moved in with her new boyfriend
Image credits: NoticeImpressive8683
However, after getting kicked out by that dude after another fight, the mom tried to guilt-trip her kids into letting her come back home
The original poster (OP) is 21 years old and is one of their 41-year-old mom's five children. This woman's personal life was quite turbulent and chaotic. She went through a series of boyfriends, and her kids were more like a burden for her. It all ended when the author's eldest sibling filed for custody of the three youngest siblings and won.
After this, the two older siblings changed the locks on the house, converted their mom's old room into the youngest child's, and attempted to live a quiet life. This was especially true because the mother was in the midst of yet another whirlwind romance with some dude. However, he soon kicked her out, and the woman decided she wanted to return home.
But neither the author, nor the eldest sibling, nor the younger kids actually wanted anything to do with her anymore. She tried everything, from begging them to outright guilt-tripping, from cussing them out to manipulating "family values," but everything to no avail. Years of living with this woman taught her offspring one important thing: never trust her.
As a result, the two older siblings decided to simply take “shifts” at home to prevent their mother from breaking in. And if she showed up anyway, they planned to call the police. Regardless, a person who repeatedly and openly told her children she didn't need them, and only remembered her motherhood when she found herself on the streets, posed a threat to their lives.
Image credits: bilahata / Freepik (not the actual photo)
Statistics are relentless and merciless: according to CDC data cited in this article, as of 2021, at least 1 in 7 children in the US experienced parental neglect in some way. The authors of the article emphasize that childhood neglect can, in one way or another, cause problems in adulthood, such as mental distress, relationship aggression, and even criminal behavior.
Neglect in a family can sometimes seem just quiet and unnoticeable, but it still undermines children's emotional and mental development for years to come. This APA article lists possible negative consequences of such an attitude: social isolation, poor impulse control, difficulties with emotional regulation, and low self-esteem. And, well, in the story we described, the mom even openly viewed her kids as a burden!
From this perspective, it's good that the children retained ownership of the family home, as, for example, this BBC study comes to the sad conclusion that childhood neglect and the associated trauma can impact not only the psyche but also the socioeconomic status of adults. Statistics show that by age 50, such people were more likely to experience chronic illnesses and were less likely to own a home…
Incidentally, in an update to their post, the author recounts that their mother made another desperate attempt to get her way when she arrived at their home, demanding "a reunification with her kids." The OP and their uncle, who was present, called the cops, and they took the hapless mom away. Let's hope this story ends well for the kids. So what do you, our dear readers, think of it?
People in the comments supported the author, and they said in an update that they had to even call the cops to get rid of their nasty mom
