You know, my eldest children are twin sisters, and my wife and I have been doing our best all these years to make them feel completely equal. Sometimes it's almost comical in our eyes, and maybe they'll see it differently later, but God knows, we try...
Well, for my wife and me, it seems like a completely natural thing, but as it turns out, other parents who have twins sometimes indulge in some really blatant favoritism. Want some proof? Voila, then - here's this story from the user u/bobsburgersfangirl12!
More info: Reddit
Having a "golden child" in your family is incredibly difficult for the other kid, especially if she's actually your twin sister
Image credits: Ahmed / Unsplash (not the actual photo)
The author of this story has been the family's scapegoat for years, while her twin sis is, vice versa, the golden child
Image credits: bobsburgersfangirl12
Image credits: freepik / Freepik (not the actual photo)
At the sister's recent wedding, the bride did her best to erase all possible mention of the sis being present there
Image credits: bobsburgersfangirl12
Image credits: EyeEm / Freepik (not the actual photo)
The author, however, then clapped back with a harsh toast, recalling all her memories about the family's mistreatment
Image credits: bobsburgersfangirl12
Image credits: EyeEm / Freepik (not the actual photo)
It was quite a small wedding, so everyone will definitely remember the whole ugly situation
Image credits: bobsburgersfangirl12
Image credits: freepik / Freepik (not the actual photo)
The author also recalls that the parents have always claimed to love each kid equally
Image credits: bobsburgersfangirl12
So the woman simply took this online, probably seeking some support from netizens
So, the Original Poster (OP) says that, from a young age, her parents always favored her twin sister, and she herself was something of a scapegoat in the large family - as a child, at school, and even as an adult. As the sisters grew older, the twin adopted this attitude and willingly joined in the bullying.
It must be said, however, that the OP, despite this attitude, grew up to be a truly respectable person. She successfully completed her education and recently took a director-level job at her company. Last year, she got married, and then, while organizing her bridal shower, she once again encountered her family's prejudice.
So now, when her sister was getting married, the bride tried to erase literally every mention of her twin from the wedding memories. She didn't invite her to the bridal party (she lied that there wouldn't be a party at all), didn't include her as a bridesmaid, and our heroine didn't even show up in any of the wedding photos.
Furthermore, it was a small wedding, for immediate family and some close friends and relatives, so the bride's sister's "disappearance" was publicly visible. But the bride simply didn't care; neither did the parents. However, our heroine still got the last word. And what a word!
Raising a glass to the newlyweds, she mentioned all the oddities and grievances they'd had over the years together. Now she's certain that, at the very least, thanks to this stern and passionate speech, this wedding will be remembered for a long time. Both by the bride and all the guests. The family's opinion? Well, now it's time for the author to stop caring!
Image credits: freepik / Freepik (not the actual photo)
In fact, the problem of parental favoritism is as old as time, and can be found, in fact, even in the pages of the Bible. But today, psychologists are conducting extensive research to study how differences in parental treatment affect children's later lives - and, alas, the issue really matters.
For example, the authors of this study, published by the American Psychological Association in 2025, directly assert that children who received less parental attention face more problems in adulthood than their "more favorable" siblings. This can later develop into mental health issues, such as anxiety and various mental disorders.
The most annoying thing is that favoritism may not manifest itself as blatantly as in the situation we described (by the way, the OP recalls that her parents always angrily denied any accusations of favoritism!). Anyway, it can literally sneak into your family completely unnoticed.
"This could be by devoting more time, attention, praise, or affection. Possibly asserting less control, so that they may enjoy fewer restrictions, be subject to less discipline, or even punishment," the BBC quotes Laurie Kramer, a professor of applied psychology at Northeastern University.
How can parents prevent favoritism? Well, this dedicated article on the East Lake Pediatrics website, for example, advises devoting one-on-one time to each kid. At least 15 minutes. To encourage sibling bonding while simultaneously giving each child their own unique compliments. And, of course, always monitor any words addressed to the kids.
As for this particular situation, there's probably little that can be changed - and our heroine is already an adult and a decent person, so we can only wish her strength and patience. Well, and also give her all kinds of moral support. Which is precisely what many commenters on her post did. So what do you, our dear readers, think about this story?
Many people gave this support to the woman, and also recalled their own sad memories about their parents' favoritism
