As a naive kid, I used to believe that all parents love their children equally, but reality hit me when I grew up. In fact, I have seen it quite closely as my best friend’s mom and dad barely cared whether she was alive or not.
Speaking of such thoughtless parents, even this couple had zero consideration that their son was terrified of his mentally ill, violent sister. They got mad that he ditched them and lived with his grandparents. Read on to find out why netizens claimed that his parents only wanted him as an extra income stream!
More info: Reddit
If a child is mentally unwell, parents shouldn't force their other kids to give up their lives and stay with them
Image credits: krakenimages.com / Magnific (not the actual photo)
The poster's elder half-sister had behavioral issues, and he was utterly terrified of her violent outbursts that happened frequently
Image credits: wirestock / Magnific (not the actual photo)
Initially, her mom tried to "treat" her on her own, but things got so bad that she had to seek professional help, and the daughter was put in inpatient treatment
Image credits: vgstockstudio / Magnific (not the actual photo)
However, two years ago, she returned home, but the poster told CPS that he was terrified to stay in the same house, so they sent him to his grandparents
Image credits: EvenStop1213
His parents kept insisting that the teen should move back and help out financially, but he refused to do so as long as his sister was in that house
In today’s story, the original poster (OP) is a 17-year-old who shared details about his falling-out with his parents. His mom had a daughter with behavioral issues from her previous marriage. As a kid, the mother wanted to “fix” her on her own and refused to seek professional help. However, the child’s violent tantrums got so bad that the mom finally had to face reality and get her treated.
Despite everything, the daughter’s condition kept getting worse with age, until she was declared unsafe to be around anyone. Well, she was under inpatient treatment for a while, but she was sent home two years ago. Before she could return, CPS got involved and interviewed her family. OP told them the truth that he was scared of her and didn’t want to live in the same house.
His mom had the option to keep her with her grandparents, but she refused. That’s why the scared teen was rehomed to his dad’s parents’ house, and he chose to stay there. His parents kept insisting that he return, but completely ignored his fear of being in that home. Things got super dramatic recently when the couple ran into money problems and turned to their son again.
Our guy was graduating soon, had lined up work, and would be stable in a year or two. They almost begged him to move back with them so they could be a family and he could “help out.” Despite their pressure, OP made it very clear that he would never do that, as long as his sister was there. Of course, they tried to use the emotional family card, but he refused to budge.
Image credits: revalai / Magnific (not the actual photo)
Standing up for oneself takes a lot of courage, so cheers to OP for doing it at such a young age. After all, experts emphasize that living with someone who has a mental illness can cause emotional upheaval or increased stress. They strongly advise people to remove themselves from potentially dangerous situations if the ill person is at risk of harming themselves or others.
Moreover, looking after a mentally ill person is not just physically and emotionally demanding, but also financially taxing. Non-institutionalized spending on mental illness amounted to $89 billion, according to data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis’s Health Care Satellite Account. Also, a study found that serious mental illness results in $193 billion in lost earnings each year in the U.S.
Obviously, the couple was under financial strain and needed OP. Some netizens pointed out that the mom initially made matters worse by trying to “treat” the daughter on her own. Researchers highlight that behavioral problems need to be addressed early, as the longer they exist, the harder they are to treat. People said that she should face the consequences of her own actions.
Forcing a teenager to give up his life and live in fear was very unfair of the couple. That’s why netizens didn’t hesitate to declare that the parents only cared about his money. Also, the fact that they totally ignored how he felt definitely sheds light on their theory, don’t you think? Do you agree with the Redditors’ verdict? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
Netizens applauded the poster for standing up for himself and not sacrificing his peace for the family
