The thing about family is that the drama never ends, especially when it involves toxic relatives or parents who play favorites. It’s highly questionable how a mom and dad could treat one child better while dragging the other one through the mud, but that’s just how it is.
More info: Reddit
When there are toxic relatives or parents who play favorites, the family drama is never-ending
Young woman walking a horse near stable, illustrating family and labor dynamics with business under current challenges.
The poster paid her parents for the boarding of her horse on their property, but she was also expected to help out with other tasks
A young woman explains paying her parents for horse boarding while rejecting unpaid family labor expectations.
Alt text: Daughter treated as family for labor but business when money is involved, feeling exhausted and burdened by responsibility.
Daughter treated as family for labor but as business when money’s involved, expressing frustration and feeling done.
Black cows standing in a snowy farm field with frosty trees in the background on a clear winter day
When she was not able to, her mom started acting all grumpy and pushed that theirs was a business arrangement, not a family one
Text excerpt discussing parents treating daughter as family when labor is needed and business when money is involved.
Woman describing how parents treat daughter as family when labor is needed and as business when money’s involved, she’s done
Text highlighting a parent’s decision to prioritize child’s health over work, reflecting family labor and business money dynamics.
Daughter treated like family for labor but business when money’s involved, expressing frustration and being done with it.
Text showing frustrations about parents treating daughter as family when labor is needed and business when money’s involved.
Parents treat daughter as family when labor is needed but as business when money is involved, causing her to feel done.
White horse peeking out of a red stable door, symbolizing labor and business struggles within family dynamics.
She enforced an ultimatum on her daughter regarding the horse, but the poster was angry, as they always let her golden child brother do whatever he wanted
Text quote on white background stating a conversation about refusing another solution, reflecting family and business boundaries with daughter.
Text excerpt on a white background discussing finding another place to board pets when separation is unsafe.
Text excerpt describing a heated argument between family members in freezing weather, focusing on labor and money issues.
Woman looking frustrated while sitting with laptop, illustrating parents treating daughter as family for labor but business for money.
Text excerpt about a 26-year-old brother living rent-free on family property and making good money.
Text about parents treating daughter as family when labor is needed but business when money’s involved, causing frustration.
Text excerpt about planning to move horses to a nearby boarding facility to avoid family conflict involving labor and money.
Text image showing a question about being treated as family for labor but as business when money’s involved.
The poster finally refused to let them bully her more and established a boundary by moving her horse off their property
In today’s story, the original poster (OP) tells us that she was boarding her horses on her parents’ property. Monthly, she was also paying them $50 per horse for it, along with $100 for hay. Apart from that, she was also expected to help out with other tasks for their animals as well, and she was willingly doing it every time she could.
Sadly, though, whenever something went wrong, she was burdened with the responsibility, even when she wasn’t involved. For instance, when their animals wandered somewhere, she was supposed to put them back. Well, she tried to help whenever she could, but one woman can only do so much. However, on the days she couldn’t, her mom would accuse her of “not doing enough.”
One day, her mom was berating her over it and claimed that this was a business arrangement and not a family one. Besides, she also gave her an ultimatum that all her horses had to be separated from theirs and she had to feed them every single night. It really bothered OP because they expected so much from her, while her brother barely lifted a finger.
Also, the golden boy stayed with them rent-free, while they had charged her $500 rent when she lived with them, knowing she was struggling. Well, the poster was finally done being treated like family only when they needed labor; otherwise, it was all about money for them. That’s why she moved her horses off their property and decided to transfer them to a boarding facility instead.
Teenage daughter looking upset with arms crossed outdoors as parents treat daughter as family when labor is needed and business when money’s involved.
Believe it or not, but a study shows that parental favoritism is surprisingly common, affecting around 65% of families. It further elaborates that as widespread as it is, it can damage children’s wellbeing across the lifespan, from their childhood into middle age and beyond. Well, the parents in our story don’t seem to care that their behavior is having such an adverse impact.
Moreover, research also emphasizes that this differential treatment is related to lower psychological well-being among their adult offspring. Basically, they are also not doing a favor to their golden boy by pampering him. In fact, it wouldn’t be a surprise if he turns out to be totally entitled. What the parents don’t realize is that indirectly, they are also hampering the sibling bond.
Experts stress, “Less-favored siblings may feel inadequate about themselves, which can cause resentment toward the favored one. As a result, the golden child may feel guilty for their sibling’s resentment.” Well, it doesn’t seem like OP had a good bond with her brother, and their parents are to blame for it.
Netizens applauded her for taking the brave step, while they called out her parents’ blatant favoritism towards her brother
Parents treat daughter as family for labor but as business when money is involved, causing her frustration and being done.
Reddit discussion about parents treating daughter as family for labor but business for money issues.
Screenshot of an online discussion about setting boundaries and not letting family use you for labor or money.
Reddit conversation showing parents treating daughter like family for labor but business when money is involved, expressing frustration.
Comment on online forum about the challenges of doing business with family and setting boundaries.
Screenshot of a Reddit comment advising to stop expecting parents to treat daughter as family when labor is needed.
Comment discussing unfair treatment by parents, highlighting favoritism and concerns over trust with family and money issues.
Screenshot of a forum comment discussing parents treating daughter like family for labor but business when money is involved.
User comment on family dynamics about parents treating daughter as family for labor but business for money, expressing frustration and support.
Comment about parents treating daughter as family for labor and business for money, expressing frustration and boundaries.
Comment discussing labor as family versus business decisions related to money and respect in parent-daughter dynamics.
Comment expressing support for daughter treated as family during labor but business when money is involved, highlighting exhaustion and double standards.
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