15-year-old cooks weekly gourmet meal for his family, parents criticize him for trying to upstage them: 'My parents complain about the price, they complain about the time it takes me to cook'

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Emmy Pratt • Writer and Editor
Jul 22, 2024 8:00 PM EDT

Getting a teenager to do anything productive can be a miracle. If they can clean their rooms, do the dishes, or walk the dog, that's a win for so many parents. Sure, there are some parents who demand that their children clean the house and cook meals for their family regularly, but that's the exception, not the rule. Most kids will do easy things like take the trash out, but rarely will they put in more effort than they have to.

When a kid puts in effort, you'd think their parents would praise them for working hard, but that's not always the case. One teenage boy made dinner once a week for his family, as did all of his siblings over the age of 12. While his siblings cooked things that were cheap and fast to make, he honed his cooking skills. His parents accused him of trying to one-up them and taking too long. 

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  • 01
    Cheezburger Image 10377904384
    via Ella Olsson
  • 02
    AITA for putting no effort into cooking dinner for my family my one night for cooking?
    via u/ParticularRepeat7591
  • 03
    In my (15m) family once we turn 12 we're supposed to cook a dinner for everyone once a week. We start out with help but at age 14 it's on us alone to do our one night. So far me, my sister Miley (14f) and my brother Kole (12m) have started. Our younger siblings Shea (10f) and Lincoln (8m) don't cook yet. Of the three of us I'm the only one who likes cooking. I actually took cooking classes before and I go to a summer camp that's focused on cooking. I also cook and bake with my grandparents when
    via u/ParticularRepeat7591
  • 04
    I always tried to make a really nice dinner for us, something we'd really enjoy. My siblings never put any effort in and basically serve whatever. They hate it so I get it. When I started doing something more effort my parents were encouraging. But over time everyone is just so negative about it. My siblings complain that it's not burritos or tacos, but then they all want different kinds which is still more effort, or they
    via u/ParticularRepeat7591
  • 05
    want me to make pizzas or burgers. My parents complain about the price, they complain about the time it takes me to cook vs my siblings, they complain I'm trying to look better than them. My siblings complain about veggies I include in what I cook. I made a pasta once and they kept saying it was puke because there were veggies. Miley and Kole need to include veggies too (it's a rule our parents made) but instead of all the whining my siblings just push the veggies aside and refuse to eat them. A
    via u/ParticularRepeat7591
  • 06
    I asked my parents if they'd be less negative if we decided on a budget for my cooking. They told me yes, so I adjusted what I was cooking to make it work. But they were still negative that I take 10-15 minutes longer and that I'm trying to upstage them in cooking or that I'm showing off.
    via u/ParticularRepeat7591
  • 07
    So I had enough and the last three weeks I put no effort in. I boil veggies, potatoes, and cook meat and I slap it on a plate. Miley and Kole don't add gravy or sauce so neither do I. My parents made such a big deal out of it and told me I'm capable of way better and my siblings complained they're not tacos or burritos. I said I
    via u/ParticularRepeat7591
  • 08
    don't want to make ungrateful people happy with my food when I don't have to. Dad said I could never make it as a chef. I said it would be different for people paying for food, especially if I was getting SOME appreciation instead of everyone always complaining now. My parents said it's unacceptable. AITA?
    via u/ParticularRepeat7591
  • 09
    Ok_Conversation9750 5 days ago NTA. Others here are giving good advice, so I'm not gonna repeat it. I will make a suggestion: Hand out frozen dinners and have them line up in front of the microwave ;) if they can't appreciate your efforts, I'd lower the effort too.
    via u/Ok_Conversation9750
  • 10
    ParticularRepeat7591 OP 5 days ago I'd love to do it but they wouldn't count it as cooking.
    via u/ParticularRepeat7591
  • 11
    SnooWoofers496.5 days ago I'm internally screaming thinking about all OPs family standing in line quietly while OP is at the microwave politely taking out a lean cuisine once it beeps saying "ah yes it's done now"and gently placing it on a plate and moving them along.
    via u/SnooWoofers496
  • 12
    New-Link5725. 5 days ago Honestly I'd just stop cooking. You give them a good meal it's too expensive You give then a good meal it takes too long to cook You give them a good meal, it's not what they wanted. I'd just stop cooking. They can't force you to cook, except to not let you eat but they legally have to feed you.
    via u/New-Link5725
  • 13
    They don't get to complain that it's too expensive, takes too long, or not what they wanted. Then complain when you stop trying. I'd honestly buy free,er meals, stop cooking or put down cereal on the table. Push back.
    via u/New-Link5725
  • 14
    Odd-Artist-2595. 5 days ago Or, pull a reverse and do what parents have been doing for ages: Cook what you'd like to cook and if they complain, point them to the jar of peanut butter and loaf of bread. Their choice. If they don't like what's for dinner, they're welcome to make a sandwich for themselves. Maybe make
    via u/Odd-Artist-2595
  • 15
    up a few bags of baby carrots and have them in the refrigerator. They can grab one of those to go with their sandwich so they still get their vegetable serving. NTA.
    via u/Odd-Artist-2595
  • 16
    asphodel2020. 5 days ago NTA. They can't have it both ways. Are you putting in too much effort to supposedly upstage them and show off or not enough effort and making 'unacceptable' food? If all you receive for your hard work is criticism and complaints, of course you're going to become disheartened.
    via u/asphodel2020
  • 17
    Street-Length9871.5 days ago I don't like the way they treat him. It is and cruel.
    via u/Street-Length9871
  • 18
    Bumblebbutt 4 days ago It's the classic cheap fast or good. You can only have 2
    via u/Bumblebbutt
  • 19
    Beginning-Credit6621 5 days ago NTA! Professional chef here - I really take exception to your dad's cruel comment that you could never make it as a chef. It's an underpaid and stressful job, but you can do it. You enjoy cooking and care about food, and I hope you have other relatives who nurture your passion, like it seems you get from your grandparents.
    via u/Beginning-Credit6621
  • 20
    The people who support you build your talent in one way, and the people who throw obstacles and challenges at you build it in another. Many of the challenges you field when it's your turn to cook are similar to ones I deal with at work: you have a limited budget and time constraints to craft a menu catering to a range of tastes including picky eaters, while also meeting nutritional requirements, all the while delivering an end result that's delicious and aesthetically pleasing. Ask any pro chef
    via u/Beginning-Credit6621
  • 21
    culinary artists they admire most, over half the time the first person they mention is going to be a family elder like their Grandma: anyone can tweeze microgreens onto a diver-caught scallop, but conjuring love and comfort out of tough limitations for an oft-ungrateful family, and struggling to be seen for those efforts, is what animates our best work.
    via u/Beginning-Credit6621
  • 22
    When you're feeling discouraged by the insults from dad and the whining from the younger siblings, my suggestion is to reimagine these as your Iron Chef challenges. Don't let the negativity drag you down - try to turn it into inspiration. If you know some kids at the table will turn their noses up at a dish anyway, you might as well make something creative that you'd personally enjoy eating. But no more Revenge Dish - if you serve your family something below your own standards on purpose, it wil
    via u/Beginning-Credit6621

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teens family drama meals cooking pizza teenagers siblings pasta bad parenting reddit story bad parents dinner food sibling family dinner son brothers
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