Mom demands teenage son give up dinner for 6-year-old brother, flips out when he refuses: 'When I said I was starving, I meant it'

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Ally Perry • Writer and Editor
Nov 22, 2024 6:00 PM EST

It's no secret that many older siblings feel like they are expected to take on more responsibilities than the younger members of their family. While on some levels, this is not an unfair expectation, it is not uncommon for parents to take this too far. There is a difference between expecting a certain level of maturity and parentifying your kid, and it's a line that can often be crossed.

One teenager recently faced consequences for rebelling against this recently when he had dinner with his mom, stepdad, and younger brother. They ordered in, and for some reason, his brother's food wasn't a part of the delivery. His mom demanded he give some of his chicken nuggets to his brother, but he refused as he was hungry. Although his brother soon got fed regardless, his mom was not happy with the older sibling. The internet was split as to whether she was being unfair.

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  • 01
    Cheezburger Image 10431723520
    via Gábor Szűts

    This image is for illustration only, and the subjects are models; the image does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 02
    AITA for not giving my little brother my dinner?
    via sonettozsong
  • 03
    Yesterday night, me and mother had just came back from some sort of parents evening thing and she decided she didn't wanna cook, so she got take out. I'm year eleven secondary, I'll leave the guessing game of my age to you, she is 34 or so. My youngest siblings is an 6 year old boy with autism and ADHD named William. Not that this has to do with any of it.
    via sonettozsong
  • 04
    So the dinner arrives, and we all get our stuff expect for William not getting his nuggets. I feel bad for him, of course, but I was starving too. I had an long day at school as always, and just wanted to shovel it down so I can go to sleep. Upon learning my little brother doesn't have any nuggets, she looks at me and asks me to give him some of mine. I had six and hadn't even touched them yet. Now, usually, I would give them to him, but when I said I was starving.. I meant it. I said "do I have
    via sonettozsong
  • 05
    This led to her telling me to "f step dad (33) calling me an I off upstairs to my bedroom" and my Reminder.. I'm still an minor too. So I HAPPILY take myself and my dinner upstairs and continue to eat. I'm still quite mad about this. I'm not sure if I'm overreacting or not, or if I'm in the wrong.
    via sonettozsong
  • 06
    I'm always the first to offer people my food, even before I can take an single bite myself. People used to use me as an walking mat but I stopped letting myself be such a while ago. I'm conflicted. The first time I say no and think of myself like everybody tells me to I get backlash for it. I wanted to eat too. Edit; Important things to mention; I have ADHD and autism as well. I cannot eat certain things. I have an eating disorder and are very under weight for an teen.
    via sonettozsong
  • 07
    My little brother did NOT go hungry. They put nuggets in the oven for him and he was as happy as an bunny. I am not hurt by what she asked of me, just more hurt she wanted to put another child before me. I'm an child too. Her second born. Just because I can be independent doesn't mean my mother gets to yell in my face
    via sonettozsong
  • 08
    CuriousEmphasis 7698 NTA. SO OP was what, supposed to go hungry because the little brother's food was left out of the order? The adults in the situation should have acted liked adults and prepared some kind of food for the kid. Or given up portions of their own meals to him. Expecting OP to give up his meal to his brother isn't fair to OP.
    via CuriousEmphasis7698
  • 09
    Crazyandiloveit No no... even worse. OP was supposed to go hungry because his mum was too lazy to cook more nuggets. (Which she ended up doing, so the had more at home, probably frozen. She just had to chuck them in the oven). I mean if she'd asked him to share and than they share the other nuggets too, I'd be on her side. But as things are OP is right, she should look out for both of them, provide for both of them. Maybe OP could offer to chuck the extra nuggets in the oven next time, that woul
    via Crazyandiloveit
  • 10
    SpongebobAn IB m Nta I'm age as ops mum with a kid same age as op and younger ones. My food is always the first to be offered if someone's order got missed and then I'd cook something before taking food off my kid. You have long days and you can't be rsed but this is what parenting is.
    via SpongebobAnlBm
  • 11
    Ok_Conversation9750 Info: did the restaurant forget his order? What did your parents have and why couldn't they share? Was your dinner the only other one with nuggets?
    via Ok_Conversation9750
  • 12
    sonettozsong OP Yes, the restaurant forgot his nuggets, but he did have his chips. My parents were still waiting on theirs, but it arrived shortly after. It was the only other one with nuggets, I always have the same
    via sonettozsong
  • 13
    Ok_Conversation9750 That's on your parents to make sure the order is correct. I'm concerned that they think it's OK to 1. Tell you to give up your food and 2. Tell you to "f off to your room". They are the ah les here. It's their job to feed all of you. ΝΤΑ
    via Ok_Conversation9750
  • 14
    coward1026 I'm sure I'll get downvoted but I'm going with ESH except the brother. It's not okay for your mom or stepdad to speak to you the way they did for sure. There was an easy solution of mom putting nuggets in the oven (which she ended up doing anyway) and having you give him a couple of yours until the ones in the oven were done. Simple, everybody is happy and fed, nobody is cursed at. But the part where you think asking a child to share food with a sibling is putting them over you is a s
    via coward1026
  • 15
    Just Teaching 1369 I agree! I think OP would have a totally different perspective if there meal was the one left out. Also OP saying it was the last thing they had left meant they had other food. I can't even imagine not giving anyone some of my food if there order didn't arrive.
    via Just_Teaching_1369
  • 16
    AnthoMoon NTA- It's your parents job to feed your siblings, not you. Also, if you are still growing you could use all the nutrients you can get.
    via AnthoMoon
  • 17
    BoredofBin NTA! You were hungry and wanted to eat by yourself just this once. Your mum and step-dad could have easily shared their food and not asked you, the kid to share his food. This is on your mom and step-dad and not on you. It's their failure.
    via BoredofBin
  • 18
    ChiliSquid98 ΝΤΑ Your parents need to work out how to do life. Imagine if you weren't there? They'd ask a stranger for some nuggets? They just wanted to placate your brother and you made their life harder by not sacrificing your food f your mum for shouting at you, her fault she can't handle getting food for her youngest. Her fault she can't keep her cool and acts like a b because she doesn't get HER way.
    via ChiliSquid98
  • 19
    Cozy WetKitten NTA. It sounds like you were just really hungry and stood up for yourself this one time. Everyone has moments where they need to prioritize their own needs, especially after a long day. It's great that your brother didn't go hungry either and had a backup plan with the oven nuggets. It's tough when it feels like you're being overlooked, even more so when your own needs are complex due to your health. It's okay to put yourself first sometimes, and it doesn't make you the bad guy fo
    via CozyWetKitten
  • 20
    MissMollyQuinn NTA it's a parent's responsibility to be sure that the children in their care are fed. Minors have no responsibility over other minors.
    via MissMollyQuinn
  • 21
    voxtronic NTA. You need to eat just as much as your brother did, especially at your vague-age, and it doesn't matter if nuggets are the only thing he'll eat. It wasn't okay to yell at you about it either, or call you names for it. You clarified that they put some in the oven for him and he was happy - problem solved, and they can deal with the order being incorrect themselves. A teenager cannot fill themselves up on some fries and 2-3 nuggets.
    via voxtronic
  • 22
    MyAskRedditAcct These comments are weird. Who exactly is the a h_le here? Do you guys not know NAH exists? Because that's my vote. Although I'm tempted at a mild y.t.a. given the edit. It would not have harmed you in the slighest to split your nuggets with him and then have more when the oven made ones were ready. You are not starving in the literal sense. You're growing, you're obnoxiously hungry all the time as is the case with growing kids, but you are quite literally not starving. It would n
    via MyAskRedditAcct
  • 23
    dodgeditlikeneo telling your kid to f off to his room because they didn't want to give up their food is pretty AH-ish
    via dodgeditlikeneo
  • 24
    Silvereye1221 ESH but the 6 year old. You could have shared some with him so neither of you were hungry while your parents made the frozen nuggets. Give him 2 of the 6 available to munch on while they make more food for both of you. You didn't have to be greedy. And your parents shouldn't have reacted so harshly.
    via Silvereye1221
  • 25
    MrsMacguire ESH It's so annoying when older teenagers who know better use "but I'm still a minor" to justify being Aholes. Your brother is 6! You could have shared some until your mom prepared more for the both of you.
    via MrsMacguire
  • 26
    Odd_Trifle_2604 YTA, you were asked to share your food not give it all up. Your brother was also hungry and you both have food aversions. You could have given him 2 or 3 and had more to eat whn more was cooked. You wanted to eat in front of him while he had nothing.
    via Odd_Trifle_2604
  • 27
    SummerStar62 It's not your responsibility to feed your brother. It is theirs. And they're just annoyed that they had to get off their collective and fix him something. Their knickers are in a twist because you stood up for yourself and it made them have to cook. They're very r de and you are NTA
    via SummerStar62
  • 28
    [deleted] Sorry bud but YTA. He's your brother- if he doesn't have food and you do, you give him half of yours. Full stop.
    via [deleted]
  • 29
    Kaaydee95 ESH. They should have yelled or called names. You should have shared the good, hot, ready take out nuggets, while y'all prepared more frozen nuggets to also share.
    via Kaaydee95
  • 30
    Safe Ability3437 NTA. Your mom and step-dad are the AH. As a stepmother and mother to kids with similar age gaps as you, with the oldest having ADHD and the youngen being autistic with food restrictions, I would NEVER expect my step daughter to give up her meal for her younger brother. As the parent, I'll give them mine, make something for them, or pick up more for them. It isn't your job to raise your siblings, or sacrifice yourself for your siblings. I don't blame your parents for asking thoug
    via Safe_Ability3437

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hungry aita brother dinner family eating reddit thread Reddit chicken nuggets
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