17-year-old moves in with his grandparents after his neglectful parents who constantly make him babysit announce they're having a 7th kid: 'My parents are angry because they don't have help'

Author image for Emmy Pratt
Emmy Pratt • Writer and Editor
Mar 4, 2025 1:00 PM EST

Birth order can affect what kind of life you have. Even though I am technically an older sister, I cannot earnestly claim the strife that older sisters in large families claim. My younger sister is only two and a half years younger than me, and I was never expected to take care of her. For much of our childhoods, she was actually the more responsible one. When people meet us as adults, they claim that she has the vibes of being the older sister. When you don't have that many siblings and have parents who don't put the responsibility of child rearing on siblings, birth order feels entirely incidental. 

Some eldest children see their parents in the worst light because they've been there the whole time. There's a difference between parents growing and improving from their 1st to their 4th kid and being foolish and negligent no matter how many kids they have. 

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  • The parents in this story are a part of the latter group. They've had six children and still haven't gotten the hang of this whole parenting thing. When they announced their 7th pregnancy, their 17-year-old son ran for the hills, but his parents weren't going to lose their built-in babysitter without a fight. 

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    Cheezburger Image 10475750144
    via Jassir Jonis

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

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    AITA for moving in with my grandparents the same day my parents announced my mom's pregnant again?

    My parents had me (17m) when they were 19 (mom) and 20 (dad). We lived with my mom's parents until I was 6. Then my parents moved the three of us into another house and told me the reason was because they were having another kid. In the almost 11 years since then my parents had five more kids. My parents don't know how to be parents and my siblings don't know how
    via u/ParaKidszol
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    to act because of that. They spit, mess with people's food by like slobbering all over it or putting it in their own mouths and spitting it back out, they leave sh out everywhere to rot and they'll throw food on the floor. Like if
    via u/ParaKidszol
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    my mom gets froze pizzas for dinner and there's something my siblings don't like on it the topping goes on the floor. They have tantrums in public and break stuff all the time.
    via u/ParaKidszol
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    Cheezburger Image 10475758080
    via Getty Images (Unsplash+)

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

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    With my youngest current sibling my parents put her in my room when she was a baby instead of theirs and I had to wake up with her at night and deal with the dirty diapers and stuff. It was stressful. Plus my parents are always trying to make me babysit and stuff.
    via u/ParaKidszol
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    So last week when my mom and dad announced mom's pregnant again I called my grandparents so fast my head was probably spinning and I begged them to let me come live with them because I couldn't deal with it anymore. They were furious when
    via u/ParaKidszol
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    they heard mom was expecting another kid and said yes straight away. I packed up my essentials (including my passport and other papers) and I left.
    via u/ParaKidszol
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    PASSPORT United States of America
    via Jeremy Dorrough

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

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    My parents are pred because they don't have help and because I didn't talk to them about it. My grandparents dealt with my parents and their anger but my parents called the cops on my grandparents twice already and they're threatening to sue them now. AITA?
    via u/ParaKidszol
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    Lost_Needleworker285 Nta, and for reference you're 17 the police aren't going to do anything, so just ignore your parents they have no solid ground to stand on.
    via u/Lost_Needleworker285
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    dhjetmilek At 17, you're legally able to decide where you live in most places, and the cops aren't gonna drag you back into free babysitter h I.
    via u/dhjetmilek
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    Catfactss OP you can report your parents to CPS if you like. NTA
    via u/Catfactss
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    CrazySuburb Exactly. OP, you're NTA at all-you just escaped free labor h I. Your parents didn't want a kid, they wanted a built-in babysitter. The second they shoved a newborn into your room and made you do diaper duty at night, they gave up their right to be mad when you left.
    via u/CrazySuburb
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    And calling the cops?? For what? They're mad because they lost their unpaid help, not because they care about where you are. You're 17, they can't force you back. Stay with your grandparents, enjoy the peace, and don't look back.
    via u/CrazySuburb
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    ReaAmbition 5991 Yeah they exploited OP's sense of responsibility and forced him into parental role. This is entitled
    via u/ReaAmbition5991
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    invisiblizm 2h ago Check and lock down your credit OP
    via u/invisiblizm
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    SierraSeaWitch OP, piggy-backing off this comment to say make sure you stay in school until you're 18! Your parents could potentially argue the grandparents are unfit guardians if you become truant from school. Don't give them the ammunition. Study, prepare for college or work life, and try your best to learn from their mistakes. Good luck!
    via u/SierraSeaWitch
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    Senior_Hall_1989 NTA-coming from a mom of 4 kids (1 teenager and 3 adults) YOUR parents are lazy disrespectful parents to lazy disrespectful kids. You leaving at 17 is a good thing. Their children are NOT your problem. Help your grandparents while living there. Keep a clean house and keep good grades. (That advice is if cops or cops try and say anything -that is to cover your bot) Be respectful to them and help them. Go live your life! Always protect yourself and your grandparents. You got this!
    via u/Senior_Hall_1989
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    ZookeepergameWise774 NTA. Let them threaten to sue. I mean...... sue for what, exactly? Removal of the unpaid nanny service? Getting a life and an education? They've called the cops twice, and obviously, that didn't work, so now they're trying another tactic. Newsflash - that won't work either. No court is ever going to look at this. Tell them that if they don't back off, you'll report them for child neglect. (The way your siblings are being reared is certainly not good parenting.)
    via u/ZookeepergameWise774
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    born_to_travel0591 Definitely NTA. I'm surprised CPS hadn't been called on them by now. Good for you that you got out of there. I'm glad your grandparents took you in. CPS should be called anyway. I used to work for CPS.
    via u/born_to_travel0591
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    culpeppertrain Make a written list of all the things going on in your home that show they are unable to care for you. List how their use of you as a free nanny is interfering with your education. Detail other neglect. Make copies and have it ready to share with authorities.
    via u/culpeppertrain
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    IntrovertSuperHero Not sure where you live but some jurisdictions look at a 16/17 year old leaving the house as an I informed choice. Meaning if the person willingly left the house, then they won't do anything.
    via u/IntrovertSuperHero
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    pizzacatbrat Kinda wish I'd looked that up when I was younger, but I didn't really have much computer access till I was 18. Dreamed about running away so many times from 12 on, except I knew the punishment that would happen
    via u/pizzacatbrat
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    Glittering_Bug_6630 NTA - I have 5 sons the oldest is 13 and the youngest are 6.5yr old twins with one being nonverbal autistic - my oldest has NEVER changed a diaper or got up in the middle of the night with his brothers
    via u/Glittering_Bug_6630
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    justaninsanegirl Are your parents not aware of the concept of "birth control"??? Also NTA you don't need to be a parent to their kids, you have your own life and you're just a kid yourself.
    via u/justaninsanegirl

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