17-year-old refuses to give his parents $250 for his 8-year-old brother's Christmas present after years of favoritism: 'He might cry all day Christmas, but still my answer is no.'

Author image for Emmy Pratt
Emmy Pratt • Writer and Editor
Dec 24, 2025 8:00 AM EST

He's not going to support his parents' decision to marginalize him within the family unit. 

Nobody chooses the family they're born into. If we had the choice, I'm sure almost everyone would choose the richest, most emotionally stable, and happiest family in the world. It would be borderline impossible to quantify those qualities, but let's say, for the sake of argument, that they exist, and pre-born souls could choose to be born into said family. It's probably a good thing we can't choose our families, because even the wealthiest, happiest, and most mentally well families can't handle 7 billion children. If the best parents in the world had more than 20 children, they probably wouldn't qualify as the best parents in the world anymore. It's for the best that we can't choose our parents: maybe it's not the best for every individual, but it's for the best for humanity as a whole.

The worst part of not being able to choose your parents is that there are so many parents in the world who are totally unfit. If you didn't already know, it's relatively easy, all things considered, to create a living human person. You'd think the responsibility of caring for and raising human life would be a little more gatekept, but gatekeeping parenthood only further decreases the birth rate more than it has already decreased. If you log into your Facebook and see which of the kids you went to high school with are procreating, you'll understand once and for all that becoming a parent really is for anyone. If Jessica Flood can be a mom, then truly anyone can be a mom. 

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  • There are negative consequences for unfit people becoming parents that aren't always apparent until their kids grow up. The parents in this story treated their older son terribly, and now that he's almost 18, he's not going to fortify their skewed version of reality. 

  • Young boy with Christmas present box
    via Curated Lifestyle (Unsplash+)

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

     

  • Am I the bad guy because I wouldn't help pay for my younger brother's Christmas present when I know how upset he will be about not getting it?

    I (17m) have a younger brother (8). He's our parents favorite and they don't really try to hide it. They have admitted to everyone who knows them that he was so easy to love and they felt like real parents when they had him because they were ready
    via u/Losikseeks
  • and had planned for him. I was the cryptic pregnancy for my mom and I was born 3 hours after she found out she was pregnant. And I've seen photos of mom days before I was born. She had no bump or anything so I believe they really didn't know.
    via u/Losikseeks
  • I can't say I have a relationship with my parents. They pawned me off on anyone who would take me when I was too young to take care of myself. My brother was already born before they
    via u/Losikseeks
  • stopped pawning me off on anyone who'd take me and then I was in the house while they played happy family with him and I was on the outside.
    via u/Losikseeks
  • Because of all that I don't have a relationship with my brother either. My parents treat me like the unwanted roommate they need. We never eat together as a family or do anything as a family. They do stuff as a
    via u/Losikseeks
  • family with my brother and that's kinda it. I bounce around still whenever friends can let me come over and that's really it.
    via u/Losikseeks
  • I work part time so I can save and get out of here. My parents know and they happily gave me all my papers a year and a half ago to do whatever the hell I want.
    via u/Losikseeks
  • The last three months I was sick on and off and around the house more and I heard talk and stuff about this present my brother wanted for Christmas. My parents intended to get him that and a bunch of other stuff but
    via u/Losikseeks
  • A man sleeps soundly in a bed with pillows
    via Giulia Squillace (Unsplash+)

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • they ended up not being able to afford it. Then a couple of weeks ago they told me they couldn't afford it and asked me for $250 toward it. It shocked the hell out of me but I said no and told them I wasn't helping buy anything for anyone. They tried to guilt
    via u/Losikseeks
  • trip me and maybe it would work if I had some kind of connection to my brother, if I loved him in some way, but I don't. There's nothing there for me. I feel the same about my parents too. I used to love them but we're basically strangers who live under the same roof.
    via u/Losikseeks
  • A couple is sitting happily in a gazebo
    via Paige Laine Elmer

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • My parents pushed back on my refusal but I didn't give in and then they brought up to my brother that he might not get it, but they backtracked because he got really upset. I heard all of it but still didn't care. They asked me to
    via u/Losikseeks
  • change my mind because I know how upset he'll be on Christmas Day when he realizes. They told me as late as last night that they can still get it if I give them $250 for it. But my answer's the same and I know he'll be upset and he might cry all day
    via u/Losikseeks
  • Christmas but still my answer is no. Does that make me TAH?
    via u/Losikseeks
  • olagorie NTA but I am I understanding this right that $250 isn't even the whole present. It's only a part of the present? WTF?? This sounds like an insane amount of money to me, especially for such a small child
    via u/olagorie
  • OP Losikseeks Yeah, I'm not sure how much it is total. I think the $250 is a little under half of the overall cost. They always spend hundreds on him for Christmas and his birthdays each year. $250 is basically nothing compared to what I know they already spent and spend every other year.
    via u/Losikseeks
  • Competitive-Place280 This is so sad. I'm sorry for you. NTA. Make sure they don't have access to your money
    via u/Competitive-Place280
  • OP Losikseeks They can't access my money. They might think I can but they can't.
    via u/Losikseeks
  • ashinymess That's such a large amount of money for part of a gift, dang. What are they doing, buying him ski gear??? (Jk I'm guessing Switch 2?? Which means you're still paying a lot.) Nta, that's on them for not managing his expectations when they couldn't afford his big ticket item. Be prepared for your parents to be weird about this, and make sure your bank account doesn't have their names on it as join owners. Are you close to any of your other family? Maybe spend time with them or one of yo
    via u/ashinymess
  • OP Losikseeks I can't even remember what they're getting him but he already has a Switch 2. He got that for his birthday with a bunch of games. I'm not close to my other family members. I have tried to be but I suspect a lot of resentment built up over me being pawned off on so many people when I was younger.
    via u/Losikseeks
  • Loony_Leftist NTA - little bro sounds like a spoilt brat of your parents' making. Idk, maybe kids really have changed in the last 37 years, but I can't imagine being 8yo and even asking for something that cost that much, let alone throwing a fit if I couldn't get it. OP, you are being parentified by them expecting you to support your brother's Christmas whims financially. You are not his parent. After the way they've behaved, you're barely his sibling. If they wanted you to care about him, they
    via u/Loony_Leftist
  • OP Losikseeks He is spoiled and he does like to get his way and he always asks for expensive stuff. My parents never ever have an issue with it. I guess because they treat him like he's their only.
    via u/Losikseeks
  • Riddleboxboy I get that, but the point still stands, he doesn't NEED that much. Hes also not your responsibility or problem. They had him, they literally created everything aspect of this current situation. Save your money and get out asap.
    via u/Riddleboxboy
  • OP Losikseeks I totally agree but they want him to have everything he wants. He gets some of the craziest stuff for someone his age. But if he asks for it, he gets it.
    via u/Losikseeks
  • Murky-Cheetah-4317 Not only are you NTA, but this may be a very important first realization for what is to come. When your parents are older and need help, either physically or financially, who do you think they'll expect to take care of them? IF they happen to have any assets upon their deaths, who do you think they will be left to? Between you and your brother, which one of you will receive help buying a first car or home-they will argue that it's because you were already self-sufficient, but
    via u/Murky-Cheetah-4317
  • OP Losikseeks I already know I won't be getting any help from them once I turn 18. As it is they do the minimum possible and there's nothing that would make them give more because they don't love me or even care about me in some tiny way. To them I'm the mistake who came as a surprise and wasn't supposed to happen. There's no college savings for me. There's never going to be a home for me with them if I end up on the streets.
    via u/Losikseeks
  • Stoic_hawaiian808 If your little brother is their favorite and you seemingly get written off, you shouldn't have to pay for a gift they want to get him. NTA. Props to you for standing your ground. The audacity they have.
    via u/Stoic_hawaiian808
  • Remarkable-Bet-7820 the $250 you have saved is your ticket to a better life. you are working part time and saving specifically to get out of an environment where you are ignored and unloved. every dollar they take from you for a toy is another day you are trapped in that house. you are prioritizing your survival and your future which is exactly what you should be doing when you have parents who refuse to provide for you.
    via u/Remarkable-Bet-7820

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Tags

siblings bad parenting christmas presents favoritism family expensive younger brother money entitled people afford
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