16-year-old caring for 14, 11, and 9-year-old siblings stops watching the other kids after parents dismiss his feelings: 'They said as the oldest, they have high expectations for me'

These parents are learning the hard way that pushing your oldest child too far will just end up costing them a childcare provider.

I feel for this 16-year-old eldest son, and a lot of other people could also relate to his plight. As the oldest child in my own family, I know the burden, intentional or not, that comes with that role. Of course you love your siblings, and they're your best friends, but they also don't like to be bossed around by you. You're also put in charge of babysitting them all the time — you're basically the de facto babysitter when none other are available. And since you'll watch the kids for free, it makes sense that when your parents need a break, they just make you and your siblings play outside while they relax indoors away from the chaos.

The hardest thing is that since you're a child, there isn't a lot you can do to protest this arrangement. You may even think it's normal! You're basically subjected to the same rules as every other sibling, even though you're the one caring for them 24/7 for free.

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Teen stands outside with young siblings while sister takes a selfie.
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AITAH for doing nothing about my siblings' bad behavior since my parents make me responsible for everything my siblings do?

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His parents are being totally unrelenting and unfair. Like, what do they expect a teenager to do about parenting his siblings? He's still a child himself! How could he be expected to know what to do? And obviously, he can't take away their phones or ground them, so… what do Mom and Dad expect?
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This is the solution!

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Teen boy and 2 siblings wear backpacks while walking through field.
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Valuable advice was dispensed after people read this teen's plight! Their best advice? Leave ASAP, because he'll never get out otherwise. A lot of families guilt their oldest child into believing the family would crumble without them, and that's just simply not true. With the youngest being 9 years old, these kids are already pretty self-sufficient. I do hope that this teen is able to leave at 18 (the youngest will be 11 by then!) and pursue a life all his own. He'll discover the freedoms that life has to offer when you're not the family babysitter all the time — he can pursue his own hobbies, make new friends, and, most importantly, put his own needs front and center while Mom and Dad handle the siblings like they should've been doing since day 1.
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Good point: if the teen tries to solve this now, it might spare the 14-year-old

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Teen boy smiles while walking with 2 siblings outdoors.