Spoiled Sister Calls Out Reddit User For Favoring His Brother Who Is The Constant "Family Scapegoat"
She's already the favorite child and still wants more.
Parental favoritism occurs when one or both parents consistently favor one child over another, often resulting in more privileges, less discipline, and increased time spent together. Despite their best efforts to remain neutral, many parents find it challenging to treat their children equally. According to Dr. Madeline Levine, a renowned child psychologist, "Favoritism can lead to feelings of inadequacy and resentment among siblings, which can persist into adulthood." The implications of parental favoritism are serious; it can contribute to long-term issues such as depression, anxiety, and performance anxiety for both favored and non-favored children. The situation becomes even more complicated with family scapegoating, where one child is unjustly blamed for family problems. This scapegoat often feels a profound sense of isolation and pressure. In a recent discussion, a Reddit user shared their struggle with favoring their brother, the "family scapegoat," over their sister, who is viewed as the "golden child." They expressed a desire to support their brother, highlighting the emotional turmoil that favoritism can create within families.
Here's the original Reddit post by u/throwaway649q:
RedditOP was doing his best to make his brother feel less alone.
RedditJoe did not want to rely on his parents for financial assistance.
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Jill wanted her brother to do the same thing for her.
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Here's how the Reddit community reacted to u/throwaway649q's post:
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Someone needs to point it out to her.
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She needs to understand why OP is acting that way.
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OP is a really great brother.
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The real world won't care that you were Mommy and Daddy's favorite.
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The parents are the root of the problem, not Jill.
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The sister needs to understand the family dynamics.
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They have absolutely no reason to treat him that way.
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Awesome Space Goat!
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The world needs more of Joe's brother.
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Older siblings to the rescue!
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Any scapegoat child would wish for a brother like OP.
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Parents who play favorites are toxic.
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The parents are doing wrong by all three kids.
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The scapegoat and the golden child are both victims.
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Small things with huge impacts.
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OP's behavior is absolutely valid.
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OP's parents damaged both their children.
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The parents ruined the natural flow of things.
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Jill is in for a rude awakening.
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Brothers are supposed to support each other.
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They divided the family into two sides.
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The sister will eventually grow out of it.
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This user even suggested some job options for OP's brother.
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Another user even offered a job opportunity.
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They should also try to make the parents aware of their favoritism.
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OP should not burn his bridges with his sister.
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Children are supposed to be protected by their parents, and when they fail to do so, siblings tend to step in sometimes. OP disliked the fact that his brother doesn't receive equal treatment, so he decided to help him in the best way he could.
The only a-holes in this story are OP's parents, who created this toxic environment that split their children into two sides. OP should find a way to make his sister understand their parents' favoritism and explain why he feels the need to favor his brother.
