Sibling Rivalry Ensues After The Eldest Helped His Neglected Sibling Look For A Job And Refused To Do The Same For Their "Golden Child" Sister
The neglected brother and the favorite sister are twins, but their parents favored one over the other.
Some siblings grow up sharing toys, secrets, and a lifetime of petty grudges. In this family, the bigger issue was favoritism, and it shaped everything from school events to who got invited where.
A young adult turned to Reddit after explaining how he helped his neglected twin brother, Joe, feel included while their parents openly favored their sister, Jill. Over time, he grew close to Joe and kept his distance from Jill, who was treated like the family’s golden child.
Now that all three siblings are graduating high school, the tension is spilling into job hunting and family loyalty. Read on.
He made it clear through his actions that he didn't like spending time with entitled brats like Jill.
After high school, both twins will be attending universities. Jill will go to San Francisco, funded by their parents, while Joe will attend a university in Seattle, just 20 minutes away from OP.
However, he's doing all of this without their parents' help. Joe received a full scholarship; because of this, their parents think he doesn't need any financial assistance from them. When OP learned of this news, he wasn't surprised, so he did what he had to do — he helped Joe.
OP called around to ask if anyone was hiring next fall. He was on FaceTime with Joe while doing this because he wanted to reassure him that he would be okay.
OP told Joe that he would find him a job that pays enough, and that it was actually a good thing not to receive any help from their parents. OP said that this way, they wouldn't bother him about how he spends his money.
In the end, OP was successful in reassuring his brother, and they ended the call. Of course, Jill heard about all of this and started messaging OP non-stop the next day.
She demanded that he find a job for her as well because she didn't want their father nagging her. OP politely told her that he couldn't do that since he didn't know anyone in San Francisco.
Jill became angry at the rejection and confronted OP about favoring Joe over her, which is, in fact, true. OP says he loves both of his siblings, but he doesn't like Jill, and she hasn't done anything to change that.
throwaway649q
Is OP an a**hole for favoring one sibling over another? Read his full story below:
throwaway649q
throwaway649q
"I prefer not to spend my time with entitled brats."
throwaway649q
That's where the family dynamic really starts to show.
"This is also hardly surprising."
throwaway649q
"I got him to feel better about the whole thing."
throwaway649q
Redditors reassured OP that he was the absolute best brother Joe needed growing up, but he should also try giving Jill a chance.
BaltimoreBadger23
One commenter thought OP had been a solid brother to Joe, even if Jill still had room to grow.
OP sounds like a proud brother bragging about his extremely cool sibling, and he's not closing the door on Jill entirely, but she has a lot of growing up to do.
throwaway649q
Love, love the term space goat!
mer-shark
There's no limit to what Joe can do, especially with a supportive brother like OP cheering him on.
throwaway649q
It will be the best and most fulfilling job OP will ever have.
BaltimoreBadger23
The world needs more of OP, and Joe is fortunate to have a brother like him.
SkreechingEcho
As for Jill, if OP is willing, he can try talking to her directly and wait to see if she changes into a better person.
sandwich_paper
You can't place all the blame on Jill for how their parents chose to raise them, but OP can enlighten her.
sandwich_paper
Jill should take this as an opportunity to become a good adult, outside of their parents' influence.
KAT_GRL_WNDR
Jill is an adult, and if her behavior doesn't change, it's okay to love her from afar.
KAT_GRL_WNDR
Another commenter focused on how much damage the parents had already done.
This was one of the most heartwarming parts of OP's story.
procrastinating_b, Slicerette
Jill needs a little patience, but she really has to work on herself because her parents did more damage than good by raising her as the favored one.
Zookeeper-007
Her first dose of reality was OP's refusal to do what she wanted, and judging by her reaction, she has a lot to improve.
PeggyHW
Joe is Harry while Jill is Dudley, and OP is Dumbledore? It's a good comparison, especially with the parents being Mr. and Mrs. Dursley.
whykaty
That comparison pretty much says it all.
While OP is admirable for treating his brother the way he deserves, it's also a bit sad. Even as a kid, OP saw the unfairness of their home life, and he had to step up as a child himself to nurture his brother because their parents were horrible adults.
Nevertheless, he did a good job showing Joe what love is supposed to look like. OP is a good person, and we can only hope that Joe follows in his footsteps.
For another family blowup, read the AITA case about an impulsive brother adopting a puppy.
