Eldest Daughter Labeled Greedy By Parents For Hiding Specialty Food From Brothers

She needs a mini-fridge.

Chelsi

• Published in Interesting
• February 4, 2024

A 21-year-old had to hide her food in her room after her siblings exploited her generosity. Her parents said she was wrong to do so because any food brought into their home was meant to be shared by all.

OP lives in the same house as her dad, stepmom, and two brothers. OP is not picky with her food and appreciates all the home-cooked meals her stepmom regularly makes for them.

Apart from meals at home, OP sometimes indulged her other food cravings. Some of what she craved was readily available at the grocery store, while others were shipped from overseas.

She did not mind occasionally sharing her treats with her siblings, even her older brother. However, she felt, in some cases, they took advantage of her kindness.

There was a time when OP bought two cake pops for her and her younger brother to try. She told their mom that she and her brother would have one each.

By the time that OP was ready to eat hers, both cake pops were gone. Their mom told OP that her brother assumed both were for him, so he ate them.

OP was annoyed but blamed herself for not talking to her younger brother directly. The second offense OP could remember was about her extremely spicy instant noodles.

She told her curious young brother that he wouldn't be able to tolerate the spice. She reassured him that he could try a bite when she cooked some.

There was only a pack left, but it was gone when OP went to the kitchen. Her dad said her younger brother wanted to try it, so he made it for him, but the 10-year-old found it too spicy and threw the rest out.

The last straw was when OP's 26-year-old brother drank her new bottle of lemonade.

OP shopped that day. She bought a few different kinds of drinks. She stored them in their pantry and fridge.

Her brother asked if he could have some lemonade. OP said he could and saw him pour a glassful.

Later that night, the bottle was gone. When OP asked, her brother said that he had drunk all of it and had thrown the empty container.

OP was done. She grabbed some of what she bought and took them to her room. Her parents were upset and accused OP of being greedy. They said the food at home was for sharing. OP doesn't think she did anything wrong.

OP paid for every single food item her brothers selfishly ate.

Is OP a doormat, or are her parents playing favorites?

The examples OP cited pointed to it being the latter.

None of the adult siblings pay for rent while at their parents' house.

OP had previously tried labeling her food, but her dad took offense to it.

Her younger brother can get a pass, but he needs to learn about boundaries quickly. OP's older brother is way too old to drink an entire bottle of someone else's drink.

OP hiding her specialty food in her room is greed, but her brothers eating all of that food is just sharing.

OP didn't even make a big deal about it. She didn't berate her older brother for being so thoughtless.

That noodle incident was so maddeningly rude.

Their parents will end up taking care of their entitled children if they keep enabling their selfish behavior.

In the end, Redditors sided with OP. They heard what she had to say and how she felt, which was a hell of a lot more than what her parents did.

OP's problem with her siblings and parents could go beyond plain, old favoritism. It could be about the different, and often unfair, expectations of eldest daughters in most families — but are we ready to have that conversation?

Chelsi