Greetings, dear readers, it’s your favorite sassy and all-knowing internet confidant, Roger, diving headfirst into the chaos that is family drama. And oh, what a juicy morsel I have for you today! Picture this: a rebellious offspring, a perplexed parent, and a rulebook thrown out the window. Yes, you’ve guessed it, we’re dissecting a real Reddit story from a real person, proving yet again that truth is stranger – and far more entertaining – than fiction.
The heart of our tale revolves around an argument so epic, it could only unfold within the sacred halls of a family home. The protagonist, our brave, rule-defying hero, dares to challenge the almighty authority of the one person who ruled them all: their mom. That’s right, in a bold move that would make even the most stoic of us gasp, they uttered the words, ‘You don’t get to make the rules.’ Can you imagine the audacity? The sheer nerve? Don’t worry, dear readers, my popcorn was ready.
Now, before you cast your judgment and take sides, let’s delve a little deeper into this family saga. The tension had been brewing for quite some time, it seems. Our protagonist felt stifled, trapped under the weight of parental expectations and rules that felt more like chains than guidance. And in a moment of sheer frustration, they did what many of us have only dreamt of: they stood up for themselves.
But here’s the twist: the mom, undoubtedly shocked by this defiance, couldn’t quite grasp the concept that her child was no longer a child, but a person with their own views, desires, and, dare I say, rules. Yes, the table had turned, and not even mom could deny the seismic shift that had occurred in their relationship.
As the internet does, people from all corners of the globe weighed in on this family fracas. Some hailed the protagonist as a hero, a modern-day Robin Hood stealing autonomy back from the tyrannical rule of parenting. Others, perhaps with a more traditional bend, saw this act of rebellion as nothing short of heresy.
But here’s where I, Roger, your guide through the tempest of online tribulation, offer my hot take. Are you ready? Lean in, because this one’s good.
In the great tapestry of life, each thread must eventually find its own direction, its own space to create a part of the picture that is wholly unique. Parents, with the best intentions at heart, often forget that their role is not to control but to guide, to prepare their offsprings for the day they must weave their own destiny. And you, my dear protagonist, have simply begun the process of taking the loom into your own hands.
To the mom? It’s a hard pill to swallow, I know. But swallow you must. Because at the end of the day, your child stepping up to claim their independence is not a failure on your part; it’s a sign of your success. You’ve raised a person strong enough to voice their opinions, to challenge authority, and to seek their own path. And that, my friends, is parenting done right.
So, while the knee-jerk reaction might be to side against our rule-breaking hero, I implore you to look beyond the act of defiance. See it for what it truly is: growing pains. A necessary, albeit uncomfortable, step towards adulthood, independence, and, ultimately, mutual respect.
Are they the asshole for telling their mom that she doesn’t get to make the rules? Absolutely not. It’s a bold move, sure. But sometimes, boldness is exactly what’s needed to bridge the gap between child and adult, between authority and autonomy.
Dear readers, as we reach the end of this riveting tale, I leave you with this: the family dynamic is complex, ever-evolving, and undeniably fascinating. And as much as we might try to simplify it, to distill it into heroes and villains, the truth is, it’s about navigating the choppy waters of relationships with empathy, understanding, and a healthy dose of rebellion.
Until next time, keep those chins up and those takes hot.
Roger out.
Original story
I (17M) live with my three brothers (15M, 13M, 10M), and my ma (40F). We’re not very well off. I pay almost half the rent, I pay for groceries more often than not, and I juggle having a job, going to school, and raising these three kids, one of whom is disabled.
I say raising, because my ma, between having two jobs and basically never being home, doesn’t contribute. She’s gone by 8am, and usually not back before 10 or 11pm. In the past year, she’s been home even less, getting home later and later. I’m pretty sure she goes out drinking.
The fight went like this: My ma came home last night a bit before 9pm for once, instead of 11 or later as she’s been doing. 15M came out of his room to say hi, and 13M was already on the couch reading something for school, so she hugged both of them, and said hi, and said she’d stopped by the gas station to buy us all something and gave us all a candy bar, which was cool of her. Then, she asked where 10M was, because she wanted to say hi to him.
Now, I’ve practically raised these kids on my own for years now. And I do my best. On the very rare occasion my mom comes home early, she usually just goes to bed.
I have 10M go to bed at 8pm, which I don’t think is unreasonable, and I let the other two stay up until 10pm, because they’re older. We all eat dinner at 6, get home from school around 4, and have a pretty clean routine altogether.
Now, my ma was asking where he was, so I told her he was asleep. She asked why, so I told her it’s past his bedtime. She told me he didn’t have to go to bed that early. I told her he did. She told me no he didn’t, she’d said we could all stay up until 10.
I said that doesn’t work, and she told me she’s the parent, and it does work. And then she said it’s not my place to micromanage the other three. she said, her kids, her house, her rules. And then she exploded, that I could stop being such a control- freak, because it wasn’t my place to do that, or to have signed up 13M for soccer, or to have repainted the fence, or to have taken 10M to the doctor some weeks ago, or any of the things I’ve been doing without asking her.
I told her, it’s also my house, I pay a lot of rent, and they’re basically my kids, because she’s never around, so it’s more my house, my rules, if we wanna play that game. I told her she wouldn’t know what works for 10M, because she’s too busy to know him. I told her I might ask for her input if she was ever around, but she never is, so I don’t give a shit how she thinks I should raise these kids, and she doesn’t get to have a say in it. Not anymore.
She broke down crying, called me ungrateful “for all that she does” said she “doesn’t know where she went wrong” and left the room. She either went to her room or she fucked off and left the house, idk and idc. She’s an adult, it’s her life. 13M said I’m a dick for making her cry, and 15M left the room a minute later, saying he was going to bed. So, Reddit, am I the asshole for telling my mother off?
Edit: Holy shit, this blew up. Some clarifying points:
1) I don’t hate her, some of y’all be out here dramatic AF
2) I go to school 8-10, work 10-4, pick my brothers up, and maybe work a night shift, if you want my schedule. If you want more details, look through my comments
3) we’re not struggling financially, but we really, really would be if I didn’t contribute
4) I’m not saying she doesn’t contribute at all, I’m saying she doesn’t contribute TO RAISING HER KIDS
5) I plan to eventually take custody
6) special shout out to the person who thinks I should be beaten with a chair, that was a good laugh
Edit 2: goddamn this really blew up
The bed time debate of all things isn’t really what I’d thought I’d ever end up being internet famous for lol
Thank you all for your kind words