Bored Panda works better on our iPhone app
Continue in app Continue in browser

Add post form topAdd Post
Tooltip close

The Bored Panda iOS app is live! Fight boredom with iPhones and iPads here.

Middle Kid Always Got Ignored Until His Destination Wedding That The Fam Wanted To Come To For Free
690

Middle Kid Always Got Ignored Until His Destination Wedding That The Fam Wanted To Come To For Free

ADVERTISEMENT

Everyone has flaws – even our parents; it’s just that, sometimes, those flaws can be rather brutal!

Take this Redditor, for instance. His parents were never involved in his life, so they’re not exactly close. When they found out about his wedding, they were under the impression that the man would cover their travel – but when he shut the idea down, they lashed out and said that they had “raised him better.”

More info: Reddit

You May Also Like:

This man’s parents were somewhat distant and uninvolved in his upbringing

Image credits: Chinh Le Duc (not the actual photo)

They’re not exactly close – however, when they found out about his wedding, they insisted on coming

Image credits: Ksenia Makagonova (not the actual photo)

Image credits: Jeremy Wong Weddings (not the actual photo)

Image credits: NoTarget8175

AITA for telling my parents that I am behaving exactly like they raised me to behave?” – this internet user took to one of Reddit’s most judgmental communities to tell its members a tale of how his parents, with whom he’s not on good terms, expected him to pay for their travel to his wedding. The post managed to garner nearly 8K upvotes as well as 383 comments discussing the situation.

Did you know that according to this 2023 report from The Chronicles Of Evidence-Based Mentoring, “Nearly 40% of US children lack strong emotional bonds with their parents”? 

It’s no big secret that being a parent is anything but easy! 

Lack of instruction, constant decision-making, financial strain, peer pressure and social comparison, lack of personal time, sleep deprivation, sibling rivalry, teenage rebellion, and good old parental guilt – it’s a true rollercoaster. 

Plus, sometimes, you have to cut your old folks some slack as they’re also doing this whole thing for the very first time. 

I mean, nobody is born an expert, eh?

However, as with everything in life – there’s a limit. And when you start to notice this toxic pattern, whether it’s them being overly controlling, neglectful, manipulative, or just simply abusive – you have to start putting your own interest first and do what’s best for you and you only. 

Perhaps the best thing you can do in such a case is to establish boundaries and accept that there’s a possibility that your parents won’t change. Besides, if this bond constantly causes you distress, you might even have to consider going low contact to essentially take control over your life and – like the author of today’s tale – focus on creating your own support system that actually cares about your well-being! 

They also thought he’d cover their travel, but when the man refused, they lashed out and said that they had “raised him better”

Image credits: Marc A. Sporys (not the actual photo)

Anywho, the OP, u/NoTarget8175, is a middle kid with a “golden child” older brother and a younger sister, “the baby.” He was mostly ignored and got into lots of trouble during his youth, for which he was never even punished due to his parents’ apathy. 

His high school guidance counselor took an interest in him after she noticed the disinterest that came from his family and even helped him get a full-ride scholarship.

Fast forward to now, and the guy’s 30 years old and is about to tie the knot with his beloved fiancée! 

He didn’t exactly cut his folks off – however, they’re not that close either. But when they found out about the wedding, he didn’t hesitate and said that they were welcome to come. 

Due to the nature of his family, it’s not that surprising that they instantly assumed that he would cover their travel expenses and basically sponsor the trip to his wedding, yet the OP stated that they would have to get there on their own.

Naturally, an argument ensued, and they got mad and said that they’d raised him better – however, he clapped back and gave them a taste of that much-needed reality. 

What do you think about this, Pandas? Do you agree with the author, or would you have done things differently? 

Fellow online community members shared their thoughts and opinions on the situation

ADVERTISEMENT

Share on Facebook
Darja Zinina

Darja Zinina

Writer, Community member

Read more »

Darja is a Content Creator at Bored Panda. She studied at the University of Westminster, where she got her Bachelor's degree in Contemporary Media Practice. She loves photography, foreign music and re-watching Forrest Gump.

Read less »
Darja Zinina

Darja Zinina

Writer, Community member

Darja is a Content Creator at Bored Panda. She studied at the University of Westminster, where she got her Bachelor's degree in Contemporary Media Practice. She loves photography, foreign music and re-watching Forrest Gump.

Denis Krotovas

Denis Krotovas

Author, BoredPanda staff

Read more »

I am a Visual Editor at Bored Panda. While studying at Vilnius Tech University, I learned how to use Photoshop and decided to continue mastering it at Bored Panda. I am interested in learning UI/UX design and creating unique designs for apps, games and websites. On my spare time, I enjoy playing video and board games, watching TV shows and movies and reading funny posts on the internet.

Read less »

Denis Krotovas

Denis Krotovas

Author, BoredPanda staff

I am a Visual Editor at Bored Panda. While studying at Vilnius Tech University, I learned how to use Photoshop and decided to continue mastering it at Bored Panda. I am interested in learning UI/UX design and creating unique designs for apps, games and websites. On my spare time, I enjoy playing video and board games, watching TV shows and movies and reading funny posts on the internet.

What do you think ?
Add photo comments
POST
Ron Baza
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

There’s an old saying where I come from, sone time-honoured wisdom which has been passed down through the generations. I think it applies here and I hope that other people are able to draw upon it too in their own lives. “F**k ‘em.”

Tabitha
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

“F**k ‘em and feed ‘em peanuts” is the one we always used to use back in the day.

Load More Replies...
C.O. Shea
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Middle child here. Good for you. I walked away from a toxic family that once forgot my birthday... then blamed the forgetting on me. No contact has been the best gift to myself.

Freya the Wanderer
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Bugger your parents. They ignored you, so ignore them back. Serve them right if they never get to meet the grandkids.

Load More Replies...
B.Nelson
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I don't understand skipping your kids graduation. Unless you are in the hospital, jail, or or stuck in a foreign country without your passport I don't see why you would skip it.

rosalia gurkenstein
Community Member
7 months ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My father almost skipped both middle school and high school graduation, he said because of work and money (we only have a formal dance at the very end of high school, that is for family and friends of the graduates, there's an entry fee so location, the food and drinks are getting payed, the graduates have to organize it themself too). I think the actual reason was more along the lines of not wanting to meet my mother, considering he managed to go to all of the graduations of my step siblings no problem. Luckily my step mom is a sensible person who looked at him strongly when he tried to decline my invitation to the dance and told him they were going no matter what, the money was really not important and it would be my only time having that graduation.... Sometimes parents just do s****y stuff and forget how important things are to their kids

Load More Replies...
Load More Comments
Ron Baza
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

There’s an old saying where I come from, sone time-honoured wisdom which has been passed down through the generations. I think it applies here and I hope that other people are able to draw upon it too in their own lives. “F**k ‘em.”

Tabitha
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

“F**k ‘em and feed ‘em peanuts” is the one we always used to use back in the day.

Load More Replies...
C.O. Shea
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Middle child here. Good for you. I walked away from a toxic family that once forgot my birthday... then blamed the forgetting on me. No contact has been the best gift to myself.

Freya the Wanderer
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Bugger your parents. They ignored you, so ignore them back. Serve them right if they never get to meet the grandkids.

Load More Replies...
B.Nelson
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I don't understand skipping your kids graduation. Unless you are in the hospital, jail, or or stuck in a foreign country without your passport I don't see why you would skip it.

rosalia gurkenstein
Community Member
7 months ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My father almost skipped both middle school and high school graduation, he said because of work and money (we only have a formal dance at the very end of high school, that is for family and friends of the graduates, there's an entry fee so location, the food and drinks are getting payed, the graduates have to organize it themself too). I think the actual reason was more along the lines of not wanting to meet my mother, considering he managed to go to all of the graduations of my step siblings no problem. Luckily my step mom is a sensible person who looked at him strongly when he tried to decline my invitation to the dance and told him they were going no matter what, the money was really not important and it would be my only time having that graduation.... Sometimes parents just do s****y stuff and forget how important things are to their kids

Load More Replies...
Load More Comments
Related on Bored Panda
Related on Bored Panda
Trending on Bored Panda
Also on Bored Panda