Man Travels 8 Hours To His Mom’s, Walks Out On Her After She Shows Favoritism To Her ‘Adoptive’ Neighbor
Once we’re older, there comes a sweet realization that family isn’t someone that is related to us by blood, but very often it ends up being people that are close to our hearts and who, over time, show that they are there for us. This is a frequent case when people don’t get along with their actual family and seek recognition and love somewhere else. But what if you found out that someone from your close family or relatives favors someone else instead of you? Having this in mind, the Reddit user decided to share his family situation in order to understand if what he did could be justified. The story that received almost 16k upvotes soon drew other internet users’ attention, encouraging them to share their own points of view on the matter.
More Info: Reddit
It’s believed that we can’t choose our family, but with time, those who stand by our side become as important as blood relatives
Image credits: Brian Evans (not the actual image)
The author of the post shared that his mom always wanted to have a daughter but instead raised two sons and now has six grandsons. For this reason, she became very close with her neighbor and her daughter, who she met 16 years ago when the woman in question moved in with her 2-year-old daughter. Since then, OP’s mother has become like a family member to them, helping to take care of the little girl that the author of the post called Lily. Their relationship soon escalated to a point where the woman became their “adoptive” mom and grandmother, spoiling Lily with elaborate gifts such as a trip to Europe when she graduated school. While their relationship might seem like something from a movie, the author of the post noticed that his mom started showing favoritism.
Reddit user decided to share a situation after which he had to leave his mom’s house
He shared that over time, his mom became very close with her neighbor and her daughter
Image credits: u/aitaneighborscar
The man shared that while Lily received a trip to Europe, the woman’s grandsons got a $300 check. It was also known that the woman shared some knowledge about her French heritage with the girl, as well as her secret recipes, and even paid her private school fees. While there is nothing bad about helping out her neighbors and maintaining this close relationship, the last straw that broke the camel’s back happened when the man decided to stay for a few days at his mom’s so that she could spend some time with her grandsons.
The woman started spending so much time with her neighbors that the man noticed she started favoring them over her own kids and grandkids
Image credits: u/aitaneighborscar
One of the examples was that the woman took her neighbor’s daughter to Europe while leaving her grandsons with a check for $300
Image credits: u/aitaneighborscar
OP shared that they traveled 8 hours to see his mom for a few days. As dinner time was approaching, the woman asked her son to move his car out of her driveway so that Lily could park there, because it’s her spot. The man then said that since he was already parked, the neighbor could just leave her car in the street, but his mom said that since the spot in her driveway is Lily’s, he needed to move his car. This is when the author of the post decided to get his and his sons’ things and leave the house altogether. After this incident, the woman tried to contact her son and ask him to come back home, but he disagreed. However, this whole situation made him re-think his actions.
The situation that made everything even more clear happened when the author of the post came to visit his mom and brought his sons with him
Image credits: Christian Kitchens (not the actual image)
Not knowing what to do, OP decided to share his story with strangers online who expressed their support and were quite interested in the story, asking for some additional information about his and his mom’s relationship. It didn’t take long for users online to understand that his mom is playing favorites and that it isn’t healthy behavior. What is your opinion on this situation? Don’t forget to leave your thoughts in the comments down below!
The man left his car in the driveway, but not for long, because his mom asked him to move it as it was her neighbor’s daughter’s spot
Image credits: u/aitaneighborscar
It’s funny to think that there are a lot of people who try to limit their contact with their neighbors or that there are people who are on quite difficult terms with someone that lives right next to them. But being friends with your neighbors might seem like a convenient thing. So how can you become a better neighbor and perhaps someone’s friend? According to OneRoof, an app that helps people who live in the same building find each other and become friends, everything starts from not being shy and introducing yourself to others. Once they know you, don’t forget to be considerate and in case you’re planning some party or gathering, let your neighbors know that there might be some louder noises coming from your apartment.
Instead of doing what his mom asked, the man took his kids and left the house
Image credits: Susanne Nilsson (not the actual image)
To continue being an understandable and good neighbor, it’s important to address any issues with your neighbor immediately as well as respect their privacy and space. By being an attentive and respectful neighbor who understands certain boundaries but is there to give a helping hand, you can easily become someone’s new friend.
After a while, the man started doubting his actions, so he shared what happened on Reddit
A lot of people became interested in the situation wanting to find out more
Most users agreed that the man wasn’t in the wrong and that his mom was showing clear signs of favoritism
Image credits: u/aitaneighborscar
If you read the comments, one of them is kind of telling: he answers a question that Lily helps his mom out all the time, while he and his son live 8 hours away. So essentially Lily has become a sort of step daughter, and is looking out for his mom all the time. Which tells me a few things: he is unnecessarily jealous, and he doesn't appreciate the kindness of someone else being there for his 60- year old mother while he isn't. So if it's "Lily's Spot", he's being ungracious and petty. HOWEVER. Since he lives 8 hours away m that means he's a GUEST. Guests get priority, because they are only visiting for a short time. I'm surprised a gal from Italy forgot this. VERDICT: Everybody Sucks Here. Grace on BOTH SIDES would have made this completely unnecessary.
Also the mum may have gone to Europe with Lily but that does not necessarily mean she paid for her, Lilys parents may well have paid. The son admits he only knows they went because of pics on Facebook, so was he ever willing to take his mumtravelling with him? If not then shut up about her having a life outside of the 2 or 3 times a year he bothers to even see her.
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People think their blood trumps all. Lilly is like a relative to her. They should treat her like a niece/sister. And she is doing the bulk of the heavy lifting. I would be glad for Lilly, not the other way around.
I agree. I have a sister who was “adopted” into my family as an adult. She helped out with my late aunt in her last year. She visits my grandmother often. She helps my parents with their volunteer projects. Even though she’s not blood and didn’t grow up with us, she’s still my sister. Our family has done a lot for her, but she’s done a lot for our family.
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There is a lot of info missing since this isn't just over a parking spot. If OP feels so slighted he didn't learn his parents' cultures and languages, why didn't he learn them? My kids are multinational and speak (mostly so far) both languages. Did his parents do the "This is America, we speak English here!" thing that many immigrant parents did that has mostly faded away? There is a lot of resentment on OP's side, I get it, but they aren't discussing it with the right person: their mom. Honestly, it would be great to have a guided talk with a family therapist to work on mending relationships
Surely OP has heard for years that his mom wanted a daughter, but had two sons instead. Then she was equally disappointed that her grandchildren are all male. I've also noticed that grandma doesn't seem to have made any trips to see her children/grandchildren but her sons have made the effort. Unless she's handicapped (it doesn't appear she's financially strapped) I don't see why she's not visiting her family. With the obvious favoritism and and disappointment, I think OP just had it and wasn't going to let his sons being treated as second thoughts.
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If you read the comments, one of them is kind of telling: he answers a question that Lily helps his mom out all the time, while he and his son live 8 hours away. So essentially Lily has become a sort of step daughter, and is looking out for his mom all the time. Which tells me a few things: he is unnecessarily jealous, and he doesn't appreciate the kindness of someone else being there for his 60- year old mother while he isn't. So if it's "Lily's Spot", he's being ungracious and petty. HOWEVER. Since he lives 8 hours away m that means he's a GUEST. Guests get priority, because they are only visiting for a short time. I'm surprised a gal from Italy forgot this. VERDICT: Everybody Sucks Here. Grace on BOTH SIDES would have made this completely unnecessary.
Also the mum may have gone to Europe with Lily but that does not necessarily mean she paid for her, Lilys parents may well have paid. The son admits he only knows they went because of pics on Facebook, so was he ever willing to take his mumtravelling with him? If not then shut up about her having a life outside of the 2 or 3 times a year he bothers to even see her.
Load More Replies... People think their blood trumps all. Lilly is like a relative to her. They should treat her like a niece/sister. And she is doing the bulk of the heavy lifting. I would be glad for Lilly, not the other way around.
I agree. I have a sister who was “adopted” into my family as an adult. She helped out with my late aunt in her last year. She visits my grandmother often. She helps my parents with their volunteer projects. Even though she’s not blood and didn’t grow up with us, she’s still my sister. Our family has done a lot for her, but she’s done a lot for our family.
Load More Replies... There is a lot of info missing since this isn't just over a parking spot. If OP feels so slighted he didn't learn his parents' cultures and languages, why didn't he learn them? My kids are multinational and speak (mostly so far) both languages. Did his parents do the "This is America, we speak English here!" thing that many immigrant parents did that has mostly faded away? There is a lot of resentment on OP's side, I get it, but they aren't discussing it with the right person: their mom. Honestly, it would be great to have a guided talk with a family therapist to work on mending relationships
Surely OP has heard for years that his mom wanted a daughter, but had two sons instead. Then she was equally disappointed that her grandchildren are all male. I've also noticed that grandma doesn't seem to have made any trips to see her children/grandchildren but her sons have made the effort. Unless she's handicapped (it doesn't appear she's financially strapped) I don't see why she's not visiting her family. With the obvious favoritism and and disappointment, I think OP just had it and wasn't going to let his sons being treated as second thoughts.
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