What would you do if your parents expected you to cook for the whole family and then refused to let you eat if you didn’t comply? Imagine being 16, managing school, a part-time job, and your own meals, only to be told you also need to cater to three step-siblings.
This is what our OP, a determined young man named Mike (not his real name), had to go through. While having good reasons for not wanting to take on the responsibility, Mike’s refusal to obey his stepmom and comply with her unreasonable expectations sparked a drama that turned the household (or should we say kitchen) upside down.
More info: Reddit
Teen’s parents expect him to cook for the family and refuse to let him eat unless he does
Image credits: cottonbro studio (not the actual photo)
16-year-old boy who has been cooking for himself since he was 11 says it’s not his job to feed an entire family of 6
Image credits: New-Potato5893
Image credits: Katerina Holmes (not the actual photo)
Teen’s stepmom doesn’t feed her 3 young kids, expecting her stepson to pick up the slack and cook them lunch
Image credits: New-Potato5893
Parents demand teen cook dinner for entire family with his own money, but he refuses and is berated by his stepmom
Image credits: Tima Miroshnichenko (not the actual photo)
Image credits: New-Potato5893
During the last confrontation about cooking, the stepmom said she hated the teen and cussed him out to boot
Mike wasn’t your typical teen – while others were busy with video games and social media, Mike was rocking an apron and working part-time. He had to grow up fast due to his mom’s illness, and his kitchen adventures began when he was only 11 years old.
Mike’s lunchtime rebellion began when his dad remarried a woman with 3 young kids. Mike’s dad and stepmom decided it was the teen’s responsibility to prepare lunches for his 3 stepsiblings, not just to feed himself. Refusing to accept the role of the family’s unpaid chef, Mike dug in his heels, sparking a kitchen drama. But Mike’s parents didn’t stop there. They told their 16-year-old son that he is not allowed to eat their food unless he does more things for the family, starting with preparing lunches for his 3 stepsiblings, every day. “They said I shouldn’t get to eat their dinners if I won’t participate in taking care of the family,” the teen recalls.
For Mike, this was more than a disagreement over assembling sandwiches– it was a search for independence and respect. Despite juggling school and part-time work to finance his own midday meals and dinners, Mike’s parents insist on pushing him to take on even more kitchen responsibilities. But his dear old dad and stepmom are not only asking him to feed their 3 young kids. Oh, no! They are demanding that he cook dinner for the entire family, from his own money.
Just when you thought things couldn’t get any worse, Mike drops a bombshell: his stepmom has often forgotten to pack lunches for her own children, expecting him to pick up the slack. This wasn’t a one-time oversight – it happened repeatedly, with teachers stepping in to feed the kids. As expected, Mike’s stepmom blamed him, accusing the 16-year-old of being selfish for not feeding his stepsiblings.
Image credits: Kindel Media (not the actual photo)
The situation reached a boiling point when Mike was peacefully eating his self-prepared dinner, when his dad and stepmom arrived home with their 3 hungry kids. True to their usual entitled behavior, they demanded that Mike cook dinner for his siblings. When Mike refused to prepare 3 extra meals, his stepmom exploded. “She called me a bunch of names and told me she hates me because I’m supposed to be a decent kid and yet I won’t help feed her kids,” Mike remembers.
Unfortunately, it is obvious that the ones who are hurt the most by this situation are the 3 young kids, who are at no fault, yet suffer the most from the parents’ neglect. According to research conducted into the dynamic of blended families, “A marriage that brings with it children from a previous marriage presents many challenges. Couples should discuss the role the stepparent will play in raising their new spouse’s children, as well as changes in household rules that may have to be made.”
Despite Mike’s familial fallout, there are plenty of good reasons to get kids to learn how to cook. According to an article on this topic, “Teaching your kids to cook helps them develop highly transferable skills, from how to do basic math to how to see a project through from beginning to end. It teaches them patience, because cooking has its own timeline and can’t be rushed. Teaching kids to cook even teaches them the value of money, since cooking at home is far less expensive than eating out.” However, although cooking is a great skill to have, an unwilling teen should not bear the burden of feeding 3 young kids, let alone an entire family of 6.
Parents need to balance their expectations and make sure all children feel supported and valued. Forcing a single child to take on disproportionate responsibilities can lead to resentment and conflict, as seen in Mike’s story. Clear communication and shared duties are essential for creating a supportive family environment.
Netizens stand behind Mike, condemning his parents for having unreasonable demands and neglecting their kids. It’s one thing to teach responsibility, but quite another to expect a teenager to carry the burden of feeding an entire family while being denied basic meals.
What’s your take on this story? Let us know in the comments.
Mike’s parents face online backlash for their unreasonable demands and child neglect
"Wow I don't know how you can be so mature when surrounded by so much immaturity!" It's. Called. Trauma. This kid has lost a parent and has been living in an abusive and neglectful home. That's why he's so mature. Growing up fast is a survival instinct.
@ Bartlet for World Domination - no, that's called "parentification of a minor" and it's child abuse. A minor should never be made to feel responsible of other minors health and well-being. That is the job of the adults in the household. Placing adult responsibilities on to minors has been proven harmful to their mental health through numerous studies.
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This is definitely a time to call CPS on those worthless pos parents who clearly should never have had children at all!
I'm so sorry. You're almost out though. The hardest part will be making a good plan and not just an anywhere but here plan. Those are ok in the short term, but there are lots of jobs that don't pay that well but will offer accomodation, and will give you some time to plan a next move. Caretakers and rangers for national/state/provincial parks are great if you need some literal space, au pair jobs are easy to find, cannery work is tough but you get a good payday at the end of the season, and usually meet I interesting folk. You're only stuck for a short while.
"Wow I don't know how you can be so mature when surrounded by so much immaturity!" It's. Called. Trauma. This kid has lost a parent and has been living in an abusive and neglectful home. That's why he's so mature. Growing up fast is a survival instinct.
@ Bartlet for World Domination - no, that's called "parentification of a minor" and it's child abuse. A minor should never be made to feel responsible of other minors health and well-being. That is the job of the adults in the household. Placing adult responsibilities on to minors has been proven harmful to their mental health through numerous studies.
Load More Replies... This is definitely a time to call CPS on those worthless pos parents who clearly should never have had children at all!
I'm so sorry. You're almost out though. The hardest part will be making a good plan and not just an anywhere but here plan. Those are ok in the short term, but there are lots of jobs that don't pay that well but will offer accomodation, and will give you some time to plan a next move. Caretakers and rangers for national/state/provincial parks are great if you need some literal space, au pair jobs are easy to find, cannery work is tough but you get a good payday at the end of the season, and usually meet I interesting folk. You're only stuck for a short while.
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