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43
Teen Gets Berated By Family For Calling CPS After He Was Done With Being Parentified
Until they reach a certain age, children are their parents’ responsibility. But some people see no problem with dropping their responsibilities on others.
Take this redditor, for example. Being the oldest of four children, he was forced by his mom to take up the role of a parent. Since his father had a drinking problem, whenever mom wasn’t around, the teen was in charge, which meant taking care of the family, his siblings, and even paying the bills. It’s no surprise that the young man eventually called CPS on his own family.
RELATED:
Taking care of the family is the parent’s, not the child’s, responsibility
image credits: DragonImages (not the actual photo)
But this 16-year-old had to take care of not only his siblings and the household, but the bills, too
image credits: prathanchorruangsak (not the actual photo)
image credits: ThisLab8142
Many young people suffer from parentification, which burdens them with a load too large to bear at their age
It’s not unheard of for the eldest sibling to become very parent-like when an addition to the family arrives. Whether encouraged by mom and dad or naturally, they assume this new position of a guardian—which often goes hand in hand with that of a bully—so they want to make sure that no one—other than them—will hurt the little one.
But parents encouraging their firstborn to care for their younger sibling is in no way the same as loading all of the parenting responsibilities on them, as the OP’s parents did to him. Known as parentification, such behavior from parents can have significant negative effects on the well-being of the parentified child.
According to the Newport Academy, parentification happens when moms and dads turn to their children for emotional and practical support when they should be the ones providing it, which makes the child a caregiver. “As a result, parentified children are forced to assume adult responsibilities and behaviors before they are ready to do so. In addition, they do not receive acknowledgment or support for taking on these responsibilities.”
The aforementioned source points out that roughly 1.4 million children and adolescents in the US experience parentification.
![“[Am I The Jerk] For Calling CPS On My Family And Asking To Be Removed From Our House?”](https://www.boredpanda.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/jesus-rodriguez-NcWNzEAD7Fs-unsplash.jpg?utm_campaign=rebelboost_true "“[Am I The Jerk] For Calling CPS On My Family And Asking To Be Removed From Our House?”")
image credits: Jesús Rodríguez (not the actual photo)
Parentification can have a significant negative effect on the child’s development
Delving deeper into the topic of parentification in a piece for Psychology Today, licensed marriage and family therapist Sarah Epstein noted that it can occur for numerous reasons. Some people parent their children because they never learned to handle their own feelings, for instance. Some might have been parentified themselves, which became a way of parenting they decided to follow. Others might be suffering from illness or addiction, lack certain skills or emotional capacity, or rely on their children because they have too much on their plate work-wise.
But no matter the reason, parentification can have a serious negative effect on the child’s well-being, both at the time of parentification and even years later. According to Sarah Epstein, parentified children learn that it’s their job to put their own emotional and developmental needs aside and care for their parents.
“These kids may get ‘so mature for their age’ or ‘so low maintenance.’ While meant as a compliment, these phrases simply describe children who were asked to bypass their own developmentally appropriate role of child to become a little grown-up. And those roles take a toll,” the expert wrote.
Burdened with the responsibilities that would usually befall a parent, the OP had to juggle multiple tasks at once, which inevitably took a toll on not only his emotional well-being but his grades, too. The teen then decided to inform some people at his school of the situation and eventually took matters into his own hands and called the CPS (Child Protective Services) himself. Fellow netizens stood by him and expressed support in their messages in the comments.
![“[Am I The Jerk] For Calling CPS On My Family And Asking To Be Removed From Our House?”](https://www.boredpanda.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/pexels-kindelmedia-8550682.jpg?utm_campaign=rebelboost_true "“[Am I The Jerk] For Calling CPS On My Family And Asking To Be Removed From Our House?”")
image credits: Kindel Media (not the actual photo)
The teen provided more details in the comments
Fellow netizens showed support for the young man
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What do you think ?
Tabitha 8 months ago (edited)
Listen, the kid can come and live with my husband and I. We couldn’t have kids of our own, but are more than happy to pitch in and help. OP can finish school without having to get a job if he doesn’t want to. He wouldn’t have to worry about college either. We own a business that’s doing well, so can swing tuition. Plus, he can graduate college and come back to run the business if he’d like, as we don’t have children to leave it to. Now, if total strangers would be willing to do that for OP, who is very obviously a great, responsible kid and mature beyond his years, why TF can’t his parents? They have no idea what a gold mine of wonderful kid they have. They should cherish him and do all they can to make his life as happy as possible, not enslave him and ruin his life by dumping their parenting jobs on him. It just kills me, as someone who wanted kids and couldn’t have them, that people who can easily push out four babies have such a cavalier attitude about their children and their own responsibilities as parents. There are those of us out here who would’ve considered ourselves blessed to have had just one kid, especially if they turned out as wonderful as OP.
BeesEelsAndPups 8 months ago
Tabitha, you sound awesome. Please become a foster parent. You could do so much good in this world. My GF was raised by a fantastic foster family, who went on to adopt her, and she became an amazing human being.
Load More Replies...
Rick Murray 8 months ago
Whoa! All the way to the end and not one single YTA post. I think that says *everything* about this awful situation.
Tams21 8 months ago
If a kid ever feels the need to call CPS on their own family then something has gone wrong in a big way and the child should never be faulted for doing so. In this case, it sounds like the only thing the parents did right was raise a child with the courage to get help.
Dill 8 months ago
That's despite the parenting, probably, not because of. Children can be wonderful with awful parents and awful with wonderful parents. Yes, how you bring them up matters, absolutely! However, they are still individual people with their own personality from a very, very young age!
Load More Replies...
Robyn Hill 8 months ago
Even if CPS is stupid enough to return him to his crappy family, I hope they talk to him about becoming emancipated. He can definitely handle it, even though he shouldn’t have to.
Dill 8 months ago
That was my main concern at the end. Poor lad needs keeping away from them.
Load More Replies...
Ben Aziza 8 months ago
Father needs to go get his fking head checked if this depression or some mental illness it has gone too long and cause too much damage that i can't feel any sympathy for. So does the mom. Sacrificing one of her kids on the alter of "family?" the deadbeat dad is obviously the main cause of this whole issue but why the mom is enabling him at the cost of her kid is beyond logic to me.
Tyranamar Seuss 8 months ago
The siblings are being awful to him bc now they have to make their own lunch and pay the bills. Once it sinks in how truly crappy it is to take care of everyone as a child, they may come around. Right now they're just caught up in their own suffering.
Just Another Karen 8 months ago
Please, get out!!! You're not the AH, not spoiled, nothing like that! You're the victim. If they hate you for calling CPS, it's on them, not you. You're trying to survive and be well. Keep doing it! You're awesome, you're strong. I hope you find love <3
Robin Roper 8 months ago
OP did the right thing but for the poster who suggested emancipation - that' really hard. The child has to prove they can completely support themselves. Only wealthy minors (Taylor Swift level of wealth) can reach this threshold. Placing him with family is the right move; OP's immediate family suck!
Tom O'Neill 2 months ago
F**k'em, you owe those bastards that DARE to call themselves "family" NOTHING!
Earonn - 8 months ago
Send this poor boy over to Edinburgh. He can stay in the second bedroom, finish school, and then choose which university he wants to attend (or whatever job he wants). Honestly, why isn't there a better system for children born to people such as OP's parents? Why aren't their lots of homes where they can stay, get support and have a proper childhood? (Money, I know. It's always money. But hey, the rich can get into space, yay!)
Tabitha 8 months ago (edited)
Listen, the kid can come and live with my husband and I. We couldn’t have kids of our own, but are more than happy to pitch in and help. OP can finish school without having to get a job if he doesn’t want to. He wouldn’t have to worry about college either. We own a business that’s doing well, so can swing tuition. Plus, he can graduate college and come back to run the business if he’d like, as we don’t have children to leave it to. Now, if total strangers would be willing to do that for OP, who is very obviously a great, responsible kid and mature beyond his years, why TF can’t his parents? They have no idea what a gold mine of wonderful kid they have. They should cherish him and do all they can to make his life as happy as possible, not enslave him and ruin his life by dumping their parenting jobs on him. It just kills me, as someone who wanted kids and couldn’t have them, that people who can easily push out four babies have such a cavalier attitude about their children and their own responsibilities as parents. There are those of us out here who would’ve considered ourselves blessed to have had just one kid, especially if they turned out as wonderful as OP.
BeesEelsAndPups 8 months ago
Tabitha, you sound awesome. Please become a foster parent. You could do so much good in this world. My GF was raised by a fantastic foster family, who went on to adopt her, and she became an amazing human being.
Load More Replies... Rick Murray 8 months ago
Whoa! All the way to the end and not one single YTA post. I think that says *everything* about this awful situation.
Tams21 8 months ago
If a kid ever feels the need to call CPS on their own family then something has gone wrong in a big way and the child should never be faulted for doing so. In this case, it sounds like the only thing the parents did right was raise a child with the courage to get help.
Dill 8 months ago
That's despite the parenting, probably, not because of. Children can be wonderful with awful parents and awful with wonderful parents. Yes, how you bring them up matters, absolutely! However, they are still individual people with their own personality from a very, very young age!
Load More Replies... Robyn Hill 8 months ago
Even if CPS is stupid enough to return him to his crappy family, I hope they talk to him about becoming emancipated. He can definitely handle it, even though he shouldn’t have to.
Dill 8 months ago
That was my main concern at the end. Poor lad needs keeping away from them.
Load More Replies... Ben Aziza 8 months ago
Father needs to go get his fking head checked if this depression or some mental illness it has gone too long and cause too much damage that i can't feel any sympathy for. So does the mom. Sacrificing one of her kids on the alter of "family?" the deadbeat dad is obviously the main cause of this whole issue but why the mom is enabling him at the cost of her kid is beyond logic to me.
Tyranamar Seuss 8 months ago
The siblings are being awful to him bc now they have to make their own lunch and pay the bills. Once it sinks in how truly crappy it is to take care of everyone as a child, they may come around. Right now they're just caught up in their own suffering.
Just Another Karen 8 months ago
Please, get out!!! You're not the AH, not spoiled, nothing like that! You're the victim. If they hate you for calling CPS, it's on them, not you. You're trying to survive and be well. Keep doing it! You're awesome, you're strong. I hope you find love <3
Robin Roper 8 months ago
OP did the right thing but for the poster who suggested emancipation - that' really hard. The child has to prove they can completely support themselves. Only wealthy minors (Taylor Swift level of wealth) can reach this threshold. Placing him with family is the right move; OP's immediate family suck!
Tom O'Neill 2 months ago
F**k'em, you owe those bastards that DARE to call themselves "family" NOTHING!
Earonn - 8 months ago
Send this poor boy over to Edinburgh. He can stay in the second bedroom, finish school, and then choose which university he wants to attend (or whatever job he wants). Honestly, why isn't there a better system for children born to people such as OP's parents? Why aren't their lots of homes where they can stay, get support and have a proper childhood? (Money, I know. It's always money. But hey, the rich can get into space, yay!)
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