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A teenager has taken to the internet for advice, after becoming fed up with her mum’s expectations. She says she’s often left to cook dinner for his four siblings, and she’s had enough.

The 15-year-old lives with her siblings, aged 17, 16, 14 and 12, and her 37-year-old mum. The teen says she feels as though the weight of household duties constantly falls on her shoulders.

“Mum works from 9-4 and comes home expecting everything to be clean and dinner to be made. She occasionally makes dinner, but 5/7 days of the week we’re eating sandwiches or takeout and it’s really gross to all of us. On days where she ‘cooks’ it’s our responsibility to meal prep right after school and make sure there isn’t a mess when she gets home from work.

“I go to school from 7:40 until 3, getting home around 3:30. When I get home from school, my sisters are doing homework in the kitchen table so when I ask them to help me meal prep and clean up a little they say they can’t because they’re busy. On the other hand, my older brother works so he gets home to change and heads straight to work, and my oldest brother brings his girlfriend over and they sit on the couch playing video games.”

The teenager explained that the situation came to a head last week, when, by Tuesday, they’d eaten sandwiches for dinner three consecutive days.

“I told our mum that we were sick of eating sandwiches and she replied with, ‘There’s beans in the fridge and you can make egg or something if you’re really hungry’. The beans are weeks old and we eat egg almost every other day.”

“On Wednesday she made scrambled eggs for dinner and we ate that, but on Thursday she wanted us to make egg again. Finally, on Friday when I was sick with a fever I couldn’t make anything, we got takeout. However, on Saturday my mum and dad went to a party so we ordered takeout again.

“On Sunday I still felt sick, but I made dinner for me and my two sisters and my mum had made a seafood dinner for my two older brothers, which she knows me and my sisters don’t eat, before going to another party with my dad. Our house doesn’t have much ingredients, so I just air fried some fries and chicken tenders and I made coleslaw but it was all nauseating to me.”

The fed-up teen said her mum wanted her to make scrambled eggs again for dinner yesterday, and it was the final straw.

“I expressed my anger with this because she was going to AGAIN another party today where they eat food and we’re stuck eating dog sh*t.

“Today I confronted my parents about what we’ve been eating as they headed out for another party. My sister (14) and brother (17) said it’s just me that’s complaining but me and my (12) sister have been talking about how nauseating this has been to us. They offered to buy us some pizza, but that’s exactly what I’m sick of. They then proceeded to say they’re not just going to stop doing whatever to make me content and that if I was really hungry I’d eat whatever.”

The teen wants to know if she’s in the wrong, because she’s old enough to be making her own food, or if she’s justified in being upset with her parents.

Offer your advice in the comments below. 

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  • Both my parents worked and from the age of 9 years I was in the kitchen helping out. By 11 years I could cook dinner for a family of 6 people. Every 6 weeks I cooked for a week but got help from my siblings and Mum. It made me into a great cook indeed. So grateful for that.

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  • This is not right or fair. I’m all for kids helping out but this is really unhealthy. If the parents are happy to order takeaway maybe they could at least order some pre-packaged salads, cold chicken or roast meat etc. Healthy dinners can still be quick and easy. Cheaper than takeaway too.

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  • I think a round the table discussion would be good wherein organisation could be discussed and tasks are divided in a balanced and honest way

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  • Sounds like a real-life Cinderella. And very hard to come up with a solution for you. It is a pity that you don’t have the right to just cook something for yourself and watch the others quickly come round to at least sharing the chores with you. You, too, must have homework to do. Who did all the cooking before you were 15? I do hope something happens in a nice way for you and soon.

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  • It’s great to have a little help with dinner, but to have a 15 year old cook most nights is not good. Those parents need to wake up and grow up. Provide healthy meals for their teenage kids and be around for them. I just want to hug this poor girl and cook her some meals.


    • Yes, my heart goes out to her too

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  • They don’t sound like very good parents. I work 9 to 5 and there is always a home cooked meal. The only exception is the odd Sunday when we get home late from our adventures. Honestly, with kids all the age they are, they could have a roster so they pitch in. It’s not unreasonable for kids that old to be helping out, but I think it’s very unfair it’s all falling to one child and that the parents are going to parties all the time.

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  • I had friends who’s parents both worked and they had to prep meals during the week. Peeling veggies or making meat dishes putting these in the oven or onto the cooker for slow-cooking casseroles. It is not fair putting this onto one child but these are the cards you have been dealt so make the best of this make a list of food you can cook for the family. Rice and Pasta dishes with meats and veggies. Easy fast and tasty Burgers and Wraps are easy and tasty. Chicken is fast and easy too. BBQ’s are fun and easy. Maybe the boys would like to cook the BBQ’s. Girls grabs bags of salads and add a dressing. Mexican food is fast and tasty as is Thai. Chicken is easy to prepare and grab some sauces to marinade the meat add frozen veggies. You can make yourself into a great chef and hopefully your family will appreciate you more. And maybe want the help and learn what you do. You are a great daughter just don’t let this get you down. Get your sisters 12 and 14 onboard with you and get them chopping and peeling and cooking together. Get Mum and Dad to shop the ingredients you require to make tasty meals.

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  • Definitely more food choices are needed a family discussion and family shopping trip weekly. Hopefully mum can step up. A team effort is required from all the kids food and dinner responsibility shouldn’t be put on one child. Sandwiches, eggs, beans should not be the only quick meal options.

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  • Shame on these parents. Each child needs to cook once a week and the parents the other nights and forget about their immature parties. Is there a drink or drug problem with these irresponsible parents? Ask for a food budget to get in some food stocks that are healthy. Have some fruit and nuts around for snacks.

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  • This is terrible. Why does this responsibility fall on one child. Where’s the parenting?

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  • Cooking something like once a week might be a fair request, if everyone is taking a turn. But even then they should be providing healthy ingredients.

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  • That’s awful. Firstly, what they’re eating is not very nutritional. Secondly, it’s up to patents to ensure kids are eating healthy meals. Yeah, the kids can help with meal preparation and keeping the house clean, but I do think these patents are expecting too much

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  • Sounds like there is a lot wrong here.
    I feel very much for her and can only hope thatshe is able to find a way to sort this out.
    Sounds like Mum and dad feel you can all cope on your own and they have given up being parents.


    • To be honest I wonder if they’re able to come to a solution as in one of the conversations the parents state that they’re not just going to stop doing whatever to make the daughter content and that if she was really hungry she’d eat whatever. A concerning situation indeed

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  • Why not ask your parents for a shopping budget and then shop online for ingredients to make healthier meals. Also, there is no reason why the other siblings cannot get involved in making dinner or washing up. It doesn’t take very long especially when there is more than one person cooking.

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  • It’s important to have some responsibilities at home but far out. Kids still need to be kids. It seems like the parents have completely checked out. At the very least the parents could make sure there is food in the house to feed them. Money doesn’t seem like an issue seems they can afford takeout most nights. Very sad and shame on the parents.

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  • Sounds like the kids are just being left to it while the parents do their own thing.
    I think the kids would be better off cooking their own meals maybe asking for certain foods in the house instead of takeaway. Very sad.

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  • Seems like the parents had their kids very young and have really never taken responsibility for them. I understand that kids have to do some chores around the house but I definitely think she is in the right to complain and I better the parents will wonder why they have no relationship with her when she leaves home. She seems to be the only responsible adult in the house. I really feel for her.

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  • At age 17, 16, 14 and 12, kids still need very much the love and guidance of their parents.
    I read lack of parental responsibility.
    I read absent parents who aren’t present when the kids come home and who aren’t present during family dinners.
    I read parents who lack to care and provide.
    I read unequal sharing of task


    • Responsibility sits with the adults of a household.

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  • This sounds like alot of responsibility for a child to take on. I’m all for teaching kids and helping out but it shouldn’t be on the child’s shoulders to have to take on majority of it.

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  • Disgusting of the parents to do a party every other day but not provide healthy food for their children at the least.

    Reply

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