'AITA for calling out my mom for neglecting her parental duties and just focusing on paying bills?'

A 16-year-old Reddit user posted on the popular subreddit "Am I The A**hole" (AITA) that she called out her mother for not being a responsible parent and neglecting her duties. 

In her post titled "AITA for telling my mom that just because she works and pays, the bills doesn’t mean she can stop with her motherly duties," the original poster (OP) shared her frustrations about the overwhelming responsibilities she has been shouldering at home.

The post has gained more than 4.9K upvotes and hundreds of comments, with many offering support and validating her concerns.

OP tells her mother to step up in her role as a parent

The OP explained the dynamic in her household, which includes her mother, stepdad, twin sister, younger siblings (8F and 14M), and an older brother. Despite being one of the children, the author shared that she is the one keeping the house running.

From cooking and cleaning to ensuring her siblings are ready for school, she juggles these duties alongside her own schoolwork and part-time job.

"I (16f) live with my mom my stepdad my twin sister my little brother, my little sister and my older brother for the time being. I cook I clean I make sure my. (8f) sister my(14m) brother and my (16f) twin sister are all up for school in the morning and on top of all of that I work and go to school myself. Yesterday, I told my mom that I need a mental health day because I literally do everything."

Feeling overwhelmed, the OP asked her mother for a mental health day, only to be dismissed. “She looked at me like I had three heads and asked me what do I do. I just got so mad, I snapped I packed a bag and I left the house. I stayed at my boyfriend‘s house for like three days," the teenager wrote. "I didn’t answer a single text a call or anything. I just need to day for myself and after the three days were up. I went home and it was a mess everywhere."

"My room was a mess. The kitchen was a mess. The living room was a mess everything and the first thing my mom told me when I walked in the house was clean it up. And then I yelled at her and I told her just because you work and you pay the bills does it mean that you can stop with your motherly duties," the OP explained, adding that she’s tired of being treated like the only responsible person in the house.

Internet backs teen who called out her mother for neglecting parenting responsibilities

Redditors were quick to point out the toxic dynamic the OP has with her mother, labeling it parentification, a form of emotional abuse where a child is forced to take on adult responsibilities.

One user wrote, "NTA . Your mother has kids but expects you to be their mother. Uh, nope," while another said, "Yes...OP, call your mother out for this! NTA. Get away as soon as you can. No reason why you have to do all the work and some of your other siblings don't."

Another person remarked, “NTA - look up parentification and talk to your social worker at school."

Another added, “NTA, Also there are TWO parents here, mom & step dad. What's up with both of THEM? They both just party when they get home? EVERYONE picks up after THEMSELVES. Kitchen and house chores are equally ASSIGNED to EVERYONE. Step dad included! Any more cleaning needed, they can HIRE someone to come in and do it! JFC this sexism is out of control."

"NTA! I mean, if she wanted a built-in babysitter, she should have gotten a pet goldfish instead of having more kids. At least the goldfish wouldn’t expect you to change diapers!" one individual said.

Another added, “NTA. This is called parentification, and I am sorry you are going through it. It sucks, and it's one of the main reasons people will estrange from their families as they get older and see how ridiculous their parents were."

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