Am I wrong for forcing my brother to buy cheese?

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In a lively mall food court, a 20-year-old woman, chic but crippled by her stylish heels, planned to chill while her 13-year-old brother roamed with friends. When his plans flopped and a grocery run loomed, her aching feet sparked a cheesy showdown.

What began as a simple errand became a sibling saga, with her pushing him to step up and him digging in his heels. Readers feel her pain—who hasn’t clashed with a stubborn family member?

‘Am I wrong for forcing my brother to buy cheese?’

A few days ago, I (20f) took my brother (13m) to go hang out with his friends at the mall. I like to dress up sometimes when I go out, and decided to wear a pair of shoes that get very uncomfortable if I walk in them for too long. The plan was that I'd just sit in the food court while he and his friends walked around. Unfortunately, his friend wasn't able to make it, so we decided to just head home.

On the way home, my mom texted us to pick up the ingredients for dinner. I let him stay in the car while I went. The grocery store had all the ingredients I needed, except the cheese. So I bought everything I could and went back to my car. My feet hurt so bad at this point, so I drove us to another grocery store and asked my brother to go in and buy cheese.

He got really upset that I was

He completely refused to go alone, even with a phone call. Both I and my brother went inside the store, and I made him do all the steps. I made him hold my credit card, and at first he just dropped it on the floor and walked away, which made me so angry. I made him find and purchase the cheese, and we went home.

I don't think I'm the a**hole, I just think my brother is an entitled, horrifyingly lazy kid. It makes me so mad that I grew up constantly being pushed out of my comfort zone, but he's coddled by my parents to the point where he feels fine putting other people in difficult, even painful positions just so he doesn't have to challenge his own boundaries.

This grocery store standoff is less about cheese and more about growing pains—both literal and figurative. Sibling dynamics often reveal deeper issues of responsibility and entitlement, especially when one feels coddled while the other’s pushed to mature faster.

Dr. John Gottman, a renowned family dynamics expert, notes, “Fairness in family tasks builds trust and cooperation, but perceived favoritism can breed resentment” (source: Gottman Institute). Here, the sister’s frustration stems from her brother’s refusal to share the load, likely amplified by parental leniency. His tantrum—dropping her credit card and storming off—suggests a classic case of “weaponized incompetence,” where avoidance masquerades as inability.

This scenario reflects a broader issue: the uneven distribution of emotional labor in families. A 2023 study found that 60% of older siblings feel overburdened with responsibilities compared to younger ones (source: PewResearch Center.) The sister’s pain, dismissed as “fake,” underscores a lack of empathy, possibly nurtured by overprotective parenting.

For solutions, experts suggest clear communication and incremental challenges. The sister could set boundaries, like refusing non-essential favors until her brother steps up. Parents might consider structured tasks to build his confidence without coddling.

Here’s the input from the Reddit crowd:

The Reddit hive mind didn’t hold back, serving up a platter of wit and wisdom. Here’s what they had to say about this cheesy debacle:

Fun-Yellow-6576 − Wait, he can go walk around the mall but can’t go into a grocery store? Yeah, he’s playing everyone.

R2-Scotia − At 13 I would get an entire shop of 3-4 bags, as much as I could carry, by myself. That's pretty weak.

BIGBOYDADUDNDJDNDBD − Yeah no offense but your brother sounds very entitled. Someone needs to tell him to suck it up and do what he’s told. He’s 13 he shouldn’t be doing things like dropping a credit card and stomping away.

naysayer1984 − Everyone who keeps saying that mental health issues are at play have missed the fact that he and his friends can walk around the mall and look at stuff and even possibly buy things for themselves. Pushing him out of his “comfort zone” as an excuse or rather a “non-excuse” is a cop out. He just didn’t want to do it

Just_Me1973 − So he’s fine with walking around the mall, but going into a supermarket is outside his comfort zone? I’d stop doing any favors for him. Tell him driving to the mall is outside your comfort zone.

GrandmasTooFlash − You should have got cheese consent.

Sugarpuff_Karma − No but try wearing shoes that don't cripple you

That_one_bichh − I couldn’t imagine being so entitled that I started acting like a toddler. Next time he asks for you a favor or to do something for him just say no. Easy way for him to learn the world doesn’t revolve around him is for people to stop helping him out whenever he asks.

Unfair-Register-415 − lol your brother sounds like a f**king little p**ck.. Next time he can walk his ass to meet his friends.

Middle-Merdale − Sounds like the brother has mastered weaponized incompetence.

These hot takes are spicy, but do they cut to the core of the issue, or are they just Reddit’s classic roast session?

From aching feet to bruised egos, this story reminds us that family life is a messy mix of love and exasperation. The sister’s no villain for demanding a little help, but her brother’s resistance hints at deeper lessons about growing up. What would you do if a simple errand turned into a family feud? Share your thoughts, stories, or even your own grocery store dramas below—let’s keep the conversation as sharp as a cheddar slice!

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