AITA for going no contact with my parents after finding out they’re expecting another baby?
A young person, rescued by CPS from severe parentification, has finally gone no contact after discovering their parents are expecting yet another child. From early childhood, they were treated as live-in help pulled from school, relocated to the nursery, and burdened with endless chores and childcare for a rapidly expanding family.
The parents dismissed concerns, insisting on more kids despite past interventions. This latest pregnancy felt like confirmation they’d never change, prompting a clean break amid pleas that they’re abandoning “family who need” them.
‘AITA for going no contact with my parents after finding out they’re expecting another baby?’
The family dynamic started early, with the stepmom positioned as the only mother figure:
The demands escalated quickly:
Responsibilities became overwhelming:
It progressed to full withdrawal from education:
Temporary fixes didn’t last:
Parentification—treating a child as a parental substitute—constitutes emotional abuse, robbing them of childhood while enabling parental irresponsibility. Continuous high-risk pregnancies despite interventions signal deeper issues around control and capacity.
Child psychologist Dr. Nicole Beurkens highlights: “Severe parentification leads to long-term resentment, trust issues, and difficulty setting boundaries in adulthood” (source: insights from discussions on childhood roles and trauma). Here, gendered expectations and dismissal of the child’s needs amplified harm.
Going no contact protects mental health when patterns persist unchanged. Guilt trips about “family needing you” often mask desire for free labor, not genuine love. Therapy aids processing, while firm boundaries prevent re-victimization.
Prioritizing self-healing over reconciliation with unrepentant abusers is valid many thrive post-NC, building chosen families instead.
These are the responses from Reddit users:
The vast majority ruled emphatically NTA, viewing no contact as essential protection after blatant exploitation:
Several offered deep empathy and encouragement for healing:
Practical tips for maintaining distance were common:
Curiosity about details didn’t change the verdict:
Escaping a home where love meant labor—and more babies meant more burdens—takes immense courage. No contact here isn’t selfish; it’s reclaiming the childhood stolen long ago.
The online chorus roared support, seeing through pleas as bids for free help rather than genuine remorse. Ever broken free from family expectations that crushed your spirit? Does blood always bind, or can chosen distance heal deeper? Sound off below.
