AITA For Reminding Him He Picked the Therapist, Not Me?
Imagine opening your home to a 13-year-old nephew seething with anger, his world upended by a dad who’s traded family focus for a new wife and stepkids. Our Redditor and her husband step up, offering a safe haven for a kid whose rage erupted in a December outburst—yelling at his stepsiblings, his dad, and anyone who dared intervene. It’s a temporary fix, they say, but with no end in sight, it feels more like a lifeline. The catch? Her brother, the boy’s father, set up therapy but now balks at the results.
Cue the blame game: he’s pointing fingers at her for a therapist he chose, griping that progress isn’t instant. She fires back—he picked the help, she’s just holding the fort. Now he’s sulking, and she’s wondering if she’s the bad guy. It’s a messy stew of loyalty, love, and a dad in denial—let’s stir the pot and see what’s cooking.
‘AITA for reminding my brother he chose his son’s therapist and he needs to stop blaming me when I’m helping him?’
This family mess is like a tangled knot of emotions, with our Redditor stuck playing referee in her brother’s parenting fumble. He’s offloaded his son—angry and hurting—onto her, expecting therapy to magically erase the fallout of his remarriage neglect. She’s dead right to snap back: he picked the therapist, not her, and she’s doing the heavy lifting by giving the kid a stable roof.
His griping about slow progress? Classic deflection. Dr. Carl Pickhardt, a seasoned parenting psychologist, puts it perfectly: “Kids don’t heal from neglect until parents face their own role—therapy’s a mirror, not a cure.” Brother’s dodging that reflection hard, and blaming her is his easy out.
Zoom in on the nephew, and it’s heartbreaking—his rage at his stepsiblings, wishing them gone, isn’t just teen angst; it’s a cry from feeling replaced. A 2023 study found 70% of kids in blended families feel pushed aside post-remarriage, and this boy’s a textbook case. His dad’s focus shifted—new wife, new kids—and the wedding’s mixed vibes turned into full-on resentment.
The therapist likely laid it bare: this isn’t about the boy “fixing” himself; it’s about dad stepping up. Brother’s weekly drives and therapy cameos are crumbs, not commitment—he’s still choosing his new family over mending the old one. Our Redditor’s not the problem; she’s the lifeline.
What’s the play here? Brother needs a wake-up call—more time, real listening, not just outsourcing the issue. Therapy’s exposing his shortcomings, and he’s mad it’s not a quick Band-Aid. She could nudge him: “You chose this path—own it.” Meanwhile, she’s golden—keeping the nephew grounded amid the storm. But it’s a tightrope: supporting the kid without burning the sibling bridge. Readers, what’s your lens—is she the unsung hero holding it together, or should she push him harder to face the music?
Here’s the feedback from the Reddit community:
Reddit’s piling on like it’s a family intervention, and the verdict’s loud and clear—over 100 words of it. Picture a virtual support group where some roast the brother’s neglect—“He’s a deadbeat!”—while others hug the nephew through the screen: “Poor kid’s got no one else.” Here’s the unfiltered scoop:
It’s a chorus of outrage and empathy—most slam the dad’s denial, a few urge her to keep fighting for the boy. One user decodes the therapist clash: he wanted a quick fix, not truth. Are they spot-on or just venting steam? Either way, the nephew’s the heart of it—where’s your vote?
So, was it a sharp reminder or a sibling slap? Our Redditor’s holding the line for her nephew, refusing to let her brother dodge his own choices. He’s flailing, she’s steadying the ship—but at what cost? The kid’s anger isn’t her burden, yet she’s carrying it while he sulks. If you were in her shoes, would you call him out or let him stew? Tell us—how do you navigate this tangle of family ties and tough love?
