AITA for telling my teenage daughter to stay with her aunt because my older daughter didn’t want her in the house?

A weekend family reunion turned sour when 20-year-old Laura, home from college, taunted her 15-year-old sister Lily over a fresh breakup, pushing her to tears. The household, already tense, erupted into chaos when Lily retaliated by popping the lenses out of Laura’s glasses, leaving her visually impaired sister distraught and unable to see.

The father, caught between a heartbroken teen and a blinded young adult, made a snap decision to send Lily to her aunt’s house to defuse the situation. His choice, meant to protect Laura, sparked outrage from his sister-in-law, who saw it as favoring a “spoiled bully,” turning a sibling spat into a parenting predicament.

‘AITA for telling my teenage daughter to stay with her aunt because my older daughter didn’t want her in the house?’

The father’s decision to send Lily to her aunt’s house prioritized Laura’s immediate distress, but it left Lily feeling sidelined. Laura’s cruel taunting, unchecked despite parental warnings, provoked Lily’s impulsive act. Both daughters’ actions—Laura’s bullying and Lily’s retaliation—reflect a failure to set firm boundaries, escalating a manageable conflict into a crisis.

This scenario underscores the complexities of sibling dynamics. A 2022 study by the American Psychological Association found that sibling bullying can lead to long-term emotional harm, especially when parents don’t intervene effectively. The father’s mild reprimands to Laura failed to curb her behavior, leaving Lily unsupported and fueling her drastic response.

Psychologist Dr. Laura Markham emphasizes, “Parents must model and enforce respectful behavior early to prevent sibling conflicts from escalating”. Here, the father’s focus on Laura’s visual impairment overlooked Lily’s emotional vulnerability, creating a perception of favoritism. Markham’s advice suggests addressing both daughters’ actions with equal accountability to foster mutual respect.

To resolve this, the father could facilitate a mediated conversation, allowing both daughters to express their feelings and set boundaries. Readers facing similar conflicts should establish clear consequences for bullying and ensure all children feel heard, preventing resentment and promoting family harmony.

These are the responses from Reddit users:

Reddit users overwhelmingly sided with Lily, criticizing the father for not addressing Laura’s bullying more firmly. They viewed sending Lily away as unfairly favoring Laura, reinforcing perceptions of her as the “golden child” despite her cruel behavior.

The community felt both daughters needed consequences—Laura for her taunting and Lily for her retaliation—but emphasized that Laura, as the older sibling, should have faced stronger discipline. The father’s inaction on the bullying was seen as a key misstep.

This family’s clash reveals the delicate balance of parenting siblings with competing needs. The father’s choice to prioritize Laura’s immediate crisis over Lily’s emotional pain sparked debate about fairness and discipline. How would you handle a sibling conflict that escalates this far? Share your thoughts below!