Woman Backed for Leaving Parents to Eat From Food Bank Despite Doing 'Well'

A 32-year-old woman has been backed on social media for refusing to give her parents any more money after finding out what they have been doing with it.

In a viral Reddit post, u/Ok_Repeat_3939 makes it clear that she isn't a fan of her brother, 35, who has children with multiple women and is described as a "deadbeat" and "trash." However, he can "do no wrong" in his mother's eyes, the poster wrote.

She went on: "My parents are retired and on a fixed budget. I do well for myself and I help them out. I give them maybe $500 a month to help with groceries and bills. Every once in a while I will give them extra for an unexpected expense. No questions asked."

Recently, the woman gave her mom $2,000, then ran into her brother at a destination wedding despite being told he wouldn't be attending because of a lack of funds. However, he didn't attend the nuptials, as he had a one-night stand with a random person at the resort, the post said.

"It was our cousin's wedding and my aunt was p*****. She had to make special arrangements to get him included in the trip since he only got the money last minute. She said my mom shouldn't have given him the money if he wasn't even going to show up. Then she shut up after she saw the look on my face," the poster wrote.

The poster went to see her parents on her return, and her mother was unable to specify what she had spent $2,000 on. But she denied giving it to her son.

"I told her and my father that from now on I wanted receipts for any money I gave them. I said I have no problem helping them but I will be damned if I work my ass off for her to give my money to my piece of s*** brother.

"She started crying and my dad said that they weren't children and didn't answer to me. I agreed and walked out," the poster wrote.

Now, two months on, the daughter hasn't spoken to her parents, but it sounds as if they are struggling financially, according to her aunt.

"[She] told me that my parents were thinking of going to the food bank since they didn't have any money. I said I had given them $2,000 a couple of months ago and that was more than my family of three spent on food [at] that time," the original poster (OP) wrote.

Newsweek discussed the post, which has received over 20,000 votes and 2,600 comments, with psychologist Bayu Prihandito.

"I believe the first step to resolving this issue is to have an open and honest conversation. In this particular case, the sister can facilitate a dialogue between herself, her parents and her brother to address the underlying issues. It's essential to create a safe space where everyone can express their feelings and concerns with honesty without the fear of being judged," Prihandito told Newsweek.

"The sister can offer her emotional support to her brother by being a listening ear and a source of encouragement. It's not about providing financial help but being there to support both his mental and emotional well-being," he said.

"She can also encourage her brother to take responsibility for his actions and decisions. This could involve helping him look for a job or finding practical solutions to the issues that contribute to his current situation," Prihandito said.

But some Reddit users weren't as understanding.

One wrote: "Your parents...created this monster and now you're supporting him. They're using you as a cash cow. Yes it's true they don't answer to you, but if you're footing the bill then they damn well better tell you where the money is going."

The user continued: "And your aunt calling you a [b****] is funny. If she cares so much about your parents she should be footing the bill. Which I highly doubt [because] people are always one to talk but never to sign the check. Stand your ground and let them suffer a little so they understand. They won't die over eating some food from the food bank for once."

Another user wrote: "I can't imagine the NERVE the parents have giving lazy bro $2k of YOUR MONEY to attend a destination wedding....and then he doesn't even show up at the wedding! This is what happens when lazy people are given OTHER PEOPLE's money. They don't treasure it. They don't appreciate it. They waste it."

Newsweek reached out to u/Ok_Repeat_3939 for comment and could not verify the details of the case.

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