Sana
Understanding and empathy are crucial in maintaining healthy family relationships.
Family dynamics can be intricate webs of love, support, and, at times, conflict. The journey of one teenager, whom we’ll refer to as OP, sheds light on the challenges that can arise when individual aspirations clash with deeply rooted beliefs and choices made by parents.
In a world where personal ambitions often compete with traditional values, OP finds themselves at odds with their parents’ decisions. Raised in a modest household with financial struggles, OP’s parents continuously expanded their family, despite their limited means. Faced with their parents’ irresponsibility and subsequent announcement of yet another pregnancy, OP stands up for their beliefs and voices concerns about the potential negative impact on their siblings’ lives. The clash of opinions, combined with the burden of financial instability, propels OP to make bold decisions that will forever alter their relationship with their parents. Scroll down to read the full story.
OP grew up in poverty due to their parents’ reliance on external financial support, ascribing it to their parents’ continuous childbearing despite their modest income, while also expressing a differing view on their parents’ religious belief that children are a divine blessing.
![[UPDATE] "We're having a sixth kid we can't afford, so we expect you to give us your college fund."](https://defused.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Woman-wants-me-fired-from-somewhere-I-dont-work-without-actually-speaking-to-me-1.png)
OP’s parents’ reproductive decisions have negatively impacted their upbringing. OP and their brother are looking forward to a better future but the announcement of a new pregnancy shatters their hopes for a better life.
![[UPDATE] "We're having a sixth kid we can't afford, so we expect you to give us your college fund."](https://defused.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Woman-wants-me-fired-from-somewhere-I-dont-work-without-actually-speaking-to-me.-2-1.png)
OP confronted their parents about their irresponsibility in bringing another child into their financially troubled lives. OP refused to use their inheritance to support the new child and suggested to consider an abortion if they couldn’t provide for the child.
![[UPDATE] "We're having a sixth kid we can't afford, so we expect you to give us your college fund."](https://defused.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Woman-wants-me-fired-from-somewhere-I-dont-work-without-actually-speaking-to-me.3.png)
OP’s parents labeled them heartless for objecting to the new pregnancy and unwillingness to financially support it. OP expressed concern for their siblings whose lives might worsen due to the new child’s arrival.
![[UPDATE] "We're having a sixth kid we can't afford, so we expect you to give us your college fund."](https://defused.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Woman-wants-me-fired-from-somewhere-I-dont-work-without-actually-speaking-to-me.4.png)
OP contacted their maternal cousin and shared their parents’ plan for another child, including the demand for their inheritance; the cousin pledged to intervene and dissuade OP from transferring the inheritance.
![[UPDATE] "We're having a sixth kid we can't afford, so we expect you to give us your college fund."](https://defused.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Woman-wants-me-fired-from-somewhere-I-dont-work-without-actually-speaking-to-me.-5-1.png)
OP recently left their parents’ home due to their inability to tolerate their mother’s comments about the new baby. OP’s mom’s cousin attempted to reason with their parents about the implications of raising another child in poverty, but their efforts were met with hostility and dismissive remarks.
![[UPDATE] "We're having a sixth kid we can't afford, so we expect you to give us your college fund."](https://defused.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Woman-wants-me-fired-from-somewhere-I-dont-work-without-actually-speaking-to-me.-6-1.png)
OP has chosen to sever ties with their parents to avoid witnessing the family’s worsening situation, while maintaining communication only with their younger sister to protect her from potential manipulation.
![[UPDATE] "We're having a sixth kid we can't afford, so we expect you to give us your college fund."](https://defused.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Woman-wants-me-fired-from-somewhere-I-dont-work-without-actually-speaking-to-me.-7-2.png)
OP’s parents are already facing financial struggles and have had difficulty providing for their existing children, it might raise concerns about their ability to provide adequately for another child. Responsible family planning typically involves considering the financial, emotional, and practical aspects of raising a child.
Yesterday, OP’s older brother informed them of their mother’s miscarriage, prompting a sense of relief that their siblings’ lives won’t be further strained by their parents’ decision to have another child.
![[UPDATE] "We're having a sixth kid we can't afford, so we expect you to give us your college fund."](https://defused.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Woman-wants-me-fired-from-somewhere-I-dont-work-without-actually-speaking-to-me.-1.png)
OP experienced mixed emotions of sympathy and relief. While their brother urged them to move back temporarily to console their mother, OP declined yet agreed to visit their mother as a gesture of respect.
![[UPDATE] "We're having a sixth kid we can't afford, so we expect you to give us your college fund."](https://defused.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Woman-wants-me-fired-from-somewhere-I-dont-work-without-actually-speaking-to-me.-2-2.png)
In the evening, OP visited their parents’ home with chocolate chip muffins for their mom, but after offering condolences, their mom angrily blamed them for the miscarriage, accusing them of causing stress that led to it.
![[UPDATE] "We're having a sixth kid we can't afford, so we expect you to give us your college fund."](https://defused.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Woman-wants-me-fired-from-somewhere-I-dont-work-without-actually-speaking-to-me.-3-1.png)
OP left after their mom accused them of causing the miscarriage. OP’s dad also accused them. OP defended themselves by highlighting the commonality of miscarriages at their mom’s age before leaving.
![[UPDATE] "We're having a sixth kid we can't afford, so we expect you to give us your college fund."](https://defused.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Woman-wants-me-fired-from-somewhere-I-dont-work-without-actually-speaking-to-me.-4-1.png)
OP’s parents would try to have another kid and they would ask for his money as compensation:
![[UPDATE] "We're having a sixth kid we can't afford, so we expect you to give us your college fund."](https://defused.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Woman-wants-me-fired-from-somewhere-I-dont-work-without-actually-speaking-to-me.-5-2.png)
OP should cut off with his parents.
![[UPDATE] "We're having a sixth kid we can't afford, so we expect you to give us your college fund."](https://defused.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Woman-wants-me-fired-from-somewhere-I-dont-work-without-actually-speaking-to-me.6.png)
OP should use his witchcraft:
![[UPDATE] "We're having a sixth kid we can't afford, so we expect you to give us your college fund."](https://defused.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Woman-wants-me-fired-from-somewhere-I-dont-work-without-actually-speaking-to-me.-7-4.png)
Have you encountered similar crossroads in your own family’s narrative? How did you navigate them? We encourage you to share your thoughts and perspectives in the comments below.
The cat tax:
“Show me pictures of your cats being derps”
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