While most of us are lucky enough to have good relationships with our siblings, that’s just not the case for some. There are all sorts of factors that can cause rifts between siblings, especially in the teenage and young adult years.
One Reddit user and mother of two daughters is having issues with her kids. One of them is fit and healthy, while the other is a little overweight and struggles with her self-esteem. When the mother gave one daughter some clothes that the other was planning on giving away, more tension rose between the siblings. Now, the woman is asking AITA if she handled the situation poorly .
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User Wise-South6177 Explains The Situation.
OP Has Two Daughters Who Are Quite Different.
Her eldest, Molly, is 16 and athletic. The youngest, Ella, is 14 and struggles with both her weight and self-esteem. OP shares that doctors have been encouraging her to help Ella lose weight. Ella, meanwhile, lashes out frequently and says mean things to her sister, such as implying that Molly has an eating disorder.
One day, it became clear that Molly had a growth spurt and didn’t fit into her clothes anymore. OP was going to buy Molly new sweaters but found some clothes Ella was planning to donate. Since she had a sweater that would fit Molly, OP decided to use that until she could buy Molly new clothes. But Ella found out and was furious at her mother and sister.
Later, Ella cut the sweater up, which prompted OP to punish her. But she’s wondering if she’s handling her daughter’s situation all wrong.
Users Were Inclined To Have Sympathy For OP.
That being said, many suggested Ella go to therapy. OP later updated her post to say that Ella is in counseling, but this has prompted commenters to believe that the therapist might not be working for her.
Others Felt That OP Was At Least Partially To Blame.
Ella is acting cruelly and irrationally, but OP isn’t doing her any favors by resorting to punishment instead of seeking more help. Though Ella is in counseling, some users suggested group therapy for the whole family.
Many Also Believed Ella Should See A Dietician.
OP did confirm that her daughter has seen a dietician, but some worry that there might be fatphobia in the industry that could influence Ella negatively.
While plenty of users saw where OP was coming from, it’s clear that Ella needs a lot more help than she might be getting. This is not to say OP is being a bad parent, but she was also receptive to advice in the comment section.
