Parents openly play favorites with children; call non-favorite children 'immature.'

If you ask a parent who their favorite child is, they'll say, 'I love all my children equally,' or 'I only have one child.' In the case of the former, that may be what parents say, but their behavior may say otherwise.

On a popular Reddit thread in the Am I the A^&hole Subreddit, a group of siblings is upset about their parents playing obvious favorites.

One sibling writes:

My brother has had a lot of time for hobbies in recent years. Something he's spent a lot of that time on is cooking. Now he IS a really good cook.

He and his husband have a decent-sized house, so many of our routine family dinners are held at their place, and my brother volunteers to cook most of the time. When he does, without fail, as soon as our parents come through the door or we do, it's always, 'Smells really good in here, doesn't it?'

'Damn, you were making me hungry from the street.' or things along those lines, and they keep saying such things throughout our time there. At first, I didn't think one way or another about it, but we're going on well over two years of this happening.

They never give compliments if our other siblings or I have them over. They didn't say anything about the murals my brother and his wife painted on their walls, very big and hard to miss, until they pointed right at them and asked about it, and all our parents said was, 'Oh, that's nice.'

Our sister is always making bath bombs and candles for her home business, so her place smells nice too, and they don't say anything about that or encourage her. They don't give any compliments or acknowledge anything about us, our hobbies, or our homes, but they go overboard with our brother.

It's not like they neglected him as a kid, and it's some attempt to make up for it. They gave us all pretty equal attention and support growing up. This last time having dinner at my brother's house, I told my family how excited I was for my fiance to be starting his dream job.

My siblings were happy for him, but our parents didn't say anything and returned to singing their praises of the second coming of culinary Jesus and how he should start a food truck. I was pretty done with that, and instead of being there in an irritated mood, I waited a few minutes and acted like I had gotten a text from a friend and had to go.

I said my byes and 'loves yous' and left. A little while later, my mom called and asked what was wrong because my family had noticed my phone screen was dark when I pulled it out, so they didn't buy the text story. I told her I didn't have it in me to sit through another dinner where they forget they have three other children with things going on in their lives they'd like some acknowledgment from them over.

I’ve been at odds with my parents and them telling me I’m being immature. My siblings found out why we’re fighting, and our brother and his wife agreed with me and said they’ve been getting tired of it too. I’ve apologized to my brother, but not my parents. So AITA?

OP Added.

We bring dishes, or someone else cooks when we have dinner at his house, and he doesn't want to cook. We also have meals at our houses; our parents don't peep. On the one hand, yes, he is a better cook, and he should get at least a 'Hey, this is good,' but when they're taking home half of my SIL's pie when they eat there, she doesn't get anything but thanks.

They use many of the products my sister makes, free of charge, and also don't say anything besides thanks, and will stay hands-off helping her promote, but they were quick to jump in and tell our brother to open a food truck and ideas to go about it.

My brother has been out for 16 years, this isn't a response to him just coming out, and they have always been very, very supportive of him, but I can understand people assuming that first!

owls_and_cardinals says:

NTA (Not the A%$hole). It doesn't sound like you lashed out; you just exited a situation you'd seen before and knew would be unpleasant and unfair. You drew some boundaries.

Maybe it was clunkily executed, and now it's brought the whole thing to light, but Ultimately that's probably for the best; maybe it'll open their eyes.

ShaneVis says:

NTA --- It's not fun to have to sit there and listen to the favourite child being praised to heaven even if it is unintentional, you have every right to be upset and angry about it.

KartlindWitch says:

NTA - I'm sorry your parents aren't treating you fairly. The fact that your siblings agree and understand is further proof that your parent's favor is noticeable and not okay.

Loving and complimenting is cooking is great and they should keep doing that, but they should want to praise you guys as well. Love is not pie, taking a big slice for one child should not leave less for others. It is supposed to be infinite.

Is, OP, right about their parents showing favoritism to their brother?