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Teen asks if she's wrong for refusing to cook for older brother unless she gets paid.

Teen asks if she's wrong for refusing to cook for older brother unless she gets paid.

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AITA for refusing to cook for my brother unless I get paid?

I'm 15f and my parents are going out of the country for a week to attend their best friend’s wedding. Because of this my brother (16m) and O will be staying home alone. mM mom is usually the one who cooks all our meals, so since she will be away, she’s asked me to take over.

For some background my mom forced me to learn to cook when I was 11. When i asked why my brother didn’t have to learn too, she said she offered to teach him but he refused. I also refused, but she made me anyways, and tho i was pissed at the time, I am grateful I have this skill.

When she asked me I told her my brother and i should split the cooking in half for the week. my brother protested, saying he didn’t know how to make anything, and my mother agreed with him. i told him it was his fault for not learning how, and I would only do all the cooking if i could get paid for it.

My mom said she wouldn’t be doing that since we’re family and family does stuff for each other, and I said if that’s the case then iIll only be making meals for myself. My dad then got involved and told me i’m causing unnecessary issues.

Look, I'd get it if my brother was 5, but he’s literally older then me. Shouldn’t HE be taking care of ME? My family doesn’t seem to agree with me so i’m wondering AITA?

Q&A:

Tdluxon asks:

Why don't you just agree that you will cook and he has to clean up and do the dishes?

Also, if he can't cook, do you really want him to cook half of the time, knowing that you are going to have to eat whatever he makes?

cookurfood07 OP replied:

He’s awful at doing the dishes if that’s even possible. whenever our parents force him to he always puts plates and cups that are clearly dirty back into the cupboard. I'd rather eat gross food than do all of the work for none of the reward yk.

Here's what people had to say:

co_carolelaine writes:

Your mom probably wouldn't admit it but it seems glaringly obvious that she insisted you learn to cook because you're female and didn't force your brother because he's male. Feel free to correct me if you're positive I'm wrong. Fing patriarchy.

I'm not opposed to kids (especially at your age) having chores including cooking but they should be equitable between siblings. Does your brother have special responsibilities that week? If not, sounds like it's time for him to learn to cook, too.

I guess this is all legally ok (???) but personally I wouldn't leave a 15 yo and 16 yo at home alone for an entire week to parent each other. Sounds like a terrible idea overall. NTA - your parents are though.

Serious_Accident1156 writes:

Yeah the parents are the only AH in this situation. Parents should be teaching the son to cook, patriarchy be damned. All she is doing is reinforcing the ideal that only women should keep a home.

lihzee writes:

NTA. 16 is old enough to be able to feed himself. He can make sandwiches, toast, eggs, cereal, etc. Your mother failed him by accepting his refusal to learn a valuable skill.

2BigTwoStrong writes:

I’ll break from the norm. YTA. Your mom cooks for you all the damn time. She wants to go to her best friends wedding and asked you take over the cooking responsibilities so she can enjoy her time away and not worry about it. You then ask for payment?!

Your mom cooks for you, provides for you, cares for you and you throw a tantrum over a simple favor? You’re going to cook for yourself but it’s too much for you to make a larger portion to include another person?

Imagine if every time you asked for some help or assistance they asked to be compensated. It’s total BS. If you weren’t a child I’d tell you to grow up. But you are so it is what it is.

Sources: Reddit
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