If there's anything children should always be able to rely on, it's their parent's love and support.
This doesn't mean that children won't occasionally upset or frustrate their parents by their behavior or actions.
Even so, what no one realizes until they become an adult, perhaps even after becoming a parent themself, is that most of the time, a parent's anger towards their children still comes from a place of love.
In very sad and unfortunate circumstances however, this isn't the case.
Redditor MysteriousScene4454 was born with a speech impediment.
A speech impediment that brought endless frustrations to the original poster (OP)'s parents, despite the fact that he had no control over it at all.
When the OP's impediment got in the way of his correctly pronouncing one particular name, his parent's finally reached their breaking point, resulting in the OP finally needing to stand up for himself.
Wondering if he was out of line, the OP took to the subReddit "Am I The A**hole" (AITA), where he asked fellow Redditors:
"AITA for telling my parents it's unfair to blame me for not saying my new sister's name correctly?"
The OP explained why he finally felt the need to stand up for himself against his parents:
"I (16 M[ale]) have speech issues."
"I have a stutter and I also have trouble making certain sounds as well."
"I did speech therapy when I was younger and I'm better than I was but still can't say some things correctly."
"I was my parents only child until now."
"My mom is pregnant with my baby sister."
"And they chose her name which is something I can't say correctly."
"The name is Michelle."
"I have a lot of trouble with the 'chell' part and I don't say words like shell right either."
"My parents are really frustrated by it and they are saying I'm doing it intentionally because I don't like the fact it's a traditional name."
"They used the fact I want to change my name to say I'm being intentionally difficult."
"It hurts."
"They know I always struggled with this but now it's a great big issue."
"My stutter got worse because of the stress of my parents and now the name sounds even worse out of my mouth which angers them more."
"But I'm not doing it intentionally."
"I worked so hard for so long on the sounds."
"My (maternal) grandparents spoke in my defense but mom told them to shut up and said they were encouraging me."
"She was already pissed because they offered to pay for me to change my name."
"My mom said it was so wrong and this was just another way for them to undermine her and my dad as my parents."
"This led to me telling my parents it's unfair for them to blame me for saying the name wrong."
"I said it when they got on me again for how I was saying the name."
"They keep making me repeat it so I get it right."
"But I get worse because the pressure makes my stutter so bad."
"My parents told me I shouldn't talk to them about fair when I keep shitting on the names they love."
"Which I don't."
"I never said anything about Michelle and I regret telling them I hate my name and want something different (my name is Richard)."
"AITA?"
Fellow Redditors weighed in on where they believed the OP fell this particular situation by declaring:
- NTA – Not The A**hole
- YTA – You're The A**hole
- NAH – No A**holes Here
- ESH – Everyone Sucks Here
The Reddit community resoundingly agreed that the OP was not the a**hole for standing up for themself, and telling his parents that he had no control over his speech impediment.
Nearly everyone was horrified by the fact that the OP's parents were so shockingly unsympathetic towards his impediment, with many even urging the OP to consider to stop living with his parents:
"NTA."
"And I am going to be completely honest with you - they are absolutely making it worse for you to be able to say the name correctly due to stressing you out."
"Stress/anxiety impacts peoples ability to speak even if they don't have diagnosed issues when it comes to speech."
"There is a very famous study (completely unethical practices might I add) that proves this."
"Children were left with lifelong speech issues when they didn't have any prior BECAUSE those conducting the study kept belittling those children for their speech."
"I am sorry you are dealing with this."- crochetandmead
"NTA."
"I honestly cannot believe your parents would be giving you such a hard time knowing you have a speech issue."
"If you struggle with shell, it's logical that Michelle would be difficult."
"Of course stressing over the pronunciation is going to make your stutter worse, not better."
"As a parent of a kid with speech issues it breaks my heart that they are making this worse for you."
"It sounds like there is a lot of resentment and hard feelings built up around you not liking your own name."
"Perhaps that is blinding them to the fact that this isn't about you liking/disliking the name."
"Either way I'm sorry this is happening."
"If your parents stick with the name perhaps you can call her Sissy or M. My friend Michelle goes by Michi (pronounced me-chee)."
"I'm sure you can find something that won't make you self conscious every time you try to say her name."
"Good luck."- PennyProjects
"You parents are really sad people."
"You lost the lottery with them."
"Ignore them and call the new baby 'Mimi' instead of Michelle."
"Tell them that Michelle is a French name and that 'Mimi' is a known nickname for Michelle."
"Refuse to play their 'say it correctly' games anymore, they seem to get pleasure from belittling you."
"Maybe go live with your grandparents?"
"NTA Don't let your parents mistreat you again, keep standing up for yourself."
"No more pronunciation games."- hadMcDofordinner
"Definitelyyyy NTA."
"This sucks and is ridiculous that you're having to go through this."
"If your parents had educated themselves even a tiny bit about stutters, they would know full well that yelling at you and stressing you out will make it worse."
"This might go without saying, but if your parents are this unsupportive with the stutter, there's a good chance they are unsupportive about other things."
"So it might be worth taking stock of your support system besides them (i.e., the grandparents who stood up for you, friends, other family) and strengthening those relationships as much as possible before the baby comes."
"There's no chance that they are open to nicknames for Michelle like Ellie, Micky, Mimi, etc. right?"
"I'm sorry that you're even having to deal with this, friend."- cqpa
"NTA."
"Your parents know that you can't pronounce certain sounds well and have chosen a name that you can't pronounce."
"If you have trouble with 'chelle', it's in no way your fault and it's not that serious, I don't understand why it provokes such a reaction in them."- PandaCotton
"NTA."
"Your parents seem extremely ableist and like they don't like you much."
"Which is horrible and I'm sorry you are in this position at home."- Both-Mud-4362
"NTA."
"Geez, Do they not understand how stutters work?"
"They are creating a fantasy that you are resenting their new daughter as well as your name now, and it's only going to get worse."
"The baby's not even here yet and she's already the golden child."
"Ask your grandparents again for them to intercede."
"Your parents are being abusive to you."
"You could also speak to a counselor or teacher at school."
"Maybe ask for more speech therapy - mostly just to get the therapist to tell your parents to back the F off you."- ParsimoniousSalad
"NTA."
"It's weird they accuse you of this if your speech is impeded."
"I'm sure you can change your name legally by yourself when you're able to do so."-Kitchen_Key_1909
"NTA."
"Try singing her name."
"The brain uses different regions for speech and singing and using music can be a useful tool."
"My husband's favorite example is 'Cannonball Run' where the 2 guys are in a car and the hood flips up."
"The actor (I can't recall his name) had a significant stutter and when doing that scene to get the line out he actually sings 'I can't see can you?' to which his passenger also singsongs 'No I can't little buddy'."- Liathnian
"NTA."
"I mean if you're serious that you cannot say it due to personal restrictions, then you cannot be the asshole since the situation is beyond your control."- BrewertonFats
It would be one thing if the OP was intentionally mispronouncing "Michelle" just to get on his parent's nerves.
But that is far from the case here, and as many people have pointed out, the guilt and anxiety the OP's parents are inflicting on him could have long term emotional damage.
Hopefully, since his maternal grandparents seem to be aware of this issue, they will take it upon themselves to intervene again for the OP's well being.
Which might even include taking him in.
Woman Asks If It's Wrong To Hold Grudge After Mom Told Her When She 8 Years Old That She Wished She'd Aborted Her
While some people view having and raising children as the greatest blessing, some parents hold their children's existence against them for their entire lives.
And when they feel that way about their children, they're unfortunately typically pretty honest about it, cringed the members of the "Am I Overreacting?" (AIO) subReddit.
Redditor heavelymango knew from the time she was young that her mother did not really like her and significantly favored her sister.
But when her mother told her at the age of eight that she wished she had aborted her, the Original Poster (OP) held on to that grudge for years after the fact.
She asked the sub:
The OP had a grudge against her mother.
"I (22 Female) have been holding onto a grudge due to something my mom told me when I was roughly eight or nine years old."
"Growing up, I was a rebellious kid and always felt as if my mom favored my older sister. My sister would always get whatever she wanted."
"I know she was born with Down syndrome and always needed more attention and care, but if my sister wanted my tablet, for example, she would have it for the whole day while mine was limited to 30 minutes so she could have it."
"As a kid, I lashed out more because of this. She could take all of my things, but I could never use hers."
During a heated moment, the OP's mother said something unforgivable.
"Eventually, this led to an argument with my mom. I don't recall the whole thing, but it was related to my sister and how I felt my mom didn't care about me or give me the same amount of attention."
"The fight got heated, and I probably told my mom that I hated my sister and her."
"I remember she said back, 'I never wanted you from the start. I knew I should've aborted you when I had the chance.'"
" I didn't know what aborted meant at the time, and I remember I looked it up, and it made me cry. I never forgot it, and it lingers in my mind whenever I am home."
The OP's mother pressured her to "let it go" and move on.
"Even growing up, I still brought it up, and she would get mad, saying I need to let it go and how I'm stubborn for not just forgetting what she said."
"There was even a time in high school when she took me to a therapist, and she complained about how I never dropped what she said."
"She says I need to move on from it because it has affected my relationship with her, and she wants to fix it."
"I know I'm older now and it was so long ago, but it still hurts, and I feel like it's made me not want to have her in my life in the future, and I have told this to her."
"How I don't want her in my life once I move out, get married, or have my own kids."
Fellow Redditors weighed in:
Some reassured the OP that this sounded like a core memory more than a grudge.
"The axe forgets. The tree remembers."
"It sounds less like you're holding a grudge and more that this is a formative, core memory for you."
"It won't stop being a core memory (unless maybe with the help of a lot of therapy). Has your mom ever apologized for saying that? Because you don't have to forget to forgive, but if she's not remorseful for saying that terrible thing to her young child (not just remorseful that you remember it), then she probably needs therapy (or is a narcissist/sociopath/similar)."
"You are certainly not obligated to 'get over it.'" - Hot-Can3615
"This is not a 'grudge'; it is pain that is still felt to such a degree. If she said it, then she was thinking it. She'll probably never apologize, but that doesn't mean your pain is or was invalid." - Fast_Register_9480
"NOR. This kind of thing needs a real apology. Like she needs to acknowledge the damage and genuinely care about it. Brushing it off won’t make it go away." - TentacleWolverine
"NOR. Did she really want to fix things? She basically just told you to get over it from the start instead of giving you a sincere apology."
"That isn't working on anything. She wants you to get over it so she can pretend that she never said it, so she doesn't have to feel bad about what she did. It doesn't sound like she cares much about how you feel."
"She just doesn't want to deal with it. For that reason, I would still have issues with what she said." - Chemical-Ad6809
"If your relationship with your mother is being affected by the actions of your mother, your mother is responsible for fixing it."
"You should know you probably aren't ever going to get closure, but you don't have to swallow it down. It helps to be the person you needed when you were younger out loud to yourself, but especially to others."
"For example: My name is Liz, and my mom told me to go ahead and do it already and save us all the heartache when I finally had the courage to tell her about how much I've been struggling with self-harm and suicidal ideation. I'm never going to forgive her for that, and we have never been close as a result of her actions."
"You aren't holding onto a grudge; you have a core memory of your mother distilling her feelings into a world-shattering sentence."
"You did not have a secure attachment before and can't have one now because of the deep trauma. You do not apologize for being stabbed."
"Find another therapist. I mean it. Someone who cares about your well-being wouldn't force you to apologize for being verbally abused as a child. I'm 29 now, and I lived through it. I still struggle with suicidal ideation daily, but once I stopped relying on my mom and unstable sources for support, my life got better immediately."
"You want things for comfort and familiarity. Don't let your mom or your therapist gaslight you into crossing a boundary."
"It might help to ask for a written five-part apology from your mom. 1. Acknowledge what you did 2. Say why it was wrong 3. Promise not to do it again 4. Ask how to make amends. 5. Share your feelings at this time if there's anything you'd like to say."
"My mom can be a good person and a bad mom and role model. Being in your own company is so much better than poor company." - PotLuckyPodcast
Others hoped the OP would go no contact with her mother sooner rather than later.
"NOR. It’s emotional abuse. And you do not owe her closeness after that, especially as she refuses to be accountable for that and try to make it up to you."
"She knows you have her number, and she can’t forgive you for knowing what a colloidal b***h she is."
"It’s unlikely that will change; it will at least be turned back on you with her the victim."
"Stop expecting her to apologize. If she doesn’t pay your bills, ghost her." - SnooCheesecakes2723
"My mom said something similar. My brother and I were adopted, and when I was a teen, in front of a church lady, she said, 'We didn't even really want you, but the people didn't want to split y'all up, so we just took you, too.'"
"Me and the church lady were shook. When I say my falbbers were ghasted. Like huh? She didn't remember saying that when I brought it up years after the fact."
"I also got grounded two times for two separate nine weeks (for C's on my report card) and a three and a half to four months (for smoking at 16 and getting caught because she liked to just pop up out of nowhere), and we just had a talk about that, and she didn't even remember."
"She said, 'No, I didn't. I never grounded you for that long,' and when I gave my rebuttal, she said, 'Well, if I did, it definitely wasn't for no nine weeks or months,' and this started because she was praising me for reading so much and liking books. I said, 'Well, when you were grounded like me, that's all I could do (no TV, no friends outside of school, no music, nothing but my room and books)."
"There's a reason I only call or answer her calls once or twice every few weeks. And I only call to get food, really..." - ManicalMoe
"‘Fine, I'm sorry’ is not an apology."
"Whilst I’m sure it was said in anger, most things said in anger have a grain of truth. There are also some things that no half-decent parent ever says to their children, no matter how angry they are, and this is one of them! It also sounds like she has made repeated similar comments of not wanting you as her child."
"I understand her eldest had a disability, but this is no excuse for neglecting and emotionally abusing her younger child. Lots of families deal with a child with additional needs whilst still managing to prioritise their other kids. Children with Down syndrome are capable of understanding ‘that’s your sister's, not yours; give it back’ !! It sounds like your mum has mental health issues?"
"Do you have a present father or other family you can turn to?"
"Protect your peace. Your mum has hurt you time and time again, honestly, for no real gain other than momentarily satisfying her anger. You owe this woman nothing." - Background_Term9810
"I went through something similar. When I was a little girl, my mother used to make comments that implied she didn't want me, though it was never that explicit. 'I only had you because your brother wanted a sister,' and 'My figure never recovered after you; after your brother, it did.'"
"Each comment stayed with me, but I never addressed it with her. I tried to move on and leave it in the past. She did a lot of horrible things throughout my life, but her behavior was always ignored because that's the precedent my dad set, where she can do essentially whatever she wants."
"A few months ago, she came to see me because I was desperate for help and sick. Instead of helping, she made my life so much worse. I won't go into details. At one point, I could no longer keep it inside, and I told her that she is a narcissist, to which she responded with, 'It would have been better if I had never had you.'"
"In some ways, it felt really good to hear her come out and say it. It felt good to hear the truth I've always known."
"I don't know what you should do, but I've chosen to not forgive."
"Every time I forgave, I just let her know that she can get away with whatever horrible things she had done. Her apologies were never real apologies. She always found ways to blame me or others for whatever she had done."
"And I'm truly just done with it. As sad as it is to not have a mom, it's sadder to pretend that you have one when in reality you don't... quite the opposite, if anything." - Neos_Mom
"So, OP, what will hurt more: keeping her and the grudge in your life or making a break and going low or no contact with her?"
"Frankly, we've no idea of what she might have been dealing with at the time, but regardless, what she said was said only to cause pain and suffering. 'Sorry' doesn't magic that intent away."
"Me, I think spending time alone or with friends or in therapy away from her might be what you need here. You might come to some sort of acceptance, but if this is something that's just going to keep coming between you, then stop trying to have that relationship." - Tal_Tos_72
After the OP received feedback, she shared a few clarifications from her original post.
"I wanted to clear some things up, take accountability where it's due, and provide some much-needed context from many people commenting the same questions."
"I want to be completely honest. We had many arguments, and I was a rebellious kid. I acted out and argued with my mom."
"I don't want to give off the impression that I was an entirely innocent kid who never did anything wrong and my mom just snapped out of nowhere. We both said hateful and hurtful things to each other during our fights."
"Growing up, the only way she would accept an apology was if I got on my knees and begged her for forgiveness. If I ever asked her to apologize to me, she would say, 'I have nothing to apologize for; you should be the one begging for my forgiveness.'"
The OP had a lot of physical memories, too.
"Things also would turn into physical arguments, not just verbal ones."
"There were times when she would get so angry she would get physical. Like yanking me by my hair, twisting my arms, or throwing things at me (like remotes, a bug spray can, or a radio)."
"When she yanked my hair, I would fight back just to get her to let me go, and she would scream that I was trying to kill her and she would get me arrested. When she twisted my arm, and I begged her to stop because it felt like it was going to break, she would say she hoped it did."
"When she threw objects at me, she would say she wished they would hit my face."
"I remember in middle school, during an argument, she said she wished she could break my face and that she hated it because I look like my dad. I won’t lie, whenever she said things like that, I would say nasty comments about how she chose to have him put us in her."
While the OP wasn't financially ready to move out yet, she hoped to as soon as possible.
"Why haven't I moved out yet? The main reason I haven't been able to move out is financial."
"I wasn't making enough to support myself without worrying about whether I’d end up having to crawl back home."
"Thankfully, I have recently found a better-paying job. My plan is to move out between mid-to-late October, or early November at the latest."
"The only reason I can't leave this exact second is because I have a few legal/administrative things to get cleared up so I’m completely untied from my mom, which will take a few weeks."
The OP also had proof that her mother liked her sister better.
"Has my mom ever admitted to favoring my sister? Yes."
"In arguments, she has explicitly told me that she doesn't see me as her legitimate daughter, and that she adored my sister more and forever will. She has also called me a 'monster,' told me there is a certain type of evil inside of me, and said she was afraid I would be just like my dad and try to harm them."
"She would even tell me that she was telling family and friends these things about me, but then later claim she 'just said it in the moment' and wouldn't be crazy enough to actually tell people that."
"Because I was so confused growing up and didn't know if she was lying or telling the truth, I started avoiding our family when they came over."
"Naturally, that just made things worse because she would get mad at me for avoiding them (even now as an adult), completely ignoring the fact that she was the one who lied about what she told them."
Unfortunately, the OP didn't have support from her father.
"What about my dad? My dad is not in my life."
"He was around sporadically, but never as a stable parent. My parents separated before I was born and divorced when I was two or three."
"Growing up, it was just constant back-and-forth toxicity, with him telling me how toxic my mother was, and her telling me the same about him."
"He would mostly only come over to see my sister, and often used me to care for her if he wanted to take her out to eat. Ultimately, my dad didn't care about anyone else other than my sister (and his drugs)."
"I hope this can clear some questions on the original post. I know I didn't provide many details as I originally should have. I honestly didn't want to post something too long, and I honestly did not expect it to be noticed."
"Thank you all for taking time to talk to me and share your thoughts."
The subReddit fully sided with the OP, pointing out that no matter how heated the moment was, it would never excuse the terrible things the OP's mother had said to her.
If the OP's mother really wanted a relationship with her, she'd drop the defensiveness and demands, offer a genuine apology, and work hard to be better for both of her children.
That takes a very rare kind of person to pull off, and it didn't sound like the OP's mother had that in her.
If you or someone you know is struggling, you can contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988.
To find help outside the United States, the International Association for Suicide Prevention has resources available at https://findahelpline.com/i/iasp