For several years after living the life of a practice kid, an 18-year-old teen, when limits were crossed, raised his voice and decided to leave home. He shared some information reflecting on his life while growing up and gave a very long list of the unfair rules that did not apply to his younger siblings. He wrote – “I wasn’t allowed to spend a lot of time with friends as a kid,” and highlighted that his siblings were permitted to go out since the age of 4 or 5; however, he was kept at home.
He did question his parents regarding this discrimination and received an answer like – “They told me that I was their practice, and they didn’t want all their kids to whine into their face about missing out.” The statement of the young adult became more bitter when he said – “If I was full and left, say three peas or something, I was forced to stay and finish, or they’d be taken aside and served to me next time,” and the same thing didn’t go for his siblings – he recalled.
Teen Leaves Home After Years of Alleged Unfair Treatment, Declares, 'I’m Done Being Your Practice Kid' https://t.co/vBgJ6EAIbZ
— People (@people) June 20, 2025
As for academics, they were consistent with the same discrimination as well. “My parents were always super pissed off and angry when I got less than As,” he said on Reddit. If he received a B grade, he would be grounded and saddled with chores for a month. However, no such rule was there for his siblings, and they didn’t face any serious consequences even if they got Cs or Ds. “They learned from me,” his parents would say repeatedly.
AITA for telling my parents I refuse to be their practice kid anymore?
byu/Master_Window974 inAITAH
Things just got worse when he brought in the birthday and holidays part. He wrote – “Expectations for chores were way higher with me always, birthday and Christmas gifts were way different and noticeably so to make both sides of the family question what they gave me because it seemed so little compared to my younger siblings.”
When he was in his teens, his curfew was still set at 4 p.m. during summer. For this, he was able to attend birthday parties, but his siblings could freely participate in those events. All this was on one side, but then came a final blow during a meeting with his guidance counsellor. When he talked about college savings, he realized that his parents hadn’t saved much for him, which wasn’t the case for his siblings.
“It was when I knew I was done,” he said. He stayed quiet for the remainder of the year and made his move after graduation. He didn’t reportedly let his parents attend his graduation ceremony, and he said, “Instead of claiming some [tickets] for them, I got them for my grandparents instead.” His parents were furious, as usual, but his grandparents, on the other hand, were very proud. Besides, his paternal grandparents further welcomed him into their home.
Following all these, he was confronted, but he stood strong. “I was done being their practice kid and refused to keep it up anymore. I said they can f— up with my siblings and learn to live with it because I’m not here to be a punching bag while they get the best versions.”
On the other hand, his parents addressed it as name calling and accusations, but the teen is very strong in his point of not looking back. “I’m truly so done.”
A commenter stated – “I get being the ‘practice kid’ or, in my case, the guinea pig… but… not continue down the same path with you and a different one for your siblings.”
Another added, “Certainly not fair, and imo mentally abusive.”
