Every family has its dynamics, but some take favoritism to a whole new level. For one 16-year-old Reddit user, being constantly punished for things she didn’t do became the norm, while her older sister Kacy could seemingly get away with anything.
But when Kacy’s entitled behavior escalated into actual crimes, yes, the kind that lead to police involvement, the parents still insisted on defending her. The younger sister finally snapped, reminding them that their “favorite daughter” is the one facing criminal charges, not her. The fallout? Screaming matches, neighbors overhearing the chaos, and the internet weighing in with some harsh truths.
Want the full story of how the “golden child” finally lost her shine? Let’s break it down.
A teen called out her parents for defending their golden child, even after multiple arrests
Family favoritism is one of those topics that often hides behind closed doors until the cracks are too large to ignore. In this case, OP has grown up with a sister who was celebrated as the “golden child,” while she herself bore the role of scapegoat.
The recent twist, the golden child being arrested multiple times, only sharpened the divide. When OP snapped back that her parents’ “favorite daughter is the criminal,” she was stating a brutal truth that years of denial had buried.
The psychology here is not unusual. Research from the University of California found that parental favoritism can increase conflict between siblings and lead to long-term resentment toward parents themselves.
In OP’s case, the favoritism wasn’t subtle, it was paired with punishments for false accusations and outright neglect. Her grandparents even attempted custody, which suggests outside observers recognized the damage.
It’s also important to understand that OP’s sister’s criminal behavior doesn’t exist in a vacuum. Children who grow up with unchecked entitlement where parents shield them from accountability are more likely to engage in antisocial or even delinquent behavior later on (Child Trends).
This doesn’t excuse the sister’s actions, but it does highlight how OP’s parents’ consistent enabling may have fed into the spiral.
Clinical psychologist Dr. Ellen Weber Libby, who wrote The Favorite Child, notes: “When a child is excessively favored, it robs them of developing realistic expectations about the world and creates vulnerabilities to failure and poor coping strategies later in life” (Psychology Today
). OP’s sister may be a textbook case of this dynamic, praised at home, toxic to peers, and collapsing when external systems held her accountable.
For OP, the emotional explosion was natural, though not necessarily constructive. Anger is often a mask for grief — grief over parents who refused to protect her, grief over a childhood spent fighting accusations, and grief over being unheard.
She doesn’t need to take on the role of “gloating younger sibling,” but she does need safe outlets: a trusted adult, possibly re-establishing contact with grandparents, or counseling through school.
Advice? OP cannot change her parents’ blind loyalty to her sister. What she can do is focus on her own exit plan (education, supportive relationships, and emotional boundaries). At 16, she’s closer than ever to autonomy. For now, reminding herself that her sister’s collapse is not her responsibility may be the healthiest stance to take.
Take a look at the comments from fellow users:
These users suggested moving in with her grandparents, framing it as easing her parents’ burden
Some commenters urged going no-contact once she’s 18, slamming her parents’ delusion
Some called her parents enablers, creating a “monster” in Kacy
This group shared similar stories of favoritism, warning of Kacy’s escalating behavior
These Redditors encouraged legal steps or running away to escape the abuse, emphasizing her right to a safe environment
In the end, the teen’s comment may have been sharp, but it was undeniably true: the golden child turned criminal isn’t her. While painful, it exposed years of favoritism that left one daughter abandoned and the other unchecked.
So, what do you think? Was this a justified clapback to parents who refused to listen, or should she have stayed quiet to avoid more yelling? And bigger picture, do families ever really recover when favoritism runs this deep? Drop your thoughts below.
