[Non-Romantic] I [17M] always feel like my family (Mum [51F] and Dad [54M]) doesn't understand me and are bias towards my brother [18M]

You're seventeen, so you don't have long to wait, but I would seriously consider saving up money, in an interest bearing account asap. This is clear-cut favoritism. Nobody needs that shit in their lives. Any money you may have, needs to be put into an account that they don't have access to. You want or need anything like a computer or a shaver or something that is a necessity that you can't live without, I would consider researching cheap products that you can make do with in the time being.

If they try to insult you, or make you feel inferior, just disengage. Ignore them. Take what they say with the blankest of expressions. They checked out on you, it's time to check out on them. Permanently. I can guarantee you that when a parent turns on you like this in favor of another child, they will flip-flop back to you when they've basically warped you into-for lack of a better word-minion. My brother was the golden child for awhile and in any fight I had with my brother, even if it regarded having my fucking period, I was asked "Why can't you be like your brother?! He never gave me trouble over this." Well, I should hope not.

Once, he married his wife and didn't have time for her crap anymore and I was still close enough to boss around. I became the favorite. But I'm the favorite on condition that I do what she says. Which now never happens.

In short, move out, disengage, be successful and ignore them. Continue to do the chores the way you do and consider it practice for when you live on your own. All that useless crap your father gifts you, see if you can sell it. Somebody out there probably wants it, see if you can make a few bucks for it. There are pages on facebook for selling stuff locally. Anyway, enlist the help of a friend so you can learn to drive an get your driver's license.

This was a bit longer than I intended, buy you seem genuinely upset by all this and not even in an angry way. You're just hurt and I'm not sure that there's anything that can fix your relationship with them, I'm sorry to say.

And the whole food thing. I'm a picky eater, too. Just continually tell them you are willing to try it by taking a bite. If you still do not like it, you will not be eating it. I can't sympathize with the seafood thing. I love seafood. But just rinse and repeat on what you say. You may get tired of saying it, but they may eventually get tired of hearing it.

/r/relationships Thread