What to do when your parents play favorites

I’ve always been the “responsible one”—and somehow that’s meant getting less love, less help, and way more pressure.

My younger brother messes up constantly—debt, job losses, drama—but my parents always jump in to rescue him. Me? I’ve had to figure everything out on my own. And when I try to talk about it, they say, “Well, you’re the strong one.”

It took me years to realize being the strong one doesn’t mean I don’t need support too. I started pulling back. Saying no when they expected me to fix things. Asking directly for help when I needed it.

Sometimes families fall into roles without realizing it. But you don’t have to stay stuck in yours. You’re allowed to ask for more than quiet praise.