Hello. Recently, my parents and I fought over my screentime use. I had over 5 hours of screentime, which led my parents to downtime everything. I got really pissed when i found out. Even though I know it’s good for my well-being, putting all my apps on downtime doesn’t let me have someone to reach out to, ask about homework, or even just to talk. They expect me to talk to them even if they don’t listen to me at all. Whenever I mention the topic of them not listening, they always gaslight me and say ‘We do.’ Saying that and all I can remember is them being glued to their phones, and replying with a ‘Oh, really?’ This ‘downtime’ situation led me to stop talking to my parents for a few weeks. I stayed in my room most of the time and just kept quiet. I didn’t eat or drink much. I thought my silence would make them annoyed and try to talk to me but no. Instead of asking how am I or am I okay, they just went on with their lives, completely forgetting about me. I was just a ghost in our house.
After a month of that, I finally gave in and decided to talk to them. They really had to reply with a, ‘Oh, you’re talking to us?’ I ignored my parents and just chose to talk. And weeks after making up with them, I fell ill. I was waiting paitiently, day after day, to see if they would even offer me medicine to eat. But no. No offer to bring me to see the doctor or an ‘Are you okay?’ They just let me be sick. And just today, I had badminton training with my brother. And since he has a swollen ankle ( he has excuses all the time ), I was left. Despite my constant coughing, or the sore throat I’ve been mentioning, they still had the guts to ask, ‘Are you going to training?’ I immediately got pissed. I thought a normal, sane person would immediately understand my current condition and made a conclusion that I was sick.
But for them, I was fine anyday. Even if I’m sick, fractured a bone, or was bleeding, I was still fine in their eyes. But when it comes to my brothers’, they would constantly ask if they were okay or need help. I thought it was understandable since I rarely get sick. But I had enough. This wasn’t fair. If I was sick, I still had to go to training but if it were my brother, he didn’t have to. And yet, they still say they’re ‘fair.’ I have been feeling miserable for the whole week and apparently I seemed fine to them. And of course, when they asked me if I was going or not, I immediately had a surge of anger. I pushed the nearby table, dropping my devices, and stormed off. I locked myself in my room and cried.
This wasn’t fair at all. If someone was coughing, sneezing and having a sore throat, you would ask them to rest, right? I would’ve imagined my mother to take my side and tell my father that I wasn’t going, but she did the total opposite. She took my father’s side and complained that my devices were expensive and dropping it will be costly. Of course all they cared about was money. But when it came to my brothers, it wasn’t a big deal. My mother, being the woman she is, complained to my father about my actions and he replied with, ‘Just let her cry.’ This made me cry even more. I have never wanted to run away this much before. Instead of comforting me like a mother should, she complained to my father and laughed with him. I’m genuinely so done. I had enough of their ■■■■. I want to leave so damn bad.
(Not to mention, when i told them i was sick, my father laughed in my face while my mother said, ‘oh youre sick isit,’ in the most sarcastic voice ever. And when I cried after storming away, I noticed my brother trying not to laugh.)
Is this normal? I really don’t know if I should continue to put up with their ■■■■.