I am 15, and a middle child.

Growing up I was made to do everything for everyone else. I have an older sister who is 18, a younger sister who is 13, and a younger either who is 10. When I was 2 my parents got divorced when my mother was pregnant with my younger sister. My father is an alcoholic and get very emotionally abusive and sometimes physically abusive. My oldest sister has always been the immature one so I’ve always had the responsibility. I would get my sisters food, I would babysit her and my younger either while my older sister could go out everyday when she was in high school. I would get a “thank you” but they never really appreciated what I did and what I still do.

Whenever I would rebel against them their excuse is that “I’m more mature and responsible”. After a while I got sick of that answer. I am very aware of my surroundings and whenever I went to my dads and he was drunk I wasn’t afraid to speak up. He has called me every name in the book. He always praised my older and younger sister, because my older sister just takes his side and gangs up on me and my younger sister just doesn’t say anything. My mother makes me get everything for everyone else, but the moment I ask I get yelled at because I’m lazy and that I shouldn’t be asking for anyone else to get me something. Whenever I refuse to get anyone else anything my whole family gangs up on me and is mean to me until I do what I was told to do. My mother got remarried and had my younger brother. My stepfather has always favored my brother and my younger sister because she was so young when he married my mom so my sister considers him her father. He used to smack me, and dislocated my sister wrist. He has anger issues and takes them out on everyone else. I don’t get why my mother ever stayed with him and even though me and my mother are very close I can’t help but hold it against her. He never put his hands on my younger siblings.

I known as the “freak” by all of my siblings. I have had counselors for 5 years and I suffer chronic depression and I have bad trust and commitment issues, and my family doesn’t think that they could be part of the reason why I have so many issues. I’m so sick of being the middle child.

– Mandy