Family: you can’t live with ‘em, you can’t live without ‘em! Siblings may cause your blood to boil when they tease you, and parents might get under your skin by trying to control too many aspects of your life. But at the end of the day, they’re family! As long as it’s clear that they truly love you, you can’t help but love them back.
But just because someone is family doesn’t mean you have to let them walk all over you or make unreasonable demands. In that case, feel free to call them out online! Below, you’ll find screenshots and photos featuring shockingly entitled behavior from relatives. We hope this list doesn’t remind you of any of your own family members, pandas, and keep reading to find conversations with Rachel Garduce, LCSW from Modern Therapy and Al Hoberman, MT-BC, LCAT from Zencare!
#1 I Won’t Invite You To My Baby Shower, But You Better Get Me A Gift
#2 Wherein The Mother Of The Bride Wonders Why The Uncle She Disinvited Isn’t Gifting Her Daughter Any Money For Her Wedding
#3 Till This Day, It Still Annoys Me That He Was Such A Jerk
To learn more about what it’s like to deal with an entitled family member and where this behavior comes from, we reached out to a couple of experts on the topic. According to Modern Therapy’s clinician Rachel Garduce, LCSW, “Entitled behavior often originates from upbringing, societal norms, and individual personality traits.”
“If individuals are consistently favored or their needs were met without effort, they may develop a sense of entitlement. Factors like age, race, and socioeconomic status also shape how others treat them, influencing their entitlement levels and opportunities,” Rachel explained. “Additionally, entitlement can serve as a defense mechanism against insecurity, where individuals seek validation and control to compensate for their own internal doubts.”
#4 Divorcing Husband Of 14 Years For Being Broke
#5 This Entitled Human Being
#6 Too Many Things Wrong With This
We also got in touch with Zencare, an online therapist directory and the simplest way to find your ideal therapist, and Al Hoberman, a New York-based Licensed Creative Arts Therapist and Board Certified Music Therapist, was kind enough to weigh in on the topic. Al noted that, “Entitlement can come across as overconfidence, but turned on its head, we can see it as an expression of some kind of need.”
“Maybe it’s wanting to feel special, to be cared and provided for, or to know that you’ll be there for them,” the expert explained. “Wanting a lot is a sign that someone feels that they’re lacking a lot, whether they’re fully aware of it or not.”
#7 What A “Selfish” Daughter
#8 How Dare A Pharmacist Not Agree With My Degree From Google
#9 I Just Had An Insane Chat With My Mother. Thinking Of Just Not Opening The Door For Her When She Comes
In the end, I just left because she had the keys to my house. I changed the locks the next day.
As far as why entitlement is often directed towards family members, Rachel says it might be because of how a person grew up and what they learned from their family. “If their needs were always put first, they might expect the same in adulthood,” she explained.
“Cultural norms also play a role. For instance, if a culture values certain family roles, individuals might feel entitled to specific treatment within their families based on those norms,” Rachel added. “These dynamics shape their expectations and perceptions of entitlement within family relationships.”
#10 My Entitled Aunt Forced Me To Take Care Of My Spoiled Cousin
My family decided to have a family reunion, and my entitled aunt drove up to me and my roommate’s front porch and just dropped my spoiled cousin off. He was there for a week as she wouldn’t drive back to get him. In the week that he was there, he threw fits and temper tantrums because we wouldn’t bend over backwards for his demands, and we ended up driving him back to his mother’s (my aunt) hotel room, and she ended up telling the family I punched her even though that’s further from the truth.
#11 My Mother Got Rid Of My First Pet Without Warning Me
#12 My Mom Knows I’m Engaged And Living With My Fiancé
She says my fiancé is ugly, and she “can’t connect with her”. She only saw pictures and refused to meet her.
Al also noted that this entitlement can be a bid for connection. “Just like a young child who is all smiles at daycare and then comes home and has a meltdown, we tend to show our most difficult feelings around people we trust,” the therapist explained. “So if a family member is asking a lot of you, it may be an unconscious way of asking, ‘How much can I lean on you and have you still love me?’”
“On the other hand, if someone has grown up in an environment where this kind of behavior was rewarded, or they observed it in others, it could be that this is just what feels normal to them,” Al added. “They might not even see it as special treatment, it’s just what they’re used to doing.”
#13 How Dare Her Mother-In-Law Be A Nice Person
#14 My Mother Won’t Ask For Consent When Posting Photos
My mom took a pic of me and my friends. I asked her not to post it, but this was her response.
#15 My Pregnant Sister-In-Law Isn’t Happy That I Repurposed My Baby’s Outgrown Onesies
If anyone out there is struggling with family members making you feel guilty for not meeting their demands, both experts recommend setting clear boundaries. “Assertively communicate your needs and limits while understanding and validating their feelings,” Rachel told We.
“Remember, you’re not obliged to fulfill every demand, especially if it harms you or compromises your own well-being. Seeking help from a therapist can guide you in managing family issues effectively. It’s crucial to prioritize your well-being and assert your boundaries in these situations,” she explained.
#16 My Entitled Mother
She always felt like she was entitled to see how my body was developing because she was my mother and “created” me. I had no privacy, and I still have problems years later from her barging in on me while I used to shower. I spent most of my childhood feeling deep shame and crying a lot. I didn’t realize this wasn’t a normal thing till a few years ago (I’m 31 now). Oh yeah, she’d be laughing the whole time, too. I still don’t understand what she got out of it.
#17 She Really Wants Her To Change The Dog’s Name
#18 My Dad Thinks He Is Entitled To My Money (Which I Don’t Have Much Of) Because “It’s Christmas”
“It’s a common misconception that setting boundaries is about getting the other person to do something you want,” Al says. “Actually, it’s about figuring out what your limits are, and deciding how you’re going to respond when they’re crossed. Then, importantly, you communicate that decision ahead of time.”
“Say I have a parent who keeps giving me unsolicited parenting advice. My first step is to tell them it’s unwelcome, and ask them, firmly but kindly, to stop,” Al suggests. “Next, if they persist, I might say something like, ‘Listen, if you’re really not able to stop, I’m going to end our conversation. We can talk about something else another time.’”
#19 Our Dog Destroyed Trim
I left my husband in charge of our dogs while the kids and I visited my family. He chose to stay at his brother’s house and only let our dogs out once a day. Yesterday, he sent me this picture and proceeded to blame it on me.
#20 My Demanding Parents
My mother and father showed up outside my apartment without a notice and demanded I go eat dinner with them even though I’ve been living independently for six years. The last time I saw them, they made me cry in public, so I’ve been putting off seeing them.
#21 This Entitled Stepmom. So Infuriating
“Of course, chances are, the person you set boundaries with is going to be upset at first,” Al notes. “That’s where the guilt comes in. No one wants to feel like they’re letting down someone they love, but tuning in to this caring can help you express yourself compassionately without compromising your own needs.”
#22 My Younger Brother Wants Me To Turn On My Hotspot At 4 In The Morning
Oftentimes, we make deals where he buys an energy drink or something, and I let him use my hotspot at 9 PM and leave it on during the night. My brother claims that at 2–3 AM, he goes to bed. Last night, I woke up to him spamming me a ton of messages, wanting me to turn it back on at 4 in the morning. This is the last time I’m going to use my hotspot. He’s 15 years old, by the way.
#23 My Sister Expects Me To Buy Her A Bottle Of Water And Deliver It To Her Class Instead Of Walking Up To A Water Fountain. She’s So Spoiled
#24 My Mother-In-Law Won’t Get The Flu Vaccine So She Could Meet Our Newborn Son. Insists She Is An Expert On Vaccines
“Setting boundaries is a good way to handle conflict, but it doesn’t avoid it altogether,” Al added. “It can be an emotionally taxing process, and especially if you’re naturally conflict-averse, it’s important to have a support system in place as you go through it. This could mean speaking with friends, a partner, or a therapist, but should also include keeping in mind that you’re in a vulnerable place and treating yourself with care.”
#25 My Mother-In-Law’s Reaction To Us (Me, Girlfriend, And Daughter) Moving To Vegas. And When She Says “My Daughter” She Means Her Granddaughter
#26 Imagine Thinking You Qualified For A Military Discount Because Your Father-In-Law Fought In The Vietnam War
#27 My Narcissist Mom Reaching Out After I Went No Contact For 5 Months
“Entitlement is a complex issue and shows up in different ways and situations. Dealing with it means understanding yourself, setting boundaries, and talking openly with others,” Rachel shared. “It’s also helpful to figure out why you feel entitled or why those around you feel entitled, as it expands your self-awareness or your understanding of others. It can enhance your relationships with people. By working on these things, you can handle entitlement in a positive way and improve your connections with others.”
#28 I Moved Out Of My Dad’s After We Got Into A Pretty Big Physical Altercation
#29 My Aunt (Very Low Contact) Continues To Ask To Spend The Night At My And My Boyfriend’s Place After Openly Attacking Us At A Party She Wasn’t Even Invited To
My aunt showed up to my family’s New Year’s feast at my parent’s house completely uninvited. She has purposely not been invited the past few years because of some particular nasty or toxic behavior she’s shown at New Year’s feasts in the past.
Our relationship hasn’t been great for a while since she has become a lot more angry and intense over the past few years as compared to the fun-loving aunt I grew up knowing.
It’s also not like she can’t afford a hotel room for the night since she and her husband are incredibly well-off financially.
#30 Texts From My Sister When I Already Had Plans And Couldn’t Watch Her Kid
We both live at my grandma’s house. I work nights (7 PM – 3:30 AM), and she works days. I told her I could be free after 2 PM to help our grandma with my niece if needed. I made plans for a weekend a week in advance, and she texted me at almost 2 AM to tell me she worked at 10 AM and needed me to watch my niece. I told her I wasn’t going to be home because I had plans that weekend. This was her response. I chose not to engage because, in the past, engaging when she was like this just led to telling me what a horrible person I am.
#31 My Brother Has A Habit
#32 My Cousin Just Put This On Her Snap Story. Her Mom Washes, Folds, And Hangs Up Her Clothes Every Week
#33 I Guess It’s Just Spreading Today. She’s Never Bugged Me About Posting Before
I haven’t used Facebook in a very long time, and I don’t even have the app on my phone anymore. We texted each other this morning. She wished me a happy Mother’s Day, and I did the same. 8 hours later, she sent me this.
#34 My Aunt Losing Her Mind Over The Name Of My Soon-To-Be Born Daughter, Lilith
#35 Am I Crazy, Or Is This Toxic? I Am 18 In High School And My Mother Threatens Not Sending Me To College If I Don’t Spend Time With Her
#36 My Dad Forcing Me To Be Somewhere Even Though I Might Still Be Sick
#37 My Upstairs Cousin Told Me To Pay The Internet Bill When He Isn’t Supporting
#38 My Cousin (Who I Have Not Spoken To In 16 Years) Is Demanding A Free Photoshoot Over A GameCube Cord (That I Actually Did Get Back To Him 20 Years Ago)
#39 My Sister’s Response After Offering Help
My sister is homeless and an addict. She used someone’s phone to message us, and I told her we love her, want to get her a phone, find her a nice rehab, and get an apartment afterward.
#40 My Cousin Sent Me This Message On My 30th Birthday
#41 My 13-Year-Old Niece Wanted AirPods For Her Birthday, But I Sent Her Some Generic Bluetooth Earbuds
#42 My Dad Called Me 40 Times When I Was At Work, To Ask For Money. He Claims It Was An Accident, Then Sends This When I Block Him On Messenger
#43 Guilt Tripping Me For Not Being Able To Spend $130 On A Mother’s Day Gift
My mother has become increasingly greedy about gifts since I started making money. But I asked her for a vacuum cleaner for Christmas, and she told me I was crazy for asking for such an expensive gift. To be fair she did get me one, but she made a big deal about me asking for it. I feel like she always finds the most expensive thing she can and asks me for it.
#44 My Very Controlling Stepmom
#45 My Rude Sister Asking If She Can Stay At My Place
#46 This Is So Infuriating
#47 From My Stepmother The Day After My Sister Passed
#48 That Time I Announced My Son’s Birth, And My Husband’s Aunt Decided To Say This
#49 My Sister Took My Phone To Send Herself $55 From My Cash App. Cash App Support Won’t Do Anything About It
#50 My Mom Can’t Handle That I Got My Septum Pierced. I’m 27 Years Old, Married And Have Been Out Of The House For A Year
