In a popular Reddit post, u/Alive-Kick8154, explained that her sister, 38, was furious when she didn’t jump for joy when she found out she was going to be an aunt again.
Newsweek reached out to family therapist Alyssa Roberts to discuss the issue. She said it’s “natural for family members to have different reactions to the news,” and it’s important to “understand and respect each other’s perspectives”.
Explaining her story, the teen refers to her sibling as Kay and tells other users she is a stay-at-home mom with four daughters aged 11, eight, three and two. She has taken to the internet to explain what happened when Kay and her husband, who works in air conditioning, told the family they are expecting again.
“My mom was overjoyed. and I wasn’t really paying attention. I was focusing on the TV,” she said.
The original poster (OP) then relays a conversation that took place and she states she responded to the news by calling it “cool.” She points out her sister was “mad” as the teen didn’t appear to be excited, but she admits she is now used to her falling pregnant.
She concludes the post by adding: “I just want to clarify that this fifth baby was not a baby that was hard to conceive, or they had been trying and wanting a fifth baby. it just happened.” She also states that she financially supports the kids and babysits often.
Speaking to Newsweek, Roberts, who works for Practical Psychology, said: “This situation highlights the different expectations and emotions that can arise within a family when one member shares news. It is natural for family members to have different reactions to the news, and it is important to remember that these reactions are not necessarily a reflection of how much they care about the person or the news itself.
“It is important for family members to communicate openly and honestly with each other about their feelings and expectations, and to try to understand and respect each other’s perspectives.
“In this case, it might be helpful for the original poster and Kay to have a conversation about their differing reactions to the pregnancy announcement and to discuss any underlying concerns or emotions that may have contributed to those reactions. The OP may also want to consider expressing her support for Kay and the new addition to the family, even if her initial reaction was not as enthusiastic as she had hoped.”
So far, the Redditor has received 12,000 upvotes since it was posted on January 3.
The top comment has received 24,700 upvotes. It said: “NTA [Not the a******]. I think its weird people expect a big deal to be made of it. Cool, you had s** and now you’re cooking baby number 5, whatever.”
Another person said: “No kidding. My automatic response as a teenager to a 5th kid would have been something like “Why?!”
“Lol perhaps if she wasn’t babysitting her sister’s children every weekend so her sister could go hang out with her friends she’d be more excited lol,” said another.
Newsweek reached out to u/Alive-Kick8154 for comment. We couldn’t verify the details of the case.
Update, 1/5/2023, 6:37 a.m. ET: This article has been updated to mention that Alyssa Roberts works for Practical Psychology.
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