Parents.. with different treatment

Blamed for everything

In a small, cozy house, six-year-old Xander felt the weight of the world on his small shoulders. He had ADHD and a touch of autism, which often made him experience life more intensely than his siblings, Xavier, who was five, and two-year-old Victoria. Their mother, Valerie, was loving and supportive, but their father, Colby, often directed his anger at Xander for no apparent reason. It felt as if he was always being blamed for everything that went wrong.

One Saturday morning, the sun shone brightly through the kitchen window as Valerie prepared breakfast. The smell of pancakes wafted through the air, and the children were excited to start the day. Xander, in his usual way, rushed around the living room, gathering his toys and preparing to help with breakfast.

"Xander, can you please keep it down?" Colby barked from the kitchen, his irritation palpable. "You're making too much noise!"

Xander froze. He was just being himself, but it always seemed like he was the one causing problems. "Sorry, Dad," he murmured, trying to keep his excitement in check.

During breakfast, as the family sat around the table, things took a turn. Victoria, in her playful spirit, accidentally knocked over her juice, spilling it all over the table. Colby's eyes blazed with anger as he slammed his hand down. "Xander! Why can't you keep an eye on your sister? This is your fault!"

Xander's heart sank. "I didn't do anything! It was an accident!" he protested, but his words were drowned out by Colby's fury.

"You always make excuses!" Colby shouted, and Xander felt the familiar sting of tears threatening to spill. He was used to being blamed for things he didn't do, but it still hurt each time.

After breakfast, feeling defeated, Xander wandered outside to the backyard. He needed some space to think. He sat on the swing, pushing himself gently back and forth, trying to drown out the voice in his head that whispered he was a burden.

Later, Xavier joined him, sensing his brother's sadness. "Are you okay, Xander?" he asked, sitting on the swing beside him.

"I keep getting blamed for everything," Xander admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. "I didn't knock over the juice. I just wanted to help!"

Xavier frowned, his small brow furrowing. "That's not fair. Dad shouldn't be mad at you all the time."

"Yeah, but he is," Xander replied, feeling the weight of the unfairness press down on him.

As the day went on, Colby's anger flared again when the children played inside. Victoria, excitedly running after Xavier, accidentally bumped into Colby, who was coming out of the kitchen. Instead of looking at his youngest daughter, Colby turned on Xander, who had been playing nearby.

"Xander! Can't you control your sister? You're supposed to be the big brother!" he yelled.

Xander opened his mouth to explain, but the words caught in his throat. Colby's anger was like a storm, and Xander felt like he was drowning in it. "I didn't do anything wrong!" he finally managed to say, but Colby just glared at him.

"Just stay out of my way!" Colby shouted, making Xander retreat to the corner of the room, feeling small and invisible.

That evening, Valerie noticed the tension in the house. After putting Victoria to bed, she found Xander sitting on the floor of the living room, staring blankly at the wall. "Xander, sweetheart, can we talk?" she asked gently.

He looked up, his eyes filled with tears. "Mom, why does Dad always blame me for everything? I didn't do anything!"

Valerie's heart broke. She sat down beside him, pulling him into a hug. "Oh, Xander, I'm so sorry you feel that way. It's not fair, and it's not your fault. Sometimes, people take their anger out on others because they're upset or overwhelmed."