A man says he gave up culinary school at 15 because his parents were on drugs, and now they’re sober and paying his sister’s way at her dream school

As reported by The Daily Dot, a 24-year-old man says he gave up on culinary school at 15 because his parents were struggling with drug addiction. He is now watching those same parents pay for his younger sister to attend her dream school.

The man shared his story on Reddit’s r/TrueOffMyChest forum. He said he had planned to become a cook at 15, and while the school itself was free, his parents were unemployed at the time and could not cover his monthly food and transportation costs.

His sister, now 15, is attending the hairdressing school she has always wanted to attend. He wrote that their parents have since stopped using drugs, returned to work, and can now pay her expenses.

Commenters said his resentment was reasonable

He said he is happy for his sister, but watching their parents support her reminded him of painful memories from his own childhood. He wrote that his parents “couldn’t find the force to do it back then.”

The post led to a discussion about parental responsibility and how childhood experiences carry into adulthood. Many commenters said his resentment was reasonable, and that it came from not receiving the same support himself rather than from his sister getting help.

One commenter said the situation might make him wonder why his parents had not made the same effort for him. Another compared him to the “experimental child,” who had to grow up before his parents learned how to take better care of their kids.

Other commenters said he did not have to give up on his culinary dream for good. They suggested he attend culinary school as an adult or get his foot in the door at a restaurant to learn the trade through hands-on experience.

Several users shared their own career changes. One said they left a job in health care to study diesel mechanics at 30, and another said they returned to school at 26 after not finishing high school.

Commenters also noted that if he goes after the culinary dream now, he would need to map out his finances and balance it with his current work obligations. This isn’t the first time we’ve seen someone face a nearly $37,000 bill they did not expect, which is why planning ahead matters. They added that pursuing a career later in life would not erase the sting of not having support as a child.

Several well-wishers encouraged him to talk openly with his parents about the long-term effects. They said it could help his parents understand why the experience is still painful for him.

Attack of the Fanboy was unable to independently verify the parents’ or sister’s side of the story, as this account comes solely from a Reddit post. The details of the family’s circumstances come only from the man’s own post.