AITA for refusing to clean my stepfamily’s house for free now that I have a job?

Ever since I (17F) started my first real job, my stepfamily has been acting like I broke some sacred vow or rule. They still expect me to do every chore in the house, like laundry, cooking, scrubbing floors, WITHOUT pay and WITHOUT question. When I finally confronted them saying that balancing a job and being the full-time household caretaker is impossible, they accused me of being “ungrateful” and violating some kind of “family duty.” It feels like I’m trapped in an unpaid labour cycle justified by tradition and hierarchy—just let me grow up! They chose to raise me. I shouldn't have to be indebted to them because of that. Every time this topic is brought up, I feel like they have this ageist mindset—thinking that they know better than me because they are older than me, but how do they know what’s better for me when they’re not me?? I know they’ve relied on my work for years, but now that I’m trying to build independence, they’re punishing me for it. So AITA for wanting boundaries and freedom?

Posted Dec 3, 2025, 1:48 AM UTC

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