Abandoned Teen Sarcastically Congratulates Father For Being God Dad To His Kids From New Marriage, Family Says She Should Get Over It And Be Happy For Him

"Other family members tell me I need to grow up and get over it and now be happy for my dad."

Damjan

• Published in Interesting
• May 15, 2023

The word 'divorce' is often associated with images of heated courtroom battles, disgruntled couples, and legal paperwork. Yet, amidst these adult-centric scenarios, we often overlook the smallest, most vulnerable individuals affected - the children.

Divorce, while sometimes necessary and ultimately beneficial for the well-being of the couple, can often have profound and long-lasting impacts on the lives of the children caught in the crossfire. It's a subject that demands our attention and empathy, a reminder that the echoes of a marriage's end reverberate far beyond the courthouse.

At seventeen, the protagonist's memory of her father is primarily marked by his absence. He abandoned her and her mother when she was just five, appearing sporadically at family events.

Learning of his remarriage and subsequent children through the family grapevine, she had little faith in his parenting skills, given his history with her. During her great-grandmother's 100th birthday celebration, she decided to attend despite knowing her estranged father would be there with his new family.

As the party unfolded, she observed her father interacting with his kids, embodying the role he had never assumed for her. Her father's attempted conversation was as disjointed as their relationship.

Witnessing his newfound paternal demeanor stirred up resentment, and his feeble apology for the past was overshadowed by his current lack of effort to connect with her. Voicing her feelings resulted in admonishment from her family, who insisted she should be happy for him instead. This leaves her questioning, is she the one at fault?

OP asks:

OP's memory of her father is primarily marked by his absence. He abandoned her and her mother when she was just five

During her great-grandmother's 100th birthday celebration, she decided to attend despite knowing her estranged father would be there with his new family.

OP has offered the following explanation for why they think they might be the a-hole:

How can you get over being abandoned by a parent? Any advice from family?

It is clear how he sees OP- past

"He could be co-parenting her right now"

Nope

"This is not on you, it is on him."

OP has every right to be upset

The bottom line is:

The sting of parental neglect and abandonment is a profound hurt that lingers in the hearts of many children, shaping their worldview and influencing their self-perception. The scars of such experiences run deep, often manifesting as feelings of unworthiness, abandonment, and emotional detachment.

These experiences can be especially painful when these same parents go on to show love, care, and kindness to their new children, an affection that was absent in the neglected child's life. Seeing their parents display warmth, patience, and attentiveness towards their new siblings can be a bitter pill to swallow for these children.

The stark contrast between their own experiences and the experiences of their siblings under the same parents can evoke a sense of betrayal, a deepening of the wound initially inflicted by the abandonment. This unequal distribution of affection may intensify feelings of resentment, confusion, and a sense of intrinsic faultiness.

Damjan