Dysfunctional families affect the quality of life of each of the members, especially the children. These troubled relationships cause chronic feelings of guilt, shame, or worthlessness, as well as attachment issues.
The teenager who shared her story on Reddit some time ago comes from such a family where the father is basically absent from his children’s lives despite living under one roof with them.
She took to the Reddit thread AITA to explain that it was her mother who took care of her and her siblings while the father wasn’t really involved in their upbringing.
One day, as he got home and left his mobile phone on the table, OP could read the message that he received at that moment which said, “last night was amazing, can’t wait to see you again” and some emojis.
After thinking about it for a short time, she decided to tell her mother that her dad was cheating on her. “She got pretty emotional which I felt bad about, and told me not to worry and that I should just worry about being a kid and let her take care of the rest, so I just let it go cause I didn’t want to hurt her more.”
One evening, the entire family gathered for dinner at OP’s grandfathers. There, her cousin shared the news that she started a new job. Everyone was pleased with the news, but then OP’s father told OP that she should be more like her cousin because she wasn’t any good according to him. But he didn’t stop there. In fact, he continued shaming OP telling her she should focus more on school and a lot more.
At one moment he mentioned that OP lacked respect for him, and that was the final straw.
At this point, OP had it enough. “Hard to respect you when you openly cheat on Mom and don’t even try to hide it,” she said in front of everyone.
The room went silent at first, but then her father started yelling both at her and her mother. The mom then took her kids and told her husband she shouldn’t be returning home.
Once home, OP started receiving text messages from her relatives who accused her of ruining the evening and the family. Her mom, however, told her “that she understood my frustration and I probably should have expressed it better privately but what’s done is done.”
Redditors were quick to comment that OP was NTA.
What are your thoughts on this?
Jennifer Garner Gets Emotional on Her Daughter’s Graduation and Tons of Celebrity Friends Comfort Her
Jennifer Garner has openly shared the emotional rollercoaster of watching her eldest daughter, Violet Affleck, graduate high school. The 52-year-old actress posted a heartfelt and teary slideshow on Instagram, capturing her raw feelings during the milestone event.
A series of emotional snaps
In the first couple of photos, Garner is seen clapping with tears streaming down her face at the graduation ceremony. She wipes her eyes, clearly moved by the occasion. The Alias actress continued the emotional documentation with a pair of photos of herself crying on a plane, contemplating how she would manage this significant transition.
The slideshow ended with a humorous picture of Garner in “2024” sunglasses, attempting to add a lighthearted touch to her emotional journey.
Co-parenting with Ben Affleck
Violet, who turned 18 in December 2023, is the eldest of three children Garner shares with ex-husband Ben Affleck. The former couple, who divorced in 2018, also co-parent Seraphina and Samuel.
Garner’s Instagram post did not feature Affleck, leaving it unclear whether he attended the ceremony. However, the pair has maintained a cooperative co-parenting relationship since their split.
Support from fellow celebrity moms
Garner’s post quickly garnered supportive comments from fellow celebrity moms. Reese Witherspoon, who has experienced similar emotions with her own children, commented, “Oh honey… I know. You have done a great job, mama! I will be here for support and lots of hugs.” Gwyneth Paltrow also shared her empathy, stating, “I’m sooooo with you.”
Gina Torres, known for her role in Suits, reflected on the profound mix of emotions involved in watching a child graduate. “Oh, sweet mama!!! You’ve kissed every boo boo and read every story and have made 5 am bread and muffins. All while living your own big life. You done AMAZING!!!,” she commented, capturing the complex feelings shared by many parents.
Garner had previously shared that Violet was managing the stress of college applications “like a champ.” Now, as Violet prepares to embark on her next chapter, Garner is left to navigate the bittersweet reality of her daughter growing up.
Jennifer Garner’s heartfelt post not only celebrated Violet’s achievements but also highlighted the deep, emotional bond between a mother and her child. As she navigates this new chapter, Garner’s candid expression of her feelings resonates with parents everywhere experiencing similar transitions.
Preview photo credit UPI / Alamy Stock Photo, ROBERTO SCHMIDT/AFP/East News, jennifer.garner / Instagram
Leave a Reply