Finally stood up to my emotionally abusive father

(((Hugs))) one thing i have learned at nearly twice your age is that for non custodial biological parents in particular they are a mother or father in name and involvement only as much as the child wants irregardless of their age. So many factors go into influencing the child into adulthood that the other parent has no control over and they feel sadness which comes across as anger over it. You placed your boundaries and his place in your life by words and actions but hurtful as the rejection is for him must accept its your choice, he is holding you to more accountability for them because you are 22. Its emotionally easier to blame your mom than to face up to his own previous actions that led to your decisions now, and even harder still if he has true and sincere remorse but feels unforgiven and destined to live his life in other ppls false narratives knowing you believe them and dont want him in your life, with time he will find his own way of dealing with that and its not your responsibility. Pease be aware that if you decide to have a father/son relationship with him in the future as an adult it is never as simple as you deciding for him after xyz conditions have been met by him because while hes your dad he is a person to and you are both adults. Hes grieving the loss of a relationship with you that he thought you would want to happen (his way according to his dreams) after you came of age, as you grieve the same for different reasons.

One day if you choose, perhaps starting at common ground without the expectations you each have over being a father or a son would be a good place to start but it requires risk and a willingness to be vulnerable and open to losing the relationship all over, a risk you each must be willing to take to move forward.

Its always easier to just be estranged, for a time, bit its later in life and the explaining you both will have to do, you, for your own kids is what hurts and only you can decide if the narrative you explain to them will be the truth as you believe it to be true.

/r/offmychest Thread