Daughter Labelled "Unnecessarily Cruel" After Creating A PowerPoint Presentation Outlining All The Ways Her Dad Neglected Her

"You failed. Go away."

Stephanie

• Published in Interesting
• December 30, 2022

There's no denying that parents aren't always perfect. And sadly, sometimes, they can really screw up.

Recently, Reddit user u/throwaway_1028585 posted in the AITA (Am I The A**hole?) subreddit about how her father let her down growing up. She explained that her mother passed away from leukemia when she was only seven.

Being so young when her mother died, OP has very few memories of her. But she does have a book filled with drawings and photos that her mother made for her when she was sick in the hospital.

The Redditor began keeping a similar journal herself after her mother passed and has done so ever since. She describes it as a "unique record" of her mental state over the years.

The OP says that when she was nine, her father remarried. Her new stepmother tried to force OP to see her as her mother, and her dad didn't try to stop her.

The Reddit user says things didn't improve until her half-brother was born because they pretty much forgot about her after that. Sadly, OP's brother got cancer when he was three.

Being so sick, the Redditor's brother took up all of her father's time and attention. By the time she was 16, OP had stopped trying to bond with her father, and at 18, she cut him off completely.

A few years ago, OP's grandparents let her know that her brother had passed away. They told her that they respected her wish not to have any contact with her dad but that he had expressed a desire to get in touch with her.

So, OP started to go through all of her old journals and made her dad a PowerPoint using some of the entries. She outlined how she felt abandoned and unwanted throughout her childhood.

At the end, OP included a note that her mother had written, which said, "Remember that your dad and I are always here for you." Underneath, OP wrote, "You failed. Go away."

Ever since, the Redditor says she has been bombarded with messages from other family members, saying that her father was gutted and that she had been "unnecessarily cruel." Keep scrolling to see how people reacted.

The Reddit user posted about how her father let her down growing up.

She explained that her mother passed away from leukemia when she was only seven.

The OP says that when she was nine, her father remarried. Her new stepmother tried to force OP to see her as her mother, and her dad didn't try to stop her.

A few years ago, OP's grandparents let her know that her brother had passed away. They told her that her dad had expressed a desire to get in touch with her.

Ever since, the Redditor says she has been bombarded with messages from other family members, saying that her father was gutted and that she had been "unnecessarily cruel."

The Reddit user followed up her initial post with some edits. She added that she loved her brother and did not resent him in any way.

Secondly, she pointed out that she does have empathy for her father.

And, lastly, she mentioned that her father had since broken up with his wife.

Here's how people reacted.

"That was brutal."

Harsh but fair.

"Painfully harsh to read."

The truth hurts.

"Interesting that dad feels gutted now."

"If people wanted you to write kindly about them, they should have behaved better."

"He has to deal with the consequences of his actions."

"The responsibility is completely on him."

"Your father is finally feeling what you felt your whole life."

"It is not your fault he neglected you."

"A reality check."

"It is 100% not your problem."

"It was honest."

"He doesn't get to wash everything away."

NTA.

"He brought it upon himself."

"You don't need that in your life."

What's your take on this situation? Do you think the OP was too harsh on her father, or was her reaction completely justifiable considering her father's actions?

Either way, no one seems to win in this story. It's a sad situation for all involved, and we hope they are each able to find some peace.

We would love to hear your opinions on this. You can share your thoughts with us in the comment section.

Stephanie