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How have others coped with long-term rejection by a parent?

87 replies

Purpleflutterby · 01/06/2026 18:38

Has anyone been rejected by a parent.where they just cut you off .
Had nothing more to do with you , refused to acknowledge grandchildren,and kept it up for 30 years or some other amount of time
It wasn't your choice and they refused your numerous efforts to reach out .

And are you living a normal life ,?
how did it effect you .?
Is it to be expected a person would have mental health problems from being rejected by a parent?
If you were able to move on ,not let it effect you and have no mental health problems..how did you do that ?

OP posts:
usererror99 · 03/06/2026 08:22

@TorroFerney

hmm

that doesn’t really explain why an adult would actively seek out a parent who chose to have nothing to do with them over the parent that gave them everything

I’m a lone parent and I can tell you that I’d feel incredibly betrayed if my children decided as adults that they wanted to pursue a relationship with the father who left Because he didn’t want to parent (physically emotionally mentally or financially) there is such a thing as loyalty.

Ishouldgotobowes · 03/06/2026 08:44

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Lifestooshort71 · 03/06/2026 11:28

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I find these posts spiteful. You've no idea what the whole package is made up of but, because this man in his 70s has chosen (for possibly a very good reason?) to no longer contact his family, I should be LTB? You've no idea what he's like, the support he has given me during an ongoing cancer trip, the way he got up in the middle of the night (without a moan) to rescue my daughter marooned at a main railway station? All the babysitting he did for my GC? The stuff he does every day to make me more comfortable? Enjoy your perfect lives.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

Myappendixpls · 03/06/2026 13:38

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Myappendixpls · 03/06/2026 13:40

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Fontet · 03/06/2026 15:26

From personal experience…..carry on with your own life. I put the ball into my parents court after seeking counselling because of their actions, wrote a letter even and delivered it personally. After no response I resided to the fact that I was to waste no more time or energy ..life is far too short. X

Purpleflutterby · 04/06/2026 11:20

Oh gosh ..so many deleted messages..not good

OP posts:
Purpleflutterby · 04/06/2026 11:21

Fontet · 03/06/2026 15:26

From personal experience…..carry on with your own life. I put the ball into my parents court after seeking counselling because of their actions, wrote a letter even and delivered it personally. After no response I resided to the fact that I was to waste no more time or energy ..life is far too short. X

I can't really now ,as one has very bad dementia and one has died
But I'm glad that works for you
And if I'd done that years ago ,it most probably would of worked for me

OP posts:
Slowandsilentindifference · 04/06/2026 13:47

usererror99 · 03/06/2026 08:22

@TorroFerney

hmm

that doesn’t really explain why an adult would actively seek out a parent who chose to have nothing to do with them over the parent that gave them everything

I’m a lone parent and I can tell you that I’d feel incredibly betrayed if my children decided as adults that they wanted to pursue a relationship with the father who left Because he didn’t want to parent (physically emotionally mentally or financially) there is such a thing as loyalty.

But you don’t get to say who your children have relationships with. It’s for them to decide.

Contact with the other parent does not detract away from all the heavy lifting you did and the respect an adult child will have.

It’s natural to want to know your parents.

Andtheyreofffortheday · Yesterday 06:41

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Andtheyreofffortheday · Yesterday 06:43

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Sunnydaysarehereagain2026 · Yesterday 11:16

You absolutely get to say who your dc have relationships with. That's called being responsible... As adults my dc were of course free to seek out my dm /df.. They haven't.

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