Random Life Stories and Unpredictable Moments

I’m a 20-year-old woman, and I've been best friends with another 20-year-old woman since childhood. However, lately, our relationship seems too centered on her romantic endeavors.

A couple of years back, her complicated relationship with a guy named Noah ended, leaving her devastated. Naturally, I tried my best to support her through her emotional turmoil, reassuring her frequently.

Initially, I thought this obsession with Noah was temporary, as he was her first love. We spent countless hours on the phone discussing Noah. If ever I missed a call, she would become upset with me.

Last year, she started seeing someone new named José, and I hoped this would shift her focus. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case.

When we moved in together, not long after she met José, my role as her emotional anchor didn’t change. Although I initially offered advice willingly, she soon began discussing José daily, similar to her previous pattern with Noah. Whenever she had issues with José, Noah became her go-to topic again.

Living together has amplified these issues. I’m constantly caught up in her romantic dramas, and if I express disinterest, she reacts negatively. She expects me to listen endlessly, claiming that since she has to endure her relationships, the least I can do is lend my ear.

No matter how much advice I offer, it’s never satisfactory, and mistakes on my part often lead to her yelling. The repetitiveness of our conversations about her boyfriends is incredibly draining.

I still value her friendship, but it’s becoming impossible to meet her emotional needs.

Also, she rarely reciprocates the support. My romantic life is quite different from hers; I’ve not had any serious relationships, which impacts my self-esteem. Yet, whenever I try to discuss my feelings, she dismisses them quickly, frustrated that I’m revisiting old issues, despite her own frequent discussions about her relationships.

Our conversations are overwhelmingly dominated by her romantic life. It feels overwhelming and inequitable, and I’m at a loss about how to handle this persistent emotional drain.

I wonder about how this would play out if it were part of a reality show. Would the viewers side with me for wanting some peace? Or would they see me as unsupportive for trying to set boundaries in our friendship?

Am I wrong for no longer wanting to hear about her romantic issues all the time?

My husband and I have a sweet 7-year-old girl, Emily, who recently made friends with a pup she found wandering in our front yard. It was all fun and games until we discovered the little dog belonged to our neighbors. They initially thought Emily had taken the puppy away from their property, which caused a lot of upset. Subsequently, my husband imposed additional chores on her as punishment. Emily stood her ground, asserting that she hadn't stolen the puppy and refused to do the chores.

The situation took a turn for the better when our neighbors came over to apologize. It turns out, their own son had accidentally let the puppy escape while they were out for a walk because he removed its leash. That's how the puppy ended up in our yard.

When I got back from work that day, my husband briefed me on the apologies, but still insisted Emily should be reprimanded for not completing her chores. His view was that it was a matter of principle and she should obey her father regardless. I couldn't disagree more. To me, punishing her for an act she hadn't committed was completely unfair. I argued that teaching her to accept wrongdoing silently was not something I supported.

The disagreement escalated as my husband labeled me unreasonable. I was left wondering if my stance was indeed wrong.

If this confrontation were to unfold under the public gaze of a reality TV show, I can only imagine the heightened drama and varied opinions from viewers. Social media would likely be ablaze with debates on parenting styles and the fairness of imposing discipline. Would the audience side with fostering obedience or upholding justice? The dynamic would certainly be enticing to viewers who thrive on real-life conflicts and resolutions.

How would people react in a reality TV scenario?

My dad is constantly urging me to cover the vacation expenses for my sister since she's swamped with debt, while I'm in a better financial place. I've always been there to support her and pitch in with family finances, yet it feels overwhelming to be seen as the family's financial pillar since my income is significantly higher than most of my relatives.

My wife and I often enjoy trips to Disneyland and need to travel for both business purposes and family events, which seems to stir up some envy. To add to this, my parents have recently gained a substantial amount of money from a property sale they executed a while ago. I'm worried that they're mishandling this fortune and might end up with nothing.

A family wedding was announced recently, and just as we were planning to go, my father suggested that my wife and I should join their short vacation which happens to be just three days long. I tried explaining that it's a particularly busy period at work since my job is seasonal, but this only led to him being upset. He then insisted I handle the vacation expenses for my sister for an upcoming getaway, despite the fact that last year when I paid for her trip, she canceled at the last moment. I'm reluctant to do the same again.

The insistence on everyone being present for the whole trip disregards the reality that my sister and I have pressing work commitments. The focus of our travels should really be the wedding, not extra holiday activities that would detract from the important event.

Frustrated, he demanded that I should cancel our flights, which were costly due to the lengthy travel and destination being pricey, almost $1.3k for both me and my wife. He even pushed for canceling our Disneyland plans to accommodate his vacation agenda. This felt unfair, leading to my decision to unfriend him and another close relative from Facebook who echoed his unreasonable demands.

Canceling the flights would also mean a significant loss financially as getting a refund would be unlikely.

Considering this, if this were a scenario in a reality TV show, it’s likely that the drama and financial tensions would be heightened. Viewers might be intrigued by the family dynamics and the pressure placed on one member to shoulder financial responsibilities. The tension between maintaining personal boundaries and familial obligations could make for engaging television, possibly polarizing the audience in their sympathies and reactions.

Am I being unreasonable?

When other kids elsewhere probably fantasize about this longer than I do, I think about this for a bit, before I start panicking about every worst case scenario. This is why relationships...in general, are a risk. They're painful, bad, and they're not a thing I NEED to live in this world, they're just a liability. Like, I feel like an adult next to these buffoons in school! They can't see the risks, the pains, the agonies, they can't see all those dirt under the nice leopard-print carpet! And you know what, I can handle being alone with no one! They're a liability and risk anyways. Being tough and ROUGH is the way to go! I'm not soft, and I'm not gonna be vulnerable with anyone! No matter how much I want it, it's a sin on my part! It's like wanting drugs as a teen, it may smell good but it's bad for you! Aren't there any perks to not showing your vulnerability? it helps maintain your composure, you don't make things awkward or dangerous at work, it can make you look really stoic and composed and leader-like, and it makes you focus more on yourself and learn self-work by your SELF. See? You may say hiding vulnerabilities is bad, but ugh, when some movie characters do that, bam! Trusted the wrong person! Look at Elphaba and Madame Morrible with the Wizard of Oz, they were shams who couldn't read the magic book nor make magic, only for Oz! And she for her whole life wanted to be like him, but he's a useless man! Even I tried remembering the Wizard was a farsi, before the movie confirmed it again, because he looked suspicious!

I can be safe even from the "nicest" people. I was only BARELY ALIVE when I trusted mom so much to tell her things like "If I got Rem for Diwali, more fireworks would've sparked in the bedroom!" and she didn't react at all or I actually listened when she said she wanted to be my confidant and she didn't maybe shame me, but who knows? Maybe that's her way of being judgy. Still, just now, I wanted to hang out with a neighbor, but her friend came and they had some school project so I was essentially the weirdo stranger from downstairs. She may say we can play tomorrow, but because of my gut, I don't trust her. I don't trust anyone, so, I'm giving equality to people. I even don't trust mom when she says if I don't trust anyone, I'll be miserable. I wasn't crying when I got home, I just said to myself, "You had a weird gut feeling, and you were right!" I just felt more gray than blue. Plus, in Indian airports, considering how dumb the country can be, whenever I see guard dogs bark and play with the security for a bit, and the security is armed, I think they're fools. My grayness isn't depression, it's realization of truth. I'll just be NATE JACOBS, minus the abuse and power play. Come on, as dumb as people can be, why go out of my way to hurt them? I mean, look what happened. I kept cool, prioritized her, and left! I'm mature because I didn't cry nor feel sad, I just felt like, "Good I considered this." Same thing goes for when some people from school wave in the front. I don't think they're waving at me, I've seen this trope in movies too many times to not be fooled, and I'm right. They wave at their friends. I'm mature than them, right? Right?? I'm predicting the worst so I don't end up in bad situations. Like, she said she was being mean by asking me to leave, when I was being mean! I came to her house when her friend was meant to arrive only 10 minutes after me, and I was really quiet when her friend came. So yeah, me even being here and existing is mean, because I bet I smelled or didn't look good that time! She's 10 and I'm 13, so it's weird!

In fact, I should stop hanging out with her. Or anyone. I should stop making plans for anyone, and if anyone invites me, I won't come. Wanna know my mature reason? One time, a friend of mine wanted to let us visit in some mall, and because of stuff and a party she had before, we never went. Not only that, she's now bigger buddies with another girl. Good for her, foolish of me to even accept it. I don't know why for a while I cried about wanting one friend, if this also a big unnecessary risk. I won't hang out with that neighbor again, because well, this is what'll happen. Same thing goes if I dare, DARE, fall in love and date someone at 16, and then break up and call it worth it, god forbid. I fail to understand how movies, and REAL PEOPLE, say it's worth it. If it was, why else did you guys leave? I'm being like Kat from Euphoria, she's cynical and learnt from movies that to be cynical is empowering. I need to shove and stop this feeling. I'm shameful to assume friends are important. I can live like the great Syd Barrett, who managed. He only died from pancreatic cancer. Relationships hurt me, even friends! I've been abandoned, because it was my fault! It hurts! So I'll reject it. It only causes pain. That kinda love is...scary. Why do they say it was worth it if it all broke up then? It never clicked with me. If I were in that, I would cried, moved on, and chosen the life of a celibate permanently because...this is the result of even trying. As much as I'd hate to say this, but...I'm scared. Like, genuinely, really, really scared. Oscar said the same thing to Alex in the book RWRB, he loves Ellen and even though they divorced they don't regret it. Well, I would a lot. If I knew the instability, even the smallest signs, I'd leave before it'll get worse. See? I'm asexual! I may fantasize about love and snuggling, but it's all a dumb thing! Hah, dad was right. I had a crush for a girl, I never confessed to her because as young as 11 I know how unstable they were at this age in "the real world". Then at 12 I wanted to be a great friend, we had the mall plan, it never happened, and now she's with another close friend. I tried messaging her but she never responded, so naturally, I deleted and she never noticed. Right now in school, I lost my desire to even have a class crush a year ago, so whenever they joke about crushes, I behave like this. It's like when a person sees a puppy, you laugh and go, "Awww!" If I saw the puppy, I'd be scared a bit and go, "Oh, a puppy. It's fine." I'm asexual because I'm mature. I'm asexual because humans are garbage.

But with everything that happened, it won't get better. It won't. It's just that I learnt to be a warrior early, at 11. Now it's time to be a soldier, then general. My dad even said a good point, maybe he's right this time. Him and mom being together because they were in a long situation-ship in college and early careers before marrying and still being together for 16 years, is pure luck because "most of the time it doesn't happen". He's right. Maybe I can never find a love unless I arrange or work "somewhere", if you know what I mean. Mom's wrong to say maybe I can meet people "like me", when I'm older, because mom has a mini-friend who's 8 years younger than her and even though they work in different companies now, they somehow make some small time. But, it's a farce! Mom doesn't even meet her most of the time, college I heard is a crap experience, work I heard from dad everyone are losers or idiots or very competitive, the Internet is weird, and even then, humans are garbage. This is the only time dad's right! I'm more embarrassed I thought I'd have one friend when I was 11. I'll never be ashamed by my SUPER SQUID DEFENSE SYSTEM. I'm not alone, I'm an adult at 13! I'm a warrior squid, an eel who bites before anything bites her! I'm better than my classmates! I'm smarter than them, and I can't be hurt easily if anyone leaves anymore! In fact, I can leave them if I detect an OUNCE of instability. I'm a diamond, unbreakable, and I can work under societal pressure. Trust no one, listen to the rules to be safe from people, and never fight back or else you're a "snitch". My brother said one of the reasons I don't have a friend is because I'm a snitch. Like a squid I can squeeze out of bad stuff, like an eel I can bite back, and like I diamond, I can never ever be scratched or dented!

At 22, I moved to Denver and began sharing a lovely two-bedroom flat with 'Ella'. We instantly hit it off, sharing a love for hiking, local breweries, and concerts. But then Ella attended a sustainability workshop and came back transformed, determined to turn our flat into an eco-haven.

Ella's eco-friendly suggestions quickly began to strain my budget. She proposed installing solar panels on our rented balcony and replaced bottled water with a costly filtration system—even though I only drink from the tap. She banned paper towels in favor of reusable cloths and substituted plastic wraps with pricy beeswax ones from TikTok. Plus, she's now crafting her homemade toiletries and expects me to financially contribute to these initiatives without prior discussion. When I questioned the expenses, she retorted that I was being "financially shortsighted," despite acknowledging the skyrocketing rent in Denver. This disagreement left our friend circle divided, with some saying I’m cheap, while others support my concerns over imposed costs.

Imagine if this whole scenario unfolded on a reality show! How would the public react to Ella's eco-push and my budget woes? Would audiences side with the push for green living, or sympathize with the stress of unexpected financial burdens? Reality shows thrive on conflict, and this situation could stir up all sorts of viewer debates and team hashtags.

Now, about these eco-changes and costs, am I wrong to push back because of my financial limits?

So around last December, me and a friend were sitting around a fire and the fire wouldn't stay lit so we decided to go to a bar. Well, I didn't feel like changing clothes bc I was comfortable, and it was cold asf. So I went out wearing my plush pajama pants and a Columbia fleece jacket which probably wasnt the best idea😂 well we got too the bar and we were playing pool and my buddy bumped into this dude behind us, and when he did it made the guy miss his shot. So the dude was not happy at all he turned around and pushed my buddy. So being the friend that I am I walked up and pushed this guy too the ground, and when I did one of his buddies came up behind me and uppercutted and grabbed and was squeezing tff out of my balls all at the same time. Until I went to my knees and when I got down to his level I remember him saying in my ear while still squeezing and twisting my balls "oh your boys are nice and fuzzy".Which i mean the pants are soft asff but there were so many people around. Including girls lol that heard that, and it was humiliating. I couldn't do anything but hold my inner thigh and hoped he let go. Well, it went on for about 30 more seconds. That's when i felt something pop and he let go. I instantly got to my feet, limping but walking. My buddy helped me walk out of the bar. I remember being sore and not being able to close my legs for a week. My gf still doesn't know about anything when she asked me what was wrong. I just told her I rolled my ankle bc she kept asking why I was limping. What would be a good way to tell her about this embarrassing situation?

I don’t really have companions because, truthfully, I never tried much to make them. It seems I’ve lived isolated for the most of my life. I do have a family—my parents are around—but beyond that, I’m on my own. As a kid, I was the shy one, and over the years, that shyness turned into a preference for solitude. It’s as if I constructed my own quiet little world and, oddly enough, I don’t seem to crave the company of friends as much as one might think.

However, there's something I crave far more than friendship – and that's affection. I don't harbor any ill will towards people. I’m certainly not a misanthrope. Yet, there’s a longing in me to experience simple human affection, like holding hands with a girl, or perhaps even sharing a gentle kiss. These are the modest desires I pine for, the chance to build an intimate connection from such tender beginnings.

Despite painting myself as somewhat righteous in these matters, I worry that my lack of a social circle might turn off potential romantic interests. Maybe it won't be an outright rejection, but there could be a hint of suspicion, a wariness that might eventually push her away. The thought lingers that this might lead to me spending my final years alone, without ever having known intimacy.

How would this scenario play out if I were thrown into the dramatic world of a reality show? Cameras recording every moment of my solitude, the audience witnessing my awkward attempts at human connection—could the added pressure provoke sympathy or ridicule? Would they see my loneliness as a peculiar quirk or a relatable struggle?

If the public were to step into my shoes through the lens of reality TV, I wonder if it could change their perception. Maybe they would cheer for my small victories or feel the sting of my setbacks. Either scenario is daunting yet strangely alluring.

Sorry if some words sound a bit off. English is not my native language and I’m using a translator, but I really need advice on what I should do in this situation.

I met a guy last month at a very crowded nightclub, in one of the most expensive neighborhoods in my city. I’m aware of my own reality and background, but he was the one who showed interest first. He approached me and invited me to join him, but I was with some friends at the time. Later, at the end of the night, he came back to talk to me and we kissed. We exchanged Instagram, and the next day he messaged me.

We kept talking and getting to know each other’s routines, and after almost three weeks of talking, he asked me out and I agreed. It was honestly one of the best dates I’ve ever had. He was very kind and affectionate with me. We exchanged affection, kisses, and intimacy, and I felt a real connection. It was a very good and intimate moment. At no point did he make me feel less than him or comment on my financial situation or anything related to that — and I was aware of where I was getting myself into.

When I got home, I sent a couple of messages saying I was fine. The next day, he sent me just one message at 7 a.m. saying he had gone for a run. I replied normally, but after that, he never responded again.

Now I’m questioning everything. I don’t know if I did something wrong during the date or if he was just pretending to be interested this whole time. I don’t know if I should keep waiting for something from him or if I should just move on with my life. I didn’t send any more messages because I didn’t want to pressure him, but it has been four days since the date and he hasn’t reached out at all.

P.S:

I only mentioned his financial situation because it is very far from my own reality, and, honestly, it made me feel a bit insecure. I know these kinds of connections usually feel like something that only happens in movies, but this time I just wanted to give it a chance.

I truly don’t care about money. I came from very humble beginnings, and the only thing I look for in someone is loyalty and companionship. I don’t know what his thoughts are, but I believe I made it clear to him that I don’t have the same financial conditions as he does. I don’t want to believe that someone would choose or reject another person based solely on financial status.

Should I insist or just let him go? Did I do something wrong ?

I've been caring for my foster daughter, Sophie, age 13, for over a year now after her parents tragically passed away due to a drug overdose. Meanwhile, my biological daughter, Emma, who is 12 years old, usually gets along well with Sophie, although they sometimes squabble over trivial matters.

The situation took a serious turn a few weeks ago when the police unexpectedly showed up at Emma’s school. An unknown person had sent a tip to the school administration claiming that Emma was carrying drugs. This led to a distressing scene where her phone, locker, and backpack were searched. To everyone's surprise, the alleged 'drugs' were actually just Skittles that had accidentally spilled out in her bag. Emma, being the gentle and reserved girl she is, was absolutely petrified during the ordeal and suffered a panic attack from the sheer fear of the consequences.

Initially, the informant was anonymous, but Emma suspected that it might have been Sophie, as she was the only one who might have seen the candy in her bag. At first, Sophie denied these claims, but as the pressure mounted, she burst out confessing. She claimed it was an honest error, fueled by her deep-seated fears from her past—concerned that Emma might end up like her own parents.

While I understand Sophie has had traumatic experiences related to drugs, it doesn't serve as an excuse for her actions. I’ve always maintained an open door policy at home, urging the girls to come to me with any issues or concerns. Despite this, Sophie chose to bypass talking to me or Emma and directly reported to the school, fully aware of the potential legal consequences her actions could have triggered, potentially jeopardizing the custody arrangements for both of them.

Believing that her motivations weren’t entirely innocent—especially since Skittles are clearly not drugs—I decided to impose consequences on Sophie. This included grounding her, stopping her allowance, adding extra chores, and confiscating her electronics for the entire summer. She protested, claiming my reaction was excessive and that she was being punished for her past trauma and trying to protect her sister. However, I believe I have a responsibility to teach her about the severity of causing unnecessary legal issues based on misunderstandings.

Now imagine if our family dispute were to unfold on a reality show. The audience could have had a mixed reaction, likely split between sympathizing with Sophie’s traumatic past and understanding the protective nature of a parent's response to safeguard both children and prevent legal troubles.

Today is Sun, why the heck did that damn woman ask me NOW? She has 5 other days on the week to ask. She even texted. I can understand emails. Why TEXT? She asked for access to download the transcript of the meeting that SHE recorded. If she wants to work on that thing now, that's her own damn business.

I can ignore her, but this time I am mad.

I'm first time mom, my kid is sick, she is much much more difficult than usual.

I’m 41, my wife told me last year that she cheated on me, and I’m still mad as hell about it; it’s been eating at me every single day, and I can’t figure out how to get over it no matter what I do. She sat me down and confessed like it was some noble act of honesty, like I should clap for her bravery because she finally told the truth, but the timing was absolute bullshit—she kept it hidden for over a year, and I was living like a clueless idiot thinking our marriage was solid, meanwhile she carried this secret around like a loaded gun aimed right at me. Now every time I look at her, I see betrayal, every time she touches me, I feel disgust, and every time she says “I’m sorry” I want to scream in her face that sorry doesn’t cut it, not even close. People keep throwing advice at me: “Go to therapy,” “Work on forgiveness,” “If you love her, you’ll get through this.” Do you know how empty that sounds when you’re the one living with the images in your head, the constant mental slideshow of her with someone else? I’m supposed to be calm, rational, mature about it, but all I want to do is smash something every time I remember what she did. I don’t give a damn about psychology terms or self-help mantras, because none of that makes the rage stop, none of that makes me trust her again. I still love her, and I hate that I do, because it makes me feel weak and pathetic, like I’m tolerating something no man should tolerate. I’ve read quotes like “Forgiveness is for yourself, not for them,” but what does that even mean in practice? Forgiveness feels like saying it’s okay, and it’s not okay. Forgiveness feels like lowering my own value just to patch up something that should never have been broken in the first place. Maybe cheating is “a symptom of deeper issues” like people say, maybe she felt disconnected, maybe she was insecure, maybe she was bored, but I honestly don’t care what the excuses are—at the end of the day, she chose it, she decided I wasn’t enough, and that decision lives in my chest like a damn parasite feeding off me every single day. I can’t stop imagining it, I can’t stop asking myself questions I don’t even want the answers to: Did she enjoy it? Did she think about me while it was happening? Did she laugh at me behind my back? Sometimes I catch myself staring at her across the table, wondering how many more lies I don’t know about, wondering if she even respects me or if she just fears losing the comfortable life we’ve built. It makes me sick that she can sleep peacefully next to me while I lie awake at 3 a.m. replaying everything like some endless punishment reel in my brain. Friends tell me time heals, but right now time feels like torture, just dragging the wound open again and again, and I don’t feel closer to healed—I feel stuck, like I’m living in some half-life where nothing feels solid anymore. I look at other couples and wonder how many of them are hiding the same crap, how many smiles are just masks covering betrayal. Do you think it’s possible to ever really get over being cheated on, or do you just learn to live with the scar? Because honestly, I don’t know how to let this go without losing a part of myself, and I’m not sure if that’s worth it. Everyone says marriage takes work, but this isn’t “work,” this is demolition, and I’m being asked to rebuild on a foundation that’s already cracked and rotting. She swears she loves me, she swears it was a mistake, she swears she’ll never do it again—but how do you believe words from a mouth that already lied for so long? Sometimes I think leaving would be easier, just walk away, burn it down, start over, but then I think of the years together, the memories, the stupid little routines we built, and I feel paralyzed. I hate this limbo. I hate that she did this to me. And I hate that no matter what I decide, I’ll never be the same again 🤬

I feel like I don't like this. I feel like I'm being dragged along by doctors, precisely for the purpose of getting them to lead me in my health care, which my father hasn't been able to do for reasons even he doesn't know. I'm very confused. My mother's power is being taken away.

In a way, I'm handing my life over to these doctors out of desperation. My parents, having failed to look after her, are instilling in me a deep distrust. In fact, I feel fear toward my family members. I don't know if my father, who is also a doctor, has hidden incidents regarding his profession with us, the family members. I feel like this family is capable of hiding anything to maintain the union, just as they do with my father. I hate that I can't express this with complete confidence elsewhere; my fear of censure is always there.

In fact, the last few times I saw him, my father was confusing treating me professionally with his desire to dominate me. In fact, I'm saying that he was more interested in possession than treating me as a doctor. He denied things. Indeed, my father had gone crazy. However, I feel these doctors are on the same path, that of being possessive rather than professional. In fact, I'm verifying it.

I'm currently in a state of urgency with these doctors to get them to stop being professional, to go further with me, to the point of treating me like a mother and a father. I don't know whether to obey the doctors because doing so would be betraying my father, and obeying my father would be betraying them. I find myself at a terrible crossroads. I wish things were simpler.

Why did my father throw me in with this group of doctors? The price is that there are many people out there seeking domination, by any means, and these doctors turned out to be one of them. In this sense, he exposed me to this happening. It was as if he was no longer interested in having me under his care, but instead exposed me to someone else, vowing to preserve me no matter what. During treatment, my father was so nervous, so indecisive, so sentimental that he didn't give me the chance to trust him with my life.

I feel that perhaps these doctors may be different, but the fact that they are taking positions in my life, regarding my health, is a very serious issue for me. This is playing with my health arbitrarily, just like he did with my father. There's no difference. They also don't take into account whether I want it or not. They exploit my desperation just the same. I keep insisting: I'm surprised by how many people are out there with a desire for power. Besides, it's even worse with the doctors because I can't repeat the attitudes I had, and I don't know what they're capable of, knowing their influence.

I don't know how my father could have exposed me to such beings. What a rootless behavior. It's as if he doesn't want to be with me; he's exposing me to someone taking me away just like that, and I don't like it. I wanted to stay with him, but at the same time, I feel like he made no effort to stay with me. He left me exposed to these kinds of people. Besides, how could he not be more attentive, or more attentive this time than with his friends? We're with people from the street, strangers; it was only natural that he would be attentive with these doctors. Why did he neglect me like this? I feel abandoned in my usual way, free from anything happening to me, without visualizing methods, ways of dealing with me, or anything like that. In other words, he also allowed my desire to leave his life to be satisfied.

I feel like this time my father didn't fight for me at all. In fact, he didn't even take an interest in how the doctors handled things with me. He wasn't able to go into details; he simply assumed things were done well without raising any questions. I feel like this means my father hasn't stopped loving me because he's supposed to take care of that, the medical side of things. Also, assuming things about the doctors when I told him not to interfere, I mean, my dad did everything possible to make this situation happen, to make these doctors take control of my life, even though I allowed it. He did everything possible, everything that bothered me and he knew it, to make me leave. It's as if nothing in our history had indicated anything to him, as if he had no capacity for reflection regarding the way I acted. It's as if he didn't want me with him.

It's like, ever since the treatment, I feel like he doesn't want me with him anymore, as if he wants to kick me out of being with him, and he doesn't realize it. My sister had the same feeling. It's gotten to the point where I don't recognize it. Yesterday she told me about a subject I liked, and he still hasn't sent me any materials. I feel completely abandoned by my father. In fact, I feel like he could have dealt with the treatment completely, calmly, without any problem, but he just put it aside. It's already happened I've done this several times. I notice that he's just thinking, and it's something that doesn't just happen with me. When something bothers him in his routine, he simply tries to get it out of his system, no matter who it is. Indeed, he's an extremely indolent person. Why does my father have to be like this?

I feel like my father, for a long time now, hasn't known what to do with his life. He's left it behind and simply prefers to focus on his job, which is where he does things well because all he does otherwise, given his lack of empathy, is destroy things. My father tries to get back on track, but it's always useless; he always achieves the opposite. I feel like he's never going to leave that comfort zone in any way; in fact, he never did since he became a father. None of us, let's be clear, care about his feelings, let alone support him in anything. He's carrying a very heavy burden, although that's also because he doesn't want anyone to interfere. Indeed, my dad will never get out of that, and hoping for change is unnecessarily giving me hope.

This same reasoning applies to my mother. That is to say, she will never leave, like my father, her job, her family, the prison walls. She's only interested, and since I was a child, it's always been that way: calm. This is the ultimate goal for both of us, and nothing more than that goal, using the tools that belong only to them and nothing more than theirs. Indeed, I recognize that I do this; however, I deny that it's my reality, given that when I leave my comfort zone, I seek an effective way out so that I can be supported by my routine. Unfortunately, this isn't the case with my sister, given that it's exactly the same with my parents, with the only difference being that she seeks to be Machiavellian, while I don't. My path through life is through good deeds without expecting anything in return, which in turn opens doors for me, although that's not why I do it. This is why my parents attacked me as a child, and I felt my sister was loyal to me in times of conflict. However, their preference for success was me, not my sister, since she was rejected because she was their faithful reflection.

I somehow feel that this was latent since I was a child, of chasing doctors, of going to another caregiver. It was always latent because I didn't have the tools for life, and now it's not much different. I don't have a life made up of friends; I am absolutely dependent on others, practically on others, since nothing is mine, except for some transportation issues, note-taking supplies, and electronic equipment, and I buy junk food since my father provides me with food. In fact, I feel at home, with the only difference being that I am alone and face life's challenges. However, this was already the case since I was a child, and I am also very careful not to get into trouble.

How am I supposed to like you when you yelled at me just for being excited about something? So this might seem a bit dramatic but I’m sick of my dad so much..

Anyway I’m downstairs talking about school since I start in a week, talking about my classes and supplies and just looking at my old drawings from last year. So I wanted to show my mom and get her approval because that’s what any normal kid does. And I’m talking all excited and he cuts me off saying, “what time is it?”. Uhm… couldn’t you have waited? It’s not that big of a deal but it just hurt a bit? It shows you don’t like me and don’t respect what I have to say.. I’m just a big over thinker and have diagnosed anxiety so that might be it? So I’m still talking because you aren’t going to interrupt me?? I was talking first. And then my mom replied to him saying “maybe like 1 minute.” And then I keep talking after she said that since I assumed he heard her, but then he goes “what did you say!?” Like really loud while I was talking AGAIN. So I’m obviously a bit annoyed, can’t you see I’m talking to her?? About something I’m excited about.. and my mom is annoyed so she yells “1 minute!” And I was still talking then, so he just yells at me, “I can’t hear what you’re fucking saying because (name) keeps fucking talking!” Uhmmm that hurt…? You didn’t need to yell at me so I just went quiet and walked away with my drawing and ended up throwing it out since that bothered me so much. Idk but this just bothered me because I never hangout with them and now when I do I just get cursed at.

Anyway this was yesterday and I wanted to have a nice day, make pizza and just be all happy. And I’m getting the stuff ready for it and he keeps pestering me, and I tell him to stop because I didn't like it, speaking CALMLY. But he just laughed at me so I yelled to make him take me seriously.. I don’t like raising my voice so why do you make me? Anyway. So this is when we are finally making pizzas and I’m happy because my mom’s with me for a couple of seconds just alone. And he comes over and the whole mood goes out, it’s now annoyance and thick.. like a storm cloud covering the sun. So yeah my mom finished making her pizza and I did the same. And he says, “your pizza looks really nice, can you make mine?” This is supposed to be something nice that I made up. So my mom goes, “no.” And then my dad says, “why?” In a laughing tone that pisses me off. And my mom says, “because you said it like a child who just wants his way, are you that lazy that you can’t make your own pizza?” And obviously she’s had a hard day and she nannies all the time. So he just laughs and it was a weird annoyed laughter that just throws me off.. so I finished my pizza quickly and the ovens ready, and he’s the only one not done taking 10 minutes just to do it.. when my mom and me are done waiting for him, who’s taking his sweet old time. So my mom yells at him, “can you hurry up? We are waiting for you.” And he just yells at her, “what the fuck do you mean!? I’m fucking doing it!” Uhm don’t yell at my mom. You aren’t a man. You’re just a leech. And I keep remembering vividly me coming home from school to him hitting her while she was begging him on her knees crying. Begging him to stop hitting her. She’s strong enough to fight back, but she doesn’t want to hurt him so she just SITS THERE DOING NOTHING. And the way I cowardly ran to my room doing homework on my bed through tears by hearing her cry. I’ll never forgive him, never forget, and never ever stop hating him. He’s a fucking monster and doesn’t deserve to live. If he can hurt my mom he can hurt me. And he’s hurt my dog before. He hit my dog repeatedly and that poor dog is scared of him. Scared of being hit. And I’m scared that he’ll shove his hand in my mouth again and throw my chewed up food against the wall.

So yes, I fucking hate my dad and I won’t EVER talk to him. I won’t forgive him. And I won’t tell him how I feel because I’m just a coward. And I’m scared he’ll hit me. I can fight back but I’m only 13, I can’t do much for a middle school girl. But I sure as hell will make sure he won’t hurt my mom ever again. I’ll make him never be able to hurt her. I’ll turn our family into a case on the news if he tries.

Year 12 is so god damn mentally draining. While I don't have really strict parents they are still brown. I know they say that they just want me to do my best and get what I can achieve I FEEL LIKE IM DROWNING.

bio, i like bio. its something i perform decently well in. my parents never pushed me towarsd the typical be an engenieer or doctor, i still find interest in science and maybe research stuff.

maths however is a different story. maths makes me want to kms. I was an academically gifted student at maths up till grade 9 or 10 but then everything fell. The only thing my parents care "most" about is maths.

after my recent maths test that's quite important i was stressing and they said don't worry about it, you'll do good and even if you don't as long as you tried hard.

that made me feel a bit better. however, a few days later i got my marks back and i did pretty shit. 17/40. for someone who needs to perform quite well. I dont know what happened but evey single day afterschool they WOULD NOT STOP ASKING ME WHEN I WAS GETTING MY MARKS BACK. my dad then says as long as you get 25 plus its fine.

wtf? The problem is that this test I actually fucking tried. i studied for 2 weeks, did the book chapters, past papers? and did worse than last time. my mental health is decreasing. I think im slowly starting to fucking spiral. i cant concentrate anymore, cant focus. i just cant do anything.

I dont what to tell my parents. say i got a 20/40 but i dont know

my reports come out in a few days so they will porbaly see where i sit compared to others i am fucking scared. they wont be mad just 'dissapointed' i want to fucking disappear and never shwo up ever ever again.

i hate school i hate maths. whoever created this system i hope you suffered because i hope it was worth sacrificing millions of kids' lives for somehtign so irrelevant. calculus? trig?

In October, a situation unfolded that has since left my daughter giving me the cold shoulder and barely speaking to me. Here's what happened: My daughter, Emily, has a part-time job she attends after school for five days each week. This Halloween, her high school hosted a costume contest, and she and her buddies decided to participate as a group. After school, they went shopping for costumes together.

I fetched Emily and her friends from the store and saw the costumes they picked out. Emily spent $80 on her costume, which immediately set me off. I felt that it was an extravagant amount to spend on an outfit she'd only wear once, for a few hours at that. I voiced my opinion right there in the car, telling her it was a waste of money. After dropping her friends off, I took Emily back to the store and insisted she return the costume and any accessories she bought.

Consequently, her friends found someone else to fill her spot in their group. They ended up winning the contest and each got a portion of a $100 Visa gift card. On Halloween, Emily returned home from school visibly upset, feeling left out from the festivities and fun her friends had. I tried explaining to her that even after the prize split, she’d have lost more money by buying the costume than she’d have gained, but she couldn't see the logic.

A month on and Emily is still upset, barely interacting with me. Her father, my ex-husband, argues that I deprived her of a memorable experience with her friends, emphasizing that her job already causes her to miss out on plenty. He believes I should've allowed her this indulgence. My intention was only to teach her the value of money and the importance of making sensible financial choices. Could a cheaper costume not have sufficed, especially since it was to be worn briefly?

Imagine if this dilemma were aired on a reality TV show. Viewers might be split, with some applauding the lesson in financial prudence while others sympathize with a teenager wanting to bond with her peers over a special occasion. The discussion might bring various parenting styles to light, each defending what they believe is the right balance between guidance and freedom.

Was I wrong in my decision to make her return the Halloween costume?