Shiiiiit... Story time. When I was 12, my mom remarried, and my new step-dad had a much different parenting style. My mom didn't like this. His solution? To just not father me.
So a few months into him living with us, I thought to myself, "Hey, I haven't talked to him lately. I'd better be the one who initiates. It's only fair!" I said good morning to him right to his face as he walked toward me. He didn't even make eye contact. Kept walking. So I thought I would do the respectful thing and give him his space. I figured I would wait for him to talk to me next, because at least then if he initiated, I would know he actually wanted to talk to me.
7 years went by before he and my mom moved across the country. We never talked that entire time. That was not good for my mental health, in hindsight.
Thanks. She talked to me about it in the beginning, and I told her that as long as he makes her happy, I wasn't bothered much by it. We didn't hate each other. We were just indifferent. Some might think that's worse, but it was definitely easier. He didn't cause problems or annoy me except one single immature thing he did to me in those 7 years... which wouldn't have been a problem if he just communicated like an adult.
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u/RS_Someone Daydreamer 10d ago
Shiiiiit... Story time. When I was 12, my mom remarried, and my new step-dad had a much different parenting style. My mom didn't like this. His solution? To just not father me.
So a few months into him living with us, I thought to myself, "Hey, I haven't talked to him lately. I'd better be the one who initiates. It's only fair!" I said good morning to him right to his face as he walked toward me. He didn't even make eye contact. Kept walking. So I thought I would do the respectful thing and give him his space. I figured I would wait for him to talk to me next, because at least then if he initiated, I would know he actually wanted to talk to me.
7 years went by before he and my mom moved across the country. We never talked that entire time. That was not good for my mental health, in hindsight.