AITAH for telling my ex boyfriend's daughter, "It's not my problem." ?
The user, a 38-year-old woman, dated a 40-year-old man, John, for six months after knowing him for a year.
Early in the relationship, John's 16-year-old daughter, Tia, was openly hostile toward the user, making rude comments, insulting her, and blaming her for her parents' divorce from ten years prior.
Despite the user's attempts to maintain civility and give Tia space, the situation escalated until Tia deliberately or accidentally destroyed a cherished antique pitcher belonging to the user. Following this incident, the user ended the relationship with John.
Recently, Tia sought the user out to complain about John's new girlfriend, Jane, who responded to Tia's aggression by damaging Tia's property, leading the user to conclude the matter was resolved without her involvement, which caused the user's sister to question her lack of empathy.
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The original poster is facing a conflict between her deeply negative and painful history with her ex-partner's daughter and the societal expectation that she should provide comfort to the teenager now that the daughter is experiencing similar negative consequences from a new relationship.
The user feels numb and detached, viewing the situation as irrelevant to her life now that the relationship with John has ended.
The central question is whether the user was justified in refusing to offer any comfort or support to Tia, given the severe mistreatment she endured, or if she failed in a basic human responsibility by not being a shoulder for the hurting teen, regardless of past actions. Should past a**se completely negate any current obligation to show compa*sion?
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