AITA for telling my dad it hurt my feelings that he's a better dad now that he's a stepdad and wouldn't do it for me?
From the tender age of seven, the quiet ache of his father’s absence settled deep within him.
His dad wasn’t cruel or uncaring, but the invisible barrier of neglect left a hollow where connection should have been—a hollow filled with missed moments, unanswered invitations, and the silent echo of “maybe another time” that never arrived.
The sting of being sidelined by the one who was supposed to be his anchor grew heavier when news of his dad’s new relationship surfaced, reopening wounds that had never truly healed.
It was a raw reminder that, in the story of his childhood, he had been a background character in the life of the man he longed to call “dad.”
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The original poster (OP) is struggling with intense feelings of anger and sadness stemming from years of feeling neglected by their father, especially in light of his significant positive change after remarrying.
The central conflict lies in the OP's inability to accept their father's current attention and effort because it was not given to them first, leading to resentment toward the new stepfamily who now benefit from the father's best version.
Is it fair to demand that a parent prioritize making amends with an older child over maintaining a s**ble, loving environment for their current nuclear family, or does the depth of the past neglect create an undeniable right for the child who was actively sought attention from the parent?
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