Having children and starting a family is a huge responsibility that requires a lot of effort, support, and love.
Many people wait until they feel ready to have kids. However, there are many situations where people become parents before they are ready. Many times, this happens to be the father, as they do not have control over pregnancy and delivery .
Statistically, many mothers end up single moms because dads feel they are not ready to become parents.
As of 2021, there are 11 million single-parent families living in the United States. Out of those 11 million, 80% of them are single-mother households .
Many mothers end up in court seeking some sort of financial support.
Regardless of whether or not the father is in the child’s life physically, mothers often try to seek financial support for their children in order to ensure their emotional and social wellbeing.
However, not all dads are receptive.
As we’ve seen in many situations, men do not always step up to help their families. Some men prefer to remain absent—both financially and physically.
Recently, one Reddit user proved this to be absolutely true.
The Reddit user said that 10 years ago, he got a woman pregnant but “wasn’t ready to be a father.”
“I asked her to get an abortion. She refused and we decided she could keep the baby and I’ll pay child support but I wouldn’t be involved in her life. I didn’t tell my family about it,” he shared on Reddit.
Recently, he got angry texts from his parents, questioning him about his child.
“When I was at work I received a lot of angry messages from my parents asking me if I have a child. Apparently, my ex had told them everything because she is sick and wants someone to look after the kid since her own family refused to do this,” he continued.
His parents were angry that he kept their “only grandchild” from them.
They decided that they were going to take in their grandchild, despite the dad’s disapproval and distaste for being a parent. As he lives with his parents, he said regardless if they take the kid in, he didn’t “want to be a father” still. Apparently, they all agreed.
Then, one day, they went out and left the 10-year-old home with the Reddit user.
“I told them I don’t want to babysit but no one listened to me. As soon as they left she started coming into my bedroom with different excuses. I finally got annoyed and told her to go to her room and not to come out until her grandparents come home,” he wrote.
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His parents returned and told him he was a “horrible dad.”
The Reddit user, however, believes he has done “nothing wrong” because he has told them and his ex time and time again that he has not wanted to be a father.
Many on Reddit said this guy is 100% in the wrong.
“The child is a 10-year-old, her mother is apparently so unwell that she has to reach out to literal strangers to ensure her child gets care, and you can’t even be civil for one afternoon. AND even if your parents shouldn’t have to leave her alone with you, have you considered how the kid feels,” one person asked .
Many said to “grow up.”
“I get that you never intended to be a dad, but the least you can do now is act like an adult. She didn’t choose to be part of your life either, she’s just trying to make the best of a new and probably very scary situation,” another chimed in.
Others say if he doesn’t want to be with his child, he should move out of his parents’ house.
“So move out? If you don’t want to be a dad, go get your own place and pay the child support you paid your ex to your parents. They can also get help from the state as official foster parents, but might need to take courses,” one person added.
Yikes.
