Meet our protagonist, a 44-year-old divorced father of two, who has been grappling with a heart-wrenching dilemma. His son, Ben, 19, and daughter, Lauren, 17, have been the center of his universe, despite his divorce. He’s been a dutiful dad, paying child support, splitting custody, and even setting up a hefty college fund for his kids. But now, he’s at a crossroads. His relationship with Lauren has been strained for years, and he’s wondering if he should still foot the bill for her college education. Let’s delve into this emotional rollercoaster.
A Father’s Love and a Daughter’s Indifference
The Dutiful Dad
A Nest Egg for the Future
A Tale of Two Relationships
The Strained Bond
The Therapy Route
A Brother’s Resentment
The Emotional Fallout
The College Fund Confrontation
The Checkbook Revelation
The Family Fallout
The Lingering Doubt
The Final Decision
A Father’s Farewell
The Final Word
The Heartbreaking Decision: Paying for Love or Standing Ground
Our protagonist, a divorced father, has been a beacon of love and support for his children, despite his strained relationship with his daughter. But when she and her mother approached him to discuss her college tuition, he faced a tough decision. Should he continue to financially support a child who has emotionally distanced herself from him? Or should he stand his ground and refuse to be her financial safety net? The ensuing fallout has caused a rift in the family, leaving our protagonist questioning his decision. Let’s see how the world reacts to this emotional saga.
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Is the father to blame for the strained relationship?
“YTA. You’ve already paid for your son’s college, thus setting the reasonable expectation that you would be contributing. If your contribution is conditional, that should be communicated before it’s revoked. You’ve had YEARS to discuss this with your ex and daughter, but instead you waited until they were actively looking at schools to tell them that you had withdrawn support.
I’m also very confused about how your daughter ‘withdrew’ and ‘cut you off’ if you had 50/50 custody of your children. There’s something going on with that relationship that doesn’t make sense.” – Commenter
“Yeah there’s something odd with all this. He’s claiming 50/50 custody. Says he paid child support etc but then just brushed off when she didn’t want to come over. Rather sounds like he was already treating this as his only duty was to be a checkbook. His comments sound like her mother put her alone in therapy to fix her issues that father didn’t like and not family therapy even. And he probably acted like that was fine because he was doing his part by paying for at least part of the costs” – Reply
“Exactly, we are missing some key details here” – Reply
“He totally favors the boy. No eight year old is allowed to cut contact with their fathers. And children want to be close to their parents, barring normal teenage rebellion. They don’t just decide to ditch a loving and attentive father for giggles” – Reply
NTA: Parents aren’t infallible, Lauren is being entitled.
Ex-wife’s distance after divorce leads to college fund conundrum. ❄
YTA: You walked away from your hurting child.
“Why not?” the cat laughed manically. “Why can’t I edit all my comments?”
YTA: Broken promises and strained relationships. Tough love gone wrong.
YTA refuses to pay daughter’s college fund, causing family conflict.
Soft YTA. Tough love or cold heart? Compromise and communication needed.
NTA. College isn’t owed to anyone. Set your own terms.
Father’s tough love: no money until daughter shows genuine effort
Father’s indifference at age 10 set the tone for their relationship
Cutting off a parent doesn’t mean they owe you college
Repair the bond with your daughter before cutting her off. ❤️
Divorce agreement covers college expenses, ex forfeited marital home.
Father sets up college fund, but daughter cuts him off.
![Image credit: [deleted] | [deleted]](https://static.diply.com/622b56a1-d730-4e63-90a9-e2c98a4c7cd6.png)
“YTA. Took away college fund, ruined my life. Debt, disappointment. “
NTA. Parents don’t have to pay for college.
Reddit debates father’s tough love vs respecting daughter’s choices
Curious about the backstory and emotional maturity of the father
Father’s favoritism and neglect caused strained relationship with daughter.
