Young love may be a beautiful thing, but it's notoriously capricious.
Learning how to be in a relationship with someone can take years, even decades, and rarely do we end up with the first person we had a crush on.
So, what happens when someone else decides that they can call "dibs" on a person they previously dated?
That was the issue facing Redditor and Original Poster (OP) AITAsonsfirstgf when she came to the "Am I the A**hole" (AITA) subReddit for judgment.
She asked,
"AITA for telling my adult son to grow up and get over it?"
OP began by introducing the players and giving a little history.
"I am a 47-year-old woman with 2 grown children - 'Lila' is 23 and 'Adam' is 26."
"When Adam was 11, he had his first girlfriend, 'Jenna'".
"It was a typical middle school relationship; they went to a few dances, went bowling together, things like that. It was very cute."
"It lasted about 5 months and when they broke up, Adam sulked for a day before continuing on as normal. Jenna did hurt his feelings a bit by telling him the reason was 'she didn’t like kissing him' but he seemed to get over it quickly."
"Present day – Adam married his lovely wife about a year ago and they are expecting a child in November."
"Lila moved back home after college last year and started seeing Jenna about 7 months ago."
"Lila is in love."
"She’s been open about being a lesbian since she was a freshman in high school but she never showed much interest in anyone before Jenna."
"I am so happy to finally see her satisfied with that aspect of her life."
She then got to the problem at hand.
"Adam isn’t, though."
"He thinks it’s 'weird' that Lila is dating his ex-girlfriend."
"His main arguments are that it’s tainting the memory of his first love and that Jenna hurt him when she broke up with him."
"Lila and Jenna have just signed a lease on their first apartment together and Adam is upping the dramatics now."
"He’s called Lila a backstabber, disloyal and recently - a wh*re and I’ve just about had enough."
"He’s a married man! With a baby on the way! It is not healthy to focus on this."
"I could understand if it were a serious relationship, even high school would be different. But they were honest to God children then, how could it possibly matter still?"
"He insists it’s not about harboring feelings and I certainly believe that but this obsession with preserving his nostalgia is ridiculous."
"I’ve told Adam that I will not tolerate this anymore and if he chooses to continue behaving this way, I will have to start limiting my contact with him."
"He needs to let this go, grow up, and stop acting like he owned Jenna."
"He got very angry with me for 'choosing Lila' but I don’t see it that way; I think I am choosing to protect my own sanity, not choosing between my children."
"I asked some friends what they thought and I’ve gotten some mixed responses."
"2/3 agree with me that Adam is overreacting but one says she understands why Adam is upset. I enjoy lurking in this subreddit so I thought I’d finally ask a question of my own."
OP was left to wonder,
"AITA?"
Having explained the situation, OP turned to Reddit for judgment.
Redditors weighed in by declaring:
- NTA - Not The A**hole
- YTA - You're The A**hole
- NAH - No A**holes Here
- ESH - Everyone Sucks Here
Redditors decided: NTA
Some wondered about Adam's wife.
"Please be ready to offer her your guest bedroom when she leaves your son. Or just your support. Ideally, he would be the one moving out but he clearly isn’t thinking straight at all. NTA" ~ Alwaysaprairiegirl
"Well, he shouldn't take it personally that she didn't like kissing him now that he knows she's into women. If anything that shows it wasn't personal. I can't imagine how weird this must be for his wife."
"For me the idea of having hard feelings over someone I "dated" as a child is absurd."
"NTA" ~ Suitable-Cod-1381
"OP there was literally a post not too long ago on this sub about a gal who married someone her married, and new mother sister used to have a crush on in college and the sister went so ape sh*t that her husband filed for divorce."
"If Adam doesn’t drop this he’ll probably end up losing his partner, too." ~ dangeroussequence
Others were just confused.
"JFC I will never understand these posts where people think they have some kind of dibs on their crushes/exes."
"I mean, if there's cheating that's one thing, or if the ex in question mistreated you then your friend/relative getting with them would be a betrayal, but aside from those scenarios I just don't get the issue."
"I've literally set up exes with friends if I thought they'd hit it off..." ~ liver_flipper
Commenters tried to possibly explain Adam's logic while still siding with OP.
"I think he has maybe convinced himself that maybe his 'ex' has always and forever regretted her decision to 'break up' with him."
"He wants to envision that with everyone she dates forever, she looks back on him and sighs that 'he's the one that got away.'"
"If so, I imagine finding out she is happily a lesbian, and probably never gave him a second thought, and is with someone she loves- his sister of all people- would break his massive ego."
"It would explain why he comes off like he thinks he owns her somehow. You would think he'd be overjoyed to learn that it wasn't because he's a bad kisser."
"Poor wife."
"I doubt she deserves finding out her new husband has this kind of weird-a*s bullsh*t going on, whatever the reason."
"It's all so gross."
"I sense some misogyny nonsense mixed in, too, though I can't really put into words how."
"I mean more misogyny, not just the misogyny of calling your sister a 'WHO and a ER' and the general misogyny of feeling like he has ownership over his sister and ex."
"Something beyond that." ~ CandyShopBandit
Many were concerned for Adam's mental health.
"You probably should ask because she may not realize how crazy he is being about this, he may find himself divorced if he can't get out of his irrational rage spiral!" ~ HedgehogOptimal1784
"NTA please keep watchful, a man who can turn on his sister and call her a whore like that can easily turn on his wife and child." ~ sabaegsa404
There were also personal stories.
"Agreed."
"I can’t even imagine being jealous checks notes 15 years later?!"
"One of my best friends dated a girl I was in love with in high school (not sure I ever told him, but I’m pretty sure I was incredibly obvious) and that didn’t even ruin our friendship."
"Bro should be happy that his 'ex' (if you can call it that) found herself and that his sis is happy."
"It’s really not that weird." ~ Tmoran835
"You’re so wrong."
"Had my first ‘boyfriend’ at 12."
"We mostly avoided each other while talking to our friend groups (boy/girls) how we were a couple."
"Oh, the drama."
"We went roller skating once (with his parents and older brother) and ‘gasp’ ’held hands."
"And when we played tether ball he always let me win although he was a foot taller. Love of my life. His name was… well it started with a J… I think…" ~ Less-Bumblebee-8041
"Yup! Coincidentally, my 'boyfriend' from when I was 11 has also since come out as gay."
"And while I don't have any brothers for him to be dating it's still a pretty darn similar situation."
"I even remember some throwaway comment from him about not liking kissing me (something about it being like 'kissing a carrot' or something like that lol) which certainly threw me a bit at the time."
"Buuuuuuuuuuutt... we were eleven!"
"We basically just announced to the school that we were 'going out,' I think went to the movies once where our parents dropped us off, and maybe went to one middle school dance."
"It was definitely not love."
"Adam needs to get his sh*t together or he's gonna lose his current 'love' too."
"NTA" ~ sarita_sy07
Commenters had ideas about possible punishments.
"He’s 26, married, & expecting his first child, but getting upset about his ex from when he was 11 now into girls, dating his younger sister, while those two are happy?"
"He is being TA!"
"And sounds like he’s acting like he’s 11 again, not 26."
"Tell him the next time he responds in this manner he’s going in a time out since the punishment fits his attitude 😂" ~ Strange_Public_1897
"NTA. Time for some "stop it" therapy. Get a spray bottle and spritz his face every time he brings it up." ~ Specialist-Quote2066
Of course, no one can call dibs on another person obviously.
However, that doesn't stop people from trying!
Remember to allow people to make their own choices and to revel in your freedom to do the same.
Woman Asks If It's Wrong To Hold Grudge After Mom Told Her When She 8 Years Old That She Wished She'd Aborted Her
While some people view having and raising children as the greatest blessing, some parents hold their children's existence against them for their entire lives.
And when they feel that way about their children, they're unfortunately typically pretty honest about it, cringed the members of the "Am I Overreacting?" (AIO) subReddit.
Redditor heavelymango knew from the time she was young that her mother did not really like her and significantly favored her sister.
But when her mother told her at the age of eight that she wished she had aborted her, the Original Poster (OP) held on to that grudge for years after the fact.
She asked the sub:
The OP had a grudge against her mother.
"I (22 Female) have been holding onto a grudge due to something my mom told me when I was roughly eight or nine years old."
"Growing up, I was a rebellious kid and always felt as if my mom favored my older sister. My sister would always get whatever she wanted."
"I know she was born with Down syndrome and always needed more attention and care, but if my sister wanted my tablet, for example, she would have it for the whole day while mine was limited to 30 minutes so she could have it."
"As a kid, I lashed out more because of this. She could take all of my things, but I could never use hers."
During a heated moment, the OP's mother said something unforgivable.
"Eventually, this led to an argument with my mom. I don't recall the whole thing, but it was related to my sister and how I felt my mom didn't care about me or give me the same amount of attention."
"The fight got heated, and I probably told my mom that I hated my sister and her."
"I remember she said back, 'I never wanted you from the start. I knew I should've aborted you when I had the chance.'"
" I didn't know what aborted meant at the time, and I remember I looked it up, and it made me cry. I never forgot it, and it lingers in my mind whenever I am home."
The OP's mother pressured her to "let it go" and move on.
"Even growing up, I still brought it up, and she would get mad, saying I need to let it go and how I'm stubborn for not just forgetting what she said."
"There was even a time in high school when she took me to a therapist, and she complained about how I never dropped what she said."
"She says I need to move on from it because it has affected my relationship with her, and she wants to fix it."
"I know I'm older now and it was so long ago, but it still hurts, and I feel like it's made me not want to have her in my life in the future, and I have told this to her."
"How I don't want her in my life once I move out, get married, or have my own kids."
Fellow Redditors weighed in:
Some reassured the OP that this sounded like a core memory more than a grudge.
"The axe forgets. The tree remembers."
"It sounds less like you're holding a grudge and more that this is a formative, core memory for you."
"It won't stop being a core memory (unless maybe with the help of a lot of therapy). Has your mom ever apologized for saying that? Because you don't have to forget to forgive, but if she's not remorseful for saying that terrible thing to her young child (not just remorseful that you remember it), then she probably needs therapy (or is a narcissist/sociopath/similar)."
"You are certainly not obligated to 'get over it.'" - Hot-Can3615
"This is not a 'grudge'; it is pain that is still felt to such a degree. If she said it, then she was thinking it. She'll probably never apologize, but that doesn't mean your pain is or was invalid." - Fast_Register_9480
"NOR. This kind of thing needs a real apology. Like she needs to acknowledge the damage and genuinely care about it. Brushing it off won’t make it go away." - TentacleWolverine
"NOR. Did she really want to fix things? She basically just told you to get over it from the start instead of giving you a sincere apology."
"That isn't working on anything. She wants you to get over it so she can pretend that she never said it, so she doesn't have to feel bad about what she did. It doesn't sound like she cares much about how you feel."
"She just doesn't want to deal with it. For that reason, I would still have issues with what she said." - Chemical-Ad6809
"If your relationship with your mother is being affected by the actions of your mother, your mother is responsible for fixing it."
"You should know you probably aren't ever going to get closure, but you don't have to swallow it down. It helps to be the person you needed when you were younger out loud to yourself, but especially to others."
"For example: My name is Liz, and my mom told me to go ahead and do it already and save us all the heartache when I finally had the courage to tell her about how much I've been struggling with self-harm and suicidal ideation. I'm never going to forgive her for that, and we have never been close as a result of her actions."
"You aren't holding onto a grudge; you have a core memory of your mother distilling her feelings into a world-shattering sentence."
"You did not have a secure attachment before and can't have one now because of the deep trauma. You do not apologize for being stabbed."
"Find another therapist. I mean it. Someone who cares about your well-being wouldn't force you to apologize for being verbally abused as a child. I'm 29 now, and I lived through it. I still struggle with suicidal ideation daily, but once I stopped relying on my mom and unstable sources for support, my life got better immediately."
"You want things for comfort and familiarity. Don't let your mom or your therapist gaslight you into crossing a boundary."
"It might help to ask for a written five-part apology from your mom. 1. Acknowledge what you did 2. Say why it was wrong 3. Promise not to do it again 4. Ask how to make amends. 5. Share your feelings at this time if there's anything you'd like to say."
"My mom can be a good person and a bad mom and role model. Being in your own company is so much better than poor company." - PotLuckyPodcast
Others hoped the OP would go no contact with her mother sooner rather than later.
"NOR. It’s emotional abuse. And you do not owe her closeness after that, especially as she refuses to be accountable for that and try to make it up to you."
"She knows you have her number, and she can’t forgive you for knowing what a colloidal b***h she is."
"It’s unlikely that will change; it will at least be turned back on you with her the victim."
"Stop expecting her to apologize. If she doesn’t pay your bills, ghost her." - SnooCheesecakes2723
"My mom said something similar. My brother and I were adopted, and when I was a teen, in front of a church lady, she said, 'We didn't even really want you, but the people didn't want to split y'all up, so we just took you, too.'"
"Me and the church lady were shook. When I say my falbbers were ghasted. Like huh? She didn't remember saying that when I brought it up years after the fact."
"I also got grounded two times for two separate nine weeks (for C's on my report card) and a three and a half to four months (for smoking at 16 and getting caught because she liked to just pop up out of nowhere), and we just had a talk about that, and she didn't even remember."
"She said, 'No, I didn't. I never grounded you for that long,' and when I gave my rebuttal, she said, 'Well, if I did, it definitely wasn't for no nine weeks or months,' and this started because she was praising me for reading so much and liking books. I said, 'Well, when you were grounded like me, that's all I could do (no TV, no friends outside of school, no music, nothing but my room and books)."
"There's a reason I only call or answer her calls once or twice every few weeks. And I only call to get food, really..." - ManicalMoe
"‘Fine, I'm sorry’ is not an apology."
"Whilst I’m sure it was said in anger, most things said in anger have a grain of truth. There are also some things that no half-decent parent ever says to their children, no matter how angry they are, and this is one of them! It also sounds like she has made repeated similar comments of not wanting you as her child."
"I understand her eldest had a disability, but this is no excuse for neglecting and emotionally abusing her younger child. Lots of families deal with a child with additional needs whilst still managing to prioritise their other kids. Children with Down syndrome are capable of understanding ‘that’s your sister's, not yours; give it back’ !! It sounds like your mum has mental health issues?"
"Do you have a present father or other family you can turn to?"
"Protect your peace. Your mum has hurt you time and time again, honestly, for no real gain other than momentarily satisfying her anger. You owe this woman nothing." - Background_Term9810
"I went through something similar. When I was a little girl, my mother used to make comments that implied she didn't want me, though it was never that explicit. 'I only had you because your brother wanted a sister,' and 'My figure never recovered after you; after your brother, it did.'"
"Each comment stayed with me, but I never addressed it with her. I tried to move on and leave it in the past. She did a lot of horrible things throughout my life, but her behavior was always ignored because that's the precedent my dad set, where she can do essentially whatever she wants."
"A few months ago, she came to see me because I was desperate for help and sick. Instead of helping, she made my life so much worse. I won't go into details. At one point, I could no longer keep it inside, and I told her that she is a narcissist, to which she responded with, 'It would have been better if I had never had you.'"
"In some ways, it felt really good to hear her come out and say it. It felt good to hear the truth I've always known."
"I don't know what you should do, but I've chosen to not forgive."
"Every time I forgave, I just let her know that she can get away with whatever horrible things she had done. Her apologies were never real apologies. She always found ways to blame me or others for whatever she had done."
"And I'm truly just done with it. As sad as it is to not have a mom, it's sadder to pretend that you have one when in reality you don't... quite the opposite, if anything." - Neos_Mom
"So, OP, what will hurt more: keeping her and the grudge in your life or making a break and going low or no contact with her?"
"Frankly, we've no idea of what she might have been dealing with at the time, but regardless, what she said was said only to cause pain and suffering. 'Sorry' doesn't magic that intent away."
"Me, I think spending time alone or with friends or in therapy away from her might be what you need here. You might come to some sort of acceptance, but if this is something that's just going to keep coming between you, then stop trying to have that relationship." - Tal_Tos_72
After the OP received feedback, she shared a few clarifications from her original post.
"I wanted to clear some things up, take accountability where it's due, and provide some much-needed context from many people commenting the same questions."
"I want to be completely honest. We had many arguments, and I was a rebellious kid. I acted out and argued with my mom."
"I don't want to give off the impression that I was an entirely innocent kid who never did anything wrong and my mom just snapped out of nowhere. We both said hateful and hurtful things to each other during our fights."
"Growing up, the only way she would accept an apology was if I got on my knees and begged her for forgiveness. If I ever asked her to apologize to me, she would say, 'I have nothing to apologize for; you should be the one begging for my forgiveness.'"
The OP had a lot of physical memories, too.
"Things also would turn into physical arguments, not just verbal ones."
"There were times when she would get so angry she would get physical. Like yanking me by my hair, twisting my arms, or throwing things at me (like remotes, a bug spray can, or a radio)."
"When she yanked my hair, I would fight back just to get her to let me go, and she would scream that I was trying to kill her and she would get me arrested. When she twisted my arm, and I begged her to stop because it felt like it was going to break, she would say she hoped it did."
"When she threw objects at me, she would say she wished they would hit my face."
"I remember in middle school, during an argument, she said she wished she could break my face and that she hated it because I look like my dad. I won’t lie, whenever she said things like that, I would say nasty comments about how she chose to have him put us in her."
While the OP wasn't financially ready to move out yet, she hoped to as soon as possible.
"Why haven't I moved out yet? The main reason I haven't been able to move out is financial."
"I wasn't making enough to support myself without worrying about whether I’d end up having to crawl back home."
"Thankfully, I have recently found a better-paying job. My plan is to move out between mid-to-late October, or early November at the latest."
"The only reason I can't leave this exact second is because I have a few legal/administrative things to get cleared up so I’m completely untied from my mom, which will take a few weeks."
The OP also had proof that her mother liked her sister better.
"Has my mom ever admitted to favoring my sister? Yes."
"In arguments, she has explicitly told me that she doesn't see me as her legitimate daughter, and that she adored my sister more and forever will. She has also called me a 'monster,' told me there is a certain type of evil inside of me, and said she was afraid I would be just like my dad and try to harm them."
"She would even tell me that she was telling family and friends these things about me, but then later claim she 'just said it in the moment' and wouldn't be crazy enough to actually tell people that."
"Because I was so confused growing up and didn't know if she was lying or telling the truth, I started avoiding our family when they came over."
"Naturally, that just made things worse because she would get mad at me for avoiding them (even now as an adult), completely ignoring the fact that she was the one who lied about what she told them."
Unfortunately, the OP didn't have support from her father.
"What about my dad? My dad is not in my life."
"He was around sporadically, but never as a stable parent. My parents separated before I was born and divorced when I was two or three."
"Growing up, it was just constant back-and-forth toxicity, with him telling me how toxic my mother was, and her telling me the same about him."
"He would mostly only come over to see my sister, and often used me to care for her if he wanted to take her out to eat. Ultimately, my dad didn't care about anyone else other than my sister (and his drugs)."
"I hope this can clear some questions on the original post. I know I didn't provide many details as I originally should have. I honestly didn't want to post something too long, and I honestly did not expect it to be noticed."
"Thank you all for taking time to talk to me and share your thoughts."
The subReddit fully sided with the OP, pointing out that no matter how heated the moment was, it would never excuse the terrible things the OP's mother had said to her.
If the OP's mother really wanted a relationship with her, she'd drop the defensiveness and demands, offer a genuine apology, and work hard to be better for both of her children.
That takes a very rare kind of person to pull off, and it didn't sound like the OP's mother had that in her.
If you or someone you know is struggling, you can contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988.
To find help outside the United States, the International Association for Suicide Prevention has resources available at https://findahelpline.com/i/iasp