Simply passing down your genes isn't enough to make you a parent. The role requires consistent involvement in the child's life. But as we can learn from Reddit user u/Intelligent_Horse_, not everyone understands that.
The teenager's old folks had left her with their friends so they could travel the world. But what was supposed to be a quick getaway turned into years and years of traveling. The couple had been neck deep in adventure, memento mori and everything, reminding her about themselves with an occasional postcard or voice note, only when their busy schedules allowed.
But now, after they finally reappeared, the girl isn't even sure if she wants to go back to them. And the two are finding it hard to process. Oh no, consequences!
Responsible parents support their children whenever they can, not when it's convenient to do so
Image credits: Rawpixel (not the actual photo)
But this teenager's biological mother and father seem to be having trouble understanding this
Image credits: Wavebreakmedia (not the actual photo)
The seventeen-year-old opened up about her situation more in an update to her post
Image credits: CreativeNature_nl (not the actual photo)
Image credits: Intelligent_Horse_
She stayed with those who actually cherish her
The author of the post said ‘Pete’ and ‘May’ consider her to be their daughter, and she seems to love her current life.
The teen is close to nature, and she gets to ride horses and take care of them. She doesn’t want to throw all of that away just to get back together with her biological parents. She said she and ‘Pete’ sat down to write a long letter, explaining the upsides of her staying in Montana.
“Apparently, my parents have always been a bit strange. Very little sense of responsibility, never taking things seriously, always getting in trouble. Guess they didn't really grow out of that phase,” u/Intelligent_Horse_ explained to the internet.
Image credits: Kindel Media (not the actual photo)
"I really appreciate Pete and May because they were always there for me"
The teenager told Bored Panda that she's incredibly happy that so many people have been giving her so many kind words and advice, "even though the situation isn't great." She was very pleasantly surprised by how kind strangers can be.
"A lot of the things they have said were things I never really thought about, like what if my parents had been lying to me the entire time about their reasoning for traveling. I was actually a bit scared that my parents would be able to take me away from where I am now without my consent, but a lot of people told me that I wouldn't have to worry about that because I'm apparently already old enough to make my own decision, and that if it does go to court, it would take too long for it to make a difference," the teenager explained to us.
She noted that according to another piece of advice that stuck with her, it's best not to be rude to her parents, "because they can apparently still make things difficult for me or for Pete and May. There was a lot of good advice, actually!"
For the redditor, the essence of a great parent is being there for their child. "I really appreciate ‘Pete’ and ‘May’ because they were always there for me. When I was having trouble, they helped me, when I felt sad, they comforted me, and we spent a lot of happy times together making fun memories. They made me feel comfortable and safe. And they gave me the freedom to be myself," she told us.
We also wanted to learn more about what it's like to live so close to nature, day in and day out. "Living in nature is just so peaceful. The air is so clean, and it always feels like I can take everything at my own pace," she said
"There's no rush for anything. It's so comforting to be able to sit outside and hear nothing. Also, the night sky is beautiful! Stargazing is so relaxing."
Image credits: Monstera (not the actual photo)
Neglectful parents hinder their kids' growth and development
Uninvolved parents tend to be emotionally distant from their kids. They focus on their own problems in life and limit their interactions. Not only that, they usually show very little affection and set little to no expectations. Their priorities are simply elsewhere.
In their households, the problem is the mismatch between the parents’ behavior and their children’s needs. And while some might be intentionally neglectful, others might inadvertently go down this path due to stress, poor mental health, or a lack of childcare knowledge.
Neglect comes in a few main forms. Physical neglect, for instance, means that the parents fail to provide their kids with necessities like food, shelter, medical care, and clothing. Emotional neglect, meanwhile, is characterized by a lack of interest in the child’s life, as well as failing to show them love. Neglectful parents also ignore the need for proper education and aren’t consistent in the rules they set.
Their children often have behavioral and emotional issues, including poor academic performance, self-esteem problems, reluctance to trust others, and so on. Thankfully, the author of the post had ‘Pete’ and ‘May’, who stepped up while her biological parents did their own thing.
The author of the post answered some questions in the comments
The internet was very supportive of the teen. Here's what some users had to say
The young woman later shared another update with her readers
