Being bullied as a kid is probably one of the worst experiences anyone can go through because the aftermath of it can last for years to come. Now, imagine being forced to live with your bully! Ugh, sounds awful, doesn’t it?
Well, that’s what Reddit user Sorry_Praline_1270 had to go through when her dad married her childhood bully’s mother, which led to her being estranged from him as an adult. Years later, when she ran into her dad’s boss, she told him what her dad made her go through, and it sparked a lot of drama!
More info: Reddit
When you are bullied during your childhood, the emotional scars can stay for an eternity
Image credits: Trung Nguyen / Pexels (not the actual photo)
When the poster was 8 years old, she was bullied by a girl, and her father ended up marrying this girl's mother
Image credits: Sorry_Praline_1270
Image credits: Ali Ehyaei / Pexels (not the actual photo)
As he is her only parent, she absolutely hated what he did to her, so she cut legal ties with him when she turned 18 and asked relatives to adopt her
Image credits: Sorry_Praline_1270
Image credits: bearfotos / Freepik (not the actual photo)
Years later, when she ran into her dad's boss, he hoped to meet her for family day at the workplace, but she told him what a terrible father he was, and they no longer spoke
Image credits: Sorry_Praline_1270
The boss confronted her father, who got angry and insulted her through email, calling her petty and childish
In today’s story, the original poster (OP) tells us how she got into a conflict with her father after she revealed his true nature to his boss. What happened was, when she was 8 years old, she was bullied by a girl, and unfortunately, her dad married the bully’s mother.
OP mentions that this hurt her so much that she decided never to forgive her father, and when she turned 18, she legally cut ties with him by asking other family members to adopt her. Well, they have been estranged ever since, as her father simply couldn’t fathom her anger or refusal to accept her new “family.”
Years later, she ran into his boss, who he was close to, and mentioned how he hoped to see her during family day at the workplace, even referring to her “sister.” This was probably a punch in the gut for OP, as out tumbled the whole truth when she told him what her dad had done and what a terrible father he had been to her.
The boss was shocked to hear all of that, so guess what he did? He confronted the poster’s father about it and called him out for being a terrible dad. In fact, he even spread the word to other colleagues, and the truth began spreading everywhere.
Well, the poster’s father was so furious that he lashed out against the family who had adopted her and even sent her a hateful email, calling her petty and childish. After the poster’s story went viral, netizens were divided.
Quite a few sided with her and said that her father got what he deserved, as everyone should know the kind of person he is. They even expressed their condolences for what she had to live with for years, saying that she should go to therapy since it still bothers her so much.
Image credits: Freepik / Freepik (not the actual photo)
On the other hand, there were also a lot of people who said that everyone in the story was terrible, as the father never understood her, but they felt there was no need to reveal so much to his boss. However, they were more annoyed with the boss as they felt that it was not his business or his place to call out OP’s father.
“It is unethical for a boss or coworker to confront an employee about personal family matters, especially when such situations take place outside of work. A boss must respect employee privacy and not disclose personal matters at the workplace,” mentioned Apoorva Kale, an industrial and organizational psychology practitioner interviewed by Bored Panda.
She emphasized that the boss's reaction just shows a lack of professionalism, empathy, and integrity—and an invasion of the individual’s privacy. She explained that in such a situation, the supervisor should keep the information to themselves unless it's about the employee’s well-being and requires an intervention.
While speaking about constructive ways to address criticism from an employer about personal choices or family relationships, she commented that it’s important to set clear boundaries.
“If you aren’t comfortable discussing personal issues, politely decline and inform the person that you aren’t open to discussing it at the workplace. For example: 'I appreciate your concern regarding my personal decisions but I’d like to keep my personal life and matters out of the workplace.' Furthermore, consider involving HR regarding such experiences to avoid workplace conflicts,” Apoorva added.
Many people said what her father did to her might have been wrong, but it shouldn’t cost him his job, while others argued that it was the boss’s fault for being unprofessional. What about you? Who do you think is wrong with this story? Let us know in the comments below!
Netizens were divided, as some felt what she said was right, while others claimed that she shouldn't have revealed so much to the boss
