Guy’s Bio Fam Finds Him After 29 Years, Their Hopes Of Reunion Are Crushed As He Doesn’t Need Them
You know, as the saying goes, you can’t choose your family. It isn’t a lie, you really can’t, at least most of the time. What you can choose is whether to be in contact with them when you grow up.
Whether it’s due to the toxic situation or just simply not having space for them in your life, it all depends on the context you’re in. Today’s story is a perfect example of how this choice looks in practice, but of course with a twist of drama – breakups, make-ups, guilt-tripping, and all that. Everything that makes an entertaining family drama. So, without further ado, let’s jump in, shall we?
More info: Reddit
You can’t choose who your family is, but what you can choose is whether to stay in contact with them or not
Image credits: prostooleh / Freepik (not the actual photo)
In this story, a man found himself at a crossroads when, out of the blue, his birth family started showing an interest in having a relationship with him
Image credits: rawpixel.com / Freepik (not the actual photo)
The problem was that the man himself didn’t really have any interest whatsoever
Image credits: garetsvisual / Freepik (not the actual photo)
For him, his adoptive family was perfect – they raised him in a loving home, where he was never treated as ‘less than’ just because he was adopted
Image credits: Lachleeyonno
And so, he didn’t give in to the birth family’s guilt-tripping to be in contact with them – he simply didn’t need them
The OP was adopted by a loving family when he was an infant and was raised in a loving and happy home. The parents never treated their biological and adoptive children differently, never lied about circumstances or the way their family was formed, and never even demonized the families the adoptive children were adopted from. Essentially, they were the parents any adoptee would dream of.
One day, seemingly out of the blue, his birth family reached out, but he didn’t feel like answering them. In fact, it took him a while to do so. The people who wrote to him turned out to be his birth parents, who wanted to tell their story.
Apparently, they broke up 5 years after the original poster’s birth, but then got back together after a while and had more kids, who were interested in meeting their sibling – him. That’s why they found and reached out to him. Yet, even hearing their story and reasoning, the OP was set in his ways – he didn’t want to do anything with them.
Granted, he isn’t the only person who was adopted and now doesn’t want to get in touch with their birth family. Statistics of the American Adoption Congress show that around 35% don’t want to meet their biological parents after adoption.
In the case of the post’s author, since he was given away at such a young age, it’s likely that he has no proper memories of them, so it’s not like there is anything he wants back – he never really had it.
What he had was a loving adoptive family. As he said himself, it isn’t in his nature to wonder about what didn’t happen; instead, he prefers to celebrate what did. Of course, among the adoptees that belong to the aforementioned statistic, the reasons for their decision don’t have to be the same as this man’s.
Image credits: freepik / Freepik (not the actual photo)
At the end of the day, not every adopted kid has as great a childhood as the OP did. So, they might hold a grudge towards those who forced them into such a life by giving them away. Even if the folks who raised them weren’t bad, the person might still feel abandoned by their biological parents and simply not be ready to face them.
The latter reason can especially apply to those cases where they were the sibling that got adopted out, while others stayed in the family. Sounds similar to the author’s case, doesn’t it? Yet, it doesn’t mean that this is the reason behind his refusal to accept his birth family. As he explained himself, he doesn’t hold a grudge or anything; he simply doesn’t have a place in his life for them.
While this sounds like a good enough reason to us, given his circumstances, the birth family thought it was unfair. So they kept reaching out without taking a hint of him blocking them. Such persistence made him question his actions – maybe he was being a jerk rejecting them?
Well, in the netizens’ eyes, the OP wasn’t a jerk. As they pointed out, the family gave him up years ago, so they have no say in how he should react to them right now. The saying “blood’s thicker than water” doesn’t really apply here – yes, they’re blood relatives, but nothing more than that. The man doesn’t owe them anything, and they should respect his wishes instead of taking his “no” as a push to guilt-trip him.
What do you think? Do you agree with the netizens’ take here? Or do you think that the man should accept his birth family with open arms? We’re ready to hear out all your takes in the comments!
Netizens thought that his choice was completely OK and that the family was overly pushy, and that by giving him away, they also gave away his acceptance of them
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I'm sorry for the siblings, but OP owes them nothing. No shame in placing a child for adoption, but if you do, you don't get to demand the child reconnect with you. You certainly don't get to hold family medical history hostage. It's also weird to me how other adopted children have a problem with him? I'll admit; I'm not adopted, so I get that this is a situation I can never understand. However, it seems to me that it's wrong to expect one person to reconnect with their birth family because another person wishes they could do that with theirs. Like, I don't feel that because OP is adopted, he owes it to let all other adoptees live vehicularly through him.
Adopted child here. I am 43 now (was adopted at birth, found out I was adopted at age 6) and I have never felt an urge to ever meet my bio family. All I wanted to know was my medical history (for what I was predisposed to, if anything) and what my genetic ancestry was (that was pure curiosity. Turns out I'm a Scottish/Irish mutt. Hilariously, I was adopted into a Hispanic family. Yes, my cousins mocked and teased me mercilessly for being white.) But I never cared that I was adopted - my adoptive family IS my family. I do have two bio sisters, and my bio mom is still alive; bio dad committed su!cide in the 90s. One of my bio sisters made several attempts at contacting me over my lifetime, and I just... didn't care? I didn't HATE them, I just didn't care, if that makes any sense. They're strangers. Apparently my bio mom feels "guilty" for putting me up for adoption (not MY problem..) but she was a single mom living in poverty and already could barely care for my two older bio sisters. My bio mom and one sister REALLY seem to want to meet me and get to know me. I don't really "want" to, per se, but part of me doesn't have an issue with meeting them once so that they can feel at peace. But - to give you an adopted child's perspective - I don't really understand the "need/urge" of wanting to meet bio family. I don't really understand why my bio mom and one of my bio sisters really, REEEEEALLY want to meet me and get to know me. I'm as much of a stranger to them as they are to me (although we all apparently share a genetic "fivehead"/giant forehead, lol...)
Load More Replies...Odds on one of the birth family needing a kidney? Seems possible as they won't take no for an answer. Only other idea I have is they are total AHs. What normal person would want to get to know someone who clearly tells you they have no interest in knowing you?
I agree. There is a crisis of some sort within the biological family. They either want a body part or money from the OP.
Load More Replies...Birth family doesn't respect boundaries or care about the needs and wants of OP. Why would he want more interaction? Besides anyone who thinks they are his real family and not his actual family are not good people. Stay far away.
Meeting strangers is a crapshoot- just because you share DNA doesn't make it any better. Once you open Pandora's box crazy things can be unleashed. If you're content in life do not disrupt it to appease strangers. No boundaries, "borrowing" stuff, stopping by, asking for favors and/or money- I've seen a couple family members ruin others because they are bullies. Those people are needy greediest wanting to meet you under the guise of family. HAH.
I’m adopted, and ten years ago doing a DNA test seemed like a great idea, but I always hesitated. Now I would be afraid of who might come out of the woodwork. I’m old enough that my bio mother may not even still be alive, and I’m fine with that.
Same. My bio-mom bailed when I was less than 2 years old so I have no interest in her or any kids she may have had after me.
Load More Replies...Somebody in the birth family is sick. They need OP to do a blood test in order to save him, and then Op's going to get harassed to give a kidney or a lung or something. That's the only rational reason for this behavior. OP owes these people nada and good for him.
So what do they need? Money? A kidney? And going unhinged when told no was not going to work in their favour - why did they think it would?
It has to be medical because the birth family has mentioned it twice. That's not accidental.
Load More Replies...Other side of story, for perspective. My parents gave up a child for adoption in 1955, only 18. Parents later married had 3 more kids. Adopted kid found mom in 2010. Mom connected with adopted kid, later moved to be closer and regretted meeting him at all. Controlling, no morals and treated everyone like they were in boot camp. Mom passed in 2022 and they had not spoken since 2018 and lived 2 blocks from him. We are all no contact. Hold your ground, I wish Mom had not been so curious.
Oh hell no. I'm of similar disposition as the OP. My life is just fine without my bio parents. I may talk to them for (my) curiosity's sake but would I upend my life just for the sake of their kids wanting to know about me? Absolutely not. I hope this doesn't have to be justified, but the parents that are always there infinitely win over the ones that want you when it's convenient for them.
I'm sorry for the siblings, but OP owes them nothing. No shame in placing a child for adoption, but if you do, you don't get to demand the child reconnect with you. You certainly don't get to hold family medical history hostage. It's also weird to me how other adopted children have a problem with him? I'll admit; I'm not adopted, so I get that this is a situation I can never understand. However, it seems to me that it's wrong to expect one person to reconnect with their birth family because another person wishes they could do that with theirs. Like, I don't feel that because OP is adopted, he owes it to let all other adoptees live vehicularly through him.
Adopted child here. I am 43 now (was adopted at birth, found out I was adopted at age 6) and I have never felt an urge to ever meet my bio family. All I wanted to know was my medical history (for what I was predisposed to, if anything) and what my genetic ancestry was (that was pure curiosity. Turns out I'm a Scottish/Irish mutt. Hilariously, I was adopted into a Hispanic family. Yes, my cousins mocked and teased me mercilessly for being white.) But I never cared that I was adopted - my adoptive family IS my family. I do have two bio sisters, and my bio mom is still alive; bio dad committed su!cide in the 90s. One of my bio sisters made several attempts at contacting me over my lifetime, and I just... didn't care? I didn't HATE them, I just didn't care, if that makes any sense. They're strangers. Apparently my bio mom feels "guilty" for putting me up for adoption (not MY problem..) but she was a single mom living in poverty and already could barely care for my two older bio sisters. My bio mom and one sister REALLY seem to want to meet me and get to know me. I don't really "want" to, per se, but part of me doesn't have an issue with meeting them once so that they can feel at peace. But - to give you an adopted child's perspective - I don't really understand the "need/urge" of wanting to meet bio family. I don't really understand why my bio mom and one of my bio sisters really, REEEEEALLY want to meet me and get to know me. I'm as much of a stranger to them as they are to me (although we all apparently share a genetic "fivehead"/giant forehead, lol...)
Load More Replies...Odds on one of the birth family needing a kidney? Seems possible as they won't take no for an answer. Only other idea I have is they are total AHs. What normal person would want to get to know someone who clearly tells you they have no interest in knowing you?
I agree. There is a crisis of some sort within the biological family. They either want a body part or money from the OP.
Load More Replies...Birth family doesn't respect boundaries or care about the needs and wants of OP. Why would he want more interaction? Besides anyone who thinks they are his real family and not his actual family are not good people. Stay far away.
Meeting strangers is a crapshoot- just because you share DNA doesn't make it any better. Once you open Pandora's box crazy things can be unleashed. If you're content in life do not disrupt it to appease strangers. No boundaries, "borrowing" stuff, stopping by, asking for favors and/or money- I've seen a couple family members ruin others because they are bullies. Those people are needy greediest wanting to meet you under the guise of family. HAH.
I’m adopted, and ten years ago doing a DNA test seemed like a great idea, but I always hesitated. Now I would be afraid of who might come out of the woodwork. I’m old enough that my bio mother may not even still be alive, and I’m fine with that.
Same. My bio-mom bailed when I was less than 2 years old so I have no interest in her or any kids she may have had after me.
Load More Replies...Somebody in the birth family is sick. They need OP to do a blood test in order to save him, and then Op's going to get harassed to give a kidney or a lung or something. That's the only rational reason for this behavior. OP owes these people nada and good for him.
So what do they need? Money? A kidney? And going unhinged when told no was not going to work in their favour - why did they think it would?
It has to be medical because the birth family has mentioned it twice. That's not accidental.
Load More Replies...Other side of story, for perspective. My parents gave up a child for adoption in 1955, only 18. Parents later married had 3 more kids. Adopted kid found mom in 2010. Mom connected with adopted kid, later moved to be closer and regretted meeting him at all. Controlling, no morals and treated everyone like they were in boot camp. Mom passed in 2022 and they had not spoken since 2018 and lived 2 blocks from him. We are all no contact. Hold your ground, I wish Mom had not been so curious.
Oh hell no. I'm of similar disposition as the OP. My life is just fine without my bio parents. I may talk to them for (my) curiosity's sake but would I upend my life just for the sake of their kids wanting to know about me? Absolutely not. I hope this doesn't have to be justified, but the parents that are always there infinitely win over the ones that want you when it's convenient for them.
























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