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Parents Call Woman’s GF Disgusting At Dinner, She Pays The Bill And Leaves Them Speechless
They say love is blind, but apparently, for some parents, so is basic decency. Some folks neglect their kids, then pop back in years later expecting a hero’s welcome and full access to their adult child’s life, plus voting rights on who they date.
It’s funny how people who missed most of your milestones have a lot to say about your relationships. Family dinners hit differently when the side dish is passive-aggressive behavior. And one Redditor knows this all too well, as her estranged parents showed up after decades, only to insult her girlfriend over dinner.
More info: Reddit
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Image credits: Getty Images / Unsplash (not the actual photo)
One woman reconnects with her estranged parents but regrets it when they call her girlfriend “disgusting” over dinner
Image credits: Kaboompics.com / Pexels (not the actual photo)
The woman’s parents neglected her as a child, weren’t there for her, and paid nannies to raise her
Image credits: Tim Mossholder / Unsplash (not the actual photo)
But they decided to reconnect after decades of being estranged from her
Image credits: semenay erdoğan / Unsplash (not the actual photo)
The woman takes her parents out to dinner to introduce them to her girlfriend, who is 16 years older than her
Image credits: BadProfessional3445
“She’s disgusting”: the woman leaves dinner with her parents without saying a word after they call her girlfriend disgusting behind her back
The OP (original poster), a 32-year-old woman, finally found herself in a healthy relationship after enduring a series of romantic disasters. Her girlfriend, 48-year-old Ruby, has been nothing but loving and kind, and for the first time, the OP is happy. But of course, just when you think life is calming down, in come the parents.
Now, these aren’t warm-and-fuzzy, fresh-baked-cookies kind of parents. Nope, these are the “we paid nannies to raise you” type. The kind who missed most of the OP’s childhood but have been trying to squeeze back into her life after decades, claiming regret. And just when she was cautiously beginning to let her guard down, they went and blew it spectacularly.
The OP organized a dinner for her parents to meet her girlfriend. Things were going just fine – wine was flowing, the food was hot, and everyone was playing nice. Then, Ruby gave the OP a quick peck before heading to the bathroom. Seems innocent, right? Apparently not.
The second Ruby was out of earshot, the OP’s mom launched a verbal grenade, declaring Ruby “disgusting” and making it crystal clear they weren’t about to support the relationship, like their opinion actually mattered after decades of neglect. What followed was an awkward silence so thick you could cut it with a steak knife. Our OP didn’t yell or cause a scene – she simply paid the bill like a boss and dipped.
And just like that, her parents were left with their opinions and untouched tiramisu. But instead of apologizing, her parents called, texted, and summoned the entire Greek chorus of extended relatives to say their daughter owed them an apology. So, is she the villain for walking out?
Image credits: A.C. / Unsplash (not the actual photo)
Look, nobody’s saying parents have to love every partner their kid brings home. But there’s a way to express concern, and shrieking in disgust isn’t it, especially not when you’ve spent most of your child’s life emotionally checked out.
Because emotional neglect isn’t something kids just “get over.” Being raised by parents who were more into their calendars than their children can leave deep dents, like chronic self-doubt, fear of abandonment, and the charming habit of people-pleasing just to feel worthy. It’s not just about missing hugs – it’s about missing the feeling of being seen and heard.
As adults, people who were emotionally neglected may struggle to express needs, set boundaries, or trust that love doesn’t come with strings attached. They might overachieve to feel seen or shrink themselves to avoid conflict. And forgiving those parents who neglected you for years is never easy, but it is possible, sometimes.
Rebuilding a relationship with estranged parents isn’t about picking up where things left off – it’s about starting fresh, with boundaries and accountability on the table. Before any warm and fuzzy reunion can happen, parents need to take ownership of past mistakes, listen without defensiveness, and respect the adult their kid has become.
Before diving back in, parents need to put in some actual work, like acknowledging the hurt they caused, apologizing without the dreaded “but,” and proving they’ve done some emotional homework. A real reconnection isn’t forced or guilt-tripped into, it’s earned. And yes, that includes respecting your choices, even the ones they don’t personally vibe with.
So, do you think the poster was wrong for walking out mid-dinner? Drop your thoughts and comments below!
Netizens side with the woman, saying she is not a jerk in the story, as both she and her girlfriend are grown adults capable of their own decisions
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What do you think ?
arthbach 5 months ago
When you're in your 30s dating someone 12 years older is not a problem at all. You're a fully grown adult, with a fully mature brain. It's your decision. And indeed, it's your decision to tell your parents to get lost.
LakotaWolf (she/her) 5 months ago
Yep. The first time I broke up with my now-ex (the one I was with for 24 years total) I briefly dated a guy (former co-worker) who was 12 years younger than I was. He was 26 and I was 38 at the time. We both went into it fully aware of the age gap and its implications, and I made sure to check in with him often that he was still okay and comfortable with it, etc. We were on the same wavelength in terms of energy, hobbies, and (ahem) bedroom stuff, so it was a perfectly fine casual-dating relationship for a while. I genuinely cared about him a lot. A few months in, his parents abruptly decided to move to Indiana from California, and since he lived with them and we hadn't been dating for THAT long, we mutually decided that breaking up would be best (I live alone so he could have moved in with me, but neither one of us wanted to rush/force that.) Age gaps aren't always predatory or awful XD The only cringe thing was that I was closer in age to the guy's parents than I was to him! XD
Load More Replies...
Tabitha 5 months ago (edited)
Two of the commenters above stated what my suspicions are. 1) Parents want OP dating, then marrying or at least reproducing with, a man and giving them grandchildren so they can have a parenting do-over by being grandparents, even though that’s only parenting once in a while, so no change from their last effort (or lack of). 2) Parents are getting old now, and want to be sure they’ll have a free caretaker to change their diapers and wait hand and foot on them. F**k that noise X 2. OP is happy, they’re not a teenager so the age gap is merely academic, so she should just write her parents off as not worth her time and effort, and go on to make her own family, populating it with people who actually care about her. Down the line, if she and her partner want to adopt or do IVF to have a child or two, then that’s their decision. If they really do not want kids, that’s their decision too. It is their life together, not her parents, her aunts and uncles, or anyone else’s life, so the rest of them need to STFU and butt TF out. OP would be better off going full NC with them. I was estranged from my parents after leaving home at 18. When I was in my forties, my mother had died and my father was not doing well, so my oldest brother and I reached out. We had hoped age had mellowed him and helped him understand that he was a terrible father. Oh, he put on a good act while we were getting him back on his feet and functioning. Once he felt stronger, he went right back to his old ways, no changes, not even asking if he was a good or bad father, so definitely no attempt to make amends or apologize. He died still absolutely positive he was the best father ever, just like my mother died thoroughly convinced she was the most wonderful mother ever. They were both terrible people who should never have had one child, much less five. TBH, if my mother had married just about anyone else, or divorced our father and remarried, maybe us kids would’ve at least had a chance at having semi-normal childhoods.
arthbach 5 months ago
When you're in your 30s dating someone 12 years older is not a problem at all. You're a fully grown adult, with a fully mature brain. It's your decision. And indeed, it's your decision to tell your parents to get lost.
LakotaWolf (she/her) 5 months ago
Yep. The first time I broke up with my now-ex (the one I was with for 24 years total) I briefly dated a guy (former co-worker) who was 12 years younger than I was. He was 26 and I was 38 at the time. We both went into it fully aware of the age gap and its implications, and I made sure to check in with him often that he was still okay and comfortable with it, etc. We were on the same wavelength in terms of energy, hobbies, and (ahem) bedroom stuff, so it was a perfectly fine casual-dating relationship for a while. I genuinely cared about him a lot. A few months in, his parents abruptly decided to move to Indiana from California, and since he lived with them and we hadn't been dating for THAT long, we mutually decided that breaking up would be best (I live alone so he could have moved in with me, but neither one of us wanted to rush/force that.) Age gaps aren't always predatory or awful XD The only cringe thing was that I was closer in age to the guy's parents than I was to him! XD
Load More Replies... Tabitha 5 months ago (edited)
Two of the commenters above stated what my suspicions are. 1) Parents want OP dating, then marrying or at least reproducing with, a man and giving them grandchildren so they can have a parenting do-over by being grandparents, even though that’s only parenting once in a while, so no change from their last effort (or lack of). 2) Parents are getting old now, and want to be sure they’ll have a free caretaker to change their diapers and wait hand and foot on them. F**k that noise X 2. OP is happy, they’re not a teenager so the age gap is merely academic, so she should just write her parents off as not worth her time and effort, and go on to make her own family, populating it with people who actually care about her. Down the line, if she and her partner want to adopt or do IVF to have a child or two, then that’s their decision. If they really do not want kids, that’s their decision too. It is their life together, not her parents, her aunts and uncles, or anyone else’s life, so the rest of them need to STFU and butt TF out. OP would be better off going full NC with them. I was estranged from my parents after leaving home at 18. When I was in my forties, my mother had died and my father was not doing well, so my oldest brother and I reached out. We had hoped age had mellowed him and helped him understand that he was a terrible father. Oh, he put on a good act while we were getting him back on his feet and functioning. Once he felt stronger, he went right back to his old ways, no changes, not even asking if he was a good or bad father, so definitely no attempt to make amends or apologize. He died still absolutely positive he was the best father ever, just like my mother died thoroughly convinced she was the most wonderful mother ever. They were both terrible people who should never have had one child, much less five. TBH, if my mother had married just about anyone else, or divorced our father and remarried, maybe us kids would’ve at least had a chance at having semi-normal childhoods.
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