A 16-year-old has been giving his dad birthday gifts since he was little, with the help of his surrogate grandparents.

But after his dad’s new family became his priority, the son felt neglected and decided to skip his dad’s birthday celebrations.

He’s hoping it gets his point across.

Read on for the story.

AITA for ignoring my dad’s birthday and not getting him a gift?

Ever since I (16m) was a little kid I got my dad a birthday gift with the help of my (surrogate) grandparents. My mom died when I was 2 so it was me and dad for a lot of years.

Dad and I used to be really close. Then when I was 10 he met Jen and he met her kids who were 18 months and 3 years old at the time.

Dad and Jen fell in love pretty fast and they moved in together a few months after they met.

Jen was divorced and her kids dad wasn’t around. So my dad decided he needed to step up and be a good dad to them.

One day, it’s you and dad against the world, and the next, it’s a full-on Brady Bunch situation.

He told me things would change but I was still his son and he’d make time for me. But ever since he decided Jen’s kids were going to be his, he let me down a lot.

It started with us having plans and him having to cancel because one of the kids was sick.

Then it was they had a play or a game he needed to be there for.

Or it was they had decided to have one of the kids birthday parties early and dad needed to be there.

But he wasn’t doing the same for me.

When I got sick he’d send me to my grandparents or expect me to stay with Jen while he did something with Jen’s kids.

If I had something on he’d apologize for missing it and would say he had plans with Jen’s kids.

Ah, the classic case of “I don’t time for my original kid.”

Oh, and the big thing that pisses me off is for the last 6 years (almost) he gives Jen’s kids credit and thanks them too when I buy him a gift.

Even when I tell him it’s from only me. He talks about it being teamwork to get him that.

I tried talking to dad. He admitted he let me down.

He told me he was afraid of Jen’s kids feeling rejected if he were to cancel with them for me. That he didn’t want them to feel like he loved me more when all three of us are equal.

I told him he cares more about them and he asked how I could say that after 10 years of having all his attention.

He asked me to think about the kids whose bio dad walked out on them and who could feel really unwanted if he were to let them down.

I told him I didn’t care about them or their feelings or whether they feel loved and wanted. I told him I don’t feel loved and wanted.

Oof, that’s a gut punch.

I feel resentful of the fact he gives them credit for my gifts, he cancels on me for them, but won’t give the same back.

He told me he can’t change it but he can try to let me down less. I told him he was putting them ahead of me and I told him I was done.

He can enjoy having two kids instead of three.

He didn’t think I would actually follow through. This big talk happened back in April.

Dad’s birthday was yesterday and I didn’t join in on any of the celebrations and I got him nothing. I didn’t even say happy birthday.

I knew they were going out for the day but I didn’t go and I knew ahead of time. When they got home dad was upset because I was on the couch playing video games.

He told me he’d missed me.

Jen told me I had really hurt my dad and was behaving like a child instead of a 16 year old.

AITA?

His dad is hurt, and Jen thinks he’s acting immaturely. Is he wrong for taking this stand?

Reddit says heck no.

This person has some solid advice.

And this person’s got the logic.

This person has all the questions.

Sometimes, no gift is the best gift.

Especially when it’s a message about how not to be an absentee parent.

If you enjoyed that story, read this one about a mom who was forced to bring her three kids with her to apply for government benefits, but ended up getting the job of her dreams.