Neglect can take a lot of different forms.

It’s not always as clear cut as something like underfeeding, or being left alone.

Sometimes it’s about just not coming through, like this story.

This mother takes care of her child, but she never seems to keep her promises.

Let’s read the whole story.

AITA for asking my mother why she never keeps her promises towards me?

Ever since I was a child, my mother would always promise me to get me things, whether it was toys, experiences, anything.

But I would never get them.

I grew up as a shy kid, I always followed the rules and did my best for everything.

I always was first in my class at school, I never asked for anything, I would literally wear the same clothes and never ask to go shopping.

The point is, I did my best as a kid because I did not want my mother to struggle with me

But it gets worse.

She would always ask me what I wanted as a birthday gift, and I always told her I didn’t want any gifts, I just wanted for her to put aside some money for my future (even 50€ per month would be enough).

She never did.

She promised me a vacation to LA (it was my dream city growing up) if I graduated high school with a high score.

Guess what. I did.

Did we go on the vacation? No.

Did I at least get something? No.

This person is truly driven.

I went to university, I got a bachelor’s. I got a master’s. I have just graduated.

I am the first in the family to go to university and get a master’s degree.

I did not ask for anything in return.

But my mother promised me that we would go to New York City as a graduation gift for my master’s.

He had good reason not to believe her.

I told her I did not believe her.

I just ignored her and did my best to not get my hopes up.

But she kept talking to me about this trip for weeks.

She said she was looking for flights and hotels and activities.

I tried my best not to get my hopes up, I really did but part of me still wanted to believe her.

Guess what. We did not go.

And then it’s back to the party pooping.

She told me “I will throw a party to celebrate, invite all of your friends!” so I did.

But then she told me “I won’t throw a party, money’s short,” so I had to uninvite everyone.

I have to say it hurts.

I never ask for anything but she keeps promising me things and be very convincing but then I end up hurt and disappointed.

Do not promise anything if you can’t keep your promises.

Excuses, excuses.

“Money’s short.”

She bought herself the new iPhone, a skinny treatment (it’s like frozen massages to get skinnier) that cost 2000€, hair extensions that cost her at least 500€.

Even just inviting friends at home with snacks would have cost less than 50€

Then the fake righteous indignation starts up.

I asked her why she keeps doing that to me as it hurts me, and she got so angry that she stormed out the house and told me that she would never come back.

AITA? I already asked her a few times before but she always reacted the same way.

I just want an answer. It’s like a wound that never heals.

I tried having a normal conversation with her, but she always ends up shouting at me to stop talking.

It has to be hard growing up with a mother who keeps getting your hopes up only to disappoint you.

How did Reddit feel about this mother’s false promises?

The comments were predictably sympathetic:

Sometimes what can feel like a unique situation is sadly common manipulation:

Here’s some new terminology:

Some users had a very specific guess at why she made these false promises.

You can love someone without putting up with their nonsense.

If you thought that was an interesting story, check this one out about a man who created a points system for his inheritance, and a family friend ends up getting almost all of it.