Parents are the most important people in a child’s life, and when one of them abandons their kids, it is absolutely devastating.

What would you do if your father walked out when you were a young girl, and then now that you are an adult, he wants to reconnect?

That is what happened to the young woman in this story, but she is not interested in reconnecting.

Should she give her dad a second chance, or is she right to push him away?

Let’s read the whole story.

AITA for refusing to give my dad a second chance after he left us?

When I was 10, my dad walked out.

No warning.

One day he kissed me goodbye for school, and that night he was gone.

My mom cried every night for months, and I stopped asking where he went after the first few weeks.

No calls. No birthdays. Nothing.

Wow, that is a bold move.

Now I’m 24, and out of nowhere he messaged me on Facebook. Said he “misses his little girl” and wants to reconnect.

Apparently, he’s remarried, found God, and says he’s a changed man.

I ignored it at first, but he kept trying.

Eventually, I replied and said I wasn’t interested.

She can choose to let him back in her life if, and when, she wants.

He told some of our extended family, and now I’m getting messages from aunts and cousins saying I should forgive him. That “life is short” and “he’s trying.”

But I don’t think he gets to just pop back into my life because it’s convenient for him now.

I don’t hate him. I’m just… tired. Tired of pretending his absence didn’t mess me up.

Am I wrong for not wanting to open that door again?

AITA?

Forgiveness is a good thing and very important, but that doesn’t mean you have to open yourself up to the pain of dealing with that person again. She should leave open the option if she changes her mind someday, but for now, she is caring for herself.

Let’s see what the people in the comments on Reddit think about it.

Sadly, this person is almost certainly right.

He hasn’t really changed.

This would be a great response.

Correct, he bailed for the hard part.

I think this commenter is right.

Dad lost any right to a relationship with his daughter when he walked out.

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.