There’s something uniquely twisted about parents who treated you like a burden growing up suddenly remembering you’re family when it’s gift-giving season.

When an adopted son got a text from his father asking for Mother’s Day cash, he had to sit with the question of whether his mom had earned a single dollar.

The answer wasn’t a simple one.

Keep reading for the full story.

AITA for not wanting to give my parents money?

From a very young age my parents made it incredibly clear and loud they did not want me (by the way I’m adopted).

To them I was always a burden, I asked too many questions… I wanted to do things I wanted to do instead of being forced into sports and other activities they wanted me to do.

But his sibling, however…

My parents have always favoured my older brother (also adopted, he is my bio brother), but they always made time for him.

From buying him new phones every two weeks, allowing him to go out and do whatever he wanted to do, and even would cook him his own special meals and buy him anything he wanted, while I was given second hand clothes (now I’m not trying to bad mouth second hand clothes or anything) and treated like trash.

This made how his parents treated him even harder to take.

While he had free will, I had a lock on my door (not on the inside of my room — the outside) they would use every time I’d come home from school or the weekend.

Fast forward a little here — by the time I was 9 they packed up my stuff and dropped me off at a shelter, then did the same thing when I was 16-17.

Despite his bad childhood, he still tries to make the most of his relationship with his parents.

Eventually I moved out permanently, moved to the city but still tried to remain friendly with them, mostly because I felt like I should be if I ever had kids and part of me still craved for them to be in my life.

I spent 2 years trying to get them to visit when I was in the city (considering they made annual stops bi-weekly) but they gave half-***ed excuses i.e. “you live so far from us now” — I lived 30 minutes away without traffic, 40 with.

Even as an adult, his relationship with them continues to be incredibly fraught.

I’m 27 now and I’ve gone back to school, moved as far away as I can (or wanted to at this moment) and still it’s sad to say but I don’t think I want to have them in my life anymore.

The last time I saw them was only for an hour last year after 3 years of not seeing them because an hour is all they could take.

So when his father asked if he would chip in for a gift for his mother, he hesitated.

I’ve given them too many chances over and over again, and as I’m writing this my father texted me asking if I could send some money for Mother’s Day so my mom could get herself something nice.

I haven’t replied but in my head now I’m saying no — why would I give money to people who mistreated, abandoned, and left me?

On the other hand, he still feels a weird obligation.

But at the same time I also try to keep peace between us because I’m a lover not a fighter, but I am deeply conflicted. I don’t want to be rude but I also don’t see a point? If that makes sense?

And it’s not like I have money to spare either. I’m in school full time and I work part time. The money I have saved is my emergency fund. I had to move recently so it went down a couple thousand. But is it wrong to tell them no?

AITA?

What a strange situation to find yourself in.

Redditors chime in with their thoughts.

Blaming it all on his finances appears to be a fairly easy out.

Maybe it’s time to lean more into his relationship with his brother.

This commenter wouldn’t feel an ounce of obligation if they were in his shoes.

Now that he’s an adult, he gets to choose how involved he wants to be with his parents.

He spent his childhood being told he wasn’t wanted. He’s allowed to return the energy.

If you enjoyed this post, check out this story about a teen who has spent a decade raising her younger siblings, and thinks it’s time to walk away from her family for good.