A college drop-off day should be full of hugs, encouragement, and maybe a few tears—but for one family, it turned into an awkward confrontation.

A father, frustrated by what he saw as over-involvement from his wife and dependency from his daughter, decided to dish out some “tough love” too.

It didn’t go over well…

Find out why below!

AITA to tell my daughter not to be so needy?

I (55m) have been married to my wife (51f) for 29 years.

We recently moved our 19 yo daughter into her college apartment.

My wife had already helped move in the day before, and we had to help finish up the process.

Upon arrival, we moved the boxes into her apartment.

After we took all of her things in, I figured we were done.

My wife informed me that she was going to help our daughter unpack and get settled in.

I asked how long it would take, and she told me about an hour.

I waited in the living room as my wife and daughter unpacked.

After an hour, I went in to see how much longer they would be, and my wife was busy helping our daughter decorate.

Like mother, like daughter.

I politely said that our daughter didn’t need help with decorating, and that she had plenty of time to decorate the next day before classes started.

My wife told me that she was going to help, and that since we didn’t have any other plans, time shouldn’t matter.

My wife does a lot for our kids, and I think that because they are young adults, they can do things for themselves.

This is one of those cases.

When it was time to leave, we drove our daughter to the music building, because she had an audition for vocal ensemble.

My wife got teary eyed and gave her a hug goodbye.

I got out of the car and told my daughter that I didn’t mean to offend her, but what if something happened to either of her parents?

What would she do?

She needed to stop being so needy.

Wow.

My daughter got mad and said I ruined everything.

My wife yelled at me and said that she wished I hadn’t even come.

I walked away.

Finally, I got in the car, and we drove home in silence.

AITA?

Redditors have pretty strong opinions on who’s in the right here…

Dad’s definitely the AH.

Mom was juts mom-ing and Dad ruined it.

Hopefully his daughter forgives him eventually…

Dad traded hugs for lectures and got a one-way ticket to AH-ville.

This guy is a real piece of work.

If you liked that story, read this one about grandparents who set up a college fund for their grandkid because his parents won’t, but then his parents want to use the money to cover sibling’s medical expenses.