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Friendships are basically the center of a teenager’s universe, and losing access to them can feel like the end of the world.

So when a father told his daughter he wouldn’t be making the daily drive so she could stay with her friends at their school’s new location, she was crushed.

Now he’s not so sure he made the right call.

Keep reading for the full story.

WIBTA For Making my daughter go to a school where none of her friends are?

A month or so ago, the school my daughter (14, freshman) goes to, made the decision to move the school to the town over (because that school building is old).

The decision was (is) pretty controversial.

This has created a lot of drama in the household.

The problem is, where we live, instead of going to the new location, she will most likely have to go to a different school.

And according to her, most of her friends are going to the new location.

Even though the move won’t take place until she’s a junior, she’s saying when it happens she wants to go to the new school, which would be an almost 20 minute drive from our house.

I rejected the idea, because I think driving to and fro everyday will become a lot.

He further weighs the pros and cons of the idea.

My wife and I have flexible work schedules (business owners) but I still feel it’s a bit much.

There’s kids in our neighborhood that will probably also be going, who she can get acquainted with.

He also worries about the potential impacts on his daughter’s social life.

Where I feel I (and my wife, and my daughter) may be wrong — I moved cities when I was a kid the summer before high school, and I didn’t make a lot of friends because of that.

Obviously I had my school acquaintances but I didn’t have any super close friends.

But since my daughter found out she’s been pretty upset over my current standing.

WIBTA?

Building strong friendships as a teen is arguably just as important as the schoolwork itself.

What did Reddit have to say?

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A short drive seems like a small price to pay for his daughter’s happiness.

Perhaps this whole thing is getting blown way out of proportion.

This commenter underscores the importance of his daughter’s friendships.

Perhaps his daughter would even be able to drive herself.

At the end of the day, every parent has to make some sacrifices for their child’s happiness.

If you enjoyed this story, check out this post about a high school student whose manager insists on scheduling them during school hours.

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Author

Benjamin Cottrell

Benjamin Cottrell | Assistant Editor, Internet Culture

Benjamin Cottrell is an Assistant Editor and contributing writer at TwistedSifter, specializing in internet culture, viral social dynamics, and the moral complexities of online communities. He brings a highly analytical, editorial voice to his reporting on workplace conflicts, malicious compliance, and interpersonal drama, with a specific focus on nuanced stories that lack an obvious villain.

As a published author of rhetorical criticism, Benjamin leverages his academic background in human communication to dissect and elevate viral social media threads. Instead of simply summarizing events, he provides readers with balanced, deep-dive commentary into why the internet reacts the way it does. In addition to his cultural reporting, he is an experienced fine art photography essayist and video game reviewer.

When he isn’t analyzing the latest viral debates, Benjamin is usually chipping away at his extensive video game backlog, hunting down the best new restaurants, or out exploring the city with a camera in hand.

Connect with Benjamin on Instagram and read more of his essays on Substack.