Man Refuses Teen Daughter’s Request to Grieve Mother’s Death

A man is being slammed on Reddit for refusing to allow his 16-year-old daughter to take time off from school to grieve her mother’s death.

Sharing his situation on the forum, the frustrated father admitted he feels “conflicted” about his decision and wonders if he made a “huge mistake.”

“Since my wife’s passing, life has been tough for the both of us. Dealing with my own grief while trying to provide for her has been a challenge. My daughter has been extremely, extremely distraught; and I can see how much she’s struggling emotionally. However, when she asked me for time off from school to process her grief, I ended up prioritizing her academic performance instead,” he wrote in his post.

The man, who has “always been a stickler for education,” explained that his daughter “is a bright student who excels in her studies.” So when she approached him to ask for time off from school, he “couldn’t help but think about how it would impact her grades and future prospects.”

“I was concerned that missing school would lead to a drop in her academic performance and potentially hinder her chances of getting into a good college,” he continued. Instead of allowing her to take some time off, he suggested that “maintaining a routine and focusing on her education would provide stability and keep her on track.”

His daughter was devastated.

“She accused me of not caring about her feelings and prioritizing her school performance over her emotional well-being. She believes that I’m being callous and unfeeling, dismissing her need for ‘time to heal,'” he wrote.

In the comments section, Reddit users slammed the man for refusing to allow his daughter to grieve and offered suggestions on how he can help the teen.

“She needed time to grieve. A couple of weeks out of school won’t ruin her academic results. I know this is hard, and I am sorry for your loss, but you need to stop being lazy. Get her teachers involved and make sure she can take the rest she deserves while staying on track with school. I am sorry for your loss,” one user wrote.

“You absolutely should have given your daughter time off from school to process her grief. I know your wife died, but your daughter is a child, and her mother died! If she’s a great student, all the more reason to know that a break won’t ruin her future! Have a heart, man,” someone else wrote.

“My mom passed my senior year. My dad allowed me to take online classes that semester, and I still graduated with my class with the same prospects I had before. Her grades will mean nothing if her mental health isn’t treated as a priority through this time. It will catch up to her, but at that time, she won’t trust you to be a source of support,” another commented.