Teen Faces Dilemma When Parents Who Left Her With Friends For 7 Years Return From ‘World Trip’ & Wish To Reunite

Aug 07, 2023

More often than not, a dysfunctional family leaves the family members in difficult situations owing to the circumstances that led them there. While some learn to live with it, others avoid such family dynamics. One teenage girl found herself between a rock and a hard place when the dysfunctional state of her family led her to explore tough decisions. 

The young girl, who described herself as a 17-year-old, recalled that years ago, her parents took off on an expedition and left her with a couple who were their friends. While they were away, their daughter settled into her new life, and many years down the line, she became accustomed to her guardians. When her parents informed her they were returning, she saw no need to be with them any longer. 

The teenager, posting under the username u/Intelligent_Horse_, reached out to the AITA subreddit on Reddit in July 2023 and opened up about her plight while wondering if she went over the top. She took readers back to when it all started, noting that her parents decided to go on a "world trip" seven years ago. The original poster (OP) indicated that she had been too young to join them, so they put her in the care of their best friends, a couple they had known "since elementary school." 

The OP's parents granted temporary guardianship to the couple she described as Pete and May before taking off on their global adventure. The teen explained that the couple lived on a ranch in Montana, and it took a while to settle into their lifestyle because she initially stayed in Chicago. She recalled: "I was (of course) really angry, depressed and sad at first because I felt like my parents abandoned me."

Once the initial stage was over, the OP gradually became used to living on a ranch. She explained how Pete and May helped her settle down and manage her feelings. She added: "They've always treated me like their own daughter and taught me so much. I learned how to ride horses and how to take care of them." The OP noted that she basically became their daughter as they showed her the ropes of running the ranch while she attended school virtually. At some point, Pete and May got the OP her own horse, and she loved it all. 

The OP relayed that ranch life "sits well" with her as she was "genuinely enjoying every second of my life." Although her parents were miles away from their home country, they kept in touch. The OP mentioned that they had "semi-regular contact," where they would talk on the phone every few weeks, get on video calls, and send emails and postcards. Despite initially feeling abandoned, she never really missed them. 

The teen stated that her world took another turn when her parents informed her that they were done traveling and ready to return home. She felt it was unfair because if they really missed her, they wouldn't have traveled for seven years. She also did not want to live with them. The OP stated that she enjoyed being close to nature and would not change it for anything. 

She added that Pete and May felt "more like my parents than my real parents." In an update attached to her post, the OP shared that she had a conversation with the couple, but "they didn't seem clear on many details." 

She asked them if she could continue living with them, and they reassured her. OP's update addressed some speculations from other Redditors. She addressed the notion that her parents could have been on the run from the law, stating that it could be true. She added that it was "a scary thought." 

She further explained that when her mom and dad first took her to live with Pete and May, they said it was for a short while, and they also agreed to visit often. However, none of their promises were fulfilled. Looking further into her parents' past, the OP stated that they had always been ''a bit strange." She included that they had "very little sense of responsibility, never taking things seriously, always getting in trouble." She concluded that they probably never grew out of that phase. The OP shared her decision:

"This coming weekend, I'm going to sit down with Pete and write a proper response to my parents because I don't think I'd be able to write a message without getting emotional. Hopefully… things will go like I want them to go…"  

Many fellow Redditors weighed in on the situation as they supported the OP. They made her understand that she was "NTA," judging from the circumstances. One person shared, ''This is basically abandonment." Another stated, "Maybe I'm being graceful, but to me, it sounds like they really didn't want to be parents." One person advised, "If you want to stay on the ranch, be honest with your parents about how much you love living there." 

Do you think the OP was right to make such a choice? What are your thoughts on how her parents took off years prior? Let us know, and be sure to pass this on to others.