you don’t owe your parents anything. zero. zilch.
having a child is not a unique experience that warrants special treatment; almost anyone can do it, people have been doing it since the beginning of civilization.
your parents are the ones who chose to have/keep a child. they knew what the responsibilities were. providing you with food, shelter, clothing, affection, and care are their duties and moral/legal obligations as parents, not a favor they’ve done for you.
you especially don’t owe your parents a fucking thing if they’ve been physically, emotionally, or verbally abusive to you. you don’t owe them anything that any other person would have to earn from you–not love and certainly not respect. they don’t get to treat you like shit and disrespect you your whole life, and then demand that you respect them. respect is a two-way street, my friends.
you do not owe your parents grandchildren. you are your own person with your own life and autonomy, and you know what’s best for you. you are not here so that your parents can have grandchildren. if you don’t want children, do not let your parents pressure you into having them, because chances are you’re going to end up resenting them. no child deserves to be resented by their parents.
you are well within your rights to cut your parents out of your life at the soonest possible moment. don’t let anyone make you feel bad for packing up and never looking back as soon as you’re done with school, as soon as you’re financially stable and have a job, as soon as you have any chance to get out.
you do not owe your parents anything in return for them fulfilling or failing to fulfill their responsibilities as parents.
