My parents will die and I will feel no different
Child of estranged parents for seven years now. If I’m totally honest, we had a estrangement for years off and on before that. Not just me, but my brother has gone no contact with them too which I think speaks volumes. If one kid doesn’t speak to you, perhaps it was a strained relationship. If all your kids don’t speak to you, I think you probably should consider some self reflection. Growing up my parents weren’t physically abusive. I can’t say there was sexual abuse either. However, the mental and emotional abuse was plentiful. We were middle class and the nuclear family. It looked very nice to everybody else on the outside but inside it was hell. The second I turned 17 and I couldn’t wait to get out of there. And I did. And then my brother did. It’s bad enough they were awful to both of us…but then they missed out on my children’s entire childhood too. Didn’t even try. It didn’t bother them. We were always an afterthought. At one point they even had the nerve to brag to my brother and I that they were spending all of our inheritance. It’s almost like they take pride in the fact that they barely raised us…provided no support system emotionally, financially or otherwise beyond their legal obligation to (food, shelter, clothes when we were children) and also will leave us nothing. I guess the reason I’m posting this is because I wanted to ask if anyone else has experienced this and what your thoughts are on it? Because I’m 38 and my parents are in their late 70s. Neither my brother nor I have a desire to reconcile with them. And I’m left with the notion that when they die, I will feel neither sadness nor relief. Just indifference.