Relationships,FamilyNOV 30, 2025

“AITA For Telling My Dad His Favorite Christmas Memory Is One Of My Least Favorite?”

Dominyka Proškėnaitė, Miguel Ordoñez and Jonas Žvilius

For many people, Christmas is about family. They either spend time with their loved ones or remember those who have passed on.

This woman wanted to spend Christmas Eve remembering her late mother. Instead, her father brought along his wife and children, ultimately ruining what would have been a sweet and meaningful commemoration.

She tried talking to her dad about it, only to receive a hefty dose of gaslighting. The manipulation made her wonder whether her grievances were valid or if she was being out of line.

But her father found a way to turn the tables

Image credits: Humble-Ad-9507

Parental manipulation is often a result of poor emotional regulation

The woman had a valid point, which she brought up to her father. Unfortunately for her, he turned the tables and made it seem as if she were being unreasonable.

Such reactions are typically a byproduct of poor emotional regulation, according to Paadreatic First Aid founder, Sarah Jeffries.

“When parents feel cornered, manipulation can be a quick way to regain control, avoid shame, or dodge accountability,” Jeffries told Bored Panda, adding that learned family patterns can often drive such behavior.

Poor emotional regulation may result in a mix of negative emotions. According to therapist and Chicago Healing Connection owner Robin Shannon, it can be a maelstrom of grief, shame, and fear of losing the relationship, which results in manipulation to avoid the “uncomfortable truth.”

“Some parents rely on guilt, emotional appeals, or rewriting the story because they never learned how to sit with accountability,” she explained, clarifying that they may be trying to protect their own sense of “being a good parent” rather than exerting power and control over their children.

Trauma psychotherapist and Boketto Center founder Liz Eiten describes such behavior as a “systemic issue” in American culture. According to her, it’s when people refuse to take accountability when causing pain to others because of the risk of being “viewed as weak.”

What causes more damage is the lack of awareness that many of these parents have in terms of the damage they are causing to their children. Jeffries pointed out the typical tactic of justifying their actions as something “for your own good,” while others simply lack insight because of defensiveness, anxiety, or substance use, which narrows their perspective.

Some parents do realize their mistakes, but only when it’s too late. But as Shannon explains, they may still refuse to make amends.

“Awareness usually comes much later, when they finally realize the child has pulled away or no longer trusts them. Some parents never make the connection because it requires them to face painful parts of themselves,” she said.

Image credits: gpointstudio (not the actual image)

Setting boundaries with a manipulative parent requires a “layered” approach

It can be challenging to reason with and set boundaries with a manipulative parent, which is why Jeffries advises a “layered” approach. As she explains, it should be “safety first, then boundaries, then communication style.”

“Use time buffers to break urgency. ‘I’ll think about it, or ‘I’ll reply tomorrow at 10 am,” she advises, emphasizing that communication must be short and factual without justifying, arguing, defending, or explaining to avoid circular debates.

Jeffries also urges written communication to create a record, along with predictable routines such as avoiding off-limits topics beforehand.

Meanwhile, Shannon urges a gradual approach, declining invitations, and slowing contact.

“The goal is not to convince the parent of your perspective, but to protect yourself from the pattern,” she stated.

Acceptance is another effective response that Eiten advocates. As she noted, coming to terms with the reality of the situation allows grieving that the parent will never be there in a way that they should be.

“Young adults can use that acceptance to set appropriate boundaries to protect their emotional well-being and decide what they want their relationship with their parents to look like moving forward,” Eiten explained.

The fact that the father refused to think about his daughter’s emotional state already warrants no contact. It may benefit the woman to distance herself while also seeking professional support to help her navigate through the pain.