<p>Okay, so there is this birthday party for my cousins at my grandma’s retirement home. And my dad that I have not seen for 2 years is supposed to be there. Now, my dad is an alcoholic and is a mess and I can’t stand having to see him or be around him. </p>
<p>I refused to go to the party because I didn’t want to see my dad.
Because I refused to go to the party, my mom told me that…</p>
<p>-she won’t allow me to take viola lessons anymore
I cannot go on the trip to France this summer that she was going to pay 1/2 of the cost for.</p>
<p>I think that this is so over-the-top…I should get to choose if I interact with my loser dad, right??</p>
<p>I agre with catsushi. Do this as a favor to your grandmom and cousin. If you skip the party, you’ll be punishing them, which wouldn’t be right. You don’t have to be lovey dovey with your dad. Just be polite, so as to be kind particularly to your grandmom, whose son I assume your dad is. Don’t add to her pain. If he’s an alcoholic and is a “mess,” your grandmom is in enough pain due to him already.</p>
<p>I agree with the above posts. Definitely go to the party that way you can get the things that you want and you won’t be punishing your grandmother and cousin.</p>
<p>You should go to the party… I think <em>you’re</em> the one overreacting here. Threatening you might not be the most rational approach for your mother to take, but don’t take it for granted that your mother is paying for your music lessons and trips abroad (partially).</p>
<p>I would probably think that my mother was overreacting if she threatened to take away my flute lessons, too. But what else can you do? It’s not worth it to get in a fight with your mother and risk losing the lessons and trip.</p>