The age-old question of whether there are people who don't like dogs is finally answered on this popular Reddit thread on the Am I the A**hole Subreddit.
My wife (39F) and I (42M) have three sons, Alex (15), Dylan (11), and Jake (8). I always wanted a dog when I was a kid, but my parents said no. I never got the chance to get one during my twenties, but recently my interest in owning one was sparked again, so I asked my family what they thought about getting a dog.
My wife wasn’t enthusiastic about it, but she relented after a few weeks of me asking. Alex and Jake were excited to get one, but Dylan immediately opposed the idea.
Dylan was always different from my other sons; he never had an interest in sports and was always more subdued than his brothers, which made it hard for me to connect with him.
He remained opposed to getting a dog, but my other sons and I managed to wear him down until he finally relented. However, he said that if we did get a dog, he wouldn’t be interacting with it or taking care of it; that would be entirely on his brothers and me. I found this ridiculous, but I agreed, hoping he would change his mind after meeting the dog.
The problem is he hasn’t changed his mind yet. We’ve had Zeus for seven months, and Dylan has not warmed up to him.
He doesn’t play with the dog, he doesn’t cuddle with him, he doesn’t let Zeus into his room because he “destroys stuff,” and whenever he is near the dog, he ignores him. I find this completely ridiculous. Zeus loves Dylan; he follows him whenever he sees him and jumps on him to get his attention and play, but Dylan isn’t receptive to it.
To change this, I told Dylan last week that he would be in charge of walking the dog every day after school. Dylan straight-up refused and shut down the conversation every time I brought it up. It’s been a week, and he hasn’t walked the dog.
In my frustration, I told him that if he didn’t start listening, I wouldn’t allow him to go to the comic book store anymore, and he freaked and told my wife. Now, my wife is upset with me, claiming that I knew what I was getting into with this, and I knew that Dylan wouldn’t be playing with the dog, but his intolerance of the dog is weird, and I refuse to entertain it any longer.
My wife has been short with me since that conversation, and Dylan is cold with me. Alex is now agreeing with his mother which is making me have second thoughts. So Reddit, AITA?
When someone googles 'total a**hole' I'm guessing your photo pops up first. You're a manipulative husband and a cr*ppy father who doesn't like it when he can't get his own way. YTA
Let me get this straight.
Your son doesn’t like sports so it’s “hard for you to connect with him. “
He didn’t want a dog but you got one anyway and when he didn’t change his mind you punished him
The one hobby you say he does like, comics, you want to ban him from until he shows interest in your hobby.
Why do you go so far out of your way to make it clear you have no interest in getting to know your son, you just want to change him into someone who you have things in common with? Why not spend some time trying to learn about his interests instead of forcing yours on him? Do you really think you turn the dog into a punishment that will make him not resent the dog?
YTA if that wasn’t obvious.
YTA (You're the A**Hole)
So, you are three people who want a dog and could care for the dog, but your son who didn't want the dog HAS TO even though you TOLD him, he wouldn't have to.
What you teach your son:
you are a liar
it is okay to not take care of own responsibilities
you punish him intentionally because he isn't you