17-year-old son refuses to go on family cruise with parents, his mom demands $2,000 to reimburse for the ticket, sparking backlash from him: “I won’t be moving back with you”

Author image for Briana Viser
Briana Viser • Writer and Editor
May 18, 2025 12:00 PM EDT

Hey there internet enthusiasts. If there's one thing in life that we all have frustrations with, as well as great love for, it's family. There's something so complicated about family dynamics. We don't get to choose our family members, that's part of it. You could be born into a household you resent, or have a child that you just can't seem to make right no matter how hard you try. Sometimes the apple doesn't fall far from the tree, and sometimes it falls so far that you can't even recognize the person, or how they're related to you. We all have family members we get along with, and ones we don't. One could be incredibly close with his or her mother, and deeply against their father. It's common to have a better relationship with one of the parents. Sometimes I wonder if our parents feel the same about their children, but wouldn't say it. I'm assuming they do. Hey, we're all human, even our parents. 

In the story below it centers around a family, and the narrator is a teenage boy who doesn't have a good relationship with his father. Due to his tensions with dad, it's starting to affect his relationship with his mother as well. Read the full story below for all the juicy details.

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  • 01

    AITAH for telling my mom she’s d*** to me after expecting me to pay $2000 for a cruise i’m not going on?

    "You owe me $2,000"
    via gilaxia from Getty Images Signature / Canva

    This image is for illustration only, and the subjects are models; the image does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 02
    I (17M) and my mom (40M) have had a rocky relationship for the past 4 months because of her relationship with my dad. My dad has never liked me or bonded with me due to him thinking I am an affair baby even though i'm not. My dad has belittled and controlled me
    via u/dragonflyreading
  • 03
    my entire life, and while my mom doesn't agree with it, doesn't do anything to prevent it. To give you an idea my family purposefully had their Christmas celebration while I wasn't home, i'm guessing so it wasn't obvious that they didn't get me anything. Meanwhile they had gotten my brother (15M) and sister
    via u/dragonflyreading
  • 04
    (7F) hundreds of dollars worth of gifts. Honestly i'm used to this sort of treatment but when I told some friends they said it wasn't right. Since I started dating my (18F) girlfriend 5 months ago my dad has upped the antics. Telling me my girlfriend will cheat on me soon, preventing me from seeing her,
    via u/dragonflyreading
  • 05
    basically trying to use her as another thing he can control me with. After a bad fight a week ago, my dad personally threatened my girlfriend and he then took my phone, car, and kicked me out of the house. During the fight he threatened to call the police on me,
    via u/dragonflyreading
  • 06
    I ran down the road and my mom and sister got in a car and we spent the night at a hotel. The next day though my mom went back because I guess she didn't have anywhere else to stay. Since then I have been staying with my girlfriend and her family who have
    via u/dragonflyreading
  • 07
    Cheezburger Image 10506106368
    via GreenOak's Images / Canva

    This image is for illustration only, and the subjects are models; the image does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 08
    been extremely kind and supportive. My mom told me she was going to leave my dad and buy a house within the next couple weeks. This has been a common conversation for years of her saying she'll leave my dad and never does so I don't know how much weight it holds. Now to recently. Yesterday my mom told me she booked our
    via u/dragonflyreading
  • 09
    family a week long cruise. All of us together, including my dad. After some back and forth with my mom of me saying I didn't want to spend a week with my dad, let alone on a cruise ship she told me if I didn't go I owed her $2000, the cost of my ticket. I told my mom I never wanted to speak to her again and that even if she buys a house |
    via u/dragonflyreading
  • 10
    won't be moving back in with her. I don't even know where they are planning on going or when it is. But on the other hand maybe it could be fun? I have a bad relationship with my dad and brother and from the looks of it me and my mom are heading down that path. But I do have a great relationship with my
    via u/dragonflyreading
  • 11
    little sister. I know i'm young so maybe i'm just not seeing the bigger picture. Am I the j for not wanting to pay $2000 for a cruise | didn't even want to go on in the first place?
    via u/dragonflyreading
  • 12
    writesgud ⚫ 13h ago Setting boundaries with your mom & dad: NTA. He's crazy and she's dysfunctionally enabling him. You do not owe her $2,000. She didn't ask you beforehand and being trapped on a ship with your parents doesn't sound like a good time.
    via u/writesgud
  • 13
    FEDERAL RESERVE OTE FEDERAL RESERVESOTE FEDERAL FEDERAL RESERVE NOTE FEDERAL RESERVE NOTE, FEDERAL FEDERAL RESERVE NOTE KB 88145515 FEDERAL RESERVE CANZ FEDERAL RESERVE NOTE HG 36341584 B G7 UNITEDS OFAMER 100 HG 36341584 B 100
    via DAPA Images / Canva

    This image is for illustration only, and the subjects are models; the image does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 14
    Be careful about your relationship with your siblings though. You need to make clear that you still care for and want a relationship with them, but you just can't live at home anymore because of the way your parents treat you (but
    via u/writesgud
  • 15
    not them. That distinction is important because you don't want to put them in the middle of this fight).
    via u/writesgud
  • 16
    Your parents will try to turn your siblings against you, and claim you abandonded them.
    via u/writesgud
  • 17
    Be honest and genuine with your siblings about what's going on, but don't put your siblings in the middle of the fight, especially your little sister. Just let her know it's something between just you & your parents, and she has nothing to do with it. Do not encourage your siblings to take a side!
    via u/writesgud
  • 18
    I'm sorry you have to deal with all this. Good luck!
    via u/writesgud
  • 19
    VariousTry4624 • 12h ago NTA. And make sure any bank accounts and credit/debit cards you have are in your name only. If your parents are on any of them empty the accounts and cancel them. Move out as soon as you possibly can. Good luck.
    via u/VariousTry4624
  • 20
    Cybermagetx • 13h ago Nta. But call the cops on your dad. He kicked you out. He is legally responsible for you. Your mom is just as bad.
    via u/Cybermagetx
  • 21
    browneyedredhead... 12h ago Nta. But I'd tell dad you want a dna test if that's the root of this. Not to get closer to him, but to show him hrs the AH.
    via u/browneyedredhead1968
  • 22
    Dramatic-Ant-9364 • 13h ago Who books cruises in this situation? Who charges their kids for a vacation they never asked for? Your mom is in an relationship and needs to get counseling. Does your father beat her (and the kids)?
    via u/Dramatic-Ant-9364
  • 23
    Relative Scene9724 • 12h ago Three truths: You are definitely NOT the ah Your parents are awful. You deserve sivmuch better than this.
    via u/Relative Scene9724
  • 24
    I hope you're able to get away.
    via u/Relative Scene9724

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