Canadian couple elopes to Australia after the father of the bride ignores his daughter's request not to bring his girlfriend to the family-only ceremony: ‘I was the person whose feelings were easiest to dismiss.’

At what point is it okay for a parent to totally dismiss their children's requests?

Having divorced parents can take its toll on any child, even after years and lots of therapy bills. The conflicts between the parents can directly affect their kid's mental health, even unintentionally. Even more so when one or both parents get back into the dating game again and bring strangers they are dating into their lives who now have to be a part of the children's lives. 

Redditor u/ohshesplastic had an uncomfortable experience with her dad and his entitled girlfriend. The bride was planning to sign the paperwork to elope with her fiancé legally, and invited both parents to witness the signing of the documents. She specifically told her dad not to bring his girlfriend of one year, whom she's met only three times. It was going to be a small ceremony with just three or four close family members. The dad completely ignored her and brought the girlfriend anyway. When the daughter approached the girlfriend to try to be welcoming, the girlfriend was cold and dismissive of her. The dad's excuse? He didn't like conflict or having to tell his girlfriend she wasn't invited. Of course, the daughter felt unloved and abandoned. 

These are the kinds of actions that make children estranged from their parents. After a few years, the dad could break up with his girlfriend and then start complaining to his friends, saying, "I don't get why my daughter doesn't visit me anymore." You want to know why? It was because you didn't respect her boundaries and prioritized someone else's wishes over your own daughter's, that's why, Harold. 

Every parent is entitled to move on after a divorce or a breakup, we're not discussing that. The problem is, just because the parent moves on, doesn't mean their children did. They already have a family, and you can't impose your wishes on them. You have a right to have a girlfriend; she has a right to choose who goes to her wedding, especially if she's only met this so-called girlfriend three times. 

So, if there's one good thing that we can all learn from this, for all that's good and proper, please, respect people's boundaries and don't question wedding invitations. We will all live better and with less distress if we do it. And most importantly, we'll keep our relationship with our families intact.