Lifestyle News Desk, Almost every child shares a unique relationship with their father. While some grow up to idolize their father and place him at the center of their universe, there are some who have a more difficult relationship with their fathers. Be it due to childhood trauma that you never recovered from, a parent who struggled with substance abuse or even being a child of divorce; There may be many reasons why your relationship with your dad is strained. It may have been like this for years together, but if you want to bridge the gap, read on. Here are some tips on how you can have a better relationship with your estranged father.
Initiate contact through a loved one
If you want to reconcile or start a conversation, but taking the initiative might be harmful for you, simply ask a loved one to contact them on your behalf. It could be a sibling, your mother or even a grandparent who makes the first move for you. You can join them for a family dinner, have coffee together or even exchange Christmas or Diwali cards for a soft start.
Don’t dwell on hurts from the past
There is bound to be pain and resentment on both sides. Therefore, a good way to start fresh is to bury the past and avoid talking about it if it might hurt the other party. If you want to let them improve, give them time to open up to you, but don’t demand forgiveness, no matter how serious their mistakes were in the past.
Have a short meeting or call
It is unlikely that your relationship will be settled immediately after the first meeting. So, when you meet your father, keep it short and polite. Don’t be offended by his/her words and frame your sentences without passive aggression so as not to hurt his/her feelings.
Apologize to ease the burden on yourself
Don’t expect to bond with them immediately as if it’s all water under the bridge. You need to accept that although you may be willing to apologize, they may not be in the same place. Therefore, make your apology only if it makes you feel good.
