I was in a messy divorce a few years ago. My oldest daughter (in college now) sided with her mother and hasn't spoken to me since. I keep buying her birthday presents and Christmas presents. I've been something of a people pleaser for a long time.
I don't want to write her off but I'm tired of extending my hand and getting nowhere. She also has a terrible attitude - she takes after her mother's feminist, anti-father, selfish, haughty, inconsiderate attitude. I feel by continuing to buy her presents I am rewarding her dishonor.
Still, she's young and young people are foolish. I expect she will grow out of it. I still love my daughter and I don't want to let her go. I also don't want to stoop to her level. Our culture is full of people turning their backs on their own family, and I don't want to be like that. Especially as the father I have a responsibility to keep my family together, as much as I can given the circumstances. But maybe that's just me being high-minded about myself, rationalizing my people pleasing tendency?
What would you advise, Anon Babble?