Dear Blake,
I’m a senior in high school, and I come from a family that is financially stable but unable to travel often due to time and money constraints. We usually travel only once a year in the summer, and for the most part, we’re not able to travel very far or stay for long.
For the past three years, our vacation plans have been on hold due to the pandemic and other concerns. My parents have been on two trips across the country in the past 12 months. I accept that they’re a married couple and occasionally want to travel without the rest of their family. However, recently it came to my attention that Mom bought two tickets to Europe for her and Dad as a birthday gift. She used the money she had been saving for a family vacation to pay for them.
I feel betrayed. I was under the impression that we couldn’t afford a vacation at this time, or that we were still waiting for the chaos of the pandemic to settle before traveling, but my mother was happy to spend the money on a vacation for her and Dad.
My dad is turning 50, and I understand it’s a very special occasion. However, I can’t help but wonder why I haven’t received so much as a dinner after being accepted into my top college and earning two scholarships. Am I overreacting? If not, how should I address this?
Signed, Ronnie
From Duluth, Minnesota
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Dear Ronnie,
Obviously your parents can spend their money any way thy choose. However, if the only thing that’ll appease you is to “get even” with your them, then do so… ruthlessly. Here are some vicious options you may want to consider. If you and your parents are driving to a vacation spot, you can either eat some food that you know is going to upset your stomach to the point that will force them to stop at the nearest bathroom every couple of miles, or simply take twice the recommended dosage of an extra strength laxative. If it’s just your parents leaving town, find out what hotel they are staying in, and anonymously call the front desk, informing them that your parents are felons, with both being convicted of arson. And then let your mom and dad try to figure out why firemen are always outside their door. Or, go online an alter their plane ticket, changing the departure date and time, instead of three days from the time they arrive, to three hours. So by the time they go to baggage claim and had some fast food in an airport restaurant, it’ll be time for them to return home. And lastly, the next time you go on a vacation with them, once you arrive at the planned destiny, sneak out at night and take a Greyhound back home. While your parents are distraught assuming you have been abducted if not worse, as they coordinated searches with the local police, you should be having a wild party at home with all of rowdiest classmates. Also, make sure one of your friends will take you in after your parents return home and drop kick you out the front door, and out of their lives. I hope this helps.
Blake