My daughter, Amy, began distancing herself from me when she turned 18. Over the years, she shut me out of her life completely—I wasn’t invited to her graduation, her engagement, or other important milestones. Because of that, our relationship has remained strained, and we hardly speak.
Amy now has two young boys, and recently, to my surprise, she reached out. At first, I was hopeful that maybe we could reconnect. We had a conversation, but before long, she began expressing how overwhelmed she felt raising her children without support.
Eventually, she asked me to start babysitting every Saturday and to “be a good grandparent.” That’s when I told her the truth: she had broken our bond years ago, and after being pushed away for so long, I couldn’t just step into that role now.
She immediately called me selfish and then blocked me everywhere.
Now I’m left wondering—was I wrong to refuse her request after everything that happened between us? I’d appreciate some perspective and honest advice.