If you were 5 years old and your father deserted you and your Mom but 20 years later you became famous and earning plenty of money and then the father who ignored you for all those years decides to show up, would you forgive or tell him to get lost?

John Lennon moment

Can't imagine

I can't say for sure... people mature, over time. It would take a long time to determine how I felt and if I could forgive him.

I would forgive him, but I wouldn't give him any money or anything like it. I doubt I'd ever be close to him.

Well I didn't make it to pop star status but my "father" did walk out when I was 3 & came back when I was 12 & wanted to be a part of my life. I was young & still had a lot of anger towards him. I was in my mid 20s when I realized that the anger was doing nothing to him, it was just holding me back. So w/out him asking nor knowing I forgave him.

But I said no, because in this scenario the guy was gone for 20 yrs, idk that I could. I do believe it is fully the responsibility of the absent parent to put the effort forth to see their child, it is not the child's place.

You would be 25 - if the person who donated sperm wanted me to have a relationship with him, he wouldn't be able to come up with a reason why I should. I could forgive a parent for freaking out and running away for a year maybe two, but NOT 20 years. Forgive? No way. Hold a grudge and be angry forever? No way. I would just carry on with my life like he never talked to me at all.

I would need to understand what had happened, why he left. And it would depend on what life was like with him in the picture. But I would have to have time to process it.

forgive him and tell him id moved and that he should do the same and then part company

I didnt talk to my father for 30 years after he moved half of my family 3,000 miles away leaving me and mom to fend for ourselves

there is no way i could forgive that

Give him a chance. People screw up I believe in second chances.

They should've at least tried to stay, if the mom kicked them out then that's a different story.

And I'd have enough money to file the restraining order.

I would not forgive immediately but over time I would.

But if he asked for money or any other help from me, I would tell him to pound salt.

Better late than never. You also have to consider his reasons for disappearing to begin with.

I would send him through college and insist he make good grades. If he failed to maintain, he would be dropped.

Come back when i'm poor again....

i'd go all 300

I would forgive but tell him I don't need him now and to get loss.

i wouldnt blame him for leaving my mother. i would just ask why he didnt take me with (:

I would forgive him but tell him to get lost the second he starts hinting or asking for money.

I would forgive him because not to would hurt me more than it would hurt him. That doesn't mean I would want him to be a part of my life. However, I would listen to his side of the story as to why he left. Depending on that reason would decide whether I wanted him to be a part of my life.

and then see how it goes with him

That would be putting it midly I would tell him you didn't have any use for me then I don't have no use for you now. He would never be forgiven by me.

I would forgive him but that doesn't mean I would give in to him. Interesting how that Karma works We really cannot walk in someone else's shoes and understand completely what they were experiencing at different times in their lives.

Bye loser

He's only there to get some money obviously.

Better find out why he left. In the end you might disown mom. I have a 23 year old girl asking me these questions. Her mother's ex husband did the DNA test and he is not the father. She didn't think he was because her mother has always said I was. She called me crying wanting to know why I was never there. She said she grew up in the shadow of a god. Her mother loved me and I was the man of legend. I sat and listened to her and said I was sorry and that I claim her. My son got upset and demanded DNA Test. I asked him to be man enough to leave it alone but he won't. I am a good man and don't want to see this girl hurt. See I told her mother a woman who worshiped the ground I walked on and for 17 years she chased me. When she was pregnant I said we'd do blood test and if the baby was mine I'd marry her. She said forget it and moved to Ohio where she begged me to move. See there were two other guys that I knew she was sleeping with and she was a high paid prostitute. See I don't want this girl to find this out but the odds are she isn't mine and now she's going to find out mom lied. We've done the test and my fingers are crossed that she's mine and secrets can remain secrets. Men have away with bearing all the weight off all the wrongs that happen in relationships.

unless it is your own father, it is very hard to make an instant choice, he may have had reasons that your mother never told you about and so i would give him a chance to explain and it would need for him to be back in my life for a long time before he would benefit from my money....

There is no right or wrong answer to this one. It has happened to many people. Some embrassed and some walked away. This may be one of the most personal decisions a person can make. This is an affair of the heart.

That's pretty much my life story, except for the famous part. I would forgive him, but I wouldn't hang out with him or get him gifts or talk or stuff. Just forgive him.

Sounds like Barry Manilow or Lauren Bacall's story, both had fathers who deserted them when they were young and both came back when they became famous. I'd have to hear an explanation and yell and scream a bit beforehand.

Id forgive him but I wouldnt judge those who would not.

yes

Id probably rip his ass a new one and then id give him a hug and hear him out if all he wanted was money i'd throw him out on his ass.