My (65 F) granddaughter (18 F) had told me this week that apparently been planning on going to meet her "online friend" and their parents in the next state over. She and this person have apparently known eachother for over a year, and have been planning on this trip for a few months, and has planned to go this March. She has a full time job and had been saving up on her own to do this apparently.
However, my problem is that her "friend" comes from an extremely liberal family, and is currently a girl pretending to be a boy. She tried to sell this individual to her parents and I, as a boy, instead of telling us the truth. On top of it all, the state She is going to is also very liberal, and is full of immigrants and ICE protests. She claims to know these people through countless video and phone calls, and have given us all their numbers. but with how advanced AI is, she could be talking to anyone.
She was still very insistent on going, so instead of outright refusing, I had her cancel the plane tickets (which she got because she said she’d have to pass through 2 major cities, and isn’t that comfortable driving.) And instead, am having her pay for the gas for us both to drive there, and also pay for most of the hotel we’re staying at together.
But the other day she exploded at me, telling me that this trip was for her and her internet "friend," and she doesn’t want me there, because I’m apparently "always inserting myself in her life." She’s mad because apparently her friend’s parents invited *her* and not the both of us, and because I’m not willing to let the two girls run around going and doing whatever they want. And I also want to meet these people for myself.
After her meltdown, she eventually agreed to my terms, but is mad still because the site she used to book the plane tickets isn’t giving her a credible refund to use for our hotel.
AITAH?
TL;DR
18 year old granddaughter wants to go out of state to meet someone she met on the internet, I won’t let her go on her own, and instead gave her the option to pay the majority of the trip for both of us, but she doesn’t want me there.
She’s an adult, and so it really isn’t up to you where she goes.
YTA, controlling, strange, and your post smell like old people.
“a girl pretending to be a boy” sounds like OP is transphobic.
I think there’s some valid concerns with meeting people online especially with AI advancement but yeah you can’t really control an 18 y/o adult. The rest of her concerns are silly “oh they’re liberal and they have immigrants over there. God I feel like this post is AI
Of course she doesn’t want a bigot to go with her.
YTA
YTA and a horrible bigot.
This has to be baiting us lmao, no way…
Yup100%. Move on
95% sure this is fake post, but I’m bored. Sounds like your granddaughter is secretly a liberal! She’s 18 so if you aren’t financing it how do you have any control? I would be nervous about a young person I cared about going cross country to meet someone they have never seen in person, but not for the silly OAN reasons you are. YTA
YTA. She’s an adult, and if she’s liberal then that’s none of your business.
YTA. A bully and an ignorant bigot.
Enjoy spending time with your granddaughter while you can (albeit not through her choice).
She’ll leave you behind soon enough.
YTA. You know you are. Maybe if you ask this same question to a conservative Facebook group you will get the hateful answer you are looking for.
There’s no way this is real
Be careful granny. You are very close to losing a granddaughter. Your bigotry is showing loud and clear.
YTAH and a bigot. I’m sure you’ll be surprised pikachu face when she goes no contact.
YTA. Completely. Why would she want you going with, when you are so horribly disrespectful and rude? At your big grown age you should have better manners, couth and decency towards others.