At first, we felt terrible for having you here to read a list of signs your dad doesn’t love you. But as a teenager, we want you to give a more comprehensive perspective (read: bitter truth). With our list, you will understand that this world has so much to offer; besides your uncountable blessings, there are also lessons to learn.
Our list of signs your dad doesn’t love you here is meant to analyze your dad’s behavior and help you navigate your position in the family and how to handle the situation. We’re sorry if, at the end of our list here, you will realize the darkest side of your dad. But one of the takeaways is, don’t be one.
1. He Doesn’t Listen to You
Even though your dad masters the concept of active listening, challenging skill to hone, if he doesn’t respect and love you, he won’t listen to you. A loving dad believes the world doesn’t revolve around him; thus, he needs to listen. But with a toxic dad, your opinions will fall on deaf ears.
2. Troublemaker Dad Does Exist
Having a dad who causes all the problems in the household is challenging since you have a slim chance of finding your home peaceful. Whether your dad is immature or treats the world as his playground, your daily view is he fights with everyone. Thus, a troublemaker dad deserves a particular spot on the list of signs that your dad doesn’t love you. He should’ve protected his family and made the home the safest haven.
3. Abusive Dad
We’ll never get tired of advising you to be more attentive to the signs of an abusive dad. Note that parental abuse can come in many forms. Recognizing an abusive dad can be tricky since you’ve lived with him since day 1. Just because he never hits you doesn’t mean he’s not abusive. Remember, parental abuse includes verbal, sexual, emotional, and physical.
4. He is not Involved in Care Taking
If your dad has been neglectful and absent throughout yourself, you’re most likely in a difficult situation. Even worse, some unresponsible dads just left and never showed up. Do not underestimate the impact the father’s absence has on mental health since it can stimulate fear and anxiety.
5. Anger is Always On
Juggling between career and fatherhood is not an easy task, yet it’s not an excuse to come home upset and angry. While looking for articles about signs that your dad doesn’t love you, you may also want to know how to deal with a dad who has anger management issues. If your dad always projects his anger out on you, it’s his issue, not yours. Respond calmly, speak softly, and set your boundaries right away.
6. He Doesn’t Support You
The only way to tackle the issue of having an unsupportive dad is to learn to rely on yourself and find your other reliable support system. Remember that in this world, nobody owes you anything. If he loves you, he will support you. Focus on what you think is right and best for you and on those who are always there for you. Eventually, you’ll reap what you sow.
7. Affection is Never in His Dictionary
In observing this issue, we have two perspectives for you to try. First, if your relationship with dad is at OK to rewarding levels, you may ask him why he is not being affectionate. Chances are, maybe it’s not his preferred love language or he doesn’t perceive it as an important gesture. But if your relationship with your dad is broken, affection is something he doesn’t want to display since you two have no warm connection.
8. He Hates Your Mom (and/or Vice Versa)
Humans are dynamics that you can fall in love with someone today and fall out of it tomorrow. But in a marriage, what bonds your parents is more commitment than love. Thus, when your dad hates your mom or vice versa for whatever reasons, you surely can’t stand it. Two mature adults should discuss and decide wisely. Harboring feelings of hatred for each other without meaningful discussions will lead to a dysfunctional family.
9. Always Put You Down
Do you have a dad whose specialist is telling you about your deficiencies? Whatever your arguments, he always counters and confronts you. We know that no one is perfect but broadening your perspectives from his side is different from bringing up your flaws. All he cares about is being right and putting you down. If he consistently does this to you, it is undoubtedly one of the signs that your dad doesn’t love you.
10. Alcohol and Substance Misuse Issues
We believe that by now, you already know that alcohol and substance can bring the cruelest out of you. Intoxicated people can lose control of their behavior and actions in no time. Thus, a strong association between alcohol and anger is reasonable. Having a dad with alcohol and/or drug issues can be tiring and painful. Instead of being busy loving his family, he chooses to struggle with behavioral problems caused by the addiction.
11. He’s a Man of Excuses, not a Man of Reasons
As a responsible young adult, you know that every action has consequences. But your dad always finds excuses to justify his actions and get out of potential problems. At first, he can appear so innocent that he carefully crafts his arguments to make you believe he’s right. But if he repeatedly does this, his life lacks purpose and direction. How are you supposed to rely on your dad if he doesn’t dare to face reality and the consequences? Truth is brutal, but if your dad can’t teach you how to be more demanding, lead yourself.
12. Keeps You Dependent on Him
We have a friend whose dad is very controlling and wants our friend to depend on him. The dad always gives lengthy advice, performs strict parenting, and threatens our friend with unreasonable punishment. This trait can get worse if your dad is successful and well off because a control freak always feels nobody can do better than him in handling you. So, he will oversupply you with anything and demand dependency in return. Overall, the toxic behavior doesn’t stop here. You also feel defenseless and powerless every time you want to counter your dad.
13. He Instills Fears Instead of Love
Having a compassionate and loving dad is everyone’s dream. But sometimes, you get to face the harsh reality that your dad practices fear-based parenting at home. Everything not rooted in love can be seen as signs that your dad doesn’t love you. The truth behind your dad instilling fears instead of love is due to his expectations towards you. In every aspect of your life, your dad demands you to comply with his wishes; otherwise, you’ll be punished.
14. He’s A Narcissist
For a narcissist dad, the world revolves around him, and he needs constant admiration and validation. What’s worse, he will do anything to get your attention, including crossing your boundaries, without feeling guilty because a narcissist lacks empathy for others. You must forgive yourself and your dad to heal from this unhealthy relationship. In a case where it’s still unbearable for you, you can create a safe space for your dad to share his story to help him heal.
15. He Doesn’t Respect Your Boundaries
Some toxic traits of your dad can include pushing your boundaries. But we think this trait deserves its place on the signs that your dad doesn’t love you. Because most of the time, an unhealthy children-parent relationship starts from crossing each other’s boundaries. As you grow older, you can set clearer boundaries and let your parents know. Once they try to push them, you have the right to confront your discomfort politely and calmly.
16. Emotionally Neglects You
When you’re conditioned to hold your feelings in front of dad because you’ve been told that men are not familiar with expressing emotions, that’s how it all started. If it becomes habitual until now, your dad has likely never faced your emotional side, hence the real you. In a case where the dad is not abusive, the dad-children emotional connection can be built and improved with a heart-to-heart talk. But if he has other potential signs of a toxic parent, take a step back.
17. He’s Never Considerate About Your Feelings
When looking for signs that your dad doesn’t love you, a question of “If he was once a teen, why is he never considerate about my feelings? He should’ve known” may arise. But if your dad’s grown up in a family where he wasn’t heard and seen, chances are he would do the same treatment to you. He never cares about how something will make you feel. He’s never on your side when you have conflicts with your friends or other family members.
18. Time’s Up, Baby!
We can imagine how frustrating it is to have a dad who never spends time with you, especially if you’ve made a move, but it didn’t work. You can neither stop nor reverse time; this is what makes the time the most valuable thing. Thus, if he doesn’t make time for you, it’s undoubtedly one of the signs that your dad doesn’t love you.
19. He Doesn’t Like Any of Your Friends
Friendship holds one of the most essential roles in shaping a teen’s sense of acceptance and belonging. There’s even a saying that friends are the family you choose. They are people whom you hold dear. If your dad doesn’t like any of them, even if your friends bring positivity into your life, it feels like he dismisses you too. He should’ve understood that friends are the ones who will witness your journey to adulthood.
20. Overly Critical Dad
Does he love to label himself a perfectionist while being just too critical? You’re never good enough for his standard, and negative criticism itself is never easy, too. If you constantly experience this with little-or-no appreciation from your dad, you will end up feeling like a failure.
21. Your Dad Talks About You Behind Your Back
Did you frown when you whizz through this title? We understand that some people find it strange to have a gossipy dad, but associating gossip with women is gender bias. The fact is men also gossip. The thing gets worse when your dad gossips and talks badly behind you instead of being proud of what you’ve become. You’d prefer your dad to tell you straight up about your issue to spreading hate about you.
22. Empty Promises
“Dear Dad, promises are not meant to be broken” might be the opening of a letter you’d like to write to your dad. You can always check with yourself if your trust issues stem from your dad’s broken promises. He always asks you to do something and promises to get you something in return. Yet, when fulfilled, he doesn’t follow through on his words. To build a children-parents trusting relationship, every promise should be kept.
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How do you know if your dad doesn’t love you?
If you’re alone with your dad and you two have an awkward silence, you’re uncomfortable with him. You can then check and evaluate if you have a healthy relationship with your dad. Sometimes dad’s toxic traits are so baked into your life that you regard them as normal. Once you feel neglected and unloved, further evaluation and discussion are expected to repair the dad-child relationship.
How do you tell if your dad loves you?
Being around him comforts you and your dad accepts you as you are. The connection between you and your dad is genuine and effortless. You understand that sometimes, a dad doesn’t express his love as a mom does. Yet this doesn’t hinder you from feeling the authentic connection and warmth.
What is a toxic dad like?
A toxic dad loves to cause you pain, hurt, disappointment, and frustration. He ticks most of the points we wrote above. In a more severe condition, you think your life is better off without your dad. We advise you to seek and build a comfortable support system consisting of trustworthy family members and friends that make you feel at home.
What are the signs of a deadbeat dad?
The most visible sign is he is not present for you. He’s not there whenever you need him. When you think of any reliable person, you can’t picture him in your mind. Other signs include being unsupportive and rude. You can always refer to our list of signs that your dad doesn’t love you.
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