Butthurt

I made a grave mistake and I regret the error of my ways in being emotionally distant and verbally demeaning with the kids for so long. Now that I am trying to reach out to them, I still have to be the bad guy by default because I represent reality. I am not buying their friendship or trust with meaningless toys and other means of spoiling like their grandparents and biological parents. It's sad to me that I am the one member of their kin that they spend the most time with and yet I matter least in their lives. And it's likely irreversible too due to the coldness experienced during their formative years.