3 upvotes, 0 direct replies (showing 0)
My father used to make shitty comments about me when I was young too. I remember some of them, and various other things, from well before I was a year old. I'm in my 40s now and those early memories are stronger than the ones from yesterday.
I was also born with hip dysplasia and had to wear a brace like this. Maybe that's why I remember earlier - plenty of time to sit around and think instead of running around being a kid, I dunno.
What I do know is that my father got worse towards me the older I got, and as soon as I was 18 I cut ties with him. Gave in 15+ years later when he was on his deathbed and we talked on the phone. I brought up what I remember him saying, and his response was "So what, were you expecting a big apology or something? That was never going to happen."
He died a few weeks later. (Good riddance.) I mourned not for him, but for the little girl that was never as good as her siblings. She was broken. She never had a chance.
You're not overreacting. I hope he can recognize the harm he is doing to his relationship with his daughter and with you, and change course. For everyone's sake.
Best wishes to you and your little girl.
P.S. Popping a hip out of socket becomes a fun thing to do when kids hit that "ooohhh gross do it again" stage. Take that, kid-who-flips-his-eyelids-inside-out!
There's nothing here!