I spoke with my Dad on the phone today as I have not heard from him for along time, he told he had forgotten me and never thinks of me?

Also it sounds like an odd response. Why say it at all? He may have forgotten other important things as well. Stay in touch

Sounds like dementia to me. My dad looks right at me and asks if susi is coming Today.

Send him a gift and call him at least monthly. Send pictures. Send cards. His feelings are hurt because he wants to hear from you more often.

I live only thirty miles from my father and stepmother. I actually have to make an appointment to see them at their convenience and I do the traveling. They prefer phone contact instead of visits. This has been going on since they married in 1978. My father's grandchildren and great grandchildren do not know him, they live locally. My stepmother's children are estranged from her. It is so sad they choose to live as lonely recluses with very little contact from family. My father is 88 years old and stepmother is 80 living so far independently. I have tried over the years to stay close to them, but it is not worth the aggravation of having constant roadblocks in making attempts to visit or contact them. When it gets to a point when something happens it will either them going to or a nursing home or saying goodbye at their funeral. It could have been so different if they chose not to treat ther adult children as intruders.

I'm a bit more charitable, since I know the phone works both ways. My parents went about 10 years without calling me. Any contact had to be started by me. Any visits had to be made by me. It does make one feel a bit unloved. My mother made excuses -- no news, didn't know what to say, didn't like husband, etc. She is the same way with my brothers, though. She waits for them to call her unless I push her. Unwanted's father may be the same way. Still, I recommend the children call this type parent. It is the only way to keep some kind of line open with them. We don't know enough about Unwanted's story to understand what has been going on with his father.

Australia celebrates Father's Day the first Sunday in September.

Oh, and another thought. If dad has dementia, you shouldn't be surprised if the phone calls are one way at this point. My loving mom, who called me every few days (if I didn't call her), stopped calling me altogether as her dementia progressed.

Now that she's more than just moderately befuddled, she doesn't want to call her best friends, significant other, even when I remind her. (She lives with me now.) So when he said he never thinks of you, that may be a clinical truth.

Veronica, you wrote what I thought as I started reading the poster's question. Haha! UNTIL I got to kilometers. Then I figured he must live in another country. Anyhow, you gave me a laugh.

Paul, you're not taking any responsibility for the fact that you hadn't been in touch with dad for a year. If you called to reconcile with him, when he said those things I hope you said, "Dad, I'm sorry I haven't been in touch. I'm going to try to do better." If you didn't, then you and dad just have a complete disconnect.

You can't go a year without contacting one of the people who gave you life on this earth and then be surprised you get blow-back when you finally do.

Maybe he wants to hear from you more than just once a year, and is actually hurting from the lack of communication that he gets from you. You said you hadn't called since last Father's Day a year ago.

If he does have dementia/alzheimers, he may have actually forgotten about you if you haven't contacted him in that long of a period. Try sending cards every month, or calling once a month. Send pictures of you and your family to jog his memory. Try to build the bridge while you still have him with you!

I assume it was Father's where you live? You haven't filled out you profilr, so I don't know if he has dementia, but it does sound like he's moved on from his relationship. If you want to be in touch and not get hurt, try sending cards or letters.

I think he was telling you quite bluntly that he doesn't want you in his life "he has forgotten me and never thinks of me." Just as he moved on, so should you.

No I don't, I think he will be pissed off because you wished him happy fathers day yesterday and fathers day was in June