I'm pretty sure my dad drunkenly bought me a bonsai tree. But this was after several days and hours of discussions about my main issue of being unable to chip away at maintenance tasks, like work. Like this was my main concern: I CAN'T DO REGULAR MAINTENANCE. I AM INCAPABLE.
And a bonsai tree is literally the most antithetical gift I could possibly imagine because it needs intricate daily care and it lives forever. So...........
I'm just reeling tbh. I don't even want to confront him and I know he'll ask about it at some point, and I'll be like yeah it died 🤷♂️ and I'm just going to fixate on this forever jesus christ
What do?
Bonsai trees don't need a lot of intricate daily care. just watering (not always daily) and occasional trimming (which is just up to your own preference tbh)... I wouldn't assume bad intentions, it could actually be that he started to empathize with you and thought this would be something that help you grow/cope. It is a pretty low-stakes gift imo, and if it dies it isn't a huge deal. Seems just as likely he was trying to be thoughtful, but insulted you instead. Maybe just try to keep it alive as long as you can and let your dad know that you felt slighted by the gift but want to know whether that was his intention
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As long as the window doesn't face north, I would just give it a shot and let it be. Unless you live in a very year-round-cold, or very dry place and your outdoor space is covered, you only have to worry about bringing it inside. If it is humid outside daily watering might not always be necessary. Sometimes being gone for a week or two your plants will hurt, but still survive...depending on the plant .... you can also add material to hold water into the soil or something to wick water into the pot... . you can also try getting an automatic irrigation system if you are super worried.. then you might only have to change the water in a bucket every so often... in general though I would just worry less and let it die or thrive on whatever you can do best without anxiety. Some plants are much hardier than the instructions will say. It might last a few years and you find that you will care for it.
A lot of people keep bonsai because it emphasizes mindfulness, practice, and being present with nature. Maybe you were telling your dad one thing and what he heard was another, that you were disconnected and anxious and this is something that could help root you. either way, I wouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth or take it personally. It's a nice gift even if it didn't have the intended effect. Unless your dad does passive aggressive stuff regularly it was a pretty sweet gesture at the least
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It needs more sunlight that what you'd read online and is more resistant to freezing than what you'd expect. Most bonzai are outdoor plants that need at least a few hours of direct sunlight every day.
Check out Heron's Bonzai on YT about some basic care and pruning, it's a plant it really doesn't need much it'll just grow on its own. Depends on the plant, really, but most are like this.
I have ADHD, too, and honestly this might be a good thing to hyper-fixate on occasionally because it doesn't really need daily maintenance. More like once a week or so which can be a reminder on your phone or whatever.