From loving to unbothered, families come in all types of behaviors and attitudes. We don’t have any say in which one we will be born. Sometimes, I wonder if it all comes down to luck, whether we end up with a happy or an unfortunate one.
Speaking of families, the original poster (OP) felt his mom cared more about the guys she dated than him. However, she still expected him to be a free babysitter for her fiancé’s kids so they could enjoy their dates. Of course, he flat out refused, but then all this drama followed…
More info: Reddit
Unfortunately, some kids end up with parents who only show affection when they need them
Image credits: Stockbusters / Freepik (not the actual photo)
The 16-year-old poster stays with his dad since his mom skips town for the guys she dates, and he thinks she cares more about them than him
Image credits: GaggySage
Image credits: freepik / Freepik (not the actual photo)
After she gets engaged to a guy (Clay), the poster is just expected to bond with his 4 kids, even when he doesn't want to
Image credits: GaggySage
Image credits: freepik / Freepik (not the actual photo)
He's also expected to drop what he is doing and travel 3 hours one way, just so he can babysit Clay's kids while the couple goes out on dates
Image credits: GaggySage
The poster is so angry about this that he is literally planning to go no-contact with his mom once he turns 18
In today’s story, we dive into the life of 16-year-old Reddit user GaggySage as he shares how his mom is annoying the life out of him. After his parents’ divorce when he was just a year old, OP stayed with his dad, who was settled, while his mom skipped towns to be with the guys she dated. As a result, he spent time with her only during the weekends.
Well, he didn’t really develop a good bond with her, and also felt that many times she cared more about the guys she dated than him. That’s quite a hurtful realization, and even experts have flagged emotional neglect as a cause of lifelong damage. You would definitely think twice about helping someone who has troubled you so much, right?
Well, so did OP when his mom got engaged to Clay and the couple expected the poster to babysit Clay’s kids. Moreover, they were also annoyed that the teen refused to bond with his children, but you can’t really force these things. I mean, research clearly shows that rushing into a new family is not at all a good idea for kids, so it can adversely impact not just our guy but also the fiancé’s sons.
Besides, the teenage poster stays like 3 hours away from his mom. Despite this, she just expects him to drop what he’s doing and come and babysit so she can enjoy her dates with Clay. That is 6 hours to and fro for OP, all so he can be a free laborer while the couple have their private moment. Seems quite unreasonable, doesn’t it?
Image credits: kues1 / Freepik (not the actual photo)
He also mentions that whenever he’s at her house, he spends as much time as possible exploring outside. Basically, doing all he can to avoid forced babysitting. His mom is also urging him to accept the fact that Clay and his kids will be his family, but our guy is planning to go no-contact with her as soon as he turns 18.
OP also mentioned that previously, Clay used to hire babysitters, but now, they just expect him to do the free labor. Data shows that the average hourly rate for a babysitter in 2024 was $23.61 for one child and $26.57 for two kids. No wonder the couple is looking for a cost-free solution, but dragging the teen into it is definitely not the right one.
Besides, the poor fellow also has to waste 6 hours traveling and gas money to do something that he doesn’t even want to do in the first place. Even his dad hates it, but OP has to visit her on weekends. Many people advised him to go no-contact right away instead of waiting until he turns 18. Some even said that he should call CPS when the couple leaves him alone with Clay’s kids.
There were a few netizens who pointed out that his mom sounds like a narcissist, as she only thinks about him when she needs his help. Also, the fact that she is spending their time with her fiancé says a lot about what kind of mother she is, doesn’t it? If you were in OP’s shoes, what would you do? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!
Folks online instantly called out his selfish mom, who only wants to use him as free labor, and they advised him to go no-contact immediately
