There’s no easy route for kids to take when they lose a parent at a young age. Kids need role models and trusted adults who love them, and stepparents are not always up to the task.
Luckily, OP’s daughter’s aunt stepped in after her mother died due to complications from childbirth.
I have a daughter (12) Brooke, from a previous relationships. Unfortunately, my wife passed a few days after Brooke was born due to complications from the emergency c section.
I’ve always wanted Brooke to have a woman in her life so my sister has always helped. She’s the closest thing Brooke has to a mom.
3 years ago, my sister moved about 6 hours away from us. Since she moved, she’s been flying Brooke out at least 1 weekend a month and she gets Brooke on school breaks. Brooke loves visiting her aunt and views her house as a second home.
It helps that Brooke has her own room there.
Now, he’s remarried and his stepkids want to go to the beach, too.
Now I’m engaged to Kelly and Kelly has 3 other kids, Olivia (12), Maddie (10), and Luca (7). Kelly’s kids have always been jealous of Brooke getting to visit her aunt because of all the fun stuff they do together.
They have passes to Disneyland and universal studios, my sister lives on the beach so they’re always at the beach, they go shopping and hiking and horseback riding. She even taught Brooke how to drive (boat and golf cart, no car yet).
I’ve asked Brooke to only talk about it in private but tensions are rising between her and her stepsiblngs so she’s been rubbing it in to make them mad.
Now my step kids want to go with Brooke to visit my sister but I’m saying no.
His daughter says no but his wife is calling him an a—— for not considering it.
My sister is basically Brooke’s mom but they have both a mom and a dad. Plus, I don’t think my sister would like having 3 extra kids in her house every time she wants to see the kid she helped raise.
Kelly and her kids are saying this is unfair and favoritism and that if Brooke gets to go, so should they but Brooke doesn’t want to let them go and says if I try to make her take them with her, she’ll move in with her aunt and won’t come back.
AITA for not sending my step kids with Brooke to visit my sister?
I hope Reddit talks some sense into this man.
The top comment says the stepmom needs to do some personal inventory.
This person says OP’s first responsibility is to his daughter.
They say the new family needs to manage their expectations.
This commenter says OP shouldn’t even have had to ask.
Maybe he needs to rethink the whole thing.
OP knew the right answer.
Now he just needs to stand up to the fiance.
If you enjoyed that story, read this one about a mom who was forced to bring her three kids with her to apply for government benefits, but ended up getting the job of her dreams.