Divorce isn’t the best thing in the world, but for many families, it is the reality.

It always goes better if the parents can do what’s best for their kids and try to put any remaining strife between them to the side.

These parents struggle to be civil, and the problems only get worse.

AITA for not wanting to pay for my son’s dentist?

My ex-wife, Lena, and I have a son, Matt (6M) and I have 50/50 custody.

We don’t have such a… healthy co-parenting relationship.

We avoid each other most of the time and everything in relation to the routine and Matt, we resolve it through an app

When he got a bill for a routine dental appointment, though, he was confused.

Recently, she sent a message to me through the app, letting me know that the dentist appointment was x amount and for us to pay 50/50.

I asked if something emergency had happened, she said no, just routine and I asked why she didn’t just let me know and I would take care of it.

Because he’s a dentist.

I’m a dentist to be clear.

And until last year, before we separated, I took care of my son about this.

She said she can choose who she wants and he has to pay.

Her response was that now she has her own dentist and went through him, since our kid was with her and would be more easy.

I agreed, but asked what the point of, because it would literally be free if it was done by me.

She kind of snapped me and said she expected payment from me.

It’s not sitting right with him, though.

I replied that I would see because I don’t refuse to pay anything for Matt, especially for health reasons, but a stupid expense like that doesn’t make sense and she can afford it, if she simply prefers to pay for something that I do for free.

She was not happy, she said that this was an expense for our son that we agreed to share and I was refusing to do so, considering that I am his father and that she was not obliged to choose me as a dentist.

We do have an agreement to split 50/50, but, for me, this is the most absurd expense she had charge me, because I would understand if it was something emergency or outside my specialty, but a routine appointment…

AITA?

Does Reddit agree he should keep pushing back? Let’s find out!

The top comment says he should have been included in the decision.

This person agrees she doesn’t have the right to pull rank.

They say she’s just being spiteful.

Of course, it could be something else.

But this commenter can see both sides.

Some folks thought he should drop it.

This mom is definitely being petty.

And that’s the nicest word for it.

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