When you have multiple kids and they are interested in different types of extracurricular activities, it’s easy for the parents to quickly feel like a taxi driver for their kids. In today’s story, one mom puts her foot down at the idea of driving her stepdaughters 50 minutes each way to a new dance class. Her husband’s ex-wife is trying to make her feel like she has to take them.

Let’s see how the story unfolds…

AITA for refusing to help get my stepdaughters to their newest extra curricular activity?

My husband has two daughters (13 and 12) with his ex-wife.

They have been divorced for almost 11 years and we have been married for 7 years and share two kids together ages 6 and 3.

His ex-wife is not currently remarried but she did marry twice since the divorce and has two additional children ages 9 and 5.

The step-daughters have decided that they don’t like OP.

The co-parenting relationship is very unstable and changeable. Some decisions need to be made via mediation. Others they can agree on to a point. While a few were taken to court for a judge to decide for them.

My relationship with my stepdaughters was good until 3 years ago when their mom’s negativity changed how they treat me.

They have expressed that they know their mom doesn’t like me so they won’t like me anymore either.

This has been discussed in court and in therapy and nothing has changed. They continue to treat me differently than before. They don’t get away with disrespect but they still are way more than before and they’re colder with me in general.

OP thinks her husband has been good at keeping her away from the ex.

Now onto the issue where I want to know if I’m TA.

My husband and I are typically really good about communicating, and he is a supportive husband and father and has done a good job of keeping me out of his ex-wife’s way so she can’t say stuff to me and also standing up for me.

I don’t join them for talks about the girls. That’s him and his ex but my husband and I will discuss it.

The step-daughters want to take new dance classes.

A few months ago, the girls said they wanted to take new dance classe 50 minutes from our home.

They already do ballet, dancing for fun (which is free) and gymnastics. But these dance classes are different. They’re also more expensive than the other extra curricular’s they do.

I told my husband I thought the new dance classes were too far and too expensive, and I said they would not work with the schedule we already have.

But when he and his ex sat down to discuss it, he agreed to these new dance classes which he and his ex will split 50/50.

Her husband said she won’t have to take them to the dance classes.

When he told me, I wasn’t thrilled because he didn’t tell me he was going to agree to them. But I know it’s not my decision.

But I told him I could not and would not help get the girls there.

He told me we’d figure something out.

Now her husband wants her to take the stepdaughters to their dance classes.

The girls were back with us two days after this talk and they said their mom told them I didn’t want them to do these dance classes and sucks to be me because I don’t have a say because I’m not their parent.

My husband told them not to speak to me like that.

He was unable to get his parents to take the girls to the new classes so he wanted me to do it.

I put my foot down and said no.

The ex-wife thinks OP should take the stepdaughters to their dance classes.

He said he can’t because he has to work.

I told him I have to drop our 6 year old off at his extra curricular that day and it would not work with time.

My husband asked his ex if she’d bring them every week, and she’s saying I’m such an a**h*** for not driving them and how dare I think I get any say in this. That I need to do what the kids want and stay out of their way otherwise.

AITA?

If the girls’ mom wants them to take the dance classes, what’s her excuse for not being able to take them? It sounds like OP has another commitment at that time for her own son.

Let’s see how Reddit reacted to this post…

Why drive someone who disrespects you to dance class?

This reader thinks the classes are too far away.

The husband and ex will have to find another solution.

This reader agrees that this is not OP’s problem to solve.

The ex-wife needs to step up and take her daughters herself.

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.