November 27, 2024 at 7:29 pm

Son Is Pressured By His Mom For Him And His Stepsister To Have A Closer Relationship, But He’s Not Comfortable And He’s Not Budging

by Michael Levanduski

Source: Shutterstock/Reddit

Blended families can be difficult as not everyone bonds in the same ways, which can cause some hurt feelings.

What would you do if your mom and stepsister were trying to force you to call her just ‘sister’ (without the step) when you aren’t comfortable with it?

That is what the young man in this story is experiencing, and he doesn’t think it is fair.

Check it out

AITA for calling out my stepsister for asking me a question that could get me into trouble and mom for backing her?

Three weeks ago my stepsister (15f) first asked me (16m) if I’d care if she was gone tomorrow.

The question was asked out of nowhere.

Wow, that is a weird question to ask.

She just came into my room at 10pm to ask me on a Friday night.

I told her that wasn’t a question I would answer.

Three days later she asked me the question again and said I had a weird reaction to the question.

I ignored her but she asked again, this time in front of my mom.

My mom backed up my stepsister and told me she was allowed to ask since I’m so distant with her, and refuse to stop calling her my stepsister when she calls me her brother.

I got really frustrated with them and I called them out.

They are trying to trap him into saying something.

I told my stepsister she was asking a question that would lead to a really bad reaction if I answered one way, and she’d likely call me a liar with the good answer.

I told her she might not like that I call her my stepsister when she calls me her brother but it doesn’t mean she can force questions that could have negative consequences on me.

I told mom she was just looking for me to say something that could get me into trouble for this because she doesn’t like that I still use step.

My mom told me I should be willing to accept consequences, like punishment consequences, if I’m going to remain distant from more than half of my family (stepdad and stepsister).

I told her she wasn’t being fair because I was civil and polite and I didn’t cause problems for anyone.

She yelled at me that I should have been willing to open my heart to growing our family after dad died and instead I made life sad for all three of them because I’m not along for the ride.

They are causing more harm than good with this approach.

She said being polite isn’t good enough when people’s emotions and hearts are in the mix.

My stepsister started crying which made mom send me to my room.

She took my phone for 5 days as a punishment and my stepsister told me after the punishment was handed down that it served me right for not being the brother she wanted.

Additional info you might need: My dad passed when I was 7, mom remarried when I was 10.

I had grief therapy and we all did family therapy together.

I’m close to both sets of grandparents and one paternal uncle.

My stepsister’s mom abandoned her when she was a baby and she has no contact with her mom’s side of the family and only a little contact with her dad’s side.

Her dad isn’t close to his family and he has tried to change it but doesn’t work.

She wanted me to be her brother from the start and called me her brother before my mom even married her dad.

That is just what he is comfortable with.

I never say sister or dad for her and her dad.

I don’t hate her.

I was always more indifferent but lately starting to dislike her for being so pushy and whiny about it.

AITA?

What a difficult situation, but they are wrong for pushing the issue.

Let’s take a look at the comments to see what other people have to say.

This person recommends planning a way to leave when he turns 18.

Source: Reddit/AITA

Mom and step-sister are really driving a wedge.

Source: Reddit/AITA

Mom is making some huge parenting mistakes.

Source: Reddit/AITA

Exactly, you can’t punish someone into a relationship.

Source: Reddit/AITA

This mom is causing more harm than good.

Source: Reddit/AITA

You can’t force love.

And nothing good will come from trying.

If you enjoyed this story, check out this post about a daughter who invited herself to her parents’ 40th anniversary vacation for all the wrong reasons.