May 14, 2025 at 1:49 am

Her Ex-Partner Insisted On Tracking Their Son During An International Trip, So One Mother Questioned Their Parenting Boundaries

by Benjamin Cottrell

child peeking out from a while while his parents are fighting

Pexels/Reddit

Co-parenting requires lots of compromise, but what happens when the line between concern and control is crossed?

When one mother’s ex insists on tracking their child during an overseas trip, it turns into a battleground over privacy.

Read on for the full story.

AITA for refusing an AirTag?

I am taking my son Jack (8M) on an overseas vacation later this year.

My ex-spouse Richard (45M) has been saying negative things about the trip and is now insistent we place an AirTag in Jack’s shoe so he can track him from his phone.

The two can’t come to an agreement on how to move forward.

It’s created a lot of back and forth with him being very upset.

I’ve traveled with Jack many times without incident, but the badgering from my ex is making me question myself.

AITA?

Some lines just shouldn’t be crossed, especially when it comes to a child’s privacy.

What did Reddit have to say?

Perhaps a compromise could be made here.

Screenshot 2025 04 24 at 1.17.06 PM Her Ex Partner Insisted On Tracking Their Son During An International Trip, So One Mother Questioned Their Parenting Boundaries

This user thinks this mother is right to be weirded out by her ex’s request.

Screenshot 2025 04 24 at 1.18.10 PM Her Ex Partner Insisted On Tracking Their Son During An International Trip, So One Mother Questioned Their Parenting Boundaries

This commenter wonders how healthy constantly tracking your loved ones’ location really is.

Screenshot 2025 04 24 at 1.19.05 PM Her Ex Partner Insisted On Tracking Their Son During An International Trip, So One Mother Questioned Their Parenting Boundaries

Maybe this mother should continue to keep her guard up.

Screenshot 2025 04 24 at 1.20.05 PM Her Ex Partner Insisted On Tracking Their Son During An International Trip, So One Mother Questioned Their Parenting Boundaries

He’ll have to trust she knows how to look out for her son’s best interests.

If you liked that post, check out this story about a guy who was forced to sleep on the couch at his wife’s family’s house, so he went to a hotel instead.

Benjamin Cottrell | Assistant Editor, Internet Culture

Benjamin Cottrell is an Assistant Editor and contributing writer at TwistedSifter, specializing in internet culture, viral social dynamics, and the moral complexities of online communities. He brings a highly analytical, editorial voice to his reporting on workplace conflicts, malicious compliance, and interpersonal drama, with a specific focus on nuanced stories that lack an obvious villain.

As a published author of rhetorical criticism, Benjamin leverages his academic background in human communication to dissect and elevate viral social media threads. Instead of simply summarizing events, he provides readers with balanced, deep-dive commentary into why the internet reacts the way it does. In addition to his cultural reporting, he is an experienced fine art photography essayist and video game reviewer.

When he isn’t analyzing the latest viral debates, Benjamin is usually chipping away at his extensive video game backlog, hunting down the best new restaurants, or out exploring the city with a camera in hand.

Connect with Benjamin on Instagram and read more of his essays on Substack.