Family dynamics can change abruptly when parents divorce and get remarried.

What would you do if your ex started spending less time with your kids after he remarried?

This woman shares custody of her two daughters with her ex-husband.

She rebuilt a positive relationship with his family that her kids appreciate and enjoy, but when her got remarried, things suddenly changed.

Read the full story below for all the details.

AITA for considering more custody so my daughters can stay close to their extended family?

I (33F) share custody of my two daughters, 13 and 9, with my ex-husband.

We divorced shortly after our youngest was born.

Things were tense with his family at first. They didn’t support the divorce and I felt unwelcome.

This woman’s relationship with her ex-husband improved over the years.

But over time, we reconnected.

His mom, sister, and extended family have become a consistent, loving presence in my daughters’ lives.

As our co-parenting relationship improved, we celebrated holidays together.

My daughters are especially close with their cousins (my ex-SIL’s kids).

Even my current husband fits in well with everyone, and we’ve hosted large blended family dinners.

For a while, it felt peaceful and whole.

But when her ex remarried, everything changed gradually.

My ex remarried a few years ago, and now has a baby son.

His wife has never been comfortable with my continued closeness to his family.

According to my ex, she believes they secretly want us to get back together. She also felt his mom greeted me too warmly and didn’t show her the same excitement.

During the early years of their relationship, his mom lived with them, and my ex asked her not to mention me at all.

The big, blended family holidays stopped.

Eventually, his mom moved out, saying she wanted to give them space to grow.

Since then, things have changed. I’m no longer invited to events they host.

The big family holidays stopped.

His wife doesn’t allow his family much contact with their baby. They haven’t even held him.

Her daughters were heartbroken that they weren’t seeing their dad and his family anymore.

Recently, she uninvited his mother from the baby’s first birthday, even after she flew in to attend.

My daughters are heartbroken. These are people who helped raise them.

My 13-year-old had a panic attack after my ex skipped both of her birthday parties this year. She’s said she feels stuck between her dad’s new family and the one she’s always known and loved.

I’ve talked to my ex about how sad it is we can’t all just get along for the kids’ sake.

But he agrees it’s no longer “appropriate” to do holidays together.

Now, she’s considering requesting more custody of their daughters.

It seems he’s prioritizing peace at home over maintaining these extended relationships, even though they matter deeply to our daughters.

I’m now considering requesting more custody, not to punish him or “win,” but to give our daughters the emotional space and time with the family that makes them feel safe, loved, and supported.

Would I be the jerk for that?

It’s sad that her ex’s second marriage has changed the way he treats his daughters.

Let’s read the responses of other people on Reddit to this story.

This person offers some useful advice.

This user shares their personal thoughts.

You have to protect your kids, says this person.

Here’s another valid point from this user.

And finally, this person gives another sensible insight.

A broken relationship between parents shouldn’t mean broken families for the kids.

If you thought that was an interesting story, check this one out about a man who created a points system for his inheritance, and a family friend ends up getting almost all of it.