When we think of blended families, we often think of children becoming rivals as they move under one roof, stepparents becoming subjects of animosity, and family harmony becoming disrupted.

But what about when things do work out? When family members all accept one another, and the blended family is seen as stronger and more full of love than what came before?

That’s exactly what has happened with the blended family in this story, in which young children, adult children, and grandchildren have all come together as one happy whole.

But that doesn’t mean that there wasn’t anyone willing to try to create division between them.

Read on to find out how this happened.

AITA for not being jealous of my partner?

My partner and I have known each other for a long time and we were a couple twelve years ago, but my mental health wasn’t great at the time.

As brilliant and supportive as he was, it was taking a toll on both our relationship and his friendships.

We both knew we loved each other but we also knew that we needed more than just love, eventually we agreed to part ways so I could focus on improving my mental health.

Whilst we knew we were going to get back together, we both agreed that we could see other people if we wanted, as we were both adults and have needs.

One of his needs resulted in a baby girl, who became his world.

Read on to see how, after twelve years apart, the man came back into this woman’s life.

Two years ago, I reached out and we started dating again. In that time he introduced me to his daughter (now six).

I introduced him to my two children (who were teenagers the last time we were together, and are now adults) and my three grandchildren from my daughter.

We have been lucky that none of the kids or grandkids have had any problems with our new blended family. I was even surprised by how accepting my children’s dads have been of my partner.

As my daughter’s father has remarried, the grandchildren refer to me and my ex as nanny and grandpa. His wife is nanny name and my partner is grandpa name.

But then, something happened to threaten this easy harmony.

Last weekend it was my middle grandchild’s birthday. My daughter’s bathroom sprang a leak the day before the party, so I agreed last minute to host.

Aside from myself, my partner and my stepdaughter, the guests included my daughter, my son-in-law, my grandchildren, my daughter’s father and stepmother, several of my granddaughter’s friends and some of their parents. Everyone enjoyed the party.

As the party was beginning to wind down, one of the mothers of my granddaughter’s friends asked her who her favourite grandparent was.

My granddaughter replied “grandpa name” (in other words, my partner). When she was asked why, she responded with “he gives the best hugs.”

Let’s see how this innocent answer somehow became drama.

She then felt the need to rush over and tell me this, which resulted in the following conversation:

Me: “Well of course she’d say that. His hugs are amazing. How exactly can I compete with that?” I pointed at my partner, who was sat on the floor letting the kids “dye” his beard with eye shadow (cheap eye palettes we keep for this reason as it’s less damaging to his beard than felt tips. He found this out the hard way)

Her (looking horrified): “You should upset that your granddaughter doesn’t like you best. You have given her a magnificent birthday party.”

Me: “You mean this party, that my daughter planned, organised, prepared and that I just hosted last minute.”

But she just wouldn’t let this non-issue pass them by.

Her: “It doesn’t matter who does the organisation, it matters who hosts. Why are you not jealous of that man being beloved by your granddaughter?” (Points as my partner, who is now being given a full makeover).

Me: “Because he loves my grandkids as if they were his own.”

Once she realised I wasn’t going to back down from not being jealous, she decided to complain to my daughter about how arrogant I am.

My daughter didn’t know about the conversation at this point, but I can be very arrogant.

She just responded: “yes she is, but you get used to it. She’s harmless as long as you’re not being offensive, but I’ll speak to her about it later.”

Even after the party ended, this issue didn’t go away.

I went over to check on the makeover and suggest putting a flavoured lipgloss on him. When everyone had left, my daughter and I spoke about her and I relayed the conversation.

Yesterday, my daughter cornered her at pickup and loudly asked her, “Did you really ask an adopted woman why she wasn’t jealous of a man willing to be an adoptive grandfather?”

She stammered and claimed she thought it was her stepmother that was adopted, but then doubled down on her convictions.

Another parent “overheard” and suggested we post everything on Reddit, as she is obsessed with a YouTuber who reads out Reddit posts.

AITA?

Of course this grandma isn’t in the wrong for not being jealous of her partner – in fact, it’s a testament to the seamless blended family that they’ve created, that her partner is considered the ‘favorite’ grandparent.

The real issue here is she not only provoked the issue by having the audacity to ask a young child who her favourite grandparent is, but then proceeded to use this information to make drama where there wasn’t any.

At a child’s birthday party, no less.

Let’s see what folks on Reddit thought about this.

This person agreed there’s more than enough love to go around.

Another person loved the daughter’s response.

And who’s actually jealous of something like this?!

It’s fantastic that these grandparents have been able to create such a loving and inclusive atmosphere, so that all of their extended and blended family members feel welcome.

Their love, rekindled after all these years, truly is a thing of beauty, and they’re lucky to have it.

Of course others would be jealous, but her behavior really was completely unacceptable.

Envy isn’t a good look.

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.