In a perfect world, parents and grandparents would treat all their children in a loving way that is best for each of them.

What would you do if your ex’s parents treated your daughter poorly, and then your ex wanted them to watch her for a few days during Christmas break?

That is what is happening to the father in this story, so he said she can’t go and changed his Christmas plans to keep her safe.

AITA for not allowing my daughter to go to her grandparents?

A short backstory. Me (36M) and my ex-wife (34F), let’s call her Jessica, have an 11 year old daughter together, we can call her Olivia.

This can be very difficult for everyone involved.

Me and Jessica, divorced six years ago and she moved to a different region to be with her new boyfriend, a 6 hour drive away.

Our daughter stayed with me and we have had a legal argument where our daughter should live. The courts decided that our daughter should live with me, since we have lived in this town since our daughter was 3y/o.

It is unfortunate when siblings aren’t close.

My ex’s son George (15) lives with her and the siblings don’t have the best relationship.

So to the issue. My ex’s parents, Bradley and Regina, are not the best people.

People like this can be insufferable.

They are very narcissistic and snobby, look down on everyone, except people who are wealthier than them and that showed in my marriage.

They looked down on me, made my ex always feel bad about her looks, where she is on the chubby side.

These people sound awful.

They hated our relationship and did everything they could to break us up, and they were successful with that about a year before our divorce.

They also show favouritism towards my ex’s son, George. He gets everything he has ever wanted from Bradley and Regina, and especially Bradley, when Olivia gets only afterthoughts.

Wow, this is clearly intentional.

They, for example, gave George a brand new very expensive bicycle three years ago, but Olivia was at her mother’s home at the time and they took her to the salvation army to find her a bicycle, which I noticed, when Olivia came home, needed a lot of maintenance to be able to be used.

Same happens with regular birthday and Christmas gifts. George gets big, extravagant and expensive gifts, but Olivia gets socks or a colouring book.

Yeah, I can’t blame her for being disappointed.

Olivia always comes very disappointed back home from Christmas, due to this.

Olivia is supposed to go and stay with Jessica during Christmas this year.

No way, this is just setting Olivia up to be mistreated.

Jessica told me she would send them to her parents four days before she could go, but I told her I am not happy with Olivia to go stay with them without Jessica.

I told her I rather change the flight tickets for Olivia and change my Christmas plans, than to have Olivia sent to her grandparents and be treated like a second class citizen.

No, he is being a good dad and protecting his daughter.

I changed Olivia’s tickets and cancelled my reservation. Am I wrong for not allowing my ex sending my daughter to her grandparents?

He is doing the right thing, especially since Olivia is old enough to realize she is being treated differently. This borders on emotional abuse.

Read on to see what the people in the comments have to say about it.

Good idea from this commenter.

Yup, it is this simple.

Yeah, how can she justify this?

Yes, he is being a good dad.

This is very good advice.

Always protect your children, even from family.

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.