Divorce is a fact of life for thousands of parents out there. No matter how amicable, and no matter how hard people try, co-parenting is always tricky business.

I imagine that increases in likelihood once one or both of you get remarried.

OP and his ex share custody of their daughter.

I(42m) and ex wife Kim(41f) divorced when our daughter Sally(16f) was 8. We do alternate week with Sally.

We both remarried and I have a stepson Derek(17) and Kim has a stepson Tom(17). Sally and Tom go to the same school.

He’s remarried, and his stepson just got into his dream college.

Both Sally and I have good relationships with Derek. We’ve been in his life since he was 11.

He is an exceptional young man: excellent grades, varsity sport, volunteer work and just all around nice and kind. Derek was early accepted into his dream university with scholarship.

We are all over the moon for him.

When they all attended a party at his ex’s house, his stepson’s achievements grabbed some attention.

Last week Kim and I throw Sally a party at her place celebrating Sally passing a higher level of her piano test. I took Derek with me (wife traveled overseas). Everyone was happy for Sally and congratulated her. The atmosphere was relaxing and everyone mingled and talked with anyone.

I struck a conversation with a man my age. He was Kim’s neighbor’s new boyfriend. He’s doing something else now but was a college professor for 10+ years.

I told him about Derek’s university and he said he graduated from there. I then told Derek to join us so he could ask questions. We three had a great time talking and other party goers began to join us.

They all loudly congratulated Derek on his school. Sally and her friends also joined us and joked that Derek can’t forget about them when he makes it big in the world.

Now his ex is upset for that reason, and also on her stepson’s behalf.

I noticed Kim looking unhappy and her husband and stepson were no longer around. I asked Sally to play us a song which she happily did. The party then wrapped up and I took Derek home.

Kim later called me and said I was an insensitive AH.

When I asked her to explain, she said Sally must have mentioned that Tom was rejected from Derek’s university and Tom was hurt when people congratulated Derek on getting in.

I told her Sally never said a thing.

Kim then said I was still AH for making the party all about Derek, that everyone leaving the party was talking about Derek and not about Sally.

I told her that wasn’t my intention.

AITA?

OP isn’t sure he screwed up here – but you know Reddit will let him know!

The top comment says OP didn’t do anything wrong.

This person adds that nothing was done on purpose.

They also point out that none of the kids are upset.

This commenter says the reaction of the mom/stepmom focused on the wrong thing.

No one blames OP for what happened.

This seems like a misunderstanding.

I think everyone will realize that with a little time and space.

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.