You’ll never understand what stepparents feel when you become a stepparent yourself.

The following story involves a woman who struggled with her stepdaughter for years.

The stepdaughter treated her with constant disrespect and chose not to build a relationship with her.

When her stepdaughter got into a relationship with a man, she noticed how his children treated her the same way.

Things got more intense when she suggested it might be “karma” coming back on her.

Read the full story below for all the details.

AITAH for saying it’s karma when my stepdaughter complained about her stepchildren?

I (55F) have a stepdaughter (28F), Ashley. I met Ashley when she was 12.

Now, to be clear, there was no cheating involved.

My husband (57M) was single for five years before we met.

Ashley’s biological mother is a deadbeat.

This woman tried to create a relationship with Ashley but failed.

From the start, Ashley made it clear she hated me. I tried to be patient.

I refused to push a relationship. I hoped she would warm up to me eventually.

Well, that never happened. She was rude and disrespectful to me.

My husband disciplined her when she acted disrespectful, which led to solo and family therapy.

She refused to budge on her feelings. Eventually, I gave up.

The only time it improved was when she finally went to college.

Not because she matured, but because we were not in the same house.

Ashley is now dating a guy whose kids also hated her.

Even to this day, she is frosty with me.

Well, the reason I am saying this is that Ashley is in a relationship with Jared (30F).

He has kids from a previous relationship.

He and his children are treating her the same as she did to me, if not worse.

I witnessed it firsthand the other night at the restaurant.

They were rude and disrespectful toward her. They were only that way with her.

She casually told Ashley that it could be karma coming back at her.

To be fair, Jared did pull them up on it. They were still sullen.

They were talking about her behind Jared’s back. It was déjà vu.

Jared eventually got up to take his children out. He wanted to give them a talking-to.

The moment they were out of hearing range, Ashley spoke.

She said they were rude little monsters. She said she did not know what she did wrong.

I just blurted out that was karma coming back at her.

Ashley got upset.

She got upset. She said she was not that bad.

I said she was close to it.

She got up and left. They did not come back.

Jared texted us that an “emergency” came up and said sorry they had to bail.

Now, she wants an unbiased opinion if she was indeed in the wrong.

Listen, I may be getting on. I know an excuse when I see one.

I asked my husband if I should apologize. He said it might make it worse because of how stubborn she can be.

I spoke to a friend. She said that I was only telling the truth. But she is biased.

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I would rather have an unbiased opinion.

If I am wrong, then I will come down off my high horse and apologize.

AITAH for saying that to my stepdaughter?

Yikes! Looks like the concept of karma is true, after all.

That moment must have felt intense and a little too real. But saying “karma” out loud probably didn’t help the situation.

Even if it were true, OP could have chosen a better time to share that opinion with Ashley.

Indeed, the truth stings more when it finally comes back around.

If you enjoyed this story, check out this post about a stepmom who says stepson isn’t doing enough, despite the fact that he’s working 12-hour shifts to pay for his own college.

Let’s find out what others have to say about this.

This user shares their personal thoughts.

Here’s a similar experience.

This one makes a valid point.

Yes, exactly.

Finally, short and simple.

As the golden rule says, don’t do unto others what you don’t want others to do to you.

If you enjoyed this story, check out this post about a man whose celebratory post-grad school vacation is being ruined by his family’s insistence he’s being lazy.