The Original Post
I have 4 kids, 3 with my wife and a daughter from a relationship I had while me and my wife were separated and were probably going to divorce, we went to marriage counselling and made out and we’re still together. I share 50/50 custody of my other daughter with her mother and I love her just like my other kids, but I realised I never took her in any family vacation with me, I’m admittedly very oblivious to these things and I’m so stressed because I’m a lawyer and even during vacations I’m always stressed out.
Right now me and my wife and kids are in London for a week and a half, I wanted to take my other daughter with us but my wife threw a fit and we had a huge fight about it and I didn’t want to ruin the holidays for our kids so I dropped it and got my daughter a whole bunch of presents instead including a new iPad and a bunch of Barbie’s because she’s obsessed with those.
I’m over here in London with my kids now celebrating Christmas and I feel fucking horrible about it, my daughter’s mom isn’t as financially well off as me and she can’t have these experiences and I feel so bad about it. I’m honestly done with all of it and once we get home I’m gonna put some hard boundaries with my wife and I’m even willing to divorce her over this. Here I am celebrating in Europe with my kids while my little girl is just sitting at home.
What Reddit Said
Reddit had mixed reactions to this father’s dilemma. Many users praised his realization and supported his plan to set boundaries with his wife. However, others questioned his decision-making patterns and lack of foresight throughout the situation.
The most upvoted comment encouraged him to plan a separate vacation with just his excluded daughter. Meanwhile, other Redditors pointed out the complexity of blended family dynamics. Some noted that expecting his wife to embrace the child from his affair during their separation might be unrealistic.
The Verdict
The consensus leaned toward supporting the father’s intentions while criticizing his execution. This case highlights how a wife excludes stepchild from vacation situations require careful navigation and advance planning. Most agreed he needs to prioritize his daughter’s inclusion in future trips, even if it means separate vacations. This is a complex example of blended family challenges that require difficult parenting decisions.
Original post from r/TrueOffMyChest (1,297 upvotes, 457 comments)