Reddit Stories - BETRAYAL Unveiled_ SACRIFICING Our Children for His Stepson's EDUCATION_

Episode Date: October 24, 2025

#redditstories #askreddit #aita #betrayal #sacrifice #children #stepson #education  Summary: A tale of betrayal unfolds as a father sacrifices the well-being of his own children for the education of his stepson. The ethical dilemma and emotional turmoil are explored in this gripping narrative.  Tags: redditstories, askreddit, reddit, aita, tifu, betrayal, sacrifice, children, stepson, education, family, parenting, moral dilemma, emotional turmoil, relationships, stepfamily, education system, difficult choices, loyalty, trustBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/reddit-stories--6237355/support.

I hope you enjoy this story. Decide to prioritize his stepchildren over our kids, then utilize financial assistance for children to cover his stepson's educational expenses. At present, his personal mother settled his financial obligations and his stepson led to his apprehension. Hello, everyone. I'm 33 and have two kids, 12 and 8. I divorced their dad when I discovered he was cheating on me with a mom from our younger

son's school group. Despite that betrayal, I agreed to shared custody because I wanted my kids to grow up with their father and their lives. However, since the divorce, he's only been around when he's picking them up for visits. He often goes out with his stepchildren but rarely includes our kids, claiming those outings are spur of the moment and can't always include them. Eventually, I stopped pushing, but I've always thought it was unfair that he keeps his distance from our children's lives. Recently, I decided to upgrade my older son's computer, and he asked if we could give his old one to his cousin, my brother's son. My brother has been a huge support for my kids. He's always

available to take them to their school events when I can't and often takes them out to the park or for trips when I'm busy. My ex, on the other hand, is rarely available for them. Anytime I ask him to help with an activity, he has an excuse, he's out of town or swamped with work. Ironically, though, whenever his stepkids need something, he's there. Once, he even argued with the stepkid's father at a school event, insisting he had the right to be there. When my ex found out I gave the computer to my nephew, he got upset. He complained that if I had money to spare on a gift like that, I should have forgiven

two months of child support he'd missed, since his finances were tight with a new baby. He added that if I could give away a computer, should have gifted it to either his kids or his stepkids, who shared just one computer among the three of them. I told him my finances were none of his business and that I owed nothing to his stepchildren. Then his wife jumped into the conversation, accusing me of spoiling my son by giving him a new computer and of being petty for letting my son bring it to their house, claiming it was just to show off in front of his step-siblings. I told her she had no right to speak to me that way or question my decisions. I added that I allow my kids to see their father so they can grow up with him in their lives, not so she can interfere with

how I parent. My ex was offended, but I told him this whole situation could have been avoided if his wife hadn't inserted herself where she doesn't belong. After that, things seemed to calm down until last week. I went to pick up the kids, and my ex was visibly upset. He explained that he tried reading a bedtime story to our youngest. At home, he still likes to be read to before bed, usually by me, his brother, or my brother, and when none of us are around, he listens to audiobooks. Apparently, my ex wanted to make an effort to connect, so he offered to read to him, but our son turned him down, saying he didn't need him for that because he could do it himself. My ex stayed to listen as he searched for a story for eight-year-olds without a dad on his tablet,

and it hit him hard. The next day, my ex offered to take our older son to basketball practice, but he replied that he'd be going with his dad. He quickly curate. corrected himself and said, Uncle. That made my ex even angrier, and when I came to pick up the kids, he confronted me about it. I told him that if our kids feel like they don't have a father, he is only himself to blame. He tried to shift the blame onto me, saying I was the one pushing him away from his role. I told him it's up to him to show up for his kids, not something I can do for him. I reminded him he was the one who broke our family, and he's chosen to be more involved with his stepkids than with his own children. I told him not to kid himself, the kids are

growing up, and they're starting to see the reality of who he is as a father. If he keeps this up, he can't expect much from them in the future. After that exchange, his mom called me. While she's always been polite to me, I felt the need to say that I would have appreciated this same concern from her when she supported her son's affair, knowing her grandchildren were losing their father in the process. She hung up, and we haven't spoken since. My brother advised me that I had every right to express how I feel, but he suggested that maybe this discussion shouldn't have happened in front of the kids. Later, my ex texted me saying that if I weren't so difficult, he'd spend more time with them. I told him his duty as a father doesn't depend on whether I'm easy or not, and he knows

I've never prevented him from seeing the kids. The truth is, when he has to choose, he prefers outings with his stepkids over his own children, and that's something only he can change. Comments where OP has replied, custody agreement. The agreement was to split the time 50 to 50 with the new baby. Now, he says he doesn't have space for both kids and only picks them up on weekends. When they're at his place, he doesn't take them anywhere. The weekend goes by, and he goes out with his stepchildren and his wife. Even when they used to stay with him half the week, it was the same story.

The current custody agreement. The current agreement is that he can have them whenever he wants. To make it clearer, if they want to have breakfast with me on Monday and dinner with him, that's valid. Here's the thing, now that the agreement is like this, he sees them less than when he was supposed to have them half the time. I don't know if this makes it clearer now, and we're not from the United States. Commenter, downvoted. I'm also a bit suspicious about how O.P. somehow knows all these details.

about his relationship with the stepkids. That seems suspect. O.P. says at the end of the post that she's been accused of being difficult, fine, her anger is justified. But if she's fought for primary custody, or if the ex-ex has to go through her to get things like extracurricular schedules, then she's contributed to this situation as well. O.P., my older son is friends with his father, step-siblings, and stepmother on Facebook. That's how he has seen and shown me things. I've also found out about other outings because when my mother-in-law called me, she would

mention why the kids didn't go to a certain place with their father. She thought I wasn't giving permission and scolded him for lying about me not wanting them to spend time with their step-siblings. Difficult in the sense that I don't want anything more than two parents who respect each other and take care of their children, no favors, no discussions about things that don't concern the kids. There was no custody battle. Commenter, downvoted.

Your eight-year-old son, I have an eight-year-old as well, so don't try and lie here, was searching for audiobooks relating to eight-year-olds who don't have a dad? Unprompted on his own. You expect us to believe this? Oh, O-op, I wasn't there, that's just how my ex told me about it. I didn't mean it literally, more like when you search for kids' stories and see what pops up. That's how I saw it. Why my son searched for it like that, I have no idea. I asked, asked him why he used that title, and he just said he wanted a story. Update 1, November 21, 2024. These past days have been a bit unusual. Hey, guys.

First, I want to thank all of you. I didn't expect to receive so much advice, and I never thought this app would be so useful. It's not very popular in my country. Now, back to the topic. My ex sent me messages saying he wanted to resolve things, stop arguing, and talk to me. I agreed. He came to my house, and we didn't beat around the bush we went straight to the point. He asked me if I really thought he was a bad father. I replied

that, looking back now, I never would have chosen him to be the father of my children. He said it wasn't easy for him, and I answered that it wasn't easy for me either because I take on both his role and mine. He told me he couldn't leave his stepchildren without a father because he had already broken their family, and I replied that he had left his own children without a father. He started crying and told me it was my fault, saying that when the infidelity happened, I refused to forgive him or go to couples' therapy. I kept telling him things I'll admit they weren't kind, but none of them were lies. He asked me if, given his current state, I didn't feel sorry for him, and I said no. He told me he didn't think I could be so cruel, and I replied that when I changed jobs, pulled my kids out of

school two months before the end of the term, moved houses, and watched him disappoint our kids over and over again, any empathy I might have felt turned into apathy. He left after that. His mother called me and said she knew what I had told her son, that he hadn't stopped crying, and that she didn't understand how I could carry so much hatred to hurt her son like that. She said I should just get over it. I answered, with all due respect, What I said wasn't out of hatred but out of truth. If your son is crying, it's because he's finally facing the consequences of his actions. Maybe instead of worrying about how he feels now, you should have taught him to take responsibility and treat people with respect.

She said I didn't know what it was like to feel a mother's love and see a child suffer, and I replied that I did understand because I have two children who cry over a living father. Two children who see their dad being a father to other kids when he doesn't have time to be their father. She said he was sorry, and I told her not to put words in his mouth and to stop calling me about anything related to her son. I hung up. I wanted to cry so badly, but I'm a damned mother, and I don't have time for that. I want my kids to feel safe, loved, and strong enough not to need anyone not even me to be themselves. Last Thursday, I took my kids to their cousin's birthday party, hosted by my ex-sister-in-law. I still have a good relationship with her.

She was the one who told me about the infidelity and that her mother was already encouraging it. My ex showed up alone and irritated. My kids kept their distance from him they kissed his hand but then ignored him completely. My ex-mother-in-law told the kids they should show more respect to their father, and my eldest replied that he doesn't show respect for me since he and his partner talked badly about me. I scolded my son, not for what he said, but for how he addressed his grandmother. I told him it was wrong to eavesdrop on private conversations and repeat them. Then I asked him to gather his things because we were leaving.

My ex-mother-in-law asked me not to leave, saying the kids were having fun and we could resolve this as adults. She asked my ex what he had said, and he claimed not to remember. I told her I didn't care, and she said we should be good parents. I replied that to be good parents, you need to be good people first. My ex was getting agitated. My ex-mother-in-law asked why we couldn't have a civilized co-parenting relationship. I told her everything I've mentioned here about his free will to see the kids and how the second custody agreement isn't working since he only sees them some weekends. My ex didn't want to discuss it, saying he had too many kids at home.

My ex-mother-in-law told him the only kids who should feel comfortable are his, and the comfort of the others should be provided by their biological father. My ex wanted to end the conversation because his mother was scolding him for being a careless father. He also said it was my fault. I asked him to clarify how it was my fault. You can see the kids whenever you want. What more do you want? He started yelling, claiming I was only being petty because I didn't really need the money since I earned more than him and had fewer kids to feed. I told him I wouldn't continue the conversation and that I'd show him what being uncivilized looks like by filing for the overdue child's

support payments. His mother asked what I meant by overdue payments. I explained that he was three months behind. She was furious, slapped him, and demanded to know what he had done with the money for his children. He answered, I couldn't let junior miss out on attending the same school as my son. I didn't want him to feel inferior. My ex-mother-in-law said she couldn't believe it, and they started arguing. I left, yet for context, my youngest son attends a private. private school, and my ex pays for his stepson to attend the same school. Yesterday, my ex-mother-in-law came over and said she would pay the overdue fees. She brought the money in cash. I knew my ex- would be furious. Here's some context. My ex-mother-in-law doesn't work, doesn't own anything

herself, and lives with my ex-sister-in-law. However, she does have significant savings from her inheritance. If she pays the tuition, my ex knows there won't be much left for him when she passes, even though she's still healthy. He's been asking her for years to invest some of that money in his business ideas, but she's always refused. My ex's retaliation was not picking up the kids this weekend. Yesterday, my ex-sister-in-law called me. She doesn't know all the details yet, but apparently, my ex's 15-year-old steps un punched him in the mouth. She said, she'll let me know exactly what happened once she finds out. And before anyone asks, the new custody agreement will likely take a year to finalize. The court says the overdue payments are the

priority, and the rest can wait. We have more urgent cases. Comments where Op has replied. Mill, she knew about the affair. When I say she wasn't rude to me, it's because she never showed displeasure towards me or was a bad mother-in-law. I was surprised that she was a cover for her. her son. During the divorce, she didn't take sides and has always been a good grandmother. Commenter, is kissing hands a thing in certain cultures? Never heard of that. Oop, it's not about literally kissing hands. In my culture, when you see your parents, grandparents, uncles, and godparents, you ask for their blessing. It's like saying shown, short for the word bendition, blessing. It sounds like shown, as in shown, father,

or the blessing, father. School, when I found out I was furious. My son goes to that school because the cheating scandal rumors were spreading at his old school and I wanted to keep him away from it. Update 2, November 22, 2024. A promise is a promise. As I mentioned earlier, my ex's stepson had an altercation with him because my ex refused to let him go out. Now I have more details. My ex's stepson had plans to go bowling with some friends. His biological father had already given him permission and money for the outing. However, when he told his mother, she said he couldn't go because they needed him to stay home and watch his younger siblings.

My ex and his wife had planned an outing and needed someone to stay with the kids. This led to an argument. The boy raised his voice to his mother, and my ex stepped in to demand that he respect her. The boy replied that he wasn't his father. Trying to maintain authority, my ex told him that as long as he lived under his roof, he had to follow his rules. The boy ignored him and turned away. My ex followed him and touched his shoulder to get his attention.

At that moment, the boy turned around, punched him, and shouted that he wasn't his father and could never compare to him. The mother scolded him for his behavior, but the boy, still angry, shouted back that he hated her. This version was shared by my ex and his wife to my ex-mother-in-law. My sister-in-law later related to me. They went to see my ex-mother-in-law to try to gain her sympathy and convince her to take care of the kids, the two stepchildren and the baby so they could go out. However, my ex-mother-in-law told them she would not take care of the children. When I spoke to my ex, he mentioned he was dealing with family issues and claimed that the boy's biological father was

turning him against him. He didn't give me many details and omitted most of what my sister-in-law had shared. He simply informed me that, due to the situation, he wouldn't be able to pick up our children this weekend. The 15-year-old boy is now staying with his biological father. As for what I mentioned earlier, my ex was two months behind on child support, and that same week, he was supposed to make another payment. He didn't, leaving him three months behind. In the end, mother was the one who covered the overdue amount. Regarding the child who attends the same school as my son, it's not the 15-year-old involved in the altercation. It's his younger stepbrother, who is eight years old, the same age as my son. I decided to enroll my son in that school when

the affair became public. At the time, I was working as a kindergarten teacher at the same school, and the boy had been one of my students. We all knew each other, and to protect my children from rumors, them to a private school. This happened two months before the school year ended. Thanks to the circumstances and the support of some kind people, we managed to get them admitted. Update 3, November 26th, 2024. The discussion was about how I could afford private school tuition on a kindergarten teacher's salary. To clarify, I am no longer a kindergarten teacher, I am a high school teacher, and salaries in education vary significantly depending on the country. In my country, in my country, I am a kindergarten teacher. In my country, salaries in education are quite competitive compared to other jobs. To clear up any further

assumptions, micro-businesses, $280 U.S. dollars, small businesses, $315 U.S. dollars, medium-sized businesses, $350 U.S. dollars, large businesses, $370 U.S. dollars. My field, education, early education. kindergarten, 800 U.S. dollars, 1,000 U.S. dollars. Primary education, 900 U.S. dollars, 1,100 U.S. dollars. Secondary education, 1,100 U.S. dollars, 1,100 U.S. dollars, 1,300 U.S. dollars. Secondary education with five years of experience. One thousand hundred U.S. dollars. 1,400 U.S. dollars. Associate Professor, Master's Degree.

1,050 U.S. dollars. 1,400 U.S. dollars. Full professor, doctorate. 1,400 U.S. dollars, 1,750 U.S. dollars. The cost of living here is affordable, and I mentioned that in several comments. I am not from the United States, where life is more expensive. In my country, this salary is more than enough to live comfortably. I am not rich, but my kids enjoy an excellent quality of life.

Private school tuition varies. There are schools as low as $120 U.S. dollars per month or less, and of course, there are elite schools that are much more expensive. We use local currency, not dollars. I also have other sources of income that are irrelevant here. Now, to stop the speculation, people assume, I was from multiple countries, calculated my monthly tuition costs, and even tallied up all my expenses. The only thing you missed was calculating the cost of my divorce. Let me save you some trouble,

I didn't pay a single cent, and my ex left with nothing but the clothes on his back. Careful not to choke on that. As for my kids not being well cared for? My kids are perfectly fine, and as long as I'm breathing, no one will take that away from them. I saw a lot of concern for my children, but here's a question for you. What about your kids? Are they okay? Did you pay what you owe for their care? When was the last time you saw them? There's no need to worry about my kids. If any of those users want more details, feel free to contact me, and I'll happily send over some bills for you to pay since you're so interested in my finances and expenses. And regarding my divorce, it was far from amicable, not because of custody that was never

an issue but because my ex lied at every turn to delay and obstruct the process. I didn't accept it then, I don't accept it now, and I never will not in a million years. For those still questioning my divorce, here are my words to you, once there's infidelity, there's no family left. This clarification isn't for those who offered helpful comments or advice on my post. End of the informational break. Now, the actual update. The day after my post here, my ex was arrested for domestic violence and child abuse.

The father of the boy involved filed a complaint. My ex's wife defended him, claiming that her son was a brat and that this wasn't the first time her son had been violent with him or his younger siblings. This left me surprised because, as far as I know, my ex had never mentioned that the teenager had been beaten. My ex's sister-in-law said that her brother, meaning my ex, never brought it up. I asked my kids if their stepbrother had ever touched them or been violent with them. Both said no.

My children are comfortable telling me anything, and their answer was no. My ex and his wife have since changed their story about the incident. Now, their version is that the boy misbehaved, my ex tried to talk to him, and the boy hit him first, so the mother hit her son to pull him off my ex. Child protection authorities here are usually very strict when a case interests them or when the harm suffered by the child is severe. I haven't seen the teenager myself. The teenager has been placed in a shelter for abused youth. When physical abuse of minors is reported, they are transferred to a safe space until a gazelle chamber interview and a forensic medical evaluation are conducted. Once a safe environment is confirmed,

they are returned to the parent.