Rebellious Teen Struggles With Return Of Estranged Father And New Stepmother Who Expect Him To Care For Their Newborn
"My grandparents said I should be a bit willing to consider the idea since the kid's my half-sibling."
Dealing with family issues can be tough, especially for teenagers trying to figure out who they are. It gets even more complicated when parents split up and new family members come into the picture.
A lot of times, teenagers have to juggle their own needs with what their family expects from them. Take this story from Reddit, for example.
OP is a 16-year-old guy who is dealing with his dad coming back into his life. His dad lost his rights as a parent before because he wasn't around and didn't pay child support. But now he's back, sober, and married to someone else.
Things were okay at first, but then his stepmom started making rules about what books he couldn’t read, especially if they were about LGBT topics. OP didn't like this at all and decided not to go to their house anymore.
Things got more complicated when his dad and stepmom, who were expecting a baby, asked him to help babysit. They wanted him to come over for three hours every day to watch the baby so they could have some alone time.
But the stepmom was still being strict about what he could read and wouldn't even let him use their TV. OP's grandparents thought he should at least think about it because the baby would be his half-brother or sister.
But OP stood up for himself. He told his dad that it was crazy to expect him to take care of a baby for three hours a day without getting paid and that he wasn’t okay with his stepmom telling him what he could and couldn’t read. He ended up telling his dad he hoped he would be a better dad to this new baby and then blocked him.
OP is a 16-year-old who lives with his mom after his dad lost parental rights due to abandonment. Dad reconnected after getting sober and has a new pregnant wife, so they asked OP to babysit the baby for three hours a day once it's born.
OP stopped visiting his dad due to the stepmother's attempt to control his reading choices and because of that now OP refuses to babysit their upcoming baby
OP declined to babysit his new sibling for three hours a day due to restrictions on their reading and expressed his desire for his dad to be a better parent to the new child.
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If they're only reaching out to OP because they want him as a built-in babysitter, it's not fair.
It seems like they're only interested in having a relationship with OP to use him as a babysitter
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OP should communicate to his grandparents that he is not against bonding with his new half-sibling, but this particular arrangement isn't suitable.
Stepmom won't let OP use the TV but expects him to babysit.
The father's parentage and stepmother's demands are troubling.
It's one thing to occasionally babysit and get paid for it, but giving up 3 hours every day is unreasonable.
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OP is not responsible for their child; they need to handle their own responsibilities.
OP is not the asshole and he is establishing important boundaries for himself and his future.
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It's unfair of them to put that responsibility on OP.
OP needs to prioritize his well-being and autonomy. He is not obligated to accept an offer to babysit for his father and his new wife, especially if it comes with conditions that make him uncomfortable, such as restrictions on his reading choices.
OP's decision to express his concerns and set boundaries with his father was a mature and valid choice. It's crucial for him to stand up for what you believe is right for him and to ensure that his own needs and feelings are respected.
Damjan
