I won't do the school run for my stepkid now I'm on maternity leave

"There's something that his actual parents are forgetting..."

A mum says her maternity leave has been hijacked by her husband and his ex-wife. 

They expect her to continue school drop-offs for her seven-year-old stepson—even with a new baby on the way.

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"Met with surprise"

“I get on well enough with his mum that I agreed to drop him off. It was directly on my route to work,” she explains in an online parenting group.

She drives the 10 minute trip to his school three days a week on her way to work.

“I'm quite shocked that they assumed I would still do this during maternity and certainly not with a new baby,” she adds.

“This has worked until now. My stepson has only had to go to breakfast or after school care on occasion. 

“He absolutely hates it so he’s always much preferred coming in with me and it's not been an issue.”  

However, with a new baby on the way she’s looking to change her priorities and hand the job over. 

But it didn't go to plan when she approached her husband about it.

“I have asked my husband if he's spoken with his ex about drop offs yet. It seems to have been met with surprise that I won't still help take my step son to school,” she explained. 

She assumed that welcoming a new baby would naturally relieve her of the responsibility. 

Image: iStock

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"Not my child"

Taking to a mums’ forum, she asked who is being unreasonable.

Some supported her decision to step back.

“So neither of the child’s parents can be arsed to get him to school, but you and a new baby are expected to? Mm, think not indeed,” said one commenter.

“I don't think you should have to if it doesn't work for you,” agreed another.

While some insisted maternity leave shouldn't be an exit plan from her responsibilities. 

“Nothing about being on maternity leave stops you doing the school run,” wrote one person. 

Another added “I would still do it. It really isn't a big thing. You are helping your husband with his child. Remember, they come as a package.” 

She feels it’s unfair that her husband and his ex assumed she’d continue without asking.

“I do feel it's a bit off for them to have not considered asking about going forward. They just assumed I would still do it despite not actually driving past anymore,” she said. 

In fact, she thinks they should be a bit more grateful.

"At the end of the day he isn't my child and he does have two perfectly able bodied parents. Not everyone has a third woman available in the morning to do the school run for them,” she argued.

As for her replacement, she has a suggestion in mind: the child’s mother’s fiancé. 

Originally published as I won't do the school run for my stepkid now I'm on maternity leave