'She wouldn't let my other biological child be in the family portrait'

“I don’t like your wife. That’s evil stepmother behaviour,” one person commented in support of the dad.

It’s a tale as old as time…

Dad remarries an evil woman who despises his child and banishes them to a world of neglect and scrubbing floors as they befriend the household mice… 

Okay, fine. 

Not all houses have friendly mice, but it seems like a story shared by one dad ticks all the boxes for evil step-mum vibes. 

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Just stand here

A dad has taken to the always entertaining ‘Am I the A**hole’ thread on Reddit to share a recent experience he had with his wife and child.

“I have a child who lives with me from a previous marriage. My wife and I also have two children together. So, I have three in total,” he started.

The family booked to have some family portraits snapped, but it quickly turned sour.

“We had several with all five of us together, some with my wife and our two children together, some with me and the three of my children, some with just our two children, and some with just the three children. 

“Then my wife wanted some with just her and I, and our two children together, which [meant] my other child was excluded,” he revealed.

“I didn't feel that this was fair to my other child, considering it would be "all of us except them". 

“My wife says I have really hurt her, but, again, I didn't want a photo of our family with my other child excluded. 

I understand my other child isn't her biological child, but they are still my child.”

Yikes!

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"Ok now cuddle up and say cheese... wait, not you!" Source: iStock

“This is a divorce situation in my opinion.”

As you can imagine, the comments section of the post exploded in support of the dad, with many calling the mum sly and evil, among other things not suitable for this article!

“I don’t like your wife. That’s evil stepmother behaviour,” wrote one.

Another added, “Short and simple: You are completely in the right and continue to stand up for your eldest. 

“...It is concerning that she wanted to leave your other child out and would make me question her character. 

“Keep a close eye on how she interacts with your eldest, this may just be a small warning flag hinting to a bigger problem.”

One commenter even thanked the dad for his actions; “I have blended families on both sides and please understand: your wife has an absolutely AWFUL attitude. 

“She needs a complete perspective change on this. I feel so sad for your child that they have to live with someone who thinks so little of them. 

“Thank you for being on your kid’s side.”

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We're getting evil stepmother vibes here. Source: Disney

Navigating blended families

We’re not saying having a blended family is a walk in the park, but for those who decide to marry their spouse should also remember they are marrying any children, too.

Raising Children set our their tips on how to navigate blending families together in the most seamless way possible.

Setting rules and boundaries in blended families and stepfamilies can be a challenge due to different family dynamics and new relationships, they advised. 

Children, in particular, may find it difficult to adjust to their parent's new partner and their rules. 

It's important to show warmth and affection within the family, they added. 

Building emotional bonds helps create a sense of security and belonging for everyone involved. 

Additionally, listening to everyone's concerns and opinions creates an open environment where everyone feels valued and understood. 

They also said that children adjust better when their own parents remain their primary source of guidance in terms of responsibility for rules and boundaries. 

New partners play a supportive role by backing up the rules set by the parent. 

Parenting teamwork is essential for maintaining consistency and mutual respect. 

Disagreements should be addressed privately to avoid conflict in front of the children.

We think this dad is well within his right to have a stern chat with his wife about family expectations to ensure his child isn’t left out again.

Originally published as 'She wouldn't let my other biological child be in the family portrait'