‘I hate my stepson, he always talks about his biological mum like I’m not here’

“He literally can't say one sentence without speaking of his mother - the ex-wife!”

For the last four years, Carla* and Dan* have been living in marital bliss. 

The couple, who got married one year ago, both have kids from previous relationships and have been able to blend them together effortlessly. 

Well, kind of.

Want to join the family? Sign up to our Kidspot newsletter for more stories like this. 

Ned won't stop talking about his biological mum. Picture: iStock

Woman forbids stepson from mentioning his biological mum

Carla has two sons of her own, Brian*, 22 and Jack*, 13. Her husband, Dan, also has two children - an 18-year-old son, Ned*, and a 15yo daughter, Holly*.  

“For the most part, we get along great,” Carla wrote on Reddit. But not everything is picture perfect, it seems. 

RELATED: I gave birth to my ex-stepson’s baby - people say we’re gross but we’re happy

The stepkids split their time between staying with their father and Carla and the rest of the time with their biological mother. 

“The visitation schedule is one week on, one week off for his kids and my 13-year-old,” Carla explained. 

While Carla has no issues with her stepkids coming over for the week, she despises when Ned brings up a particular topic at the dinner table - his mother. 

Introducing our new podcast: Mum Club! Listen and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts so you never miss an episode.

“My stepson has a bad habit of always talking about his mother, the ex-wife,” Carla said. “He literally can't say one sentence without the words ‘My mum’!”

This infuriated Carla to no end, and it had become such a big problem in the house that Dan was forced to step in and take action. “My husband has asked him dozens of times to not talk about her when they are at our house,” she said. 

Despite Dan laying down the law in the house, his son refuses to listen. But that’s not the only issue with 18yo Ned that Carla sees. Whenever he comes over to stay, he tends to consume all the snacks in the house. “[Ned] eats like he has never seen food before,” Carla wrote in shock. “Like a Neanderthal!”

Or maybe (hear me out) he’s just acting like a teenager? 

In another classic troublesome teen move, whenever Ned is asked a question, he usually ignores it. “If I say, ‘hello’ when they come home, they never respond back, which I feel is very rude,” Carla wrote. “He interrupts me and others constantly when we're speaking.”

While her husband frequently excuses his behaviour and “blames it on their generation”, Carla saw right through it. “My boys, on the other hand, are very polite, respectful and speak when spoken to,” she said. 

This brings us to the main issue at hand. Carla and Dan take a holiday every year, and it;s usually the only time the mum can genuinely enjoy some time to herself. But this year, Carla is having second thoughts about the trip. 

“We are planning a family vacation next summer, and I just don't want to be around his kids!” she complained. “I don't want to spend a full week being annoyed and miserable because his kids rub me the wrong way.”

She explained that because she is usually the one who forks out the cash for the holiday, he dreaded the idea of splashing money on a holiday she won’t enjoy. 

RELATED: My stepson isn't as worthy of my huge fortune as my kids are

“You're going to end up alienating this young man”

The entire issue was incomprehensible to the majority of Reddit, who couldn’t wrap their head around Carla’s thinking. 

“How is it a bad thing for a son to talk about his mother?” a flummoxed person asked. One comment read: “You don't sound very fun to be around.”

“You asked for these kids when you married their father,” said another. “If you are displaying this hostility to them openly, it's no wonder they are ignoring your guidance and disregarding your feelings. You are the adult here.”

Others poked holes in her argument. “Yes, I'm sure your kids are angels and his are just awful... or perhaps, you're just not very objective?” someone wrote. 

“You're going to end up alienating this young man,” said another. “He is going to resent you for forbidding him to mention his mum in your presence. Then he's going to also blame his dad because Dad is allowing you to silence him in what should be in his own home.”

But not everyone was so quick to jump down her throat. “You're supposed to enjoy vacation,” a person defended Carla. “At that price, don't waste your money on something you'll be miserable doing.”

Another wrote: “I wouldn't go on vacation with them and just have separate vacations. Your husband doesn't clearly care how his kids behave and isn't going to do anything to fix it. So why bother.”

*Names have been changed

Originally published as ‘I hate my stepson, he always talks about his biological mum like I’m not here’