Stepmom Sick Of Constantly Babysitting Stepson, While His Lazy Parents Do Their Own Thing

When people fall in love with someone and decide to spend the rest of their lives together, they mostly accept everything that comes with this person. After all, they turn into family, but things can quickly start going downhill if they start taking each other for granted.

For instance, this woman thinks that her husband is expecting too much from her by constantly dumping his kid on her. She doesn’t mind looking after the child, but finds it unfair that she babysits him more than even his own mother does. However, he doesn’t seem to understand this! Here’s what really happened…

More info: Mumsnet 

Sometimes, people can reach a breaking point when their loved ones take them for granted

Stepmom looking tired and overwhelmed while babysitting her young stepkid at a table with laptop and papers.

Image credits: massonstock / Freepik (not the actual photo)

The poster married her boyfriend of 3 years, whose 5-year-old son has been spending more time with the couple since they tied the knot

Text excerpt showing a stepmom expressing frustration about babysitting her stepchild more than his mom does.

Stepmom exhausted and overwhelmed while babysitting stepkid more often than his own mom, facing emotional and custody challenges.

Text excerpt showing a stepmom explaining her unexpected role in babysitting her stepkid more than his own mom does.

Stepmom exhausted and at her wit’s end babysitting stepkid more often than his own mom does, feeling overwhelmed.

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Stressed stepmom talking on phone, looking exhausted while babysitting stepkid near a wooden crib at home.

Image credits: freepik / Freepik (not the actual photo)

The kid’s mom also has some mental health issues, so he has been spending time with the couple even on weekends

Text excerpt showing a stepmom explaining how she babysits her stepkid more than his mom after moving in together.

Stepmom exhausted and overwhelmed as she babysits her stepkid more often than his own mom does.

Stepmom expressing exhaustion and frustration as she babysits stepkid more than even his mom does.

Text message expressing frustration from a stepmom struggling with babysitting her stepkid more than the biological mom does.

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Stepmom looking exhausted and stressed while sitting on a couch with a man blurred in the background.

Image credits: The Yuri Arcurs Collection / Freepik (not the actual photo)

Since her husband goes to work, the poster is the one who constantly ends up looking after him, leaving her exhausted by it

Update text on a white background expressing a stepmom’s frustration babysitting a stepkid more than his mom does.

Stepmom exhausted from babysitting stepkid more than his mom, managing school, meals, activities, and health care.

Text on a white background stating a stepmom expresses exhaustion and frustration babysitting her stepkid more than his mom does.

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Stepmom looking tired and frustrated while sitting alone, overwhelmed by caring for her stepkid more than his mom does.

Image credits: EyeEm / Freepik (not the actual photo)

She finds it unfair that the kid’s mom and dad have free weekends, while she has become almost his primary caregiver

Text of a stepmom expressing frustration about doing most of the parenting and babysitting her stepkid more than his mom does.

Stepmom expressing exhaustion and stress from being primary caregiver for stepkid more than even his mom does.

Text excerpt from a stepmom expressing frustration babysitting stepkid more than his own mom does.

Stepmom at her wit’s end babysitting stepkid more than his own mom does, feeling exhausted and overwhelmed.

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The poster is distraught that her husband has time for a new hobby, but she’s supposed to burn herself out looking after a kid she didn’t have

In today’s story, the original poster (OP) laments how she’s tired of constantly being the de facto babysitter for her stepkid. This was never expected of her before she married her boyfriend of 3 years, who has a 5-year-old son. At that time, the custody was shared between the parents, and even her mother-in-law helped from time to time, but then it changed drastically.

The child’s mother has some mental health issues, so he started spending more time with the newly married couple. Also, unlike going to his grandma, the man just expected OP to look after his boy. Dear readers, this is where things take an unfair turn – the poster is burdened with childcare to the point that she feels like the primary caretaker.

The woman feels super exhausted handling work and then looking after a kid that isn’t even hers in the first place. Don’t get her wrong, for she truly loves the 5-year-old, but now, she’s babysitting him even more than his mom, who gets free weekends. In fact, even her husband gets them free, but not her, as she’s the one who ends up looking after him.

She’s truly tired from it all, and we can almost sense through the story her frustration because of the unfairness of the whole situation. The worst part is that when she tells her husband how exhausted she is, he makes snarky comments like “welcome to his life.” Moreover, he’s now starting a new hobby, while she doesn’t even have time for anything, as she’s babysitting.

Stressed stepmom sitting on couch with arms raised, expressing frustration while babysitting stepkid at home.

Image credits: SkelDry / Freepik (not the actual photo)

It has always been observed that parenting is an exhausting job, so we can understand why she keeps claiming that she’s tired. Besides, research also shows that parents of minor children are more distressed than their childless counterparts. Now imagine being constantly tired and distressed for a child that is not even yours; it’s only natural that a person would feel frustrated.

However, after she vented online, there were a few people who said that it was all her fault. They claimed that since she married him, she should accept the family that comes with him. People also added that it was foolish of her to think that he would keep his son with his mom while they lived happily together.

On the other hand, many people felt that it was very presumptuous of her husband to expect that she would just look after his kid constantly. In fact, some even had a theory that he purposely did this to her after marriage by using subtle manipulation tactics. Netizens argued that she is just like a free nanny for him, and they strongly advised her against having kids with him.

Folks online also told her to make it clear to him that even she needs weekends free from childcare and that he’s being too demanding. Some even questioned whether this is what she wants from life. If you were in her shoes, how would you handle such a situation? We would love to hear your thoughts, so don’t hesitate to type your heart out in the comments below!

Although a few people said that she had it coming since she married the guy, many felt that he was just using her for free labor

Stepmom exhausted and overwhelmed babysitting stepkid more than his own mom, expressing frustration and fatigue with the situation.

Comment text expressing frustration about being expected to babysit a stepkid more than the biological mom does.

Comment expressing frustration from stepmom at her wit’s end babysitting stepkid more than his mom does.

Alt text: Stepmom looking exhausted and overwhelmed while babysitting her stepkid more than the child's mom does.

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Stepmom exhausted and overwhelmed babysitting stepkid more often than his own mom, struggling to cope and stay firm.

Comment expressing frustration about being a stepmom babysitting a stepkid more than the biological mom does.

Comment expressing frustration about being an unpaid stepmom and nanny, overwhelmed by babysitting stepkid more than his mom does.

Stepmom exhausted babysitting stepkid more than his mom, seeking balance and support in parenting duties.

Stepmom expressing exhaustion while babysitting stepkid more often than his own mother in a challenging family situation.

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