17-year-old isolated from family for being child of infidelity, puts her mom in her place after she reaches out for support for being alone: “I can’t wait to leave you”

Author image for Briana Viser
Briana Viser • Writer and Editor
Jan 25, 2025 12:00 PM EST

Family dynamics are different for everyone. Some people grow up with their parents still married, while others have only one parent in the picture, or divorced parents. Some people are only children, while some have multiple siblings. Regardless of your family dynamic, we all know how much our upbringing and relationship to our parental figures and siblings affect us. How our parents treat us imprint on our brains pathways of attachment that permeate into our adult romantic relationships and friendships. 

Everyone has their strife in life, but no one can ignore the difficulty of growing up with stepparents and stepsiblings. For the protagonist in the story below, that's exactly what she's going through. But the kicker is that she's also a product of infidelity. Her mother had an affair with her ex-husband and got pregnant. Now the teenage protagonist is just in the world where she has no father, her stepsiblings hate her, and her mother is isolated along with her. What is a girl to do? She doesn't even blame her stepfather and doesn't expect anything from him. She understands him and knows he has no obligation. She blames the whole situation on her mother. Her mother laments that none of her kids like her. Hm, I wonder why. 

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  • 01

    AITA for telling my mom I can't wait to leave her without any of her kids since she can't stop using me as a pawn?

    "You can't be surprised you're alone"
    via photolime / Canva

    This image is for illustration only, and the subjects are models; the image does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 02
    My mom cheated on her ex- husband which made him leave her. I was born from the affair and her ex-husband wanted nothing to do with me, which I so get! I do! They had four kids together who were 7 to 14 when I (17F) was born. My mom made me think he was my dad for years
    via u/RoundFunny671
  • 03
    and she tried to get him to take care of me and she got even pushier with it because their kids rejected me. They rejected her too but me as well. And worse than mom really.
    via u/RoundFunny671
  • 04
    She'd try to force her ex and his family-like his parents and siblings- to interact with me. That was for her other kids' sports games and stuff. She'd drag me and she'd try to sit with them and she'd try to lead conversations.
    via u/RoundFunny671
  • 05
    All it did was make me feel like sh because he couldn't hide his disgust for me and his family didn't hide theirs either.
    via u/RoundFunny671
  • 06
    Another thing is my name. She gave me an Italian first name to go with our Italian last name, which is her ex's last name. Two of their other kids have Italian names he chose and the other two had non-Italian names chosen by mom. She has admitted she wanted to try and
    via u/RoundFunny671
  • 07
    Cheezburger Image 10457584640
    via claudiodivizia / Canva

    This image is for illustration only, and the subjects are models; the image does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 08
    shame him into taking care of me. And she has used my name to try and make it believable that he's my real dad. Not just with me but with other people. She would say he was my dad and abandoned me because I was so young and he wanted to be done with her faster.
    via u/RoundFunny671
  • 09
    When her other kids stopped talking to her she would take me to her ex's house and fuss at him for letting me get left behind. Sometimes when she did that the police were called. Other times him and their kids would stand there arguing and over and over I was called the affair kid and it got
    via u/RoundFunny671
  • 10
    to me. I cried at times and even then my mom would stand there and argue.
    via u/RoundFunny671
  • 11
    My mom did give up but she still tells people I'm his and she even said I have his name and my first name is one he chose, from his culture and his family and stuff. It bothers me so much that she won't let it di . I have no extended family in my life either. I
    via u/RoundFunny671
  • 12
    don't know mom's family and I never could find my dad online, if that's even the right guy she gave me the name of (eventually).
    via u/RoundFunny671
  • 13
    She's moped about her kids not talking to her and how she's a grandma and doesn't know her grandkids and how most of her kids have left her. She told me we should be closer but I act like I don't like her. I asked her how she could be surprised and I can't wait to leave her without all of
    via u/RoundFunny671

  • Some people are just dealt an unlucky set of cards for life. I feel bad for this girl. 

  • 14
    her kids. I said she doesn't deserve to have me stick around when she uses me as a pawn. She got really mad and yelled at me. She pointed out how she's all | have which is true. AITA?
    via u/RoundFunny671

  • Her mother sounds like a narcissist…

  • 15
    O.. 13h ago Edited 10h ago NTA and your almost 18. Maybe you should choose your own new name (first and last). Have it legally changed as soon as you can.
    via u/Ok_Consideration1284
  • 16
    Justthisgirlsopini... 13h ago NTA, and looking forward to all the amazing adventures ahead of you as you get therapy and build your chosen family as you move forward in life :)
    via u/Justthisgirlsopini
  • 17
    KEATE YOUR FUTURE
    via Galina Zhigalova / Canva

    This image is for illustration only, and the subjects are models; the image does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 18
    C... 13h ago • Edited 9h ago NTA You can create a new - chosen family with friends. The best thing for you will be to go NC with your toxic mother as soon as you can.
    via u/ComprehensivePut5569
  • 19
    ImAnNPCsoWhat • 13h ago NTA That was a trip. My mother isn't a cheater as far as I know, but she's pretty alone now and none of her 7 children really like her. She
    via u/ImAnNPCsoWhat
  • 20
    made her bed just as your mother did. Good luck going LC or NC.
    via u/ImAnNPCsoWhat
  • 21
    • SoulLessGinger992 13h ago. "She pointed out how she's all I have which is true." No, this is wrong, she does not "have" you, you're just obligated to stay there until you're 18. In order to "have" you, she'd have to actually
    via u/SoulLessGinger992
  • 22
    care about how her actions impact you. She has clearly never been any type of mother to you and destroyed her last family with her selfishness. You are not her emotional support animal to cope with what she's done to herself. Do not feel bad about leaving her,
    via u/SoulLessGinger992
  • 23
    she is neither entitled to or deserving of you tolerating her nonsense. NTA.
    via u/SoulLessGinger992
  • 24
    bramblefish • 13h ago NTA, when you can, try DNA test, maybe find your dad - maybe? He will want to know you, maybe better than your mom, if not at least you can close that door on wondering. Sorry your ma has been less than you
    via u/bramblefish
  • 25
    deserve, never let that hold you back.
    via u/bramblefish

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family drama drama teenagers family feud relationships lol love family infidelity reddit thread Reddit funny dating
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