Condescending step-mother says grown step-son's graphic design work is easy to do, so his father hires him and proves her wrong: ‘I was really proud of it too'

Author image for Elna McHilderson
Elna McHilderson • Managing Editor
May 17, 2025 7:00 AM EDT

Hey, we love good step-parents. It's a bummer that Disney has villainized the step-mothers. It's not easy to come into a kid's life as this separate human who they don't know and try to become part of their family. Step-mothers who approach it with love and patience gets all of our praise! However, there are bad step-mothers just like their are bad people in any group. In this one, it was a step-mother who loved to condescend her adult step-son. One of those step-moms who tries to build up her own child even though it is clear her rearing technique was not the best… Then again, I do not have any adult children or step-parents, so what do I know, right? Let's see what this guy on Reddit has to say about it though as an adult step-son with a passive aggressive step-mother. 

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  • It started with the step-mom talking down on his career as a graphic designer. She said that school is not needed and anyone can do it. So she starts trying to promote her daughter's graphic designer business, even though her daughter—his step-sister—has no education in the field. Whereas, he has a degree in the subject and it is his professional career. Luckily, he got to prove himself in a very natural and talented way. See below! 

  • Cheezburger Image 10505820672
    via Unsplash+ (and Getty Images)

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • "Dad proves: Anything your kid can do, mine can do better"

    In this case, my dad did the thing that had me smug... petty smiling for a bit.. on both our behalfs. Keeping some details vague to keep this as anonymous as possible.
    via BubbleBladeBunz
  • So, stepmom (SM) has been bitter since her daughter had been jobhunting and I told her that my employers dont even consider looking at a resume if you dont have a degree. They literally have software screening applications to filter out ones that dont list them.
    via BubbleBladeBunz
  • Since then, there was some bitterness about it - the type of "your job cant be that hard"... undertone about things. My degree is diverse, and an accumulation of job experience in different industries has led me to where i am, and therefore I
    via BubbleBladeBunz
  • do a lot of freelance work for people in various capacities although, - since i now have work taking 40 hours of my week, i've cut back, only assisting as a small favour for some loyal people who've supported me in the past.
    via BubbleBladeBunz
  • I belong to a few community groups, as does my family, as we live in same area. The petty revenge came when im scrolling by some posts, and i see SM's post, advertising her daughter's freelance design business. She has no experience in design.
    via BubbleBladeBunz
  • The post is bad. Really really bad. Repetition of the same word in various bubbles, really bad slogan, random clashing fonts, color scheme clashing with clashing font outlines. And the post dimentions, not suitable for the platform it is posted to.
    via BubbleBladeBunz
  • Then the next post. An ad for my dad's business. Clean, modern, efficient writing for advertisement standards. Cohesive color and font schemes. Minimalistic even. An advert so pretty,
    via BubbleBladeBunz
  • Megan Markle might print it, stick a white lable over the company name and add some honey and ziplock bags with name tags to the price list, calling it "elevated" or something. Posted, by my dad.
    via BubbleBladeBunz
  • I made it the night before. I was really proud of it too. I didnt even know about SM's daughter's business. Dad just asked and i made it. I play coy and say nothing.. he plays coy and says nothing. But boy, the atmosphere be THICK in that house.
    via BubbleBladeBunz
  • Cos he knows, that she knows, that I know... that we all know... My work spoke for itself. And her daughter's work... wails.
    via BubbleBladeBunz
  • And since dad's post... Not a word about how what i do is "not that hard".
    via BubbleBladeBunz
  • Cheezburger Image 10505825280
    via Unsplash+ (and Bermix Studio)

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • CoderJoe1 Ah, pettiness by design.
    via CoderJoe1
  • MaCqUaY92 No words, no arguments, no fights just straightforward skill and experience are best weapons in these kind of situations.
    via MaCqUaY92
  • Sartres_Roommate I tried to do my own design work for the business I started near the beginning of web 2.0. Oh boy did I learn how much basic talent and training it takes to do this well.
    via Sartres_Roommate
  • I still have that abomination of my logo and website saved on file and go back to look at it from time to time when I am feeling cocky.
    via Sartres_Roommate
  • mzm123 ha! love it [retired graphic designer here] people think it's *so* easy, all they need is photoshop and anyone can do it.
    via mzm123
  • Glittering-Dust-8... KARMA! Maybe her daughter will start taking her business seriously and learn from her mistskes. (Not holding our breath though. Sad.)
    via Glittering-Dust-8333
  • Maleficentendscu... Stepmom and her daughter need to get over themselves and if she wants to be in that industry get the proper degrees
    via Maleficentendscurse

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