17-year-old invites mom and dad to graduation but doesn't invite his stepmom, she blames dad for not securing her an invite: 'I should get a ticket, not his mom'

Author image for Bar Mor Hazut
Bar Mor Hazut • Senior Editor
May 25, 2025 8:00 PM EDT

There are a select number of events in life in which you want to be accompanied by the people you love the most. You want to see their faces more than anything in the world, smiling at you from across the room as you achieve this long-anticipated accomplishment.

Your wedding is a great example of an event in which you want your closest friends and family members to attend and be there to support you. As you stand there at the altar, looking at the love of your life, you want to be able to look at the crown and see the smiling faces of your parents, your siblings, best friends, and anyone else you love from the bottom of your heart. 

The same thing can be said about your high school graduation. That is a monumental moment for many, saying goodbye to 12 years of your life and entering a whole new era. So, as you go up on that stage, ready to accept your diploma, it is only natural to want to share that moment with your loved ones.

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  • However, what can one do upon learning that they actually have a limited number of invitations? How will they proceed knowing they can't really invite all their loved ones, and that they have to choose?

    The 17-year-old son in this story turned to his dad when he discovered he could only invite three people to his graduation, and that one member of the family would have to be left out. The result of Dad's advice led to a family dispute, so scroll down to read all about it.

  • 01
    Cheezburger Image 10507458816
    via stephanie phillips

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

  • 02

    AITA for telling my son not to invite my wife to his graduation?

    I (36m) have a son (17m) that is graduating high school this year. His mom and I spit up when he was young, and I got married to my now wife (37f) a few years ago. His mom
    via Kindly_Zebra3960
  • 03
    doesn't live super closed, so my son mostly stays with me, but he'll call her a few times a week and go over to her house on long weekends.
    via Kindly_Zebra3960
  • 04
    My son wanted to invite me, my wife, his mom, and his brother (19m) to his graduation, but each student only gets up to 3 tickets. My son tried asking if he could
    via Kindly_Zebra3960
  • 05
    get one more, but they told him that since the school auditorium wasn't very big, they wouldn't have enough seating if they gave students extra tickets. They did tell him
    via Kindly_Zebra3960
  • 06
    that the school usually does a raffle for extra tickets if they have any open spots, but the tickets aren't guaranteed. My son talked to me about it, and said he didn't know what
    via Kindly_Zebra3960
  • 07
    to do because he wanted both his mom and my wife to be there. He said that he could just invite my wife if it was easier, and celebrate with his mom separately. I know that
    via Kindly_Zebra3960
  • 08
    my son is still close with his mom even though he doesn't see her as often anymore, so | told him that unless there was a specific reason he didn't want her there, he should
    via Kindly_Zebra3960
  • 09
    probably invite his mom first, and put his name in for the raffle to try and get one for my wife. He seemed happy with this idea, and called his mom to tell her.
    via Kindly_Zebra3960
  • 10
    Earlier today, my wife was asking my son about the graduation, and he told told her that he didn't have enough tickets for everyone,
    via Kindly_Zebra3960
  • 11
    but was trying to get an extra one for her. She asked who he had given the tickets to and he said me, his brother, and his mom. She seemed a bit surprised but didn't say anything else.
    via Kindly_Zebra3960
  • 12
    Later she said if I could ask my son to give the ticket to her instead of his mom, and I told her no because it was his choice, and he had already told his mom. She said she
    via Kindly_Zebra3960
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    didn't understand why he would give it to his mom when he doesn't even see her that often, and that he should have just given it to her. I told her that I told him to invite his
    via Kindly_Zebra3960
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    mom, and even if he doesn't see her as often it doesn't mean that his mom doesn't matter to him. She got upset and asked why I would tell him that, and wouldn't I rather
    via Kindly_Zebra3960
  • 15
    spend the day with her instead of my ex. I said that is didn't matter what I though because my son is really close with his mom, and just because I've had issues with
    via Kindly_Zebra3960
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    her doesn't mean that he does too. Now my wife is mad at me, and accused me of just wanting to see my ex. I do
    via Kindly_Zebra3960
  • 17
    want my wife to come to the graduation, but I think that it's more important that my son has his mom there. AITA?
    via Kindly_Zebra3960
  • 18
    Cheezburger Image 10507459072
    via RDNE Stock project

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

  • 19
    QueenHelloKitty Info: does the 19yr old want to go? Some siblings care, others don't
    via QueenHelloKitty
  • 20
    Kindly Zebra3960 OP Yes, I'm pretty sure he does. They're really close, and he was happy when my son asked him. He moved for university, but he's planning to fly back for the graduation
    via Kindly_Zebra3960
  • 21
    Jealous-Jellyfish560 Was this not an issue when the 19 year old graduated? NTA. Your wife should understand that it's his mother. Also, you didn't tell him not to invite your wife.
    via Jealous-Jellyfish560
  • 22
    Kindly_Zebra3960 OP We had only been married for not even a year at that point, and she didn't know them as well, so it wasn't really a problem
    via Kindly_Zebra3960
  • 23
    November-8485 Your son came to you with a valid problem and you gave him good advice. But he needs the follow up advice of either, please let your step mom know or I'll be talking to your step mom.
    via November-8485
  • 24
    Step mom has a right to be (a little) hurt but in reality, it was always going to be her that didn't get a ticket. Her asking him to not invite his mom, WILD. Nope. It's his day, his tickets, and he gets to invite who he wants. She's absolutely wrong there.
    via November-8485
  • 25
    Light ESH because I believe a convo should have been had to step mom/wife before she just 'discovers' she's not invited. Delivery would have improved the outcome I like to think.
    via November-8485
  • 26
    Kindly Zebra3960 OP Yes, I realized I should have talked to her about it, but I wanted to wait until my son for sure chose his mom. He called his mom yesterday so I was planning to talk to her tonight, but she had already asked by then.
    via Kindly_Zebra3960
  • 27
    IndependentMindedGal YTA. You suggested a solution to your son, but then put it on him to explain "his" solution to your wife. That was your job, and should have been done long before your 17 YO had to take the heat.
    via IndependentMindedGal
  • 28
    What planet your wife is on, thinking she comes before his own mother, is anyone's guess. But doesn't sound like son didn't expect it. Next time, please have your son's back.
    via IndependentMindedGal
  • 29
    Evening-Dare6012 The fact that your wife (who has only been in your son's life for a few years) thinks she deserves ticket over your son's mother is a huge red flag. You are NTA, but she absolutely is
    via Evening-Dare6012
  • 30
    -DovahQueen- You are definitely NTA your wife is though. His mother is just as important if not more important than his step mom to him. He only gets 3 tickets and unless there is some reason that his bio mom should not be in his life ie she is ak...sive the ticket should go to her.
    via -DovahQueen-
  • 31
    scooby946 Slight YTA, you came up with the idea to invite mom first and hope for a raffle ticket later. Why did you then not tell your wife? And, throw your son under the bus? You could have privately discussed it with her and reassured her that son is actively trying for more tickets.
    via scooby946

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family drama aita graduation kids mother siblings invited stepmom reddit story parenting high school family Reddit women parents children Father
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