Grandparents introduce son's affair partner as 'the mother of our precious grandson,' son flips out that she didn't correct them even though it's true: 'I just didn't want to cause a scene or embarrass anyone'

Author image for JR Atkinson
JR Atkinson • Writer and Editor
May 25, 2025 10:00 AM EDT

Life is long, complicated, and never quite goes how you expect it to. No one as a kid plans to have an affair with their married coworker, bear their child, and then have to take that baby to a family barbecue with their affair partner and his husband, but hey… life happens. The best you can do is react to the hand you're dealt. But sometimes the twists and turns of life are so complicated that not everybody gets it. 

If you're a part of a blended family you're probably used to correcting people when they assume your relationships. Or maybe you just let it slide knowing that they're wrong and move on with your life. But it can be confusing, and sometimes a little emotionally troubling to have people wrongly assume your family relations, especially if those relations were born out of some sort of core family wound. That's what happened in this story. 

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  • 01

    AITA for not correcting my ex's family when they introduced me as their daughter-in-law at a party?

    Okay, this is a bit of a mess, so bear with me. I (30F) have a 1-year-old son with "Liam" (29M), who is married to his husband "Josh" (28M). Yes, I know how that sounds. Liam and I had an affair about two years ago. He was already married to Josh at the time. We were coworkers, things got too close
    via u/Own_Finance9584
  • 02
    Cheezburger Image 10508615936
    via Unsplash+ (Andrej Lišakov)

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

  • One family didn't quite know how to deal with the web of entanglement that they were given, and some feelings got hurt in the process. But one mother was left wondering whether she was in the wrong for claiming her own child. Read on for the story and see what you think. 

  • 03
    an one thing led to another (TBF, I didn't know he was married). When I found out I was pregnant, Liam came clean to Josh, and everything exploded. But despite how awful the situation was, everyone decided to put the baby first. Josh chose to stay with Liam and work
    via u/Own_Finance9584
  • 04
    through things, and I've always made it clear that I don't want to be with Liam, I just want to co- parent well. Surprisingly, Liam's parents have been incredibly kind to me. I think they were just thrilled to have a grandchild. They help out with the baby, buy him things, and even invite me to family functions. They call me "family" a lot, which I assumed was just their way of being warm and inclusive for the sake of the baby.
    via u/Own_Finance9584
  • 05
    The issue happened last weekend. Liam's parents threw a big party (they are quite rich socialites); extended family, old friends, lots of people I didn't know. I was there with my son, and Liam and Josh were also there. At one point, Liam's mom introduced me to a group of guests as "the mother of our
    via u/Own_Finance9584
  • 06
    precious grandson." I was taken aback, but I just smiled awkwardly and didn't correct her. The guests all smiled and congratulated me, assuming I was married to Liam. I noticed Josh go quiet, and later he left the party early.
    via u/Own_Finance9584
  • 07
    The next day, Josh texted me that he was humiliated, and that I should have corrected them; especially since I know the kind of scrutiny he already gets as Liam's husband (the curse of homophobia, y'all). He said I stood there and let everyone think he was the third wheel. I told him I didn't mean any harm, I just didn't want to cause a scene or embarrass anyone. But now I'm second-guessing myself.
    via u/Own_Finance9584
  • 08
    Liam is trying to stay out of it, but he did say that while his parents were out of line, he also thinks I should've gently clarified the truth. I honestly didn't think it would matter that much in the moment, and I didn't want to cause an embarrassing scene there.
    via u/Own_Finance9584
  • 09
    Edit: There's an error in the title. They didn't explicitly introduce me as DIL, but a lot of people inferred that.
    via u/Own_Finance9584
  • 10
    Cheezburger Image 10508616192
    via Unsplash+ (Andrej Lišakov)

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

  • 11

    Commenters came in with some questions and some judgements.

    Resolve Resident... 47m ago • Did they call you their daughter-in-law or the mother of their grandchild? With the former, I don't think you'd be the AH for not correcting them in front of people. I'd expect you to have a quiet word with them later though to make sure it didn't happen again.
    via u/ResolveResident118
  • 12
    If it was the latter, then you're definitely not the AH. The description was accurate. If people are inferring the wrong thing from that, then that's on them. If Liam or Josh have an issue with the way Josh is being introduced (or not) then they can bring it up but I don't see it as being your responsibility.
    via u/ResolveResident118
  • 13
    . . S. 49m ago Edited 40m ago So which is it? Did they introduce you as their daughter-in-law and you didn't correct them, or did they introduce you as the mother of their grandchild? Because the AH diagnosis relies pretty heavily on that minor detail.
    via u/SitamaMama
  • 14
    ETA: ESH. OP for not clarifying things even a little, Liam for being Liam, and this is just based off limited context but I find it weird that Liam's parents seem to want to draw so much attention to the female he had an affair with instead of the male their son is actually
    via u/SitamaMama
  • 15
    married to. Maybe they're just that excited to be grandparents that they're not paying attention to the accidental consequence of their bragging, though.
    via u/SitamaMama
  • 16
    Tasty-Reserve-8... 49m ago But you are "the mother of our precious grandson!" There was nothing said about a relationship with her son, who obviously was standing with his husband. You did nothing wrong, and in fact did right by not making a bigger deal about
    via u/Tasty-Reserve-8739
  • 17
    it. Liam should be the one to proudly pronounce his marriage to Josh to everyone. Josh just sees you as an easier target to blame rather than have a deep discussion with his husband about his feelings of inadequacy in their social circle.
    via u/Tasty-Reserve-8739
  • 18
    H. 28m ago Edited 22m ago • . Uhm. Why didnt LIAM correct them? Thats HIS parents. That was HIS job. Hes the one who cheated on his husband with a woman and accidentally made a baby. I'm glad that he and josh are there for the baby. But you know what? That wasn't your place.
    via u/HopefulBlogger
  • 19
    And excuse me. But you ARE the mother of their precious grandson. NOTHING those grandparents said were wrong. Yo uare the mother. You made that baby for them when they probably thought that they would never get that. His parents probably love you
    via u/HopefulBlogger
  • 20
    tremendously and look at you as an unexpected gift from God to fulfill their hearts wish for a grandbaby. You are vital and important. You are the life bringer of this precious little itty bitty who deserves NOTHING but all the love!
    via u/HopefulBlogger
  • 21
    They did not infer that you were married to him. They simply said, "the mother of our precious grandson." It's not their fault, or your fault, that the guests FORGOT that he's literally married to the man sitting next to him. And quite frankly,y whose business is it anyway? You ARE the mother. And you were introduced correctly. that's YOUR son.
    via u/HopefulBlogger
  • 22
    It's not YOUR fault that Liam is having trust issues with Josh anymore. Quite frankly. I think Josh is a wonderful, amazing person for being able to forgive and love that child. I think Josh deserves BETTER than Liam. Because you know. If Liam cheated on him with you once... who knows how many times he's cheated on Josh with others?
    via u/HopefulBlogger
  • 23
    If Liam has an issue because Josh got his feelings hurt when his parents introduced you CORRECTLY as the "mother of their precious grandson," then MAYBE he should have kept his pee- pee in his . You are NTA. You were correctly introduced. And if Josh cant actually get over that hurt and he has to fight with Liam
    via u/HopefulBlogger
  • 24
    over you being introduced as the mother of his partners son, then they need to go to couples. therapy or get a divorce. Liam can be mad all he wants to be. He's the one who made this situation, isn't he? You didn't know he
    via u/HopefulBlogger
  • 25
    was married. You were lied to and betrayed too. Now he's laying in his bed of consequences and no one expects him to LIKE it, but we do expect him to handle it like a grown up. And you shouldn't feel guilty just because this married man decided to FORGET for a few detrimental moments.
    via u/HopefulBlogger
  • 26
    Especially since I assume this coi s that lead to the baby wasn't IN the work environment. Liam knew exactly what he was doing.
    via u/HopefulBlogger
  • 27
    Tanyec 50m ago NTA. What she said was true. You are the mother of their grandson. If Josh and Liam wanted to correct misconceptions, that was on them. Yes, Liam and his parents s k. But Josh's anger needs to be directed at them, not you.
    via u/Tanyec

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Babies family drama aita infant kids affair blended family moms parenting dad argument cute kids pregnant reddit thread parent Reddit raising kids Parenting Fail parents children Parenting FAILS
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