31-year-old mom refuses to let ex's wife homeschool her 8 and 9-year-old children after she demands it, claiming it makes homeschooled stepsiblings jealous: "I'm not willing to try"

Author image for Briana Viser
Briana Viser • Writer and Editor
Jun 29, 2025 3:00 PM EDT

Have you ever known someone who was homeschooled? When I was growing up, my best friend was a neighbor who was homeschooled. It always felt like she was in some other sect of my life since she didn't go to school with me, but was also an incredibly important person to me. As children, all we want is to fit in. So how could a kid fit in properly if they don't even know other kids? Going to public or private school is the basis for learning social constructs and socialization. Not that there's anything inherently wrong with homeschooling, but the children must get their social lessons in one way or another. 
 

I would take my friend to birthday party's, events, or other social things so she could get a sense of the real world outside of her home. It did seem to help, but she also endured her fair share of touch questions and hostility about being homeschooled. Read the full story below for all the juicy details. 

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  • 01

    AITA for refusing to let my ex-husband's wife homeschool my children?

    Cheezburger Image 10523347200
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  • 02
    I (31f) share two children (9m & 8f) with my ex-husband Aaron (35m). Aaron's cheating ended our marriage and before long he
    via u/DealingMommyXy

  • This woman can't seriously expect her husband's ex to listen to anything she says, right? She can't force someone to homeschool her children. Is she even a stay-at-home mom? It's not a walk in the park to homeschool your children, and to be honest, a lot of adults are rusty on the teaching curriculum! 

  • 03
    had moved in with Nicole (34f) and her children (11, 10, 8 and 6). Aaron and Nicole have a 2 year old together and they're expecting another child.
    via u/DealingMommyXy
  • 04
    Even before Aaron and Nicole met she homeschooled her children. While my kids attend public school. This was mentioned as a problem before
    via u/DealingMommyXy
  • 05
    they were even married but I ignored them. Now this has come up again and they are being a thorn in my side about it.
    via u/DealingMommyXy
  • 06
    Nicole said it is unfair for her children to see mine go to school while hers do not. She told me her kids have become jealous and it's causing issues for her
    via u/DealingMommyXy
  • 07
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  • 08
    parenting and for her and Aaron's family. I told her this was not my problem and she needed to figure out how to manage that.
    via u/DealingMommyXy
  • 09
    As that is the life of blended families. Not everything will be the same or equal for the kids from different marriages.
    via u/DealingMommyXy
  • 10
    Aaron asked me to homeschool a few times and I told him I would not entertain the idea. He even asked the kids who were worried when they came to me about it.
    via u/DealingMommyXy
  • 11
    They didn't want to leave their friends and teachers and they didn't want to stay home all day like Nicole's kids. I reassured
    via u/DealingMommyXy
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    HOMESCHOOLING
    via Mohamad Faizal Bin Ramli from Getty Images / Canva

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  • 13
    them I would not be saying yes to homeschooling for them.
    via u/DealingMommyXy
  • 14
    Now Nicole and Aaron are on a mission to make me agree to Nicole homeschooling my kids alongside hers. Apparently they have the 2 year old started into
    via u/DealingMommyXy
  • 15
    some form of pre-k homeschooling and they feel it's only fair for my kids to join in too. I said no. I even had my lawyer
    via u/DealingMommyXy
  • 16
    send their lawyer a letter officially stating my position on this. My lawyer has also documented everything. They asked their lawyer to take this back to court
    via u/DealingMommyXy
  • 17
    and get a judge to overrule me but their lawyer told them this would not go in their favor. My ex was so unhappy about it that he told me all of this and it gave me the chance to document that also.
    via u/DealingMommyXy
  • 18
    Now they're claiming I don't have a good reason to refuse other than to disrupt their home and to keep Nicole from playing a bigger role in the lives of my children.
    via u/DealingMommyXy
  • 19
    And to prevent sibling bonding between Nicole's kids and mine. I told them I have many reasons to say no and they just need to accept it. I stopped replying after this.
    via u/DealingMommyXy
  • 20
    But since school ended for the summer I have been inundated with pressure from them over this. They are worried that I'll send them to school in
    via u/DealingMommyXy
  • 21
    September as planned. Which will happen. I feel like the kids wanting to go to school should also count and I told Aaron this before.
    via u/DealingMommyXy
  • 22
    But AITA for not being willing to try? Is it really so hard to believe I just want my kids to attend school normally?
    via u/DealingMommyXy
  • 23
    AgonistPhD NTA. The problem with Nicole's children could easily be solved by her sending them to school.
    via u/AgonistPhD

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