UPDATE: Stepmother insists 18-year-old stepdaughter gets a job after her car breaks down, dad gets involved, refusing to support daughter: ‘You will not be seeing any money from me’

Author image for Bar Mor Hazut
Bar Mor Hazut • Senior Editor
Jul 3, 2025 2:00 PM EDT

Being a parent is hard; being a stepparent is even harder; being a stepparent who has to put their foot down to ensure their stepkid does not make crucial mistakes in life is practically impossible.

Most parents find themselves handling situations with the Good Cop/ Bad Cop approach, even if it's not intended. There will always be one parent who is considered more strict than the other, no matter how much they may try to avoid it.

A stepparent who finds themselves in the Bad Cop's shoes might face even more backlash from their kid, so it's even more important to have the support of their spouse in these matters, which almost did not happen in the story below.

If you haven't read the original tale (you can still do so here and come back to this update), let us give you a quick rundown: This stepmother has noticed that her husband and his ex-wife have been doing a poor job of educating their 19-year-old daughter. She decided to step in when the daughter broke down her car and demanded to use one of the stepmother's two cars. 

Last we heard, Dad was not aware of this argument, but that changed in the update below.

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  • In this update, stepmom shared what happened after her husband and stepdaughter's dad got involved, and luckily, he was ready to have his wife's back. Even if it means they both end up being the bad cops.

    Keep scrolling to read the full update.

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    Cheezburger Image 10524704256
    via dimaberlinphotos

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

  • 02

    Update: AITA for refusing to allow my step daughter to use one of my cars and telling her to get a job and buy one instead?

    Hello again! Thank you for all the feedback you provided to my previous post, I really appreciate you spent your time to give me some ideas.
    via Status-Silver1772
  • 03
    The majority of you advised me to hide my cars keys because Sally would most likely try to steal one of my cars when I am not home.
    via Status-Silver1772
  • 04
    You are not far from the truth because she oftentimes does this with her mother's car, meaning she will take the car when
    via Status-Silver1772
  • 05
    her mom is not home without asking her if she needs it later or ask for permision. So your advice makes a lot of sense.
    via Status-Silver1772
  • 06
    However I refuse to do such thing in my own home. I believe if I end up in a position to have to hide my things in my own house, we'll have a bigger problem
    via Status-Silver1772
  • 07
    that needs to be solved. Also where does this stop? Today I have to hide my car keys, later my money, later my purse? This is not the kind of life I want to have
    via Status-Silver1772
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    and it never happened to me as a teenager/young adult. When I used to live with my parents, I knew where everything was (car keys, money, documents,
    via Status-Silver1772
  • 09
    jewelry etc) and I have never taken anything without asking. So after reading the comments from r/bored36090 (thank you btw, I had a good laugh), I
    via Status-Silver1772
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    decided to follow their advice but in a less dramatic way. I sat my husband and his daughter down to have a chat. I made it clear in front of my husband that Sally
    via Status-Silver1772
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    insisted she uses one of my cars and I do not agree with it. Then I told Sally that I know she sometimes takes her mother's car without asking and warned her not
    via Status-Silver1772
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    to dare do something with my cars when I am not home because if she does, I will call the police and report the car stolen. She was shocked and asked me
    via Status-Silver1772
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    if I would stoop so low as to report her for stealing just for a car that I don't use or need anyways. I told her it's not me who would stoop so low, but her because taking
    via Status-Silver1772
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    something that does not belong to you especially after being told no it's the clear definition of stealing so yes, I woult report it. I think for the first time in her
    via Status-Silver1772
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    life she understood there will be consequences for her actions and she did not protest further.
    via Status-Silver1772
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    HENRIEY NOTE 220 THE A 20 UNITED STATES UPAWYERICAN Com MB 245171151 20 TWENTY DOLLARS
    via Photo By: Kaboompics.com

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

  • 17
    After this I asked her to clarify in front of my husband how is it that me suggesting she gets a job makes me a person who tries to "exploit" her, based
    via Status-Silver1772
  • 18
    on what she told my MIL and SIL. My husband had no idea about it and he just...exploded. After hearing what happened he told her it's good that we hear what
    via Status-Silver1772
  • 19
    she talks behind our backs because he will give her even more resons to complain. My husband told her she will not be seeing any money from him during
    via Status-Silver1772
  • 20
    this summer. Sally started crying and told him he can't do this but husband told her he can and he will. His responsibility as her parent is to feed her, buy her
    via Status-Silver1772
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    clothes and help her pay for school items but that's it. She is an adult and if she wants to party or see her friends she should start paying for it herself since
    via Status-Silver1772
  • 22
    she never appreciated anything she was given. Apparently this is the hill my husband he is willing to di on and he even told his ex wife about his plans, making
    via Status-Silver1772
  • 23
    it clear that if she wants to support Sally's activities this summer she will have to do it alone because he will not contribute for anything that's not a neccessity.
    via Status-Silver1772
  • 24
    So yeah, this is where we are at now. Sally stormed out of our house and of course went to her grandmother to complain. But I am waiting. If MIL opens any discussions.
    via Status-Silver1772
  • 25
    about it with me I will make it clear she is free to support Sally as much as she wants, we are not stoping her.
    via Status-Silver1772
  • 26
    Beachboy442 Good to hear spouse supports you. Not always the case.
    via Beachboy442
  • 27
    HistoryHannah23 Seems like a healthy dose of reality was served. And kudos to your husband for supporting you. Remember, you're not being cruel, you're teaching her responsibility. Keep us updated!
    via HistoryHannah23
  • 28
    LimitlessMegan A shame he waited until she was an adult to actually parent her, but hey maybe him and his wife can actually get in the same. bandwagon and make a dent in the child they collectively broke to get back at each other.
    via LimitlessMegan

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family drama aita job kids mother car reddit story parenting petty entitled family Reddit money women parents children Father
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