41-year-old mom and her 20-year-old son move in with her 38-year-old boyfriend, son constantly disrespects boyfriend and refuses to do chores or pay rent: 'He acts like he’s doing me a favor by just existing here'

Have you ever seen the Reddit post that goes a little something like this?

"I'm a 25-year-old man who recently started dating a 50-year old lady. Her 30-year-old son refuses to call me "dad" and won't give me the respect I deserve. How do I get him to change?"

Obviously, this post and all variants are a joke, but they do point to a very real point of tension in age gap relationships where the older partner has kids who are older than their younger partner. This dynamic is explored on Modern Family, where Luke and Manny get into a fight after Luke repeatedly calls Manny his uncle. In real life, no self-respecting 30-year-old would expect their older partner's 35-year-old child to call them by any sort of parental title. They were never a parent to them, and never could have been. But that doesn't mean the younger partner can't desire some basic respect from their older partner's adult children.

Author image for Emmy Pratt Emmy Pratt
Advertisement

Stay entertained and up to date by following us on Facebook and Instagram!

Tags

boyfriend toxic relationships long term relationship relationships parenting girlfriend rent chores mom toxic relationship Parenting Fail son dating apartment bad parenting
Scroll Down For The Next Article

Also From Memebase

‘It feels like my space is never really mine’: 18-year-old puts a lock on his bedroom door and stocks up on food while his mother is abroad due to his extended family, who are living with him, repeatedly invading his room and belongings

‘It feels like my space is never really mine’: 18-year-old puts a lock on his bedroom door and stocks up on food while his mother is abroad due to his extended family, who are living with him, repeatedly invading his room and belongings

Trending Now

13-year-old stepdaughter cries after her step-mother puts more effort into decorating her 3-year-old brothers room than her room: 'She accused me of playing favorites because he's “actually mine."'

13-year-old stepdaughter cries after her step-mother puts more effort into decorating her 3-year-old brothers room than her room: 'She accused me of playing favorites because he's “actually mine."'

01
Employee hits 10-year anniversary at engineering job, boss rewards him with either a pizza kit or angel figurines worth $60: 'You actually get gifts?!'

Employee hits 10-year anniversary at engineering job, boss rewards him with either a pizza kit or angel figurines worth $60: 'You actually get gifts?!'

02
27 Baffling Design Choices Found in the Wild (July 20, 2025)

27 Baffling Design Choices Found in the Wild (July 20, 2025)

03
Mom refuses to let dad of a 7-year-old and 8-month-old twins go on a solo trip without the rest of the family: 'I’m working, we don’t have full time child care, and it’s honestly just a lot with the 3 kids'

Mom refuses to let dad of a 7-year-old and 8-month-old twins go on a solo trip without the rest of the family: 'I’m working, we don’t have full time child care, and it’s honestly just a lot with the 3 kids'

04
‘[He] isn't my dad… I never got to meet my dad’: 17-year-old daughter tells stepdad that he isn't her real father, her mother continually tries to pressure her into having a father-daughter relationship with him

‘[He] isn't my dad… I never got to meet my dad’: 17-year-old daughter tells stepdad that he isn't her real father, her mother continually tries to pressure her into having a father-daughter relationship with him

05
Roommate wants girlfriend of 2 months to move into 2-bedroom and pay $0 extra rent, doesn't understand why roommate refuses: 'I don't think it's fair for me to subsidize her living here'

Roommate wants girlfriend of 2 months to move into 2-bedroom and pay $0 extra rent, doesn't understand why roommate refuses: 'I don't think it's fair for me to subsidize her living here'

06
Advertisement