Father buys son a luxury car for his 16th birthday, then his ex-wife scolds him for refusing to financially contribute to her new family: ‘Why would I be the one to buy them a car?’

Author image for Lana DeGaetano
Lana DeGaetano • "Show me to me please."
Aug 20, 2025 5:00 PM EDT

If you have the financial means to make your child's material wishes come true, why wouldn't you? The father in this next story, who gifts his son a luxury vehicle for his 16th birthday, is scolded by his wife for failing to gift her and her new husband's children similar gifts. The father, however, finds it ludicrous on his ex-wife's part to expect him to provide for children who aren't his, especially if their biological father is in the picture.

Blended families usually have agreed-upon terms concerning expectations from each parent, biological or by marriage. It's up to the adults to set clear boundaries, expectations, and necessary actions from each of them. If the terms are unclear, then nobody can get upset with anybody about what they did or didn't do.

However, the father in this next story shouldn't have to do anything for her ex-wife's children. His duty is to his son and his son only; Expecting extra handouts from someone simply because they have the financial means to share the wealth is entitled at best. Now, the ex-wife is withholding the luxury car from her son and making up excuses for why he can't use it. Scroll below to read the whole story. 

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  • "She said I was heartless but that's just how I really feel, I don't want to be anything to them."
    via Getty Images For Unsplash+

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • "AITA for getting our son a luxury car when I never have money for my Ex Wife’s kids?"

    I 47M have one son 16M with my Ex-wife 44F "Anna" we actually have an okay relationship but things just didn't work out because I put my career first and
    via Worried-Bug2025
  • she's more of a "follow your heart" kind of person (financially irresponsible).We divorced when she was pregnant with our son and then she had his brother 15M
    via Worried-Bug2025
  • and sister 14F. Anna always complains that I have money to spend on our son but I never spend anything on his siblings when their dad (her husband) gets my son things.
    via Worried-Bug2025
  • While that's nice of him I'm not interested in the whole blended family thing, I have one child and that's it. So I don't buy them birthday or Christmas gifts, take
    via Worried-Bug2025
  • them on vacation or anything like that but of course I get my son those things. And there's always a fight when I take our son out of
    via Worried-Bug2025
  • school to travel, she thinks it's unfair to his siblings and I'm making him fall behind but I that's honestly not the reason she's just in denial...
    via Worried-Bug2025
  • He turned 16 last week and I got him his dream car which is was a "luxury" car. But the way I see it any car is a luxury since any new model car can be expensive so I
    via Worried-Bug2025
  • don't think it makes him that spoiled, it would be one thing if I was breaking the bank but since I'm not and he's my only son he should have whatever he likes.
    via Worried-Bug2025
  • Anna is overprotective in my opinion, she accused me of getting him a car he could || himself" with. And she was upset because with the money I could
    via Worried-Bug2025
  • have gotten all three kids cars or at least money for ones in the future... I got mad too, because first of all her kids aren't old enough to drive in the and when
    via Worried-Bug2025
  • they do get old enough why would I be the one to buy them a car? I might be the a because I did call her THAT word, in front of our son and I told her I didn't care
    via Worried-Bug2025
  • about her kids when she pointed out I never get gifts for their birthdays or holidays. She said I was heartless but that's just how I really feel, I don't want to be anything to them.
    via Worried-Bug2025
  • Right now I have the car because she won't let him keep it at her house which just feels petty.
    via Worried-Bug2025
  • Cheezburger Image 10542695424
    via Mariela Ferbo For Unsplash+

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 2muchlooloo2 Your wife and her new husband have a blended family you have your son and your son only. Yes it's nice that her husband is buying gifts for your son because that is his stepson. Her children ..are not your stepchildren. She is weirdly delusional.
    via 2muchlooloo2
  • blackbb601 The new husband is his husband too. OP needs to start getting anniversary gifts for both of them.
    via blackbb601
  • Scarlette MayWest If this is real, Anna needs to understand that her kids are nothing to you, whereas your son is her husband's stepson. That is not the same at all. You do not owe them trips, birthday presents or cars. As long as you are not teaching your son to mistreat his half-siblings, everything is good.
    via ScarletteMayWest
  • Not going to say anything about the car because we bought our son a brand-new car when he was sixteen, but that's because it was hail-damaged. Figured that way he had a safe car that already had damage, so a few dents would not matter. NTA
    via ScarletteMayWest
  • Worried-Bug2025 Exactly, none of them are the type to get into fights with each other and they all seem to get along. I'd say everything's good.
    via Worried-Bug2025
  • Scorp128 Her two other kids have a father. That is who should be paying for those things, not you.
    via Scorp128
  • HashMapsData2Value The reason why this situation is "asymmetric" is because OP hasn't gotten remarried to a woman with kids, so he doesn't have stepchildren he has to take care of as well. OP's son is lucky his father can treat him this well and his ex-wife should be happy they don't need to spend as much on the 16 year old.
    via HashMapsData2Value

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