Mother refuses to give ex-boyfriend's new kids her 15-year-old son's school supplies, ex-boyfriend then tries to play the ‘family’ card: ‘It's not my job to buy these other kids supplies’

Author image for Lana DeGaetano
Lana DeGaetano • "Show me to me please."
Aug 31, 2025 6:00 PM EDT

It's that time again, parents. Back-to-school season isn't for the parents and guardians who are faint of heart. School supplies cost a pretty penny, and when you have multiple children to look after, the dough adds up. The single mother in this next story purchased her 15-year-old son new school supplies for the upcoming school year, but now, her ex-boyfriend and father of her child is insisting she give them to his new kids instead. In what world would this make sense?

Listen, times are tough. We have to make $50 last a week in dark moments, and putting food on the table is a priority. But expecting the woman you abandoned to fund your new children's school supply arsenal? That's entitlement that warrants the "block" button forever. 

When the woman confronts her ex-boyfriend about the gall he has to request this repeatedly and try to guilt-trip her, he doubles down and says it's the least she can do after he, the man, offered her child support. In terms of abandoning the mother of your child and the child himself, that should be the bare minimum, don't you think? Scroll below to read the full story.

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  • "At first I was asked to donate supplies to them in order to show we're all one family, which we're not."
    via Getty Images For Unsplash+

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

  • "AITA for not buying for or making my son share school supplies with his step and half siblings?"

    I have one son who is 15. My ex and I broke up when he was 1 and my ex is now married to someone else and has three more children and two stepchildren. We split
    via Luciluns
  • 50-50 custody and have always purchased things for each house instead of stuff that goes between houses. Only now my ex
    via Luciluns
  • and his wife are financially struggling and they are resentful because my son got all new things for school this year, that I purchased, and they had to reuse old stuff for their other kids.
    via Luciluns
  • At first I was asked to donate supplies to them in order to show we're all one family, which we're not. We have a common family
    via Luciluns
  • member but I am not my ex's family and he is not mine. This would never be done if the shoe was on the other foot and he was always especially possessive of things he bought for our son when our son was younger.
    via Luciluns
  • When this failed my ex decided our son should share what he has with the other kids so my son decided to take none of it to his dad's house. He finishes
    via Luciluns
  • homework at school and leaves his supplies in his locker for the next day. My ex told me I should not be okay with this. But I am.
    via Luciluns
  • a close up of a blue school locker with a combination lock on it
    via Eric Vo for Unsplash
  • It's not my job to buy these other kids supplies and my son NEEDS his own supplies. Why should I ask him to give away stuff he needs? I asked my ex and he said
    via Luciluns
  • more could be purchased. I told him that's as good as making me buy for his kids who are not mine and I told him that will never happen.
    via Luciluns
  • Ex's wife told me I am a selfish t and how dare I make her kids feel like sh when they see my son with everything shiny
    via Luciluns
  • and new and they don't have that. I told her that's for her and my ex to figure out. Not for me. My ex said I was teaching our son
    via Luciluns
  • to not help family and that I'm being spiteful against kids. I asked him would he be so willing to help any child of mine I had
    via Luciluns
  • after him and he told me it's different because men always have to pay child support and I asked him why his stepkids don't have child support being paid that could have given them the money for new supplies.
    via Luciluns
  • At that point the conversation ended but they are extremely hostile toward me now. AITA?
    via Luciluns
  • WomanInQuestion NTA - but you ARE helping family. Just not HIS family.
    via WomanInQuestion
  • Luciluns True although to a lesser degree it helps him because it's one less kid to buy school supplies for.
    via Luciluns
  • IAteAnother Vegan NTA! seriously why isn't she getting child support?
    via IAteAnotherVegan
  • Luciluns A question they can now reflect on I suppose.
    via Luciluns
  • canvasshoes2 ΝΤΑ. You've already said it. This is not your responsibility. Maybe his kids will learn the valuable lesson of "hey, maybe we should not make the same mistakes our parents did."
    via canvasshoes2
  • modsguzzlehive m NTA The nerve of a man to ask the mother of his child for anything for his new family. Getting p ed off about it is just icing on the cake. Hopefully the other kids learn that it's not a great idea to have a sh ton of kids when you can't afford them
    via modsguzzlehive**m
  • Lov3Potion88 It's not selfish to want your kid to have what he needs. They should be grateful for what they have instead of trying to guilt-trip you into providing for everyone else. Classic not my circus, not my monkeys vibes.
    via Lov3Potion88

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family dynamics family drama school entitled parents entitlement reddit story family feud parenting back to school entitled family reddit thread parent Reddit Parenting Fail parents entitled people Parenting FAILS
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