16-year-old demands his divorced parents show up to his school competition together despite them being no contact, his step parents get involved and refuse to let relative spouse see the other: 'I always wished they could go to the same thing'

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Briana Viser • Writer and Editor
Sep 17, 2025 12:00 PM EDT

Being a teenager is hard enough without having divorced parents. It's so harrowing to see your parents married, fall out of love, and get a legal split. Involving lawyers and split homes is traumatic on it's own. I had a friend growing up with divorced parents, and it was so tangible how heavy their relationship weighed on her. Or you always see couples that choose to "stay together for the kids," but end up doing more damage than good. And in the story here, it's probably a good thing that the parents are divorced, but it doesn't mean the child is bereft of pain. 

He's 16-years-old, and they divorced when he was 4. They're both remarried, so he's probably adjusted to that. The problem is that they will never be in the same room together. Anything he does in life he has to choose between them. I couldn't imagine, it sounds like such a nightmare. He ultimately decides he's not choosing, but you'll have to read the full story below for all the details. 

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  • 01

    AITA for wanting my parents to show up together and not one parent and stepparent when I was asked for honesty?

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

  • 02
    My parents are divorced and I'm (16m) the only child from their marriage. I was 4 when they divorced. I was 7 when mom
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  • 03
    remarried and 8 when dad remarried. Once they started dating other people my parents stopped attending the same
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  • 04
    events. If I had a school play they took turns showing up. This was encouraged by my stepparents who didn't like the idea of my
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  • 05
    parents in the same room. No matter what I had going on they would take it in turns to show their faces at it. I could win a
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  • 06
    huge award for something and it would be mom and stepdad or dada and stepmom. Even if everyone sat apart both being there wasn't allowed.
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  • 07
    I always hated it and for me it felt worse when my half siblings got both of their parents at events. I know the difference is my parents
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  • 08
    are married to my half siblings other parents but it still sks to be the person who has to choose.
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  • 09
    And there are times I will be asked if I want mom or dad there more.
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  • 10
    I've always wished they could go to the same thing, sit on opposite sides of the room and make me
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  • 11
    run between them. That still sounds better than missing one parent.
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  • 12
    I used to play piano (parents forced it) so I had a lot of big recitals that I'd have loved to see
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  • 13
    both attend. Piano wasn't even for me, it was for them, so it stung like a b parent there. to have just one
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  • 14
    Divorce
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  • 15
    Right now me and three other kids are being put forward to represent our school at a competition. It's being hosted
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  • 16
    locally and my parents have already asked me to be honest about who I want there. They said they need to plan ahead to give
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  • 17
    me what I want. I told them I want both of them to show up instead of just one of them. They said I'd still have two people and I said I
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  • 18
    wouldn't have my two parents though and they wanted me to be honest so I'm being honest. I want mom AND dad.
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  • 19
    My stepparents are really unhappy with my honest answer and my parents are being awkward about it. AITA?
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  • 20
    Divorce papers
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  • 21
    Beth21286 • 11h ago Tell them it's both or none. They should not need to force their child to mediate between adults.
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  • 22
    calacmack • 11h ago They asked and you answered and you are NTA for making the request. Your parents are being petty, unfair, and unkind.
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  • 23
    DolwantToKnow6... • 11h ago They always put their feelings, and their new partners' feelings before yours.
    via u/DoIwantToKnow6417
  • 24
    It's about time they asked what YOU want, and hopefully for once they give priority to your feelings... ΝΤΑ
    via u/DoIwantToKnow6417

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