Stepdad berates 17-year-old stepdaughter for letting her friend ask him for replacement batteries for the remote control: 'My mom said that I could’ve done it myself.'

Author image for Emmy Pratt
Emmy Pratt • Writer and Editor
Apr 24, 2026 8:30 PM EDT

In what world is asking for a new battery a big deal?

When is it okay for a parent's boyfriend or girlfriend to discipline their child? In many cases, the answer is "never." Some stepparents have been part of their stepchildren's lives for years, but still don't feel they have the right to scold or enforce rules as their parents do. Honestly, that might be the way to do it. It's better to be safe than sorry, and unless your stepchild considers you their mom or dad, acting in a parental role could lead to resentment. 

Not all stepparents feel like they can't enforce rules with their stepchildren. After all, they are one of the adults who are around their stepchildren the most. It would be confusing if one of the adults in your home ignored your bad behavior while the other did not. The most important distinction is that stepparents shouldn't make new family rules without the stepchild's parents' input. Taking a lead on parenting can cause confusion and resentment, especially if the rules are too strict or contradict existing rules. It's important to give the kids in your life structure, but if there are so many different rules coming at them from their parents, grandparents, school, and stepparents, you can't expect them to keep them all straight without becoming a nervous wreck. Household rules need the parents' stamp of approval before they take effect.

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  • Mixed race woman holding the television remote and changing the channel on the couch while smiling
    via Getty Images (Unsplash+)

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

  • The boyfriend in this story didn't enforce a rule, perse. He more so enforced a social faux pas. It's generally considered impolite to ask house guests for favors, and that's exactly what his girlfriend's daughter did when she asked her friend to get batteries for the downstairs remote. While his intentions might have been pure, the execution was all wrong. 

  • Am I the bad guy for saying that my mom’s boyfriend is not my dad?

    For context, I'm a 17 year old girl and my father passed away when I was 14 years old. My father and I were always extremely close while my mom took more of a backseat. It's not that
    via u/Ok_Studio3856
  • she wasn't present, but my father was my main person. Currently, my mom and her boyfriend have been dating for a little over a year now. He's been living with us since September of 2025.
    via u/Ok_Studio3856
  • It's going well between the two of them, and I don't dislike him. However, there has been issues between me and her boyfriends in the past, where she doesn't consider my feelings when bringing a new man into our lives.
    via u/Ok_Studio3856
  • The other night, my friend was over the house. Our basement is finished and we have a lounge down there with a couch, TV, etc. My friends and I hang out down there. My friend was
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  • going up to ask my mother a question, so I asked if, while she was up there, she could ask for batteries for the TV remote. I didn't know where the batteries were, nor did I know which batteries the remote took (I could've looked, but human error, I didn't think to do that). My did so, and came
    via u/Ok_Studio3856
  • A pile of different types of batteries
    via John Cameron

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

  • back with batteries. I thought this was completely fine and there was no issues. The next day, I was sitting at the kitchen table eating, when my mother's boyfriend put two batteries down in front of me. I was
    via u/Ok_Studio3856
  • confused, and asked why he did that. He said, "To prove a point." I was confused by this, and he said he was ticked off by last night. I tried explaining the situation, admittedly a little frustrated, and was not taken at my word. My mom
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  • said that I could've done it myself, and I was upset that such a small situation was made such a big deal, so I raised my voice and said that I didn't know which batteries were used in the remote. My mom's boyfriend then came into the room, and stood,
    via u/Ok_Studio3856
  • obviously pissed, and said, "You couldn't have undid the back and looked, huh? You couldn't have done that?" In the moment, I had no words for that and I went silent. Which, looking
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  • back, he was right, but I didn't appreciate the tone he was taking with me. He stood there while I went silent, before leaving the room.
    via u/Ok_Studio3856
  • Now, this upset me further because when my mom started dating him, and when he moved in, she said that he would never have any say in what I do. He would not discipline me or be able to take any sort of disciplinary-adjacent role in my life. So, I texted her
    via u/Ok_Studio3856
  • shortly after, because she was with him and I didn't want to be in the room. I said, "He was out of line. He shouldn't discipline me because he's not my dad. Please do something."
    via u/Ok_Studio3856
  • I might've been a bit harsh, so I went back after and told her I wanted to talk to her, and that we needed to talk about this. Now, she's ignoring me. I realize I was very harsh and immature, but it's truly how I feel. I
    via u/Ok_Studio3856
  • believe I was in the wrong for the way I came across and the attitude that I used, but I don't believe I was in the wrong for the way I felt and still feel about this situation. So, AITAH?
    via u/Ok_Studio3856
  • Zawaya So, what's he pissed about? That your friend asked about batteries?
    via u/Zawaya
  • Ok Studio3856 OP he and my mom are both pissed because they believe i put them in a "bad spot" by making my friend ask instead of doing it myself.
    via u/Ok_Studio3856
  • Burdened Mind79 They sound a little unhinged. How is that "putting them in a bad spot?" "Hey OPs's mom, Is it ok if we could get some spare batteries for the TV remote?" "Sure, here you go.." "Thanks!" "No problem!" I'm not seeing the bad spot they were put in. The friend didn't walk in on them doing "stuff," did they?
    via u/BurdenedMind79
  • Ok Studio3856 OP no, they were sitting on the couch watching TV. my mom said it was a bad spot because she had to get up to get the batteries
    via u/Ok_Studio3856
  • Mixed race couple watching TV
    via Phillip Goldsberry

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

  • PresentationThat2839 Oh goooooodnesss no not get up and get batteries how ever will she live.... Oh god her poor middle aged knees. Please know I mean that will all the sarcasm my 40 yr old middle aged body can muster.
    via u/PresentationThat2839
  • darsynia "We're busy at the moment, tell OP to ask later" ????? Simple as that! I'm sorry but I think your mother and her BF are using this situation to act out about something else. It's unfair and childish of them (I say, as the mom of a 17 year old).
    via u/darsynia

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replacement boyfriend friends parenting stepdaughter battery stepdad discipline mom remote control
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