Women Slammed for Throwing Away Stepson's Blanket to Get Back at His Mom

A woman is being panned online after throwing away a baby blanket belonging to her boyfriend's three-year-old son.

Taking to Reddit's r/AmITheA**hole sub to share her anger, the boy's mother—u/users3785577—explained that her ex-husband's girlfriend had been "trying to get involved in [her] parenting" for a while now. However, the girlfriend's latest antics have gone so far over the line, her "future in-laws'' have shunned her, with the poster getting the blame.

In her post, which has received almost 27,000 upvotes, u/users3785577 explained the situation. She said their marriage broke down after her husband cheated on her while she was seven months pregnant, leading to a divorce and shared custody of their son.

"My ex husband's girlfriend tried to get involved in my parenting several times," she wrote.

"She even commented on my son's name implying that we should agree on a name we all want not just what I wanted, and tried to dictate what he should and shouldn't have.

"As a result she started throwing stuff of his that I paid for myself. Honestly it's frustrating because I'm barely getting by with the money I have and can not afford to buy replacements for all the stuff she throws [out] but my ex husband says it's her "house" and she gets to decide what can and can't enter."

The mom crocheted a blanket for her son with his name on it, buying tools and taking time and effort to make the gift for her child. Her son became attached to the blanket and began sleeping with it at bedtime.

She continued: "I sent my son to stay with his dad days ago. I don't know exactly what happened, but when I came to pick him up he told me his dad's girlfriend took it away from him and threw it out leaving him with no blanket to sleep with at night as 'punishment' for him for not accepting the one she offered."

The mom attempted to get in touch with her ex-husband's dad, but he told her to "stop the drama and go look for a job if I have so much free time on my hands."

Feeling frustrated, the mom went to visit other members of her ex's family, who she has a close relationship with.

"[I] told them about what their son's girlfriend did," she said. "Now it's worth mentioning that she's been working hard for their approval and to get on their good side.

"They were shocked to know about what she did. They all flipped out on her and started calling her out.

"My [sister-in-law] took it further by putting this on social media which made other family members see what she did."

After her ex-husband's family admonished the girlfriend for her behavior, he called the poster in a rage.

"My ex husband called me yelling about my 'pathetic attempt' to turn his family against his girlfriend," she said.

"I could hear her freaking out in the background while he was lashing out at me saying I ruined every chance she had to have a good relationship with her 'future inlaws.'

"I hung up and felt absolutely horrible, even though I was just venting to his family about what happened and felt frustrated.

"Maybe I shouldn't have told them? I'm not sure anymore since the whole family aren't speaking to her."

"Retroactive jealousy" is a term used by relationship experts to describe jealousy surrounding a current partner's past relationships. Although research into the topic is fairly new, a 2018 study found that social media could make reactive jealousy worse by allowing people to "stalk" a partner's ex or look at old pictures and messages on their partner's profiles.

Those surveyed struggling with retroactive jealousy admitted to comparing themselves to their partner's exes via social media. Many also felt insecure about their current relationship, even if the ex was not interfering in their relationship in the real world.

Redditors were shocked by the girlfriend's actions, with some describing her behavior as "emotional" and "mental" abuse.

"Document, document, document," advised Jorbarip.

"They are emotionally and mentally abusing your son by throwing out his comfort objects that help him transition between houses. And I guarantee they are saying negative things about you to your son.

"Document every single thing you can."

GwdihwFach agreed, writing: "I don't want to be alarmist, but the stories you hear where the parent and step parent become abusive and it ends badly, starts with things like this.

"Punishment for not wanting her blanket and to make him sleep without one - this is psychotic. It is abuse, and she could be a danger to your son."

While imamage_fightme commented: "The ex's girlfriend is his affair partner and the affair broke up his marriage before his child was born.

"His family doesn't have any reason to like her based on that alone, and if she is now doing things to hurt their grandson/nephew, that only makes things worse.

"If the ex and his girlfriend want his family to like her, maybe she should try being likeable. Maybe don't steal and throw away a 3 year old's belongings?"

Newsweek has reached out to u/users3785577 for comment.