A husband recently shared his growing frustration on Reddit regarding his relationship with his wife. He has five children: two with his current wife, Stacey, and three from a previous marriage to his ex-wife, Hannah.
Stacey has consistently set boundaries, reminding him that the three children from his first marriage are not her responsibility.
“Ever since Stacey and I got together she has made it very clear to me that my 3 children are mine and Hannah’s responsibility, not hers. This has worked out well so far, but lately, it has been taking a toll on me,” the frustrated husband expressed.
Since he pays child support for his three children from his previous marriage, Stacey required him to contribute the same amount for their two children together. Additionally, he shares household expenses with Stacey.
Although Stacey assists with his three older children, she does not contribute financially to their general upkeep. “Stacey has never taken issues with having to care for mine and Hannah’s children. She picks them up from school, takes them to activities, and ensures they have everything they need,” he noted.
However, when she pays for something for his children, she sends him a Venmo request for reimbursement.
“We recently went on a family vacation and she demanded that I pay for half of the portion for our children and all of the portion for Hannah’s. I told her that all these expenses are taking a hit in my finances and she didn’t seem to care. She reiterated that my children are my responsibility,” the frustrated husband shared.
Additionally, she started a college fund for her children. When his ex-wife, Hannah, found out, she became upset and told him he needed to establish a fund for their three children as well. When he mentioned this to Stacey, she said she had no issue with it, but insisted that he contribute the same amount to the funds she set up for their kids.
He was frustrated and asked Stacey to contribute more to household expenses. “I cannot afford to pay child support, household expenses, and all these miscellaneous expenses that come up for my kids. It wouldn’t hurt her financially, as she makes more than me and could easily spare some money.”
This upset Stacey to the extent that she left their home with their children. Meanwhile, the community that weighed in on the situation defended Stacey, pointing out that she wasn’t obligated to care for his children from his previous marriage, yet she did so without complaint.
People understood why Stacey reacted so strongly to his insensitivity. Many pointed out how much she contributed to both him and his children in terms of childcare, suggesting he should be grateful. Her response seemed justified.
“It sounds like Stacey works outside the home, takes care of your shared children, and does a share of child care and chauffeuring for your children with your ex. Pony up and be grateful,” one Reddit user commented.
Many users felt that if he wasn’t prepared to provide emotionally and financially for all five of his children, he shouldn’t have had them. As a parent, he needed to treat all of them equally.
