Family dynamics can be complicated, and that is even more true when a family is blended or otherwise knitted together differently from the way it began. Stepparents, new siblings, you name it – it all makes navigating life at home a bit more of a challenge.
This woman is no longer a child (24F), but she still enjoys going for a visit at her dad and stepmother’s house when she can. On this weekend, she had plenty of clothes and planned to stay until Sunday.
She and her dad spent Saturday fishing, and when she returned home to change back into her jeans for dinner, she couldn’t find them.
I went to visit my dad for the weekend, or what was supposed to be for the weekend. Whenever I go somewhere for a short time I pack enough clothes so I don’t have to do laundry til I get home.
Saturday I went fishing with my dad and wore cargo pants, I left a pair of jeans on the bed and they had 70 bucks in the pocket.
Well when we got back my jeans were gone. After looking around for a while I asked if my dad seen them, he said no and I figured their cat didn’t borrow them so I asked my stepmom.
Her stepmother said she’d seen them and washed them, OP thanked her, end of story…
She said she was doing laundry and noticed they were on the bed so threw them in. I was like “ok cool thanks”. The money slipped my mind.
Until OP remembered the $70 in the pocket.
Her stepmother fessed up to having the money, but tried to tell OP that the “rule” had always been whoever does the laundry gets to keep what they find in the pockets.
Well when I put the jeans on that night when we were going to dinner, I remembered the money and panicked thinking it went through the wash. All the pockets were empty.
So I said “hey SM didn’t I have some money in my pocket?” She said “yea, but you know the rules, when you leave money in your pants the person washing gets to keep it” (that was the rule when I was a kid).
I said “yea… but I didn’t ask you to wash them….” she said “and you didn’t even remember the money til hours later” and I’m irresponsible for leaving pants with money in the pockets laying around.
She gave the money back and reminded me to be more responsible.
OP reminded her she hadn’t asked her to wash the jeans, and why would she take money out of the pockets if she trusted everyone in the house (which she did).
When her father didn’t back her up, OP left and now her dad and stepmother think she’s being immature.
During this whole interaction I kept looking at my dad, who just stood there. So I said “you know what? I think I’m just going to head home”.
I left and got back home at 10pm Saturday night. My dad had called and left a message while I was driving and said that “stepmom was just trying to be nice and she was just reminding me not to leave things laying around, that I didn’t need to throw a temper tantrum and leave”
My thing is my jeans were in the guest room, folded on the bed because I wore them driving there Friday. She decided to “be nice” and wash them but then chose to withhold my money to teach me a lesson? I wouldn’t have left the money there if I didn’t feel she was trustworthy and after that I just wouldn’t have been able to enjoy myself.
AITA?
Does Reddit agree? Let’s find out!
First of all, whose said it was her job to teach her stepdaughter a lesson anyway?
Image Credit: Reddit
It sounds like the stepmom needs to remember OP is an adult now.
Image Credit: Reddit
This person says yeah, this isn’t even a real lesson.
Image Credit: Reddit
Privacy is a thing we all deserve in our own homes.
Image Credit: Reddit
They also think the dad probably should have piped up in defense of his daughter.
Image Credit: Reddit
This definitely feels sketchy, but not like, maliciously so – to me, anyway.
If it gives you a different vibe, tell us why in the comments!
