A woman took to Reddit to see if she was in the wrong for refusing to take in her son’s father after he had a heart attack.
A Relationship’s Journey
OP, a 29-year-old woman, recounts a situation that occurred when she was 22. At that time, she began a romantic relationship with a man who was 21 years her senior.
The man, whom she refers to as Kevin, and OP soon discovered that she was pregnant. OP gave birth to a son, Adam, and the couple eventually separated when she was 25 years old.
The Reason Behind the Divorce
This was due in large part to Kevin’s behavior, which was characterized by controlling tendencies and paranoia.
He was worried that OP would seek a relationship with someone closer to her own age, and this caused significant issues in their relationship.
Trying to Move Forward and Co-parent
OP acknowledges that despite the difficulties that arose during her relationship with Kevin, they have managed to maintain a positive co-parenting relationship for the sake of their son.
OP also asserts that she does not regret the relationship, as it resulted in the birth of their beautiful son.
Furthermore, OP does not believe that she was taken advantage of in any way during the course of the relationship.
An Emergency in the Family
Recently, Kevin experienced a heart attack and underwent surgery to remove the clot.
Despite their past relationship issues, OP felt it was important to support Kevin during this difficult time, as he did not have any family members living nearby.
She Stayed With Him at the Hospital
Therefore, OP remained with him in the hospital and contacted Kevin’s daughters, who reside in other states, to come visit him.
Asking if She Could Take Him in Her Home
The doctors have advised that Kevin should stay with a family member for a month due to health concerns, as he lives alone.
While OP is not technically considered Kevin’s family, she is the mother of his son.
Therefore, Kevin’s daughters have requested that OP allow him to live with her so that they can return home to their own families and jobs.
She Didn’t Think It Was the Best Idea
However, OP explained that she had already spent an extended period of time caring for Kevin while he was in the hospital and could not be expected to provide further care for him, given the tumultuous nature of their past relationship.
They Continued to Pressure Her
Despite OP’s reluctance to provide care for Kevin, his daughters are pressuring her to take him in as he recovers, citing the improved state of their relationship.
They argue that OP should do it for their son’s sake, as he may feel guilty in the future knowing that his mother refused to care for his father when he was sick.
They Called Her Insensitive
Kevin’s daughters accused OP of being a bad person for declining to take care of Kevin during his recovery, as one of them would now have to take time off from work to stay with him in OP’s city.
They believe that since OP lives only 20 minutes away from Kevin, she should be the one to look after him.
She Is Torn on What to Do
However, OP is beginning to question whether she is truly in the wrong for refusing to help, as she does not want to live with Kevin again due to their difficult past.
OP is torn between her own feelings and the well-being of those involved in the situation and wonders if she is indeed in the wrong.
Kevin’s Daughters Should Step In
The Reddit users overwhelmingly agree that OP is not a bad person for declining to care for Kevin during his recovery.
They argue that Kevin’s daughters are trying to guilt and bully OP into taking care of him because they do not want to do it themselves.
Moreover, they point out that Kevin’s daughters are his family, and it is their responsibility to take care of him.
Some users even suggest that the daughters’ behavior may stem from embarrassment over Kevin having a child with someone much younger than him.
They Don’t Believe OP Should Take Him In
While some users expressed sympathy for the daughters’ situation, they do not believe that OP should be forced to provide care for her ex-partner, who was controlling in their relationship.
They recommend that Kevin’s daughters either take time off or pay for a nurse or a companion to care for him during his recovery.
Overall, the Reddit users do not believe that OP owes anything to Kevin, and that her priority should be her son, not his father.
What do you think? What should OP do?
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The post She Refuses to Take In Her Son’s Father and Care For Him After His Heart Attack, Now His Family Is Pressuring Her first appeared on Career Step Up.
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Source: Reddit