'I refuse to invite my stepson on holiday - he always moans and doesn't like me'
Becoming a step-parent isn't always easy, and it can take a while for children to warm up to the idea of their parents having relationships with other people.
And while most step-parents will approach the situation with love and care, one mum has been slammed online for banning her 12-year-old stepson from the family holiday this year - just because he "doesn't like" her.
The woman - who is mum to two daughters under the age of 10 - said she was planning a family trip for the end of this year, but told her partner she wasn't going to pay for his son to come with them after he spent their last holiday "moaning".
She won't invite him on the family holiday (stock photo) (Getty Images)The mum explained in a post on Reddit that her stepson doesn't live with her and his dad, as their house is too small and he would have to share a bedroom with his two stepsisters - so he instead lives with his grandma.
Although the boy had his own bedroom when they went on holiday as a family last year, he still acted as though he didn't "want to be there", so the woman has said she won't pay for him to come this time.
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She wrote: "My partner and I have three kids between us, I have two daughters (aged nine and seven) and he has a 12-year-old son. My stepson used to stay with us at the weekends but as he has to share a room with my daughters, he has decided he doesn't want to stay anymore (which is fair enough! He's getting older and wants space, plus he is getting too old to share now).
"I don't have a problem with this AT ALL! He needs to do what is best for him and I'm not going to force him to come to my house all the time when he doesn't want it, but he also doesn't want to spend any time here whatsoever. He wants to spend all his time at his grandma's.
"We all went away last year, he had his own room and we had a relatively good time! I was planning on booking a holiday for the end of this year but I told my partner that I wasn't paying for my stepson to come with us as by the time we go, he would have spent zero time with the family and probably wouldn't enjoy coming away with us for a week as he doesn't enjoy being around my kids anymore and doesn't really like me."
The woman's decision has been met with fury from her partner, who has told her she's being "spiteful" by leaving his son out of family activities.
But as she's the one who pays for the majority of the holiday expenses such as food and activities, she believes she and her daughters should be able to enjoy the trip without her stepson "moaning".
She added: "My partner threw a massive tantrum and said I was purposely leaving him out of stuff just to be spiteful but in reality, I'm the one who pays for everything (i.e. the holiday, clothes, food, activities, etc.) when we are away and I want to enjoy myself and let my kids enjoy it without my stepson moaning about being here in the first place (which he will and did the last time we went away).
"I don't want to pay for someone who doesn't want to be here in the first place."
Commenters on the post were largely on the stepson's side, with many saying it was already unfair that their home life doesn't accommodate him, so the family shouldn't continue to exclude him from other activities such as holidays.
One person said: "Your lifestyle excludes him. Your spouse should be doing more so you can afford a new place where there is space for him."
While another added: "You knew he had a child when you met him so you must have known he would have to be part of your life. I feel sorry for the lad. He probably feels he's a bit of a spare part given that he can't even have his own space when he stays with you. I wouldn't want to stay there either. You should take him on holiday and allow him to spend some quality time with his father."
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And a third wrote: "He doesn't spend time with your family because you don't have a room for him. As a step-parent, it is wild to me that you didn't even think to include him. If he doesn't want to go then that's totally fine but to not even consider inviting him is crazy."
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