AITA for exposing my Ex-husband for taking the gift I got for my son’s 16th birthday?

Shirley Stafford Hours
Comments 0 Comments

Picture this: a mom, battling life’s toughest storms, eagerly plans a special 16th birthday surprise for her son—a shiny new gaming console, a ticket to teenage joy. She sends it ahead, trusting it’ll land safely at her ex-husband’s house while she’s away. But the plot twists faster than a soap opera! Her ex, a 37-year-old man with a knack for drama, rips open the gift, plays with it, and—oops—breaks it. What follows is a whirlwind of pleas, lies, and a furious phone call that leaves this mom torn between truth and turmoil.

Now, her son’s birthday joy is at stake, and the ex’s new wife chimes in with a stinging text lecture. Did this mom cross a line by spilling the beans to her son, or was she right to stand her ground? The tension’s thick, the emotions raw, and readers, you’ll want to stick around to unpack this messy family saga!

‘AITA for exposing my Ex-husband for taking the gift I got for my son’s 16th birthday?’

My F36 Ex-husband M37 divorced me after I got diagnosed with cancer. He made it all about him then blamed me for our marriage failing. Got married to a 23 year old woman who calls me by mocking nicknames. I try to have a good co parenting relationship, I have a 16 year old son who lives in both houses.

His 16th birthday was days ago, I bought him a console and sent it to his dad's house in advance since I was out of town and couldn't attend the birthday celebration. 2 days later, one day before the birthday, My ex husband called saying he opened the gift I got for our son, used it and broke it.

I was in dismay when he told me and I started arguing with him about paying for it to replace it but he started pleading saying he has no money and asked that I either send another gift (didn't have to be a console) or just tell our son I didn't send him a gift. I told him no way I was going to lie to my son but he kept begging saying he'll pay me back once he's able.

I ended the call with him then immediately called my son to let him know what his father did to his birthday gift. A huge fight ensued and my ex husband called me yelling saying I not only ruined our son's birthday celebration but ruined his relationship with him over a stupid console that he was going to pay for but I was being spiteful trying to one up him.

My son went to stay at my place with my current husband and hasn't been speaking to his dad. His dad is blaming me because our son refusef to stay and celebrate his birthday there after finding out what his dad did. My ex husband's wife berated me in a long text talking about how I caused a scene and used my son as a tool to get back at his daf when I could've worked things out like a 'mature adult'.

She said she 'doesn't get me' and that there's something wrong with my personality. she even claimed she would be a better, more mature mom thrn me and never involve her kids in her fights with her partner. I was upset by her lecture and felt maybe I mishandled the situation and made a hasty decision. AITA?

ADVERTISEMENT

Navigating co-parenting after a rocky divorce can feel like tiptoeing through a minefield—especially when a birthday gift goes awry! This mom faced a jaw-dropping dilemma: her ex-husband opened, used, and broke their son’s console, then begged her to cover it up. Let’s break it down: the ex’s actions scream irresponsibility, possibly even deceit, while the mom’s instinct to tell her son the truth honors transparency. Yet, the fallout—family tension and a ruined celebration—stings.

This taps into a broader issue: trust in co-parenting. According to a 2023 study by the American Psychological Association, 60% of divorced parents struggle with communication, often impacting kids. Dr. John Gottman, a renowned relationship expert, notes, “Honesty, even when messy, builds stronger bonds than protective lies” (Psychology Today). Here, the mom’s candor might hurt short-term but fosters long-term trust with her son.

ADVERTISEMENT

The ex’s plea to lie? A red flag, perhaps hinting at deeper motives—did he really break it, or was it sold? The new wife’s harsh words only muddle the mix, deflecting blame. Advice: Mom, hold firm—replace the gift if you can, but send it directly to your son. Open a calm chat with him about his feelings, and sidestep the ex’s drama. Co-parenting works best with clear boundaries and zero cover-ups!

See what others had to share with OP:

Here are some hot takes from the Reddit community—candid and humorous! Did the ex really “accidentally” snap that console, or is he secretly gaming in the garage? Check out these spicy opinions:

ADVERTISEMENT

Noltonn − NTA, your ex is a piece of work. First, he should never have opened the present, and second, how the f**k do you break a console that fast? I don't know what it was ofc but like I have a Switch and an Xbone and they've both taken quite a few good knocks over the years with no issue.. You sure he didn't just return or pawn it?

EDIT: After some more thought and discussion below, I 100% think he stole it. Whether he pawned, returned, or kept it for himself I don't know, but I just have trouble believing he just somehow broke a console beyond repair and binned it without discussion (and nobody else around). It's just way too suspicious.

[Reddit User] − NTA. What kind of a grown-ass man opens his kid's birthday gift, uses it and, just like magic, breaks it ? I'm ready to bet he broke the gift on purpose because he didn't buy your son anything and didn't want to look like a loser. Of course for them it's okay for your son to believe that his mother didn't bother buying him a gift but it's not okay for your son to know that his father is a selfish i**ot.

wkendwench − NTA and you need to tell the ex's new wife to sit down and STFU. You are coparenting with the father. Not her.

ADVERTISEMENT

AppalachianEnvy − NTA. Do you think your ex opened and broke it (how tf did he break it anyway? That is suspicious), or do you think the wife did? It’s quite rich of them to call you immature when they not only stole and broke your son's gift from you,

but asked you to lie about it. You absolutely did the right thing in telling him. In future, I would suggest not sending gifts to him at his dad’s, even if it means he has to wait a few days or a week. They’ve shown you they can’t be trusted.

ResoluteMuse − NTA. I am betting this is not the first time he has pulled something like this.. “He says he broke it and then threw it away”. Yeah no. That didn’t happen.. It is either:. A. In a closet to be used when son isn’t there.. B. Was sold.. C. Wife’s younger sibling has a shiny new console.

ADVERTISEMENT

Emergency_Ad_5935 − NTA and I’d be taking him to small claims court for the cost of the console.

HeartpineFloors − NTA Sorry your broke ex sold your son’s birthday gift. Now you know not to send anything that can be used for quick cash. He and his blowhard wife make quite the team with their tale tales and deflection. Wish you could file a police report but they’d probably write this off as a domestic dispute. Might ask, just to be sure.

You do realize that your ex’s inability to produce the “broken” gift means that it was never broken, yes? You understand he just took it and sold it and pocketed the proceeds? Edit: Oh and no, you absolutely don’t need to cover for this AH by telling your 16-year-old son that you just didn’t get him a birthday present! Your kid is old enough to know who he’s dealing with.

ADVERTISEMENT

Beneficial-Sale7510 − Listen, “mature adults” don’t:. \- Give derogatory nicknames to a parent of their stepchild.. \- Tell someone something is wrong with their personality just because they disagree. Claim to better mother because a person who was rightfully upset that her ex *opened a present that’s wasn’t his AND broke it.

Bonus A H points for ex asking YOU to cover up his idiocy. OP, this is not a mature adult. This was not a rational discussion. You have every right to be upset — do not let either one of these people fool you into thinking you overreacted. Your son did not overreact either. NTA.. EDITED: a word

MissionClock9803 − NTA, your ex is manipulative and out of his mind if he thinks he’s not in the wrong.

ADVERTISEMENT

Ajawn − Absolutely NTA! Your son is not a baby and old enough to understand what happened. It also gives me the feeling this isn’t the only reason he stopped talking to his dad. Also, his dad never thought how immature to open your child’s gift in the first place, but you’re the immature one? Smh

These are popular takes on Reddit, but do they really reflect reality?

What a wild ride— a mom’s heartfelt gift turned into a co-parenting clash, complete with broken consoles, heated calls, and a sassy stepmom! This story shows how fast trust can wobble when honesty and accountability go missing. The mom chose truth over a flimsy cover-up, but did it cost her son’s birthday joy? Readers, we’d love to hear your take! What would you do if your ex trashed your kid’s gift and begged you to lie? Drop your thoughts below and let’s untangle this family knot together!

ADVERTISEMENT
Share this post
ADVERTISEMENT

Related Posts

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *