My (37M) ex-wife (30F) is about to be homeless and has asked to live with me and my son.

Three years after a messy divorce, a single dad thought he’d closed the chapter on his ex-wife’s chaos—until she called with a bombshell request. Picture a 37-year-old man, juggling full custody of his young son, finally finding his footing after a storm of false allegations and betrayal. Then, out of the blue, his ex-wife, fresh off another divorce and teetering on homelessness, asks to crash at his place “just for a few weeks” to chase her YouTube dreams.

Her plea, laced with questionable beliefs and a history of volatility, lands like a grenade in his hard-won peace. This Reddit saga, charged with emotional stakes, dives into the tug-of-war between compassion and self-preservation, pulling readers into a drama where a father’s love for his son faces off against a risky reunion.

‘My (37M) ex-wife (30F) is about to be homeless and has asked to live with me and my son.’

A father’s instinct to protect his son clashes with his ex-wife’s plea for shelter, revealing a tangled web of boundaries and past wounds. This 37-year-old man’s refusal to let his ex-wife move in, despite her looming homelessness, stems from a well-founded fear: her history of false allegations, break-ins, and erratic behavior threatens the stability he’s built. Her new-age beliefs and refusal to work raise red flags about her mental health, complicating an already fraught co-parenting dynamic.

This scenario underscores the broader challenge of navigating high-conflict ex-partners. Unstable co-parents can disrupt a child’s environment, especially when their actions, like hers, prioritize personal pursuits over responsibility. The father’s codependency struggles make his firm “no” a triumph of self-awareness, prioritizing his son’s safety over guilt.

Dr. Randi Gunther, a clinical psychologist, notes, “Setting boundaries with a volatile ex is crucial to protect children from emotional upheaval.” Here, the father’s decision shields his son from potential chaos.

Consulting his lawyer to safeguard custody and maintaining supervised visits in public spaces are practical steps. Encouraging readers to share their own boundary-setting experiences can spark supportive dialogue.

Let’s dive into the reactions from Reddit:

The Reddit community delivered a unanimous verdict: don’t let her move in. They labeled the ex-wife’s request a recipe for disaster, citing her past allegations, break-ins, and current instability as reasons to keep her at arm’s length. Many praised the father’s instinct to protect his son, urging him to consult his lawyer and install cameras for safety.

Others saw her YouTube aspirations and religious shift as signs of deeper issues, reinforcing that her homelessness is her own responsibility, not his. The Reddit crowd’s resounding “no” echoes the father’s gut, blending outrage at the ex-wife’s audacity with practical advice. Their takes cement the need to prioritize his son’s well-being over her precarious situation.

This story of a father standing firm against his ex-wife’s plea to move in is a testament to the power of boundaries in protecting what matters most. Her chaotic past and uncertain present clashed with his duty to his son, and his choice to say “no” marked a victory over codependency.

As Reddit cheered his resolve, the path forward shines clear: safeguarding his son’s peace comes first. Share your thoughts below—how would you navigate an ex’s risky request?