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“AITA For Blaming Dad And Stepmom For Stepsiblings Thinking They Would Get Grandkid Inheritance?”
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“AITA For Blaming Dad And Stepmom For Stepsiblings Thinking They Would Get Grandkid Inheritance?”

 “AITA For Blaming Dad And Stepmom For Stepsiblings Thinking They Would Get Grandkid Inheritance?”Stepsiblings Get Left Out Of Inheritance, Dad And Stepmom Expect Bio Daughter To Turn Against FamTeen Points Finger At Dad And Stepmom After Stepsiblings Don’t Get Special Grandkid InheritanceStepkids Don't Get Grandkids' Inheritance From Grandparents, Dad And Stepmom Create Family DramaDad And Stepmom Expect Bio Daughter To Turn From Family After Stepsiblings Left Out Of InheritanceGrandparents Leave Nothing To Stepsiblings, Teen Blames Stepmom And Dad For Creating ExpectationsStepkids Hurt After Grandparents Only Leave Memory Books For Bio Grandkids, Dad And Stepmom LividTeen Lays Blame At Dad And Stepmom’s Feet After Stepsiblings Miss Out On Grandkid Inheritance “AITA For Blaming Dad And Stepmom For Stepsiblings Thinking They Would Get Grandkid Inheritance?” “AITA For Blaming Dad And Stepmom For Stepsiblings Thinking They Would Get Grandkid Inheritance?”
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It’s been said that blood is thicker than water, meaning the relationships we share with family members will always supersede those of friends and acquaintances. These bonds and connections forged across generations are sacred and are often the core of a family’s values.

For one teen, when her grandparents passed away, she and her brother were left a special grandkid inheritance – a book of memories lovingly compiled by the old folks for each of them. Their step siblings, on the other hand, didn’t get anything and were devastated.     

More info: Reddit

Blood is thicker than water, something this teen had to sharply remind her dad and stepmom about

Image credits: Andrea Piacquadio / Pexels (not the actual photo)

When her grandparents passed away, they left her and her brother each a book of precious memories

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Image credits: Pavel Danilyuk / Pexels (not the actual photo)

Her stepsiblings weren’t left anything, something that had the dad and stepmom seeing red

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Image credits: Pixabay / Pexels (not the actual photo)

The dad told the teen that she needed to turn her back on her extended family and be loyal to her stepsiblings, but she refused

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Image credits: prostooleh / Freepik (not the actual photo)

The teen then went so far as to blame her dad and stepmom for forcing the step siblings onto her grandparents

Image credits: Organic-Ear-819

The dad and stepmom were furious at the teen’s accusation, so she turned to the web to ask if she’s being a jerk

OP begins her story by telling the community that her dad and stepmother got married when she was 7 and her brother was 9. She explains that her stepmother had two kids of her own when this happened, one being 2 and the other being 4. OP goes on to say that the only extended family she has is on her dead mom’s side.

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She adds that, when her dad remarried, he told his late wife’s parents that the stepsiblings had to be included, or he wouldn’t let them see their bio grandkids. The grandparents agreed but made it clear it was only because they still wanted to see their bio grandkids.

Over time, the stepsiblings got really attached to the grandparents, despite the grandparents never feeling indifferent towards them. OP says it was the same with the rest of her extended family; the stepsiblings were treated fine but never really embraced.

OP says her grandpa passed away in 2020, followed by her grandma in 2023. At the grandma’s funeral, her stepmother tried sending the step siblings up into the grandkids section, but they were turned away by an aunt and uncle. After the non-religious service, OP and her brother were each bestowed with a ‘grandkid inheritance’ in the form of a memory book, lovingly put together by the grandparents.

She goes on to say that the stepsiblings got nothing and were devastated, and that’s where the trouble with her parents started. 

Her dad and stepmother are now furious and are demanding that OP take a stand against her extended family and show some loyalty to her stepsiblings. OP has refused, blaming them both for creating the awkward situation in the first place and saying that they should never have let the stepsiblings believe they were grandkids to her grandparents.

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OP says her dad and stepmom lost it over being blamed and said that she and her brother lacked empathy and compassion, just like OP’s extended family.

From what OP tells us in her post, her dad thinks he can impose his will on situations and decisions involving family, which is rather arrogant, narcissistic, and, in this case, definitely toxic. 

Image credits: RDNE Stock project / Pexels (not the actual photo)

In her article for Psychology Today, Abigail Brenner M.D. lists some basic characteristics of a toxic person. For starters, they’re manipulative, they blame others for everything, they take no responsibility for their own actions, they have no concern for anyone else’s thoughts, feelings, or needs, and they make you feel guilty for things you didn’t do.

Brenner goes on to list some ways to deal with toxic family members. Some include setting boundaries, limiting your contact, refusing to engage, creating a solid support system, and even going so far as to cut off all contact, something that’s probably not possible for OP to do, considering she still lives with her dad.

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In her article for First Session, Rosa Park writes that manipulation and control are common tactics used by toxic family to maintain power over others. They may employ fear, guilt, or other methods to get you to do what they want. In addition, they could even make you feel like you’re the one responsible for their problems.  

Communicating your boundaries clearly can go a long way to disrupting a family member’s toxic behavior. Park suggests being direct and assertive, expressing your feelings, requesting specific behavior changes, setting consequences should boundaries be ignored or overrun, and changing the subject when the toxic family member tries to engage.

OP may do well to put her foot down with her belligerent dad and stepmom and make them own up to their part in the drama, which is pretty much all of it.

What would you do if you found yourself in OP’s shoes? Do you think her dad was way out of line forcing the stepsiblings on the grandparents and extended family? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!

In the comments, readers agreed that the dad was at fault for forcing the stepsiblings onto the grandparents just so they could see their bio grandkids

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Ivan Ayliffe

Ivan Ayliffe

Writer, BoredPanda staff

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After twenty years in advertising, I've decided to try my hand at journalism. I'm lucky enough to be based in Cape Town, South Africa and use every opportunity I get to explore everything it has to offer, both indoors and out. When I'm not reading, writing, or listening to podcasts, I spend my time swimming in the ocean, running mountain trails, and skydiving. While I haven't travelled as much as I'd like, I did live in !ndia, which was an incredible experience. I love live music, whether it's in a massive stadium or an intimate club setting.

Read less »
Ivan Ayliffe

Ivan Ayliffe

Writer, BoredPanda staff

After twenty years in advertising, I've decided to try my hand at journalism. I'm lucky enough to be based in Cape Town, South Africa and use every opportunity I get to explore everything it has to offer, both indoors and out. When I'm not reading, writing, or listening to podcasts, I spend my time swimming in the ocean, running mountain trails, and skydiving. While I haven't travelled as much as I'd like, I did live in !ndia, which was an incredible experience. I love live music, whether it's in a massive stadium or an intimate club setting.

Denis Krotovas

Denis Krotovas

Author, BoredPanda staff

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I am a Visual Editor at Bored Panda. While studying at Vilnius Tech University, I learned how to use Photoshop and decided to continue mastering it at Bored Panda. I am interested in learning UI/UX design and creating unique designs for apps, games and websites. On my spare time, I enjoy playing video and board games, watching TV shows and movies and reading funny posts on the internet.

Read less »

Denis Krotovas

Denis Krotovas

Author, BoredPanda staff

I am a Visual Editor at Bored Panda. While studying at Vilnius Tech University, I learned how to use Photoshop and decided to continue mastering it at Bored Panda. I am interested in learning UI/UX design and creating unique designs for apps, games and websites. On my spare time, I enjoy playing video and board games, watching TV shows and movies and reading funny posts on the internet.

How do you feel about grandparents only leaving memory books for their biological grandchildren?
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Helena
Community Member
3 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I had no idea so many people had such small hearts. Would adding a couple kids to the grandkids roster and care about them hurt anyone in anyway? How emotionally anemic does one need to be? I was unwanted. I was the step kid. I was the one treated as different. I love every kid that crosses my path, and apparently a bunch of you think love needs to be doled out on an 'if they're related or deserve it' basis. Shame on you.

Meagan Glaser
Community Member
3 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The grandparents probably WOULD have warmed up to and included the dad's new stepkids if dad hadn't been a pushy jerk about blending the family 100% instantly. The dad married less than two years after his wife, their daugther, died and left behind two kiddos. Not a great time to go "HEY you wanna see your grandkids ever again you better accept my replacement wife and her offspring "

Load More Replies...
KatSaidWhat
Community Member
3 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Grandparents played the long game. You can force someone to see someone else's kids but you can't force them to love them. If anything, I would resent those kids even more for being the only reason I am able to see my blood grandchildren. This was a f**k you. And I don't blame them one bit. OPs father and step did this, they can undo it.

Sven Petersson
Community Member
3 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It's still cruel to the kids. The parents are AH, but so are the grandparents.

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Libstak
Community Member
3 weeks ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I can see how this can get twisted. I just want to put myself in the grandparents shoes here for a moment. They had a daughter who married and gave them 2 grand kids. Their daughter died but what remained of her was the 2 grand kids. Their widowed SIL, remarried (the parents had no say in that, they extended love because he was their daughters husband and the father of their daughters children, thats it, that all the choice they had). The husband and new wife have no biological connection with these grand parents and her children especially have 2 sets of grandparents that are not these 2. The grand parents had no say in the choices the widow made and who this woman or children were had nothing to do with anything they wanted, wished or planned as who were considered their heirs. Nobody asked their opinion and they had no right to one frankly as they had no biological relationship with any of these people. Why would they be forced to change what mattered to them at this deep level?

Load More Comments
Helena
Community Member
3 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I had no idea so many people had such small hearts. Would adding a couple kids to the grandkids roster and care about them hurt anyone in anyway? How emotionally anemic does one need to be? I was unwanted. I was the step kid. I was the one treated as different. I love every kid that crosses my path, and apparently a bunch of you think love needs to be doled out on an 'if they're related or deserve it' basis. Shame on you.

Meagan Glaser
Community Member
3 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The grandparents probably WOULD have warmed up to and included the dad's new stepkids if dad hadn't been a pushy jerk about blending the family 100% instantly. The dad married less than two years after his wife, their daugther, died and left behind two kiddos. Not a great time to go "HEY you wanna see your grandkids ever again you better accept my replacement wife and her offspring "

Load More Replies...
KatSaidWhat
Community Member
3 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Grandparents played the long game. You can force someone to see someone else's kids but you can't force them to love them. If anything, I would resent those kids even more for being the only reason I am able to see my blood grandchildren. This was a f**k you. And I don't blame them one bit. OPs father and step did this, they can undo it.

Sven Petersson
Community Member
3 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It's still cruel to the kids. The parents are AH, but so are the grandparents.

Load More Replies...
Libstak
Community Member
3 weeks ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I can see how this can get twisted. I just want to put myself in the grandparents shoes here for a moment. They had a daughter who married and gave them 2 grand kids. Their daughter died but what remained of her was the 2 grand kids. Their widowed SIL, remarried (the parents had no say in that, they extended love because he was their daughters husband and the father of their daughters children, thats it, that all the choice they had). The husband and new wife have no biological connection with these grand parents and her children especially have 2 sets of grandparents that are not these 2. The grand parents had no say in the choices the widow made and who this woman or children were had nothing to do with anything they wanted, wished or planned as who were considered their heirs. Nobody asked their opinion and they had no right to one frankly as they had no biological relationship with any of these people. Why would they be forced to change what mattered to them at this deep level?

Load More Comments
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