In a quiet suburban home, a devoted mother finds herself in a heart-wrenching situation. Her boyfriend’s 12-year-old son repeatedly frightens their three-month-old daughter, despite her heartfelt pleas and warnings. This behavior has pushed the mother to her breaking point.

The mother, diagnosed with postpartum depression (PPD), questions the impact of her condition on her actions. Seeking advice and understanding, she turned to the online community on January 11, 2024, sharing her troubling experience on the “AITAH” subreddit.

The mother had been in a relationship with her boyfriend for six years. They had been living together for the past two years, along with her own baby. However, the distressing issue arose when her boyfriend’s son, Jake, started scaring their infant daughter deliberately.

Jake would approach the baby, loudly exclaiming, “RA!” and finding amusement in her startled reflexes. He would follow this with disingenuous apologies, claiming he didn’t mean to scare her. This disturbing routine occurred at least four times a day, leaving the mother torn between her concerns, the potential influence of PPD, and her desire for a resolution.

Despite the mother’s persistent efforts to address Jake’s unsettling behavior, cautioning him about the potential harm to the baby’s ears and emphasizing the lack of humor in his actions, the alarming conduct continued.

Eventually, the breaking point came just three days ago. Overwhelmed with frustration, the mother confronted her boyfriend and Jake, delivering a clear ultimatum. She asserted that any further intentional scares would lead to eviction, effectively removing them from her life.

The mother’s decision to take such drastic measures stemmed from her boyfriend’s inconsistent response. While he occasionally intervened, he dismissed her concerns as overreactions. He even justified Jake’s actions, claiming that finding amusement in a baby’s startle reflex was normal for children.

As the mother vividly recalled the moment, she stated, “If he purposely scared my kid again, then [Jake and OP’s boyfriend] would be evicted.” But even as she made this stern warning, a pang of remorse struck her when she saw Jake, wearing a despondent expression, retreating to his room.

Just the night before the mother shared her narrative, she briefly stepped out of the room, leaving her three-month-old daughter peacefully swaying in her swing. In that moment, Jake seized the opportunity to engage in another disturbing episode. He used a baby voice to urgently ask, “What are you doing?” The result was immediate – her daughter’s screams pierced the air.

Rushing back, the mother heard her boyfriend intervening and trying to address the situation. But approximately an hour later, another unsettling incident occurred. This time, as the mother entered the bathroom, she heard the dreaded “RA” followed by her daughter’s cries echoing through the house.

Fueled by a mix of frustration and concern for her baby’s well-being, the mother wasted no time in delivering an ultimatum. She instructed her boyfriend and Jake to pack their things and leave immediately. Her primary focus was now on comforting her distressed child.

Jake, sensing the severity of the situation, attempted to apologize, attributing his behavior to a habit. However, the boyfriend protested, downplaying the events’ significance. Refusing to accept their excuses, the mother insisted they depart. Unfortunately, her boyfriend defiantly claimed his stake in the house, refusing to leave.

Faced with this impasse, the mother threatened to leave herself and have the authorities serve an eviction notice. Despite the boyfriend’s pleas and his assertion that Jake is just a 12-year-old who can’t be perfect, she left and took decisive action the following day by filing for their eviction.

OP had previously attempted to understand Jake’s motives behind scaring her daughter, directly asking him why he engaged in such behavior. “[He] thinks it’s funny when kids cry,” she recollected after their conversation.

Burdened by her choices, the mother turned to the online community, questioning if she did the right thing by kicking her boyfriend and his son out. The overwhelming response was one of support. Many affirmed that she had taken the appropriate course of action.

“NTA. Yes, he’s 12. Old enough to know better and to not do it… The fact that he says he likes making babies cry is alarming,” commented one user.

“As the mother of a 4-year-old, this behavior would only be understandable if Jake was 2 or 3 years old… This is not just a kid being a kid,” expressed another commenter.

The mother’s story resonated with countless people online, receiving widespread attention and sympathy. Ultimately, the prevailing sentiment was that she had prioritized her baby’s safety and well-being, making a difficult but necessary decision.

What is your opinion? Do you support the mother’s stance, or do you think she should have handled the situation differently?