Dad Offers To Take His Daughter On A Second Trip To Disneyland After Her Autistic Half-Brother Ruined The Last One, Sparks Fiery Reaction From Ex

"I got a call from my ex getting mad I was going to take her to Disneyland after she just went."

Jesse

• Published in Interesting
• June 11, 2023

Once upon a time, in a world of blended families, our narrator (Original Poster) found himself navigating the complexities of co-parenting. He and his ex had a daughter together in their youth, while she had another son with her current husband.

This little boy happens to be autistic. And although he is verbal, he struggles to properly express his emotions and desires, resulting in intense tantrums.

Life hadn't always been easy for OP and his ex. They had welcomed their daughter into the world at a young age, and financial struggles plagued them for a major part of her childhood.

Despite the challenges, they had always tried their best to provide for their daughter, even if it meant putting aside dreams of extravagant family vacations.

However, a recent turn of events stirred up a mix of emotions. Last weekend, OP's ex and her husband decided to take their children on a magical adventure to Disneyland.

Excitement filled the air as they embarked on their getaway. But when Monday morning rolled out, OP couldn't help but wonder how the trip had unfolded.

During a heart-wrenching FaceTime call with his daughter, he discovered that her long-awaited Disneyland experience had been overshadowed by her half-brother's uncontrollable tantrums. Lines, delays, and unmet desires triggered the young boy's outbursts, leaving his sister feeling torn between sympathy for her brother's struggle and disappointment for her own disrupted trip.

OP understood his daughter's mixed feelings all too well. And so he resolved to step up as a father and create an unforgettable vacation for her.

This decision, tho innocent, would trigger an unexpected reaction from his ex. Scroll down to check out the full details of the story.

The story in detail

A little backstory

OP explained that his ex and her husband decided to take his daughter and their son to Disneyland. However, when he FaceTimed his daughter to ask how the outing was, she complained that her brother ruined it for everyone due to his tantrums

OP offered to take his daughter to Disneyland again to compensate for not enjoying the last one. However, his ex is totally against it

Here's how the Reddit community reacted to the story:

"Your ex took her and made it a shitty experience. Your daughter deserves better."

"Your ex is only mad because she knows your daughter will have more fun with you..."

"You know you are NTA. Her mom is just exhausted and in a bad mood bc they just got done traveling."

"Nope NTA...People who grow up with a disabled sibling like that usually get the short end of the stick"

"She's upset because she knows from now on in daughter's mind vacation with dad=fun, vacation with mom=not fun"

Undeterred by his ex's disapproval, OP's decision to prioritize his daughter's happiness struck a chord with the online community.

As the story unfolded on Reddit, countless users rallied behind him, empathizing with his daughter's disappointment and criticizing his ex's reaction.

The outpouring of support reinforced his belief in the power of parental love and the resilience of family bonds.

Jesse