Ex-Wife Threatens Custody Shake-Up If Her Bizarre Dietary Demands For Her Kids Continue To Remain Unmet

“My husband and his ex lost a child to allergy complication, and ever since, she has been paranoid.”

Jesse

• Published in Interesting
• January 24, 2024

For the past few weeks, our narrator (Original Poster) found herself trapped in a culinary minefield. One wrong move and everything could get blown to bits.

OP and her husband were even at the point where legal threats were being dangled should they refuse to abide. All this drama was courtesy of his ex-wife, Kate. Let’s dive into the details to get a clearer picture.

Kate was an avid believer in myths related to food combinations and gut biome—all thanks to her priceless alternative medicine blogs. What began as a genuine concern for the well-being of their shared children morphed into an exhaustive list of dietary dogmas.

From forbidding fruits after 5 pm to imposing a 15-minute digestion sit-down post-meal, the list has grown to an overwhelming extent. 

But this was only the tip of the iceberg. Kate shared a Google document of rules with them, and she regularly made updates—it was that serious.

To clarify, none of the kids suffered from food intolerances or allergies, but that didn't stop Kate from compiling a manifesto of culinary restrictions.

Trouble brewed when OP grew tired of making her stepkids abide by these cumbersome rules. Kate wasn’t ready for any excuses, though. She threatened to contend the custody arrangements if her requirements weren’t met.

But hidden beneath this wild kitchen clash was a tear-jerking story. Kate lost her child after he tragically succumbed to an unknown food allergy. This was what eventually caused her marriage to crumble.

Now, she houses extreme paranoia over the dietary choices of her two remaining children. Was OP wrong for disregarding her bizarre rules? 

The story in detail

OP and her husband’s ex-wife has been battling over food arrangements for the kids

The ex-wife’s food rules have become intolerable. Thus, OP and her husband have decided to cater to their kids the way they deem fit

Some of food rules include

The rules are a lot more than we know

Apparently, one of the kids passed away due to complications from an allergy. Ever since, the ex-wife has been fearful about what the other kids eat

OP’s MIL has been berating her and her husband for not following the ex-wife’s rules. Interestingly, the kids hate eating such restrictive diets

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

“NTA. If these kids don’t have food related allergies, her list of rules is a bit inhumane and unnecessary.“

“NTA. When the kids are at your house, they should follow your rules. When they're at their mom's house, they should follow their mom's rules.”

“NTA. You're following your husband's rules on his kids in his home.”

“NTA - as you pointed out it's not medical or science based. Just be polite empathetic and firm.”

Redditors assured OP she wasn’t in the wrong. While they empathize with Kate’s pain, they also outline the potential harm. The rules were inhumane and a sure path to destructive eating habits.

The advice? The husband must take the lead in this battle and maybe get a pediatrician involved. As for Kate, she’d do well to opt for help in the form of therapy.

What do you think about this story? Let us know in the comments.

Jesse