AITA for not telling my boyfriend about his daughter starting her period and giving her Midol?
The user, a 29-year-old female, details an event involving her 34-year-old boyfriend and his 11-year-old daughter, who was staying with her father for an extended period because her mother was on vacation.
When the daughter refused to go swimming despite earlier excitement, the user discovered the girl had just started her period and was in pain, having made the user promise not to tell her father.
After providing comfort, supplies, and over-the-counter pain relief, the situation escalated when the mother returned and informed the father, leading to him becoming angry at the user for withholding information and administering medication. The user is now questioning if she handled the situation incorrectly as a non-parent.
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The user is in a difficult position, balancing her desire to build trust and rapport with her boyfriend's daughter against the boundaries and authority of the child's father regarding medical information and care.
The core debate is whether respecting the child's confidence regarding a sensitive personal development overrides the stepparent's duty to inform the custodial parent about any issues, especially when medication was involved, or if the user's supportive actions were appropriate given the mother's absence.
Strong Takes and Sharper Words from the Crowd:
What started as a simple post quickly turned into a wildfire of opinions, with users chiming in from all sides.
NTA.