Mom Snaps at Ex’s Girlfriend’s Mother After She Tries to Force Son into Playing Soccer

A mother says she’s standing firm after her son was repeatedly pushed to join a local soccer team—despite clearly saying he wasn’t interested.

In a Reddit post, the 33-year-old mom explained that she shares her 9-year-old son with her ex and that their co-parenting arrangement is generally smooth. Their child stays with his father every other weekend and one weeknight for dinner.

She noted that her ex has been dating his girlfriend for about two years. While the girlfriend is enthusiastic about kids’ competitive activities, the mom said it had never felt excessive—until recently.

Tensions rose after the girlfriend’s mother moved nearby and took on what the poster described as an “activity grandma” role. According to the mom, the woman has a strong background in youth soccer, volunteers with a local league, and began pushing hard for the boy to join a team.

The problem, the mother said, is that her son already tried soccer and didn’t enjoy it. She described him as a quiet child who prefers art classes and biking. The boy later told her that the girlfriend’s mother kept bringing up soccer at his dad’s house and that his father supported the idea, believing it would be “good for him.”

Feeling uneasy, the mom said her son directly asked her to step in and make the pressure stop. She messaged her ex, telling him that their child shouldn’t be signed up for a sport just because someone else wants it, and that no one should be pressuring him.

Instead of easing the situation, the conversation escalated. The mom said her ex responded outside their co-parenting app, became defensive, and accused her of being controlling.

A few days later, the disagreement spilled into real life when the mom ran into the girlfriend’s mother at a community center event. She claims the woman confronted her, saying she was “depriving” her of a grandparent experience and insisting that bonding through soccer was something she deserved.

The mom said she tried to explain that bonding doesn’t mean ignoring what a child wants, but the woman doubled down, saying she had always imagined sharing soccer with her grandchildren. Overwhelmed, the mom finally replied, “Then do soccer with your actual grandkids, not mine.”

Afterward, her ex accused her of being rude and hurtful. Unsure whether she had crossed a line, the mother turned to Reddit to ask if she was wrong for standing up for her son and defending his preferences.

Many commenters supported her, saying the child’s wishes should come first. One person wrote that since the boy doesn’t want to play soccer, “it ends there,” regardless of what adults think would be good for him.

Others acknowledged the benefits of physical activity but still agreed with the mom. Several noted that while group sports can be healthy, the child already gave soccer a try—and if he didn’t like it, the adults should respect that and help him find something he actually enjoys instead.