Reason Woman Bans Stepdaughter’s Mom From Coming Over Backed – ryan
Social media users have rallied behind a woman who kicked her husband’s ex-wife’s out of their house after finding her wandering around in a towel.
On Reddit, /u/Ethereal_Wife said she had returned home from a work meeting to find her husband’s ex-wife “fresh out of the shower.”
“I felt absolutely hysterical, though I didn’t show it,” the poster wrote. “She had the keys because her daughter (who is also my husband’s daughter) spends more time at our house than at hers, so she occasionally comes to ‘visit’ her.”
The poster said she took decisive action, demanding that the ex-wife hand over the keys and making it clear that she was no longer welcome in the house without permission.
The post has since garnered more than 9,000 upvotes. Newsweek has contacted /u/Ethereal_Wife for comment via Reddit. We could not verify the details of the case.
According to the poster, her husband, who had been asleep and unaware of his ex-wife’s presence, supported her decision. Her stepdaughter said her mother had planned to stay until her father woke up, which the poster interpreted as an attempt at seduction.
“In short, I took away the house keys and told her that it wasn’t necessary for her to come see her daughter on weekdays when my stepdaughter went to her house already on weekends,” she continued. “If she needed to come over for something important, she had to ask for permission. She called me crazy, but my husband backed me up, which was the only reason she eventually left without making a scene.”
The poster reviewed security footage to confirm her husband had been asleep with their 4-month-old baby all morning. She said her husband had been even angrier than she was about his ex-wife’s intrusion and had insisted they report her.
Though the poster was firm about her actions in the moment, she later wondered if she had overreacted, prompting her to ask Redditors to weigh in on the situation.

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Expert Insight
Sanam Hafeez, a neuropsychologist in New York, spoke with Newsweek about the post, saying the woman had every right to set strict boundaries.
She emphasized that the ex-wife’s actions showed poor boundaries and a lack of respect for personal space.
Hafeez added: “She rightly took control of her home by collecting keys and setting visitation permissions when her husband’s ex entered without consent.
“The idea that her husband’s ex was deliberately trying to seduce him might have been an exaggerated reaction when considering other possible reasons. Despite the alarming nature of the situation, a more effective strategy would have been to calmly establish boundaries before taking further action. The husband’s intense reaction validated that the other person’s emotions were not completely out of place.”
She also said the ex-wife’s behavior might stem from unresolved emotions or a lingering sense of entitlement. She recommended that the couple set clear and consistent co-parenting boundaries to avoid further conflicts.
Reddit Reacts
Redditors overwhelmingly supported the poster’s decision, calling the ex-wife’s actions inappropriate.
“That’s a huge overstep and really weird on her part. Time for some boundaries,” one user commented.
“You should change the locks and don’t give your stepdaughter the keys,” a commenter advised.
“She was trying to seduce your husband, imo,” another added. “She should’ve never been given a key, and her reaction of getting mad says everything about her intentions.”
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