My ex-husband and I divorced two years ago, and while co-parenting our two kids hasn’t been easy, I never expected his new girlfriend to become the real problem. At first, she seemed harmless—friendly, even. But then she started posting photos of my children online. I let it slide, hoping she just didn’t understand boundaries. That hope vanished when she shared a video of my daughter singing at school, without asking me. It felt invasive, like she was trying to insert herself into their lives in a way that erased me.
I confronted her politely, asking her to stop. She brushed me off with a smug “It’s just harmless fun.” Days later, she tagged my kids in a meme that made them look ridiculous. They laughed, but I was livid. I reached out to my ex, expecting support. Instead, he told me to “get used to it.” That betrayal stung. I couldn’t believe he was okay with someone exploiting our kids for laughs. So I did what any mother would—I dug deeper.
What I found horrified me. Her Instagram wasn’t just a personal account—it was a blog about “modern parenting,” and she was using my children’s images to build her brand. Worse, she was profiting from it. I showed my ex everything. He claimed ignorance, promised to talk to her, but I didn’t buy it. If he was fine with the memes and videos, why would he suddenly care about the money? I felt sick. My kids were being used, and no one but me seemed to care.
Now I’m torn. Do I confront her directly? Lawyer up? Or am I really just “overreacting,” like my ex says? I know I’m not. This isn’t about jealousy—it’s about protecting my children’s dignity and privacy. I won’t let someone who isn’t even their parent exploit them for clicks and cash. I’m documenting everything. If they cross the line again, I’ll make sure it’s not just a parenting dispute—it’ll be a legal one.
