Divorced Mom Watermarks All The Photos Of Their Baby That She Sends Her Ex Because He Posts Them Online Like He Took Them
She's fed up with her ex-husband trying to play the illusion of an involved father when he's not.
Leszek Glasner / Shutterstock A divorced mom has admitted to being upset after learning that her ex-husband was pretending the photos she took of their baby were his own.
In a since-deleted post on Reddit, she shared that her ex-husband wasn't involved in their son's life but was trying to pretend he was on social media.
She started putting watermarks on all photos of their baby she sends him because he posts them online as if he took them.
In her Reddit post posted on an anonymous throwaway account, the 23-year-old mother explained that she and her ex-husband, 25, divorced shortly after having their son because she found out that he was being unfaithful.
"He likes to make a big show for everyone and say that he 'bankrolls me', but he does not," she admitted. He tried to put up a facade on social media that he held a prominent role in his son's life, but according to her, he was pretty absent.
He texted her regularly requesting photos as proof that his son was doing fine and moments after sending she would see the photos on Instagram as if he took them.
"Recently I found out that he was dating a girl in my city. When I discovered it I was honestly pretty upset. He always told me that his job takes up all his time and that's why he doesn't have time to spend with our son," she continued.
Frustrated with her ex's behavior, she vented about the entire problem to a friend, who recommended that she start watermarking all photos of their baby that she sends to him. The idea seemed brilliant to her, and so she began to do it, putting a watermark with her name across the entire photo.
When she did it and sent it to her ex-husband, he immediately became enraged. He called her a bunch of cruel names and had a "total meltdown," but that didn't deter her as she felt "satisfied" by the move.
In the comments section, many people agreed that she was not in the wrong for choosing to watermark her baby's photos.
"I wouldn't send pictures at all. If you want to have pictures of your son then come see him," one Reddit user shared. "He's supposed to be a parent and he's not so I agree on just saying he's fine and if he demands remind him that not only are you not obligated to send pictures. You don't have to talk to him at all and it can be done through court."
Another user added, "If he doesn't want to post watermarked pictures, he can take and post his own. He's using your photos to make himself look like an active and involved dad. You are under no obligation to facilitate that charade."
"They're your photos of your child. Write whatever you want on them. Is it childish? Yeah, sort [of] but so is your ex. Let him know that if he needs to see his child every day he is welcome [to] but you have no responsibility to take photos for him," a third user chimed in.
Sharing photos on social media does not make you an involved parent.
By watermarking the photos of their baby, this child's mother is sending the message that she refuses to play a part in her ex-husband's fantasy of being an involved father. However, while it may only be watermarked photos, the bitter relationship that she and her ex-husband have can bleed into how their son behaves, especially as he gets older.
At some point, people's true colors show, and if her ex continues to put everything else in his life above his son, there will come a time when their child will begin to notice. Whether or not she continues to watermark the photos, an absent father can never camouflage his true nature from his children for long.
This situation may seem trivial, but it highlights the need for smooth and communicative co-parenting relationships because, at the end of the day, it's the child's well-being that should matter above all else.
Nia Tipton is a Chicago-based entertainment, news, and lifestyle writer whose work delves into modern-day issues and experiences.