Divorce can be difficult for everyone involved, especially when children are part of the situation. Even when separated parents try to maintain respectful co-parenting, complications often arise when new partners enter the picture and personal boundaries begin to blur.
A mother recently shared how her perspective changed completely after her ex-husband’s new girlfriend became involved in her children’s lives.
Emma’s Story
Hello,
My ex-husband and I divorced about two years ago. We share two amazing children, and despite everything, I’ve always tried to keep things civil for their sake.
A while ago, he introduced me to his new girlfriend. She seemed kind, respectful, and genuinely interested in building a positive relationship with the kids. Wanting peace, I gave her the benefit of the doubt.
At first, everything seemed fine.
Then I noticed she posted a photo of my children at the park on social media.
It made me uncomfortable, but I chose not to react immediately, assuming it was an honest mistake and she didn’t realize I preferred my children not be shared online.
A few days later, she posted again—this time sharing videos from my daughter’s school performance, including clips of her singing on stage.
That’s when my concern deepened.
It no longer felt like casual sharing. It felt like my children were becoming part of her online presence.
I politely asked her to stop posting their photos and videos publicly. She dismissed my request, calling it “harmless fun.”
Not long after, she even tagged my children in a post that turned them into the punchline of a joke.
My kids laughed it off because they didn’t understand, but I felt uneasy knowing strangers were being encouraged to comment on moments from their lives.
I reached out to my ex-husband, hoping he would support me.
Instead, he replied, “She’s part of their lives now. You’ll have to get used to it.”
That was when I realized I wasn’t going to get help from him.
Feeling uneasy, I decided to look through her social media more carefully.
What I found was far worse than I expected.
There were constant posts about my children—photos, videos, stories about their routines, and detailed descriptions of their personalities.
Then I discovered something even more troubling.
She wasn’t just sharing moments. She had created an entire parenting blog centered around them, presenting their lives as part of her “modern family” content.
She wrote advice posts using their experiences as examples, as if she were their parent.
And then came the biggest shock.
The blog included ads, sponsored posts, and affiliate links.
In other words, she was making money from content that featured my children.
Without my permission.
I immediately confronted my ex-husband with everything I had found.
He said he didn’t realize the blog was monetized and promised to speak to her, but his previous defense of her actions made it hard to believe he truly didn’t know.
Now I feel overwhelmed, hurt, and worried about how much of my children’s lives are already online without my consent.
I don’t know whether to confront her again, seek legal advice, or take stronger steps to protect my children’s privacy.
What would you do?
— Emma
Editorial Response
Dear Emma,
Thank you for sharing your situation.
Your concerns are completely valid, and you are not overreacting.
This issue goes beyond simple disagreements about social media—it involves your children’s privacy, consent, and digital safety.
The first step is documentation. Save screenshots of all posts, videos, blog entries, advertisements, sponsored content, and any material featuring your children. If anything is removed later, this record may be important.
Next, clearly and formally communicate your boundaries to both your ex-husband and his partner. State that you do not consent to your children being photographed, filmed, or shared online, especially for public or commercial use.
If your requests continue to be ignored, it may be time to consult a family law professional. Laws around children’s image rights and online use vary, but legal guidance can clarify your options and whether custody agreements should include digital privacy terms.
Most importantly, stay focused on protecting your children’s well-being and long-term privacy.
This is not about conflict with a new partner.
It is about ensuring your children are not turned into online content without proper consent or consideration of the consequences.
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