Father stands up for 8-year-old stepson after grandmother excludes him from family gatherings for years, under the guise of being germ-conscious: ‘[She wants] him to feel unwanted’

Going over to Grandma's house as a child is a special feeling. She's probably already whipped up some chocolate chip pancakes and tea sandwiches (with no crust, of course), and she's happily awaiting your arrival to shower you with hugs and kisses that only a grandmother could provide. This feeling is unmatched and pales in comparison to a lot of other memories, only because Grandma's house was a safe haven for most. You can always count on her to take your side when Mom and Dad try to put you down, and she also has the best quilted blankets to take naps with. A day at Grandma's house is a day in paradise. That is, for most people.

When you grow up in a blended family where you aren't biologically related to everyone, you might feel like an outsider. That feeling is completely normal. You are thrust into a familial universe where you don't exactly fit like a puzzle piece just yet, but you also feel right at home. It causes an emotional dissonance within you that can only be remedied by calming, loving reassurance from those you hold close. Your parents should definitely reassure you, but having your grandparents' reassurance does wonders, too. The 8-year-old boy in this story, unfortunately, does not. Scroll below to read about how the boy's father stands up to the boy's grandmother and calls her bluff about not having him over because of "germs".

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"My grandma keeps excluding my stepson from gatherings and I just found out it was never about ‘germs’"

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Kids will be kids. Any 8-year-old boy would struggle with cleanliness, loud behavior, and, honestly, a lack of social etiquette. Though you want to instill positive habits at a young age, you can't expect a child under 10 years old to be perfect.
The man who shares this story explains that he has been in his stepson's life since the boy was three years old, AKA, most of the child's life. The man's mother has an issue with germs, allegedly, so she doesn't have the man's stepson over because of his imperfect etiquette and messy demeanor. Or, so she says.
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