Stepparent and stepchild relationships can be difficult, and sometimes, a bond just doesn’t form.

A woman took to Reddit to share that even after years of trying, she couldn’t connect with her stepson. This led to her decision not to take on a grandparent role for his kids, showing how complicated blended families can be.

The stepmom never really bonded with her stepson.

It’s a bit complicated. I’m a stepmom to 5 great kids. I became their stepmom when the oldest was just 9, and over time, I adopted all of them—except one, Nick. From the start, Nick made it clear he didn’t want me to be his mother, and I respected that. But when Nick turned 18, he made it obvious he didn’t care about me at all.

I wasn’t invited to his wedding or any holidays he hosted. The final blow was when he said he would only come to Christmas at my house if I wasn’t there. Since then, we’ve barely spoken. Nick also drifted away from his siblings. Now, he has 2 daughters, and suddenly, he called me. We started talking, which surprised me.