AITV for not letting my son be a vigilante (he’s 10)

What do you do when your 10-year-old wants to be a vigilante and everyone tells you you're wrong for saying no? Turn to the internet!

or

An AITA-type post set in the DCU with a work skin that makes it look like a real Reddit post!
*Best reading Experience on a laptop or pc!!*

Notes:

I've had this one in the drafts for a while but got stuck trying to think of usernames... the usernames in this are very much whatever tf i could think of T_T

i am ALWAYS open to username suggestions <3

(See the end of the work for more notes.)

Work Text:

reddit upvote icon

3.2k

reddit downvote icon

r/AmITheVillain · Posted by u/night-knight 3 hours ago.

AITV for not letting my son be a vigilante (he’s 10)?

[new]

So I (41M) got custody of my son (10M). His mother's side of the family is a bit unconventional and has raised him in a way I disagree with. Because of his upbringing, he is aware of my own vigilante identity and has decided he will be my sidekick. He’s been raised in a, let’s say, dangerous environment, and I want him to have a somewhat normal childhood (or at least as normal a childhood as a killer child of a vigilante can have)

He disagrees. I don’t think it's safe to take a 10-year-old out on patrol with me. To this, he pointed out that my previous sidekicks were also often quite young (though none were his age!). In hindsight, I realize I probably should not have let a 13-year-old fight crime, hindsight is 20/20, but what's done is done. In a way, I'm making up for my past failings as a father by giving my son a childhood he deserves, and that childhood should not include vigilantism or getting kidnapped by a villain as leverage over me.

His mother thinks that vigilantism could be a positive outlet for his emotions, most of which are anger. She thinks it could help him adjust to a more normal life. I understand this perspective, and our son is a well-trained fighter, but again, He’s 10. I’m just not comfortable putting my son in unnecessary danger. All this has put some strain on my relationship with him, and I fear he is growing to resent me for controlling his life the way his maternal grandfather did.

I’ve been criticized for training child soldiers before, but my son was very much trained to be one, regardless of his own wishes. He loves animals and art and I’d much rather foster those interests rather than his more destructive ones. Because of this, I’ve barred him from anything related to vigilante activities. He’s not allowed in my hideout, and I don't discuss anything related to vigilantism with him.

I’ve been told that i am being too hard on him, so am i the Villain for not letting my 10-year-old Son be a vigilante?

comment icon 40 comments Share save icon Save hide icon Hide report icon Report 68% Upvoted

What are your thoughts? Log in or Sign up log in sign up

Sort by relevance

reddit user icon purple

u/psycholo-tea27 points · 8 hours ago

I mean, I get what you're trying to do here, but quite frankly, it's insanely hypocritical to let your other children, or someone else's children?? Become your sidekicks while you forbid just one of them, your son is probably feeling really left out…