Goth Daughter, Pink Mom: A Family’s Identity Crisis

When a mom’s dream daughter clashes with reality, one stepdad’s desperate plea for help

I never thought I’d be sharing such an intense story about family conflicts, but here I am, telling you about the drama unfolding in my college buddy’s life.

Picture this a 34-year-old ex-cop turned reluctant stepdad, now an unwilling referee in a battle between his wife, a former high school queen bee, and her goth stepdaughter. It’s like watching an episode of “Mean Girls” crash into “The Addams Family” — and trust me, it’s not pretty.

My friend spilled all of this during one of our regular catch-ups, and I was floored by the intensity of the conflict. Let me bring you up to speed.

His wife, now 31, was the perfect stereotype of the popular girl from the early 2000s. Think blonde hair with chunky highlights, everything pink, and a cheerleader uniform to top it off. She was the girl every guy crushed on and every girl wanted to be. But at 15, boom — she got pregnant.

Years later, my friend, who had always sworn he never wanted kids, fell head over heels for this young single mom. They got married when she was 20 and he was 23, after dating for two years.

Now, here’s where it gets juicy. As his stepdaughter hit her teens, she started embracing…