My ex and I divorced 8 years ago, and we share a daughter who visits him on the weekends. Things have been smooth over the years, but recently our 14-year-old daughter started asking to go to her dad’s and stepmom’s house more often. She’s even calling me “Joy” instead of “Mom.”

I brushed it off, thinking it’s normal teen behavior. But the other day, I heard her call her stepmom “Mom.” I was furious and decided to search her backpack. To my horror, I found that they are giving her expensive makeup, fancy rings, and beauty products she’s been asking me for a while. Suddenly, everything started to make sense.

My ex has way more money than I do, and it is obvious that he is buying his daughter’s affection with material things. I know that his wife never liked me, so she’s using that money to get closer to my teen, and as a result, my child is becoming more and more distant. I don’t even recognize my own kid anymore. I feel helpless at this point; it feels like I am losing my daughter.

What should I do?

Sincerely, Joy