Mom Inviting Close Friend on Family Vacation Sparks Concern Over Affair

A married mom's eagerness to bring a close female friend on a long-awaited family trip abroad with her teenage daughter has sparked speculation she could be having an affair.

According to a Reddit post written by a user claiming to be the teen, her mom previously promised to take her on a special trip to Japan once she graduated from high school. However, those plans were updated to include Erin, her mom's close friend whom she became "really close to" during the pandemic.

"My mom goes over there two to three times a week to spend the night at her house," the teen wrote. "They've gone on several vacations together including Iceland, Arizona, Mexico, Cabo, New York, etc."

While the youngster is opposed to Erin joining them on the grounds it's something special she wants to do with her mom, many online suspect there may be more to the two women's friendship than meets the eye.

A survey by the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy indicated around 15 percent of married women and 25 percent of married men have had extramarital affairs. The study found the incidence was around 20 percent higher when emotional and sexual relationships without intercourse were included.

While those figures indicate that extramarital affairs are common, it's crucial that anyone with suspicions of infidelity shore up those convictions before making any accusations.

"Before you jump the gun and try confronting your partner, you must be certain of their indiscretions," Dr. Martina Paglia, director of The International Psychology Clinic, told Newsweek.

"If your gut tells you that your partner is cheating, it may be right," she admitted. "That said, you may want to gather other evidence before you confront your significant other about their behavior."

Gut instincts appear to be motivating much of the online speculation surrounding this particular Reddit post and the relationship or close friendship that exists between the mom and Erin.

According to her teen daughter, she only wanted family along on the trip as her mom "always invites Erin and tends to do whatever they want to do instead of the rest of us." Despite voicing these concerns, her mom has refused to back down, explaining that Japan is Erin's "dream destination" and even suggesting her daughter bring a friend of her own "to compensate."

While the teen appeared oblivious to the unusual nature of her mom's relationship with Erin, those following the post on social media had no qualms about pointing it out. "Are your parents still together cos.. Ummm... I think she is with Erin...," FlamingosFeather wrote. Destado1 agreed, commenting: "your mom and Erin are in a relationship that is beyond obvious."

ABeggyChooser, meanwhile, said: "It's pretty ballsy of mom to bring Erin on a family trip in front of her husband. Almost like she doesn't care if she's caught." That prompted PawsPlay36 to speculate: "Maybe he knows. Maybe they are polyamorous. Maybe mom and dad are still formally married but lead separate lives. Who knows?"

The teen said in response to comments that while both her parents and Erin are "pretty serious Christians," she's had her suspicions they could be "more than friends" and suspects it's more likely an "emotional affair" rather than a physical one. "It's a complicated situation that I may have to confront her about in the future," she wrote.

When it comes to addressing infidelity, Paglia's advice is simple: seek help. "Don't try to get through coping with unfaithfulness alone," she said. "It's wise to seek relationship therapy either together or alone. You can even try an online program if that may be more convenient for you."