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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

...to want to never, ever see my step-daughter again as long as I live?

260 replies

IrisMurdoch · 24/01/2011 16:02

The worst thing is...my dp says he doesn't want kids with me because it would be 'too complicated' eg I've had my two kids so I'm OK and my daughter has also told me not to have any more kids! So instead of having a family of my own, I have to put up with his awful children for the rest of time. Anyone been in a similar plight and found a way through? Thanks so much, Iris. Sorry that I sound like a child-hating cow.

OP posts:
PURPLESWAN · 24/01/2011 16:38

Should you split up with someone you love because you don't like their children?

Yes you absolutely should they come as a package - if you cant love and be fair to her then PLEASE move on.

JamieLeeCurtis · 24/01/2011 16:37

OP we can't read your mind, you know. You come on and say very little in your OP, then start justifying yourself in later posts, again with very little info.

When you include the phrase "strange and unsettling" to describe an 11 year old, you are likely to get jumped on.

AIBU wasn't the right place to post this, either, probably

BettyCash · 24/01/2011 16:37

OP, YANBU. She's not, as posters say, 'part of your DH' - any more than I'm an appendage of my father's. Why are posters so shocked that stepkids might be in for criticism?

Anyway do tell all about the little madam, otherwise you really well get a pasting.

SenoritaViva · 24/01/2011 16:37

Putting aside my personal feelings, I don't think you have given enough indication that she is 'awful'. OK, so not looking you in the eye and being frosty is not ideal. I feel rather sorry for her and you appear (so far) anyway, that only polite 'good' children can be loved. What a shame.

Bogeyface · 24/01/2011 16:37

I am confused as to why you are expecting people to agree with you when the title of your OP was

...to want to never, ever see my step-daughter again as long as I live?

And then in the thread the absolute worst you can accuse her of is being anti-social, wanting her fathers attention and being a typical tween.

Your reaction to her is so amazingly OTT that yes, YABVVVU and we are rightly questioning whether you should be with this man and therefore involved in this childs life when you can hate her so much for very little in the way of wrongdoing!

JamieLeeCurtis · 24/01/2011 16:36

My first question would be:

Have you thought about why his DD is like this?

Is she like this deliberately?
Is she very shy?
Does she lack social skills?
Does she have some kind of SN that results in her not being able to make eye contact etc?
Does she sense your disapproval?
Does her DH let her get away with rudeness?
Is she unhappy and resentful?
Is she being bullied?

Or some combination of the above. If you think about thse issues and how to help tackle them then you might find some way to like her

muddyangels123 · 24/01/2011 16:36

If you love him, you need to find it in yourself to make an effort with his DD. Find some common ground. She's 11, apple of daddy's eye ,hormones,tween and i expect she knows how you feel about her.Sad
DCs always come first imo .
You also, need to sort out with him about your wish for more DC.

mathanxiety · 24/01/2011 16:36

Children are sometimes awful even to their natural parents when they get to 11, and girls seem worse than boys at that age. The tween and teen years can be very rough with girls. If you're going to take it so personally, it will be even rougher than normal. The 9 yo and your own DS will eventually be tweens and teens themselves, and while boys are a bit different, you can expect days that will leave you pulling your hair out.

Is there a bit of female jealousy going on here? Are you threatened by her? You seem fine with the boys and yet so critical of this girl, for what seems to be just general awkwardness/ moodiness/ introspection...

bratnav · 24/01/2011 16:35

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Lulumaam · 24/01/2011 16:32

you are kidding yourself if you think she does not know you intensley dislike her

curlymama · 24/01/2011 16:31

Orm, I meant that would be after I had kicked it hard enough! Sorry! Grin

FanellaFidge · 24/01/2011 16:31

Oh.

Oh dear.

Lulumaam · 24/01/2011 16:31

IrisMurdoch Mon 24-Jan-11 16:26:05
I adore my niece and nephew, but that's because they're lovely, pleasant children who are able to communicate and aren't unkind and frosty.

so you have no notion of unconditional love? you will stop loving your child when she is a hormonal teenager?

look at yourself, long and hard

IAmReallyFabNow · 24/01/2011 16:31

She probably knows you don't like her so doesn't see why she should be nice to you.

IrisMurdoch · 24/01/2011 16:31

Thanks curlymama, you have really added to the great sum of human understanding with your comments.

Why can't you criticise a child to his/her parent? Maybe it would do her some good to be told to be nicer to people, not to be unpleasant to her brother, not to walk off when Daddy's attention falls away from her for two seconds, not to nitpick everything grwon ups say and disagree with them?

I'm not threatened by her, I just find her company unpleasant. She would never know that in a million years. There is a difference.

OP posts:
bratnav · 24/01/2011 16:31

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jonicomelately · 24/01/2011 16:29

She can't look you in the eye because she hates you and I don't blame her

JamieLeeCurtis · 24/01/2011 16:29

OP we can't read your mind, you know. You come on and say very little in your OP, then start justifying yourself in later posts, again with very little info.

When you include the phrase "strange and unsettling" to describe an 11 year old, you are likely to get jumped on.

AIBU wasn't the right place to post this, either, probably

HarkTheDragonIsAYoungChicken · 24/01/2011 16:28

YES some people love there step children i bloody do, and you know what because i love her im allowed to criticize her, The reason your DP wont let you is because you obviously have a hugeee problem with her.

Split up with him!!!!!

LtEveDallas · 24/01/2011 16:28

"My point is, do any stepmothers actually LOVE their partner's children"

Yes. Next question?

Bogeyface · 24/01/2011 16:28

They arent unkind and frosty

How childish!

"she doesnt talk to me so I never want to see her ever again"....did we take a wrong turn and end up in the playground?

Grow up! YOu are the adult here but are acting like you are being victimised by a child!

DooinMeCleanin · 24/01/2011 16:27

Again if this is how you feel about how can you expect her to be anything other than frosty? She is a child not an eejit.

She could be shy. She could still be upset by her parents seperation, she could feel threatened by you.

As a grown woman the onus is on you to make an effort.

Ormirian · 24/01/2011 16:27

Sorry to go off on a tangent but curlymama "If my DH started critisizing my dc, he would be out the door with his knob next to his navel! "?? What? Grin

Bucharest · 24/01/2011 16:27

Ok, leaving aside for the moment the fact that you're being vile about children, I do understand that it's him you want and not his children.

I've said before on step-threads (and I speak as a step-daughter myself with a step-mother and a late step-father) I have nothing but admiration for women and men who do manage to love their partner's children. I just don't like children enough, generally speaking, some I like, some I don't, so for me personally, to discover a man had children already, would be the deal-breaker and have me heeling it off into the mountains.

You have to decide if you want this man at all costs, or not. If you want him, then you get his daughter. And you're going to have to try and make that work. You are the adult here, not her. It's part of her job description to be tantrummy and stroppy about her Dad having another woman. You are going to have to make the effort above and beyond.

I wouldn't take on board too much the thing about her telling her Dad not to have any more children. She'd probably have said that even if it was her own mother. That's just another typical stroppy 11 yr old thing to say, isn't it? (babies=sex=mum and dad having sex=gross)

He has children, you have a child. Do you want another child? Does he? Because whether she wants him to have one or not is not that relevant.

cantspel · 24/01/2011 16:27

children arn't idoits you might be nice to her face but i will lay money on the fact she knows how you really feel.

Do ther bloke and his daughter a favour and break off this relationship.