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AIBU?

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Family drama

266 replies

littlemiss85 · 05/04/2024 15:39

4 years ago, my stepchild out of the blue didn't want to see my other half, me, sibs extended family, etc. As things escalated (lawyers etc), tall tales were told by said child (proven reinforced learnt behaviour)to justify refusal to see us.Being in the job I am, I had to inform my employer of some of the content. Also, tall tales were said to school, which DD also attended. Made to feel like criminals, shunned by people, etc. Resulted in no contact for 4 years. In the last 6 months, the other half has been in contact with said child. Via other parent in a half-hearted apology acknowledged that all said 4 years ago was all lies. In the 4 years we were absent, behaviours and accusations escalated. Thus far, we have kept out DCs away from meeting their sib, and I have made it clear that I do not want a relationship with the now teenage child or have them in our home. Arguments had occurred but came to an understanding n things had been OK. However, the other half now wants to invite the child to our home. He's changing our agreed boundaries already, which I feared would happen.
Our marriage went through a rough patch as he suffered and tried to cope with his child refusing to see him. One DC has already gone through being shunned by their older sibling n one no memory as a baby. I'm trying to protect myself, my kids, and my career. Now I'm worried about my marriage again if he pushes for his oldest to be welcomed back into the fold.
AIBU

OP posts:
Katemax82 · 06/04/2024 10:37

A similar thing happened to us. Our dss was 12 and accused my husband of giving him a bruise on his leg (which he had already told me he got at school). His 8 year old brother and him lived with us at the time but they wanted to live with their mum so he got his dad arrested and it was awful. After a few years of nothing we got to see them again. I was ok with an occasional visit but wasn't thrilled after the horror show of them being taken off us and my husband thinking he was going to jail. Then at age 16 my husband texted me one day saying the dss who accused him was "moving in with us for the forseable" to try get a job!!! I was fucking furious but no one gave a shit about how I felt, it all got brushed under the carpet. I still don't get on with my dss to this day

Daleksatemyshed · 06/04/2024 10:24

The power balance here is all screwed up. At 10 the SD lied horribly to please her DM by the sounds of it, that worked for her and she used that tactic again to go rid of her SD. It's a terrible life lesson, lie on a grand scale and get your own way.
Unless her DPs get her into therapy the Op's never going to be able to trust her, lying has worked too well for the SD in the past.

brocollilover · 06/04/2024 10:24

littlemiss85 · 06/04/2024 10:20

@ThirtyThrillionThreeTrees as I've said we don't fully know as he's not been allowed to be involved. There is still no significant communication with other parent

had he progressed things legally, he would have been “allowed to be involved”

brocollilover · 06/04/2024 10:23

littlemiss85 · 06/04/2024 10:05

@brobrocollilover I think it suited her. She said she thought she was supporting her by believing her n getting her a lawyer (in the convo she had with ny MIL)

suited her how?

im guessing negative relations with her and your dh (and you)

and it would seem you don’t think she’s a stand up mother… so this girl presumably has had a pretty rough time of it over the last four years just with her mother

littlemiss85 · 06/04/2024 10:20

@ThirtyThrillionThreeTrees as I've said we don't fully know as he's not been allowed to be involved. There is still no significant communication with other parent

OP posts:
ThirtyThrillionThreeTrees · 06/04/2024 10:16

Why help has the child had? This appears to have been overlooked.

brocollilover · 06/04/2024 10:14

The OP also said that her husband is only seeing his daughter because of police being in contact with the child (I would also say SS).

i missed this. presumably that was the instigator rather than why he wants to

brocollilover · 06/04/2024 10:14

TheSpoonyNavyReader · 06/04/2024 10:10

Because she can hear what her husband says, what the child does to make up for her lies, a letter and respecting OP boundaries.

Until then the OP is quite correct to maintain what she feels is the best for her and her children, as the OP says her husband has seen his child 5 times for 2 hours each. The OP also said that her husband is only seeing his daughter because of police being in contact with the child (I would also say SS).

yes i agree
i don’t think the op should be forced to interact with her (or indeed anyone)

The DH needs to have time with her to really get a feel of what’s going on and how she is

TheSpoonyNavyReader · 06/04/2024 10:10

brocollilover · 06/04/2024 10:02

but how would she be able to come to that conclusion if zero contact? genuine question!

Because she can hear what her husband says, what the child does to make up for her lies, a letter and respecting OP boundaries.

Until then the OP is quite correct to maintain what she feels is the best for her and her children, as the OP says her husband has seen his child 5 times for 2 hours each. The OP also said that her husband is only seeing his daughter because of police being in contact with the child (I would also say SS).

littlemiss85 · 06/04/2024 10:06

@jeaux90 we know there is social work input n school doing stuff but we know very little as on the outskirts of ot all

OP posts:
littlemiss85 · 06/04/2024 10:05

@brobrocollilover I think it suited her. She said she thought she was supporting her by believing her n getting her a lawyer (in the convo she had with ny MIL)

OP posts:
brocollilover · 06/04/2024 10:03

littlemiss85 · 06/04/2024 09:55

@Bellyblueboy we were the ones cut off. Her mum went no contact. Ignoring lawyers letters, blocking numbers etc. We did not refuse to see her!

and i’m guessing the relationship between you and you DH with the ex is very poor?

jeaux90 · 06/04/2024 10:02

OP has she had a mental health assessment or any counselling?

brocollilover · 06/04/2024 10:02

TheSpoonyNavyReader · 06/04/2024 09:53

Because the OP, does not need to see the girl, speak to her, until the OP believes that the child is sorry and can be trusted.

but how would she be able to come to that conclusion if zero contact? genuine question!

brocollilover · 06/04/2024 10:01

littlemiss85 · 06/04/2024 09:58

@brobrocollilover they split when she was months old. I met her dad before turned one. Had been in her life for years. Its important to say the lies where worse about her dad than me.

she sounds very very troubled

and her mother sounds unsupportive. Would i be correct in that assumption?

littlemiss85 · 06/04/2024 10:01

@CallMikeBanning in regards to us. Her dad was accused of being an abusive gambling alcoholic. I was the stereotype awful SM n hurt her.
Her step dad from what my MIL said it was accusations of inappropriateness (again proven lies)

OP posts:
littlemiss85 · 06/04/2024 09:58

@brobrocollilover they split when she was months old. I met her dad before turned one. Had been in her life for years. Its important to say the lies where worse about her dad than me.

OP posts:
littlemiss85 · 06/04/2024 09:56

@Prydddan exactly this

OP posts:
littlemiss85 · 06/04/2024 09:55

@Bellyblueboy we were the ones cut off. Her mum went no contact. Ignoring lawyers letters, blocking numbers etc. We did not refuse to see her!

OP posts:
TheSpoonyNavyReader · 06/04/2024 09:53

brocollilover · 06/04/2024 09:42

and how will she if zero contact

Because the OP, does not need to see the girl, speak to her, until the OP believes that the child is sorry and can be trusted.

brocollilover · 06/04/2024 09:43

DoreenonTill8 · 05/04/2024 23:07

@Nowayhayday did you read the OP or did you just see op is a step mother and decide she's wrong? As things escalated (lawyers etc), tall tales were told by said child (proven reinforced learnt behaviour)to justify refusal to see us.Being in the job I am, I had to inform my employer of some of the content. Also, tall tales were said to school, which DD also attended. Made to feel like criminals, shunned by people, etc. Resulted in no contact for 4 years.

10 years old

10

10

and her parents had split

10

CallMikeBanning · 06/04/2024 09:42

Tall tales? What sort of tall tales?

brocollilover · 06/04/2024 09:42

Prydddan · 05/04/2024 21:20

It is not the things she did then, but the person she is now. OP needs to assess that before she can make decisions on how she proceeds.

Edited

and how will she if zero contact

Prydddan · 06/04/2024 09:36

Bellyblueboy · 05/04/2024 23:16

No contact for four years is really an extreme reaction from a parent to a ten year old.

yes her behaviour was also extreme - but most parents don’t cut their primary school age child off because of challenging behaviour. If both parents did this what would happen to the small child.

Also No contact is a term usually used between adult family members who decide contact isn’t worth the pain/hassle. It’s jarring to hear it used in connection to a fathers response to his ten year old daughter’s behaviour.

I am not in any way minimising what this child did - but she was, and still is, a child. A very damaged child yes but one who needs a lot of professional help. It’s awful her dad cut contact for so long.

OP can and should chose to prioritise her children- however her husband really shouldn’t have walked away and should now do everything he can to get this child the help she needs.

Sounds to me like it was the child (whose mum provided her with a lawyer, we are told) who went no contact, not the dad.

WhereIsBebèsChambre · 06/04/2024 07:51

From reading this thread do some posters genuinely think that it doesn't matter what dsd has done in the past, all the lies, the refusal to apologise or admit the lies, the damage to op and her dc, the high liklihood she'll lie again, the dsd is the priority in everything and op and her dc are just to be collateral in making the dsd happy? Because they are of course 'second family'?