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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Half/step siblings

456 replies

Pickledeverything · 19/02/2025 23:23

If your children have half or step siblings do you correct them when they say “brother/sister” so they use the proper term?

YABU - yes I do
YANBU - no I do not

OP posts:
MonkeyHarold · 20/02/2025 03:17

Pickledeverything · 20/02/2025 00:12

My child talks about their “brothers and sisters” often. They don’t have brothers and sisters. They have step brothers and half sisters. I’m sick of constantly having to correct them and then explain to other people the family dynamic because they are obviously confused. Several people agree with me as shown in my poll. They just haven’t spoken up yet.

You don't have to constantly 'correct' your child, you choose to. You choose to constantly tell your child how to refer to members of her own family.
I'm glad your child constantly ignores you.

Gogogo12345 · 20/02/2025 03:12

Pickledeverything · 20/02/2025 00:12

My child talks about their “brothers and sisters” often. They don’t have brothers and sisters. They have step brothers and half sisters. I’m sick of constantly having to correct them and then explain to other people the family dynamic because they are obviously confused. Several people agree with me as shown in my poll. They just haven’t spoken up yet.

Well the " half" sister at least IS their sister. Step siblings less clear cut. In my family I only have one " full" brother.Rest are " hakves" Neither of my parents had " full" siblings so all my aunts uncles and cousins would be " halves " also. But to me they are just siblings aunts/ uncles and cousins

Wavescrashingonthebeach · 20/02/2025 03:10

My partner has both a step sibling and half siblings, he has of course explained the family dynamics to me but I wouldn't dream of "correcting" him, not would it ever occur to me to, if for simplicity and quickness he just says sibling.

Wavescrashingonthebeach · 20/02/2025 02:43

Pickledeverything · 20/02/2025 00:20

Ok but I don’t want them to say brother and sister in my house, they’ve been told and still continue to do it. Am I the “psychopath” for correcting them??

Yes
Hth
You sound awful

MissHollysDolly · 20/02/2025 02:38

Pickledeverything · 20/02/2025 00:20

Ok but I don’t want them to say brother and sister in my house, they’ve been told and still continue to do it. Am I the “psychopath” for correcting them??

No, you're not a psychopath. However, it's massively manuipulative and controlling to police their language in this way.

OneShoeShort · 20/02/2025 02:34

Pickledeverything · 20/02/2025 02:11

I’m a paediatric nurse and the number of times one of my kids says “I’ve got 10 siblings” and the mum says “well no you’ve got xyz at daddy’s house and xyz at my house. So I know I’m not the only one

This is different and utterly inapplicable to the general question.

The parents in this case are clarifying for you that there are not 11 children in their home because that could be misleading in a patient’s notes. They’re trying to give you an accurate social history.

Strugglingtocometoterms · 20/02/2025 02:33

Never correct! There would be absolutely no reason to other than mean spiritedness.

VisitationRights · 20/02/2025 02:31

I would never correct sibling to half sibling unless it mattered in context, e.g. the person would think the half sibling were mine and it mattered that they knew I was not related by blood. Otherwise I am happy for my children to use brother/sister.

Step sibling is really not a thing to us. My children have never lived with or interacted with their step siblings (huge age gap, step siblings are old enough to be their parents). They would never think of calling their step siblings brother or sister. They use Maria’s son/daughter and not step brother or step sister. There is no bond there, no connection.

OneShoeShort · 20/02/2025 02:27

The children (or adult or whoever) gets to decide whether they say brother/sister or step or half. Not only would I never correct them and would follow their lead, if I ever heard someone else correct their children I would think they were a very small, nasty person who I wanted nothing to do with.

Glad we could clear that up.

BansheeOfTheSouth · 20/02/2025 02:26

Pickledeverything · 20/02/2025 02:09

That’s just weird though. You’re not his child why would he do that what if your mum and him split up? He’d forever have some random kids name on his arm and have to explain that to his next partner

They've been divorced many years. He's still my dad.

InterIgnis · 20/02/2025 02:19

Up to the individual how they refer to their siblings, half or full.

I don’t think someone should be corrected for using sister/brother’ or for using half - sibling/ half - brother. Ime parents who try and insist on the use of one or the other against the wishes of their child/ren tend to inadvertently create resentment.

Fedupmumofadultsons · 20/02/2025 02:15

Pickledeverything · 20/02/2025 02:09

That’s just weird though. You’re not his child why would he do that what if your mum and him split up? He’d forever have some random kids name on his arm and have to explain that to his next partner

Maybe because if said stepfather has brought up banshee since a small child he just thinks of her as his own and divorce won't change this maybe she is not some random kid to him

NiftyKoala · 20/02/2025 02:13

In my opinion brother-sister. I would never refer to my dd as half siblings.

Pickledeverything · 20/02/2025 02:11

I’m a paediatric nurse and the number of times one of my kids says “I’ve got 10 siblings” and the mum says “well no you’ve got xyz at daddy’s house and xyz at my house. So I know I’m not the only one

OP posts:
EmeraldShamrock000 · 20/02/2025 02:11

So your child is at least 10, able to decide how she defines the relationship.
You're so bitter, you're meant to put your child first, showing your child love and respect, no bitterness.
Disgraceful.

Pickledeverything · 20/02/2025 02:09

BansheeOfTheSouth · 20/02/2025 01:58

Yes.

I don't have any "full" siblings. I have one sister and four brothers. My step father has my name tattooed on his arm with his biological children's.

Why would you try to make your own child feel like crap for your jealousy?

That’s just weird though. You’re not his child why would he do that what if your mum and him split up? He’d forever have some random kids name on his arm and have to explain that to his next partner

OP posts:
Crochetcamel · 20/02/2025 02:09

Pickledeverything · 20/02/2025 01:47

We’ve been split up ten years and child in question is 12 so I’m not bitter. Just factual. I bet all of you who are moaning would also not be happy with your kids calling your ex’s gf their step mum. Because she’s not, she’s daddy’s gf ffs

My eldest does call his dad’s gf (well partner because none of us are 12yos) his step mum.
Yeah it was uncomfortable for me at first and at times it’s been difficult not feel bitter about certain things but that’s my problem to deal with not my sons.
I treat my ex, his partner and the children they have had together with the respect I expect them to treat my partner and I and my younger children with.

Fedupmumofadultsons · 20/02/2025 01:58

I suspect the poll is a bit muddled but by looks of things you are being ridiculous would be better

BansheeOfTheSouth · 20/02/2025 01:58

Pickledeverything · 20/02/2025 00:20

Ok but I don’t want them to say brother and sister in my house, they’ve been told and still continue to do it. Am I the “psychopath” for correcting them??

Yes.

I don't have any "full" siblings. I have one sister and four brothers. My step father has my name tattooed on his arm with his biological children's.

Why would you try to make your own child feel like crap for your jealousy?

Printedword · 20/02/2025 01:56

Printedword · 20/02/2025 01:33

I have nephews who were children from my SILs first marriage. They were young adults when my late bro married. My bro was older than me, so the nephews are not too much younger than I am. We have always been close and their children definitely feel the need to insert the word step in front of any of their roles as nephew, cousin etc.

Don't feel the need is what it should say

Fedupmumofadultsons · 20/02/2025 01:53

Pickledeverything · 20/02/2025 01:47

We’ve been split up ten years and child in question is 12 so I’m not bitter. Just factual. I bet all of you who are moaning would also not be happy with your kids calling your ex’s gf their step mum. Because she’s not, she’s daddy’s gf ffs

Well no she is there father's partner if they were married yes stepmum no bother you are clearly bitter it's spewing out of every post .if your child gets on good with these children and he is 12 all he will be thinking why is my mum still so nasty after all this time if his dad was a dick fine but is it worth ruining you relationship with your child .yes darling lovely then just move on no listen yiurchilds name I have told you before he is not your brother it's half step whatever can uou honestly not see how petty you are

BlondiePortz · 20/02/2025 01:53

Pickledeverything · 20/02/2025 01:47

We’ve been split up ten years and child in question is 12 so I’m not bitter. Just factual. I bet all of you who are moaning would also not be happy with your kids calling your ex’s gf their step mum. Because she’s not, she’s daddy’s gf ffs

All the children in my family choose what they call people if adults cannot handle that they are the ones that need the therapy not the children who have complicated lives because of what adults have done to them and yes I am speaking generally

Pickledeverything · 20/02/2025 01:47

We’ve been split up ten years and child in question is 12 so I’m not bitter. Just factual. I bet all of you who are moaning would also not be happy with your kids calling your ex’s gf their step mum. Because she’s not, she’s daddy’s gf ffs

OP posts:
SpryUmberZebra · 20/02/2025 01:43

Pickledeverything · 20/02/2025 00:12

My child talks about their “brothers and sisters” often. They don’t have brothers and sisters. They have step brothers and half sisters. I’m sick of constantly having to correct them and then explain to other people the family dynamic because they are obviously confused. Several people agree with me as shown in my poll. They just haven’t spoken up yet.

You come across as very petty and vindictive and it’s telling that you’re focusing on the minority that agree with you to justify your actions.

Do what you want to do but it’s a very weird thing to get so worked up over.

Imapebble · 20/02/2025 01:42

I have a half-sister, 2 half-brothers and a full brother (I'm the youngest). I've only ever referred to them as my brothers and sister and no one ever suggested I shouldn't.

But after meeting my DP he would correct me every single time 'she's only your half sister' 'you mean your half brother'.

He would say 'but they're not your real brothers and sister you only have 1 brother'.

It drove me mad and would be the cause of many an arguement.

DP has 2 children from a previous relationship and we were together for 13 years before we had a child together.

Anyway, after 13 years of the 'not a real sibling' debate he was mighty offended when a friend referred to his 2 children as our child's half-siblings.

He had the cheek to correct them and claim it doesn't make a difference, that they are brothers and sister and no one should state otherwise!

It still infuriates me years later 😒