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AIBU?

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AIBU to spend on my ‘step’ daughters?

360 replies

sohappens · 18/10/2025 18:07

Genuinely not sure if I’m in the wrong or not! Brief backstory - met my boyfriend 18 months ago. All good and very happy. We introduced our kids into it about 4 months ago. Again all good, we all get along. I have two boys aged 10 and 13, he has 2 girls similiar ages. I’m a high earner, he isn’t. This isn’t an issue, he pays his way and works hard in a job he loves- it’s a role that serves vulnerable people and he’s amazing at it. Anyway the issue is his ex (the girls’ mum). I give my boys £20 each a week pocket money. Once we all started spending time together as a family, I started giving the same to the girls. They’re all sensible ish with the money. They spend it on shit on Roblox but they all save too. The mum only found out when the girls brought her a £50 birthday present and she asked where they got the money from. She’s gone mad about it- saying I’m trying to buy their love and that it’s too much money for their ages. She has demanded that I stop. What do you think?

OP posts:
seasid · 18/10/2025 22:52

£80-£100 each child just to waste money on things like Roblox. Sorry but this is absolutely insane amount of pocket money. Kids are going to grow up with no understanding of the concept of money and be entitled and spoiled

BuckChuckets · 18/10/2025 22:29

sohappens · 18/10/2025 19:25

My boyfriend already thinks I’m
a catch.

Obviously - you're giving his kids £40 a week so he must be making even more off you!

BuckChuckets · 18/10/2025 22:27

sohappens · 18/10/2025 18:39

She spends her benefits on cocaine. That’s why she can’t afford to give them anything.

Yeah, yeah, course she does.

Butchyrestingface · 18/10/2025 22:25

AOIFEmissingUalways · 18/10/2025 19:39

Christ! You sound like my kids, with your constant cry of Why?? 😩

That's what I was thinking. Everything about this OP's (many) posts sounds like they were written by a very (very) young person. Certainly not someone old enough to have their own kids.

LifeOfAShowgirl13 · 18/10/2025 22:21

sohappens · 18/10/2025 21:50

And it’s ‘you’re’, not your.

You’re is a contraction of you and are. ‘Your’ shows possession.

You didn’t know what jealousy was earlier, chill out

outerspacepotato · 18/10/2025 22:18

Red flag umpteenth

You're willing to cause trouble for your BF in his co-parenting and going high conflict with his ex will cause issues for his kids. That's not a very nice thing to do to someone you claim to love or to his kids.

Mewling · 18/10/2025 22:10

sohappens · 18/10/2025 22:03

Do expand on that

You’ve been repeatedly told that you’re giving them too much money, too soon, and you’ve attributed that to envy. You’ve also repeatedly contradicted yourself and dripfed info to make yourself seem more reasonable. Frankly, you sound immature and if any of this post is real, you don’t appear to have the intellectual or emotional capacity to deal with children who have come from such a traumatic background.

But crack on throwing money out there, I’m sure it’ll all work out nicely for you.

FunMustard · 18/10/2025 22:09

I'm surprised your boyfriend is comfortable with it. You might like these kids but you barely know them. It doesn't sound like you live together - utterly weird you just giving these kids pocket money IMO.

I also think it's strange that you are putting these children you hardly know on an equal footing with your own children. That is a sure-fire way to breed resentment IMO. And then they'll also feel bad because it's the "kind" thing to do, to treat almost strangers as equal to your own children.

SandyY2K · 18/10/2025 22:08

sohappens · 18/10/2025 18:26

But WHY???

Perhaps because she wants to know how much money they have access to and what they spend on. Having that much money at a young age, can lead to spending it on things their mother may not approve of.

sohappens · 18/10/2025 22:03

LifeOfAShowgirl13 · 18/10/2025 22:00

I hope DP sees the red flags a flying and gets the girls out asap.

What are these red flags then ?

OP posts:
anytipswelcome · 18/10/2025 22:03

MammarOfOne · 18/10/2025 21:08

I love the people saying that you’re not a family after 18 months, how long do you have to wait?

I married my husband 6 months after we met and he definitely met my children before the wedding 😂

We’ve been married almost 15 years and he’s more of a father to my kids than their biological dad, in fact he gained PR over them after 11 months, which is more than their biological father had (his choice).

Not everyone is the devil and just because you may have had a bad experience or your husband left and the kids prefer his wife, don’t take it out on people who just want to be nice to kids who you’re going to be living with.

I’m glad it’s worked out for you but marrying (and presumably moving in with) a man you knew for only six months when you have children presumably living with you was a selfish, needless thing to do.

Yes, it’s worked out, but that doesn’t change the fact it was a selfish, needless decision.

sohappens · 18/10/2025 22:03

Mewling · 18/10/2025 22:02

My empathy remains with the children you’re attempting to buy.

Do expand on that

OP posts:
sohappens · 18/10/2025 22:02

SapphOhNo · 18/10/2025 21:59

Just waiting for them to take it down so you can do something better with your life.

Why on earth would you do that?

OP posts:
Mewling · 18/10/2025 22:02

sohappens · 18/10/2025 21:57

Yes I am, and no he’s doesn’t. What a disgustingly judgemental comment. Work on your empathy. Do better.

My empathy remains with the children you’re attempting to buy.

anytipswelcome · 18/10/2025 22:02

sohappens · 18/10/2025 21:53

No worries. Yeah, I’d think I was mental myself if it had been 4 months!

You said in your first post that you met them four months ago. And just confirmed in a post slightly after this one, when someone shared the first post, “that is correct”…

So you did only meet the kids four months ago?

LifeOfAShowgirl13 · 18/10/2025 22:00

I hope DP sees the red flags a flying and gets the girls out asap.

SapphOhNo · 18/10/2025 21:59

sohappens · 18/10/2025 21:58

Yet here you are posting and engaging.

Just waiting for them to take it down so you can do something better with your life.

sohappens · 18/10/2025 21:58

SapphOhNo · 18/10/2025 21:57

Another antagonistic wackadoodle post. Must be Saturday

Yet here you are posting and engaging.

OP posts:
sohappens · 18/10/2025 21:58

Pilfer · 18/10/2025 21:56

You said the below in your OP, you might want to ask Mumsnet to edit it, then. That’s why you’re getting the replies you’re getting.

Genuinely not sure if I’m in the wrong or not! Brief backstory - met my boyfriend 18 months ago. All good and very happy. We introduced our kids into it about 4 months ago.

No this is correct

OP posts:
sohappens · 18/10/2025 21:57

Mewling · 18/10/2025 21:55

You’re a former addict too, OP? Your other half clearly has a type. Does he use?

Yes I am, and no he’s doesn’t. What a disgustingly judgemental comment. Work on your empathy. Do better.

OP posts:
SapphOhNo · 18/10/2025 21:57

Another antagonistic wackadoodle post. Must be Saturday

Pilfer · 18/10/2025 21:56

sohappens · 18/10/2025 21:53

No worries. Yeah, I’d think I was mental myself if it had been 4 months!

You said the below in your OP, you might want to ask Mumsnet to edit it, then. That’s why you’re getting the replies you’re getting.

Genuinely not sure if I’m in the wrong or not! Brief backstory - met my boyfriend 18 months ago. All good and very happy. We introduced our kids into it about 4 months ago.

sohappens · 18/10/2025 21:56

Pilfer · 18/10/2025 21:55

That question has been answered with good faith on this thread lots of times now.

I don’t believe it has. Nothing in mine or their dad’s behaviour is or will have an impact on their wellbeing. Even if we split up, their wellbeing would be at the heart of all actions and behaviours

OP posts:
Mewling · 18/10/2025 21:55

You’re a former addict too, OP? Your other half clearly has a type. Does he use?

Pilfer · 18/10/2025 21:55

sohappens · 18/10/2025 20:55

Why is their wellbeing at risk?

That question has been answered with good faith on this thread lots of times now.

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