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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

AIBU? Rubbish Parent?

103 replies

MrsR85 · 13/07/2023 20:48

Little bit of a back story. Been married for 8 years, together for over 10 I have a child 14 year old teenager from a previous relationship.

Husband is step parent, he does have a child who is now 18 and has never lived with us although he has stayed at weekends etc.

My 14 year old has had a rocky year last year, had to move schools etc, she had some trouble with some girls in her friend group, ended up isolating her and she ended up were she was really unhappy and didn’t want to go to school so moved her. She has come a long way since, and just had parents evening and she is excelling.

Husband and Daughter have always bickered with each other. My husband is very strict were-as I understand what it’s like to be a teenage girl, it’s hard!

Her room is untidy a lot of the time although I do tell her to tidy it and she reluctantly does. I tell my Husband not to go into her room as to be honest, if he does, it always ends up in a shi&tstorm as he gets so angry at the state of it. His response is, if she’s not in the house and he wants to go in her room, he will do as he pays the bills, this is his house ( I work and pay bills too).

Anyway, it all came to a head last night after work. We went into the house and he shouted her straight away and asked for her phone. Her response was why why why? He said until you have tidied your room. Her response was, I will tidy it but you haven’t asked me but I will do, she refused to hand her phone over to him.

This then resulted in him screaming and shouting at her to give him her phone, I intervened.

Afterwards, he told me when we went downstairs was when he gets her phone he will smash it, because he pays for it, he doesn’t, it comes out of our joint account.

My daughter came downstairs and he was saying, in front of her, that she doesn’t listen to him because he’s not her Dad, that she’s disrespectful, she doesn’t do as she is told and told me he can no longer cope and that’s it.

He then proceeded to say that it was parenting on my behalf and I don’t discipline her and every time he says something to her, I stick up for her. It isn’t just with her, because when his son (my stepson) used to come I also used to stick up for him aswell as I felt he goes overboard all the time with the kids.

He also stated to me “good luck in finding someone else putting up with her”

I’m not saying she’s an angel, she is a moody teenager with hormones but he is making out like she’s the worse child ever.

She does see her biological father but not often and I don’t really receive any maintenance and he gets angry at that too.

He said I’m pathetic for not seeing it and not disciplining her properly.

He said good parenting! I feel like the worlds worst Mum. I feel awful he said everything to her like that, shes only 14.

Apologies for the long post, I just feel I have nowhere to turn.

OP posts:
KajsaKavat · 13/07/2023 20:52

Why are you with him? He sounds horrible and it’s so unfair to your daughter.

I know on MN there is always a crazy amount of support for the new DH so this viewpoint probably won’t be the main one but if that was me I would not be with him still.

Ange211 · 13/07/2023 20:53

How awful that you and your daughter have to put up with that. I’m sorry but I’d be out the door! Absolutely no way would I tolerate that from my partner.

Bb234 · 13/07/2023 20:53

He’s verbally abusive towards your daughter I grew up with a step father figure like this, it led me to have the worst example of what a relationship was- I’m now in therapy to deal with the childhood trauma.
he said similar things to your daughter that mine said to me.
you really should have a think if you should stay with this person because he won’t ever change and all he’s doing is traumatising your girl.

bagforlifeamnesty · 13/07/2023 20:57

I agree he sounds like a bit of a twat. Particularly the bit about smashing up her phone.
however I do wonder if you are actually very soft with her and are minimising her behaviour. Rudeness should never be tolerated (in either direction), so what if there’s hormones, teenagers are old enough to not be rude to people. Part of me just wonders if there’s a lot of backstory here that you’re not giving about what you let her get away with and your husband is just at the end of his tether. What boundaries or rules do you have for her? Are there ever any consequences for her behaviour?

Nomorenonbinary · 13/07/2023 20:57

KajsaKavat · 13/07/2023 20:52

Why are you with him? He sounds horrible and it’s so unfair to your daughter.

I know on MN there is always a crazy amount of support for the new DH so this viewpoint probably won’t be the main one but if that was me I would not be with him still.

Which mumsnet are you reading? I have a lot of criticisms of mumsnet but everytime I see a post like this there's always a strong consensus (rightly) that he shouldn't be behaving like this.

MrsR85 · 13/07/2023 21:00

bagforlifeamnesty · 13/07/2023 20:57

I agree he sounds like a bit of a twat. Particularly the bit about smashing up her phone.
however I do wonder if you are actually very soft with her and are minimising her behaviour. Rudeness should never be tolerated (in either direction), so what if there’s hormones, teenagers are old enough to not be rude to people. Part of me just wonders if there’s a lot of backstory here that you’re not giving about what you let her get away with and your husband is just at the end of his tether. What boundaries or rules do you have for her? Are there ever any consequences for her behaviour?

I will admit that I am a little bit soft on her.
I try to overcompensate for her not having her Dad in her life as much as she would like.

However, I feel my Husband is way to over the top. He doesn't respond he reacts, he shouts but not only at her, at me aswell if he doesn't like the way I discipline.

I felt he went OTT with my stepson too, I used to defend him also, not just my own daughter.

OP posts:
Desperatelydoomscrolling · 13/07/2023 21:01

Thank god your daughter has you, but I really feel you have to make some tough decisions very quickly. This guy is not someone you should have around your girl, and you know this deep down. You need to protect her from this environment as it sounds so very unhealthy for her.

LobsterCrab · 13/07/2023 21:01

He sounds awful OP.

Theunamedcat · 13/07/2023 21:02

Your going to lose your daughter because of this happened locally she left for a reluctant rare weekend with bio dad never set foot in mums house again she left virtually everything including most her school uniform and a very messy bedroom their relationship has never recovered

MrsR85 · 13/07/2023 21:04

She's had friends round before now and he's gone in her bedroom moaning and shouting in front of her friends. I told him to speak to her when she's on her own. She said Mum it's just embarrassing.

OP posts:
MrsR85 · 13/07/2023 21:07

I'm not extravagant at all and even though I've suffered with mental health issues in the past I try my best to hold down my job and I work 30 hours a week.

I feel anxious when I spend out the joint bank account or if my child needs anything because he says ask her f@ckin dad for some money or says to her, you need to ask your Dad for some spending money when he knows her dad is unreliable and in over 10 years we have been together I've never had proper maintenance off him.

OP posts:
bagforlifeamnesty · 13/07/2023 21:08

It’s wrong for him to shout at anyone. But equally it must be frustrating if he is trying to enforce boundaries and you undermine him and basically give the kids permission to ignore him. My husband and I are not always on the same page when it comes to parenting but our number 1 rule is to present a united front. If the two of you don’t agree on a discipline strategy then this should be worked out behind closed doors not in front of your daughter.

Has she done as she was asked to and tidied her room? Why is it always such a mess? And if she hasn’t done it then why is she allowed friends round? You didn’t answer my question about what boundaries you have for her or any consequences…

MrsR85 · 13/07/2023 21:09

Theunamedcat · 13/07/2023 21:02

Your going to lose your daughter because of this happened locally she left for a reluctant rare weekend with bio dad never set foot in mums house again she left virtually everything including most her school uniform and a very messy bedroom their relationship has never recovered

Oh wow really.

I need to do something asap. This isn't good. Also telling me no one else will want me has made me feel really low. Not that I want anyone else.

OP posts:
bagforlifeamnesty · 13/07/2023 21:09

But your latest post about money is a bit of a drip feed, it now sounds like he’s controlling in all areas. If he’s really horrible then just leave him.

MrsR85 · 13/07/2023 21:11

bagforlifeamnesty · 13/07/2023 21:08

It’s wrong for him to shout at anyone. But equally it must be frustrating if he is trying to enforce boundaries and you undermine him and basically give the kids permission to ignore him. My husband and I are not always on the same page when it comes to parenting but our number 1 rule is to present a united front. If the two of you don’t agree on a discipline strategy then this should be worked out behind closed doors not in front of your daughter.

Has she done as she was asked to and tidied her room? Why is it always such a mess? And if she hasn’t done it then why is she allowed friends round? You didn’t answer my question about what boundaries you have for her or any consequences…

Sorry yes, my head is all over the show.

Yes she does have consequences, so I will remove her phone or she doesn't go out until she's done what I've asked. However, the difference is, I ask first, I dont go in all guns blazing shouting and screaming.

She didn't have her friends round when her room was a mess, he went in to moan about something else, im not sure what it was now, but he did it in front of all her friends.

OP posts:
Chocolatesandroses · 13/07/2023 21:11

I would have told him good luck with someone putting up with you

TheChosenTwo · 13/07/2023 21:13

Wow. You’ve landed yourself a right catch there OP - careful, he’s a proper charmer, he’ll get snatched up by a whole host of women just desperate for him.

Or in fact he sounds like a nasty bullying prick eroding your self confidence and self worth and scarring your daughter emotionally. What a fucking dickhead.

I’d not want him anywhere near my dc.

Wildspace · 13/07/2023 21:15

This is awful. I really struggled with tidying my room when I was that age, a real mental block about ot. Fortunately I had a sister who helped me. My daughter has the same issue so I help her with it. Your house should be safe for your daughter and I don’t think it’s feeling like that for her at the moment and that needs to change quickly.

MrsR85 · 13/07/2023 21:17

We bought her some trainers she wanted for ages as she is doing really well at school after the awful year she had last year.

She said something not bad, but just something he didn't like and he responded by saying I'll take them trainers off you!

She actually said Mum, you've bought me them and now it's like he has leverage over me threatening to take my things back.

OP posts:
AuroraForever · 13/07/2023 21:17

Is there anything else going on with him? As in, is he angry because something else maybe at work is going on and he’s taking it out on her and you? I don’t know the word…sort of deflection or projection or something?

Teens rooms get messy, fact, but if it’s so enraging why go in there? Just shut the door on it and let them wallow in their own filth. I mean, really, who’s it hurting? No one. And they do clean up eventually.

Either way I think you need to protect her, and yourself, and leave this dickhead.

CalistoNoSolo · 13/07/2023 21:17

Wow. I feel very, very sorry for your daughter. Your husband is an abusive fucker. He shouted at your daughter in her own room, in front of her friends? Jesus fucking christ, how did you not kick him out there and then?? And threatening to smash her phone? You need to start putting your daughter front and centre because your husband is doing some serious damage to how she feels about herself. And she's had to negotiate his shitty attitude since she was 4yo.

MrsR85 · 13/07/2023 21:18

Wildspace · 13/07/2023 21:15

This is awful. I really struggled with tidying my room when I was that age, a real mental block about ot. Fortunately I had a sister who helped me. My daughter has the same issue so I help her with it. Your house should be safe for your daughter and I don’t think it’s feeling like that for her at the moment and that needs to change quickly.

She is having assessments for ADHD at the moment, after seeing a counsellor last year about all what happened at her previous school. She referred her for ADHD assessment.

OP posts:
MrsR85 · 13/07/2023 21:19

AuroraForever · 13/07/2023 21:17

Is there anything else going on with him? As in, is he angry because something else maybe at work is going on and he’s taking it out on her and you? I don’t know the word…sort of deflection or projection or something?

Teens rooms get messy, fact, but if it’s so enraging why go in there? Just shut the door on it and let them wallow in their own filth. I mean, really, who’s it hurting? No one. And they do clean up eventually.

Either way I think you need to protect her, and yourself, and leave this dickhead.

This was my point!!! Firstly I said she's a teenage girl she needs privacy Ive asked him multiple times just dont go in. It makes you so angry, don't go in.

He continues to go in, now when she isn't there, proceeds to get angry about it and his response is I pay for a roof over her head, if I want to go in, I will do.

No he has always had an angry side.

OP posts:
Mela155 · 13/07/2023 21:38

I get the impression that there is more to this and it would be interesting to hear his side.

I get this impression because you started by talking about her and her previous friendship group which is irrelevant to her having a tidy room. It seems as though you feel sorry for her or guilty about something. It's obviously fine to feel sorry for your daughter but allowing poor behaviour to compensate isn't the way forward.

Unexpectedlysinglemum · 13/07/2023 21:48

Maybe the ADHD is actually extreme anxiety from having to live on egg shells - home should be her safe place. But if it is ADHD, that clearly explains why tidying and organizing is very difficult for her!

He's awful and neither of you deserve this, I vote LTB.

Two things though-

  1. Why aren't you going via CMA to get payments from her birth father? Even if he doesn't pay then it would be good to do everything you can.
  1. He shouldn't be paying for her phone ex , or half of them, with the joint account. You're her mother that's your responsibility. Unless you did the same for your step son in which case you can refute any claim he has over your daughters property.

If I were her id be considering running away. She is very vulnerable to being groomed by an older 'boyfriend' etc as a route out of this awful home life. You need to stand up for her and, seeing as you live in his home, I think that means both of you leaving- contact you local authorities domestic abuse one stop shop for advice on housing