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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Am I being the wicked stepmother?!

172 replies

MyKidsHavePaws · 14/12/2024 02:55

Long winded but here goes. I’m with my partner 3 years. We got engaged very recently. Due to his own personal circumstances, he moved in with me super quick - after 2 months, but we are soulmates and I was delighted he did. His son followed suit 8 months later. His son is an adult - now 21. We’ll call him Bob. Bob was never “supposed to move in” but was staying a couple nights a week and then just never went back home - issues with mother. OH and I bought a house together just over a year ago. Which Bob also lives in. He contributes 100 a month to live with us.

Since I’ve known Bob, he has completed a levels (not good grades) had a part time job he got sacked from, got a full time job, which he reduced to part time and now is going to reduce to “relief” hours. He is repeating an a level with a view to going to uni. But only attends that class about half the time and has now declared he doesn’t think he’ll get into uni so doesn’t know what he’ll do. He does not contribute in any way to the household - he doesn’t empty a dishwasher - if the dishwasher is full he’ll just leave dishes in the sink. His dad cleans his bathroom for him. To be fair Bob does his own washing, but an example - I have stuff on the indoor air dryer at this time of year. He will literally remove my still damp stuff, to hang up his own. He doesn’t even bring that much personality to the table as we could literally go days without so much as a hello.

Up til this point he has pretty much bought and cooked his own food but because money is now tight with him reducing hours - he’s now started to eat all our food. Example - I made sausages one night for tea, he was offered some - declined. I purposefully cooked extra because I was on a long day at work the next day. I wrapped them up in 2 separate foil packages. One for me, one for OH. By time I was leaving for work at 4am, BOTH were gone. When I text Bob, the reply I got was “oops”. No apology. I was working away, so whilst on phone to OH next night, I was upset about it and he said “so when is your period due again?!” 🤬

I had friends over last weekend and bought lots of nice treats including 12 bars of chocolate. Bob ate every single one in the space of 3/4 days. And thinks it’s acceptable?!

I have settled myself that he lives with us - for how long I do not know. But am I being unreasonable that I’m now expected to financially maintain another adult?! What OH and I contribute to the joint account along with Bobs £100, by the time bills are paid, there is just £150 for groceries. All the food and cleaning products and toilet roll… for a month for £150. Needless to say I always spend a lot more.

I love my OH dearly. So much. His son is the only thing we argue about. He has dad guilt - even though the failure of his first marriage was not his fault. But I feel like I’m banging my head against a brick wall. Am I being unreasonable to ask for a bit of respect our home?

Also for a bit more perspective, I have health problems. I work part time, but earn the same amount as OH. As we now have a wedding to pay for, I’ve picked up a second job… even though it’s quite literally destroying my health. Yet Bob can see fit to reduce his hours to “relief” and is a fit and healthy 21 year old.

OP posts:
SweetBobby · 14/12/2024 06:48

God people are clearly just bitter that OP has found someone that she describes as her soulmate. How dare people tell her what she can and can't call the person she loves?

Anyway, Bob needs to pay £500 a month. Either that or he continues to pay £100 but does absolutely everything for himself, including food shopping.

thepariscrimefiles · 14/12/2024 06:51

Beezknees · 14/12/2024 03:20

It's language my 16 year old would use, not a grown adult! And I'd tell my 16yo he was being ridiculous as well.

What a pointless post.

CautiousLurker01 · 14/12/2024 06:59

So I am not sure that this is a DP issue - he moved in with you after 2m and moved his son in. It feels like a 2for1 ‘cock-lodger’ scenario, even is partner is paying his share of the bills. When you marry, you realise he’ll be entitled to half your house if you separate as it will become a marital asset? And your step son living in means he would stymie you selling it at any point.

You need to speak to a solicitor to make sure you have protected it and ring-fenced it. None of the ‘soul-mate’ stuff will mean a thing when it comes to your home if things go wrong, and the fact that you have a cuckoo in the next in the form of his DS means they likely will.

I think you also need to get the step son out or working FT and paying the proper rate towards bills and food, doing his share of chores.

Goldbar · 14/12/2024 07:36

The issue is your partner. Bob is a symptom. Red flags a-plenty here if you choose to see them.

Personally I'd tell your partner that living together so soon is not working and so he needs to move out again (and subtext - take Bob with him).

At the moment, you're suffering the consequences of his abysmal parenting not him.

Rosscameasdoody · 14/12/2024 07:39

CautiousLurker01 · 14/12/2024 06:59

So I am not sure that this is a DP issue - he moved in with you after 2m and moved his son in. It feels like a 2for1 ‘cock-lodger’ scenario, even is partner is paying his share of the bills. When you marry, you realise he’ll be entitled to half your house if you separate as it will become a marital asset? And your step son living in means he would stymie you selling it at any point.

You need to speak to a solicitor to make sure you have protected it and ring-fenced it. None of the ‘soul-mate’ stuff will mean a thing when it comes to your home if things go wrong, and the fact that you have a cuckoo in the next in the form of his DS means they likely will.

I think you also need to get the step son out or working FT and paying the proper rate towards bills and food, doing his share of chores.

Not sure why so many people are calling DP a cocklodger when OP quite clearly said they have bought their home together. His son couldn't stop them selling the house, as he doesn’t own it and he pays rent to live there. If they sold and he refused to move, the most he could do is delay the sale while they legally evict him.

CautiousLurker01 · 14/12/2024 07:41

Rosscameasdoody · 14/12/2024 07:39

Not sure why so many people are calling DP a cocklodger when OP quite clearly said they have bought their home together. His son couldn't stop them selling the house, as he doesn’t own it and he pays rent to live there. If they sold and he refused to move, the most he could do is delay the sale while they legally evict him.

Edited

Missed that! It’s early and clearly I need coffee to fire my brain up.

Rosscameasdoody · 14/12/2024 07:42

Goldbar · 14/12/2024 07:36

The issue is your partner. Bob is a symptom. Red flags a-plenty here if you choose to see them.

Personally I'd tell your partner that living together so soon is not working and so he needs to move out again (and subtext - take Bob with him).

At the moment, you're suffering the consequences of his abysmal parenting not him.

You realise that DP owns half of the house you want her to kick him out of ?

pestowithwalnuts · 14/12/2024 07:46

MyKidsHavePaws · 14/12/2024 03:18

That’s the romantic in me!

Wow OP .. You've been told off..

Rosscameasdoody · 14/12/2024 07:48

CautiousLurker01 · 14/12/2024 07:41

Missed that! It’s early and clearly I need coffee to fire my brain up.

You’re not alone.🤣 l had to re-read before l realised that they had only recently bought their house and DS had moved with them. Puts a different spin on things because DP has agency. I’d still be rethinking marriage though.

Rosscameasdoody · 14/12/2024 07:57

NiftyKoala · 14/12/2024 06:41

Absolutely. Please OP protect yourself financially.

Their home is in joint name - they bought it together a year ago. DS moved with them. So DP isn’t cocklodging. The house move was a missed opportunity to ask him to help DS make alternative living arrangements.

Goldbar · 14/12/2024 08:09

Rosscameasdoody · 14/12/2024 07:48

You’re not alone.🤣 l had to re-read before l realised that they had only recently bought their house and DS had moved with them. Puts a different spin on things because DP has agency. I’d still be rethinking marriage though.

Indeed, I was waylaid by the "moved in" 😁. It does unfortunately make things a lot more complicated for the OP.

Curlygirly66 · 14/12/2024 08:09

BecuaseIWantItThatWay · 14/12/2024 03:25

No one is unreasonable for wanting to feel respected, however your post is quite contradictory - cooking extra for him, but being annoyed he then ate two sausages & money being tight but you buying 12 bars of chocolate for friends - and for that YABU.

He may be 21 but parental responsibility does not end at adulthood. You partner should absolutely be looking out for his son, whether or not he was responsible for the breakdown of his first marriage is irrelevant. This includes guiding a young man about this future, especially of it seems uncertain. Also, if you need more money for the household, your partner should address this with his son or pick up extra work like you have done. That or scale back your wedding plans.

It really comes across that you consider your partner to be perfect but, by contrast and judging from the derogatory language which you use, his son is a major inconvenience who you would rather not have around (saying he brings no personality to the table is a low blow). Given that people pretty naturally pick up on these vibes I actually think you're getting a good deal from this young man.

Yes, YABU and your thread title may be accurate.

Some people just don’t know how ‘lucky’ they are. Bob sounds an absolute delight and who wouldn’t welcome the selfish, lazy, entitled prick with open arms. Do you fancy a lodger …???

pilates · 14/12/2024 08:10

I couldn’t tolerate Bob living in my house. He is majorly taking the piss and your partner is allowing this. Have you posted about this before? £100 a month is laughable. A firm talk is needed with all concerned.

Allthesharksgoout · 14/12/2024 08:12

You can't fix this by yourself as your partner's son is too old for you to try to parent, and your partner owns the house too so you can't kick his son out. What you can do is make as much of the costs of having the son at home fall on your partner rather than you.
Calculate the cost of feeding and housing an extra adult each month. Tell your partner he is responsible for the full cost of this minus the £100 contribution from his son. With things like the washing, every time your partner's son does something in the house that shows no consideration for you, ask your partner to fix it, for example your partner hanging out your washing again. Send your partner out to replace your chocolate.
Make it clear your partner is responsible for the things his son does while living with you. Every time.

Octavia64 · 14/12/2024 08:15

I have an adult child living with me in my house.

(She has long covid and is on a break from her degree)

We have our own laundry airers which live in our own separate spaces.

If you are going to continue to live with Bob then buy him his own laundry basket for his own room and his own laundry airer for his own room. Then if he uses yours tell him to use his own.

We split the kitchen and have our own food cupboards plus a communal one. Baked beans, lemonade etc goes in the communal. Food that is separate goes in our own.

We also split the fridge and freezer.

That way it's clear there is your food and his food. You don't eat his food and he doesn't eat your food.

You can get lockable boxes for food if it comes to that.

Rosscameasdoody · 14/12/2024 08:21

Curlygirly66 · 14/12/2024 08:09

Some people just don’t know how ‘lucky’ they are. Bob sounds an absolute delight and who wouldn’t welcome the selfish, lazy, entitled prick with open arms. Do you fancy a lodger …???

I’ve read that post through twice to make sure I understood what was being said, and it’s beyond me how they think OP is getting a good deal !!

ForReasonsUnknown · 14/12/2024 08:24

Beezknees · 14/12/2024 03:15

Bob should be contributing so YANBU there. There is no such thing as "soulmates" so YABU to use that kind of silly expression.

arent you a delight.

IdgieThreadgoodeIsMyHeroine · 14/12/2024 08:33

Oh my god please leave these awful awful men.

Rosscameasdoody · 14/12/2024 08:35

IdgieThreadgoodeIsMyHeroine · 14/12/2024 08:33

Oh my god please leave these awful awful men.

She’s bought a house with one of them, so not easy to do.

IdgieThreadgoodeIsMyHeroine · 14/12/2024 08:36

Also, if you are working a second job that is impacting your health just to pay for a wedding, you need to reassess your wedding plans.

IdgieThreadgoodeIsMyHeroine · 14/12/2024 08:36

Rosscameasdoody · 14/12/2024 08:35

She’s bought a house with one of them, so not easy to do.

But not impossible.

Petrasings · 14/12/2024 08:40

I am struggling to see why anyone would work a second job that was greatly impacting their health for the prospect of being tethered to this situation indefinitely ??

It just beggars belief that the ss is allowed to comment on your period. It’s such an intimate misogynistic comment that is entirely inappropriate.

buttonousmaximous · 14/12/2024 08:40

Your partner dismisses your feelings and implies your the problem due to your hormones.??!

I don't believe in soulmates but if I did mine would not behave like that

Jagoda · 14/12/2024 08:45

It’s time Bob got a job and started contributing. This would be a dealbreaker for me.

Also, why are you spending so much money on a wedding that you have to “ruin your health” getting a second job to pay for it?

Insanity.

2025istheyear · 14/12/2024 08:48

YABU because you put up with this, you know it is not going to improve and you still want to marry this man and by default have his DS as a third adult in your life to support.

Ask him to leave.

Do not get married until you are happy with your living arrangements!

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