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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Adult step kids .. am I the issue here ?

6 replies

AmberHiker · 03/09/2025 11:55

So for context married to my husband for over 10 years and have a son together. He has two children from his previous marriage now 21 and 19.

He doesn’t ever plan anything holiday wise or experience wise for us as a family so I usually do it. Whenever we those rare times together on a break / holiday he will always say ‘ I wish my kids were here ‘ I usually find it upsetting as these are breaks I’ve paid for or organised or gone halfs on and be has never orchestrated a trip/ holiday with his kids .

his family live in a different country. He asked me and my son to go with him in December ( me paying half ) before I even got a chance to book plane tickets he was back to his kids . Told me he was going to take them to see his family abroad next year.

I suggested we cancel our trip this year and instead he use that money to take them instead . I feel anything we experience is rare and always over shadowed by ‘ I wish my kids were here ‘ despite never doing anything to facilitate it. The gutting is he will pay for all their travel and expenses despite one working ‘ because they are my kids ‘ yet when my child eventually met his family I paid 50% of all the travel and accommodation on that and every time since and even this proposed trip I was still expected to pay. His response ‘ they are my kids ‘ well so is our son..

I do think we should step aside and he go with them instead because they have only met them once but do have grandparents here in England which my child doesn’t .

it’s not a option to all go together as we do not have a close relationship and I would find it too much combined with the family reunion his side .

im annoyed im expected to pay, im annoyed anything i plan and pay for is always brought round to his children and if he follows through and takes them and actually pays for it that’s never been given to me and my son. Lastly due to schooling and financial it means my son won’t likely see his only grandparents for About 18 months longer

am I wrong to feel annoyed / frustrated / that it’s unbalanced ?

OP posts:
DarkPassenger1 · 03/09/2025 11:57

Next time he says 'I wish my kids were here' just breezily say 'oh, didn't you invite them?' and disengage.

Yeah, step aside and let him take them to visit family abroad. You can have a nice relaxed couple of weeks at home with your son. No point forcing yourself to go.

Why would you have to 'pay half' of anything, you said you were married? Surely you both pay together for things as a couple?

Octavia64 · 03/09/2025 12:00

No.

your dh is.

fwiw my kids inform me that my ex husband is exactly the same with his new wife and child but does he ever invite them to anything? No.

ignore ignore ignore.

roseymoira · 03/09/2025 12:03

Sounds like he can’t invite his kids to things as you don’t get on - I suspect that’s the issue.

CutiePieOk · 03/09/2025 12:06

Your relationship is the issue.

steff13 · 03/09/2025 12:59

What are your finances like generally? Obviously he would be wrong to expect you to pay for his adult children, but if you generally split things 50/50, I don't see why you wouldn't pay for half of your common child's vacation.

Dunnocantthinkofone · 03/09/2025 13:04

Surely the response is to say ‘if you want your kids to be included, you need to plan and organise it so that to they are’ every time he starts whining

currently he seems to feel you are both his secretary and financier of all things. If he wants them there, he can organise and pay

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