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Parenting

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Step daughter

15 replies

Marls3 · 15/07/2022 22:45

Hello, so i am a 24 year old step mother to a 8 year old. Her dad is 26. We have been together for 6 years now going on 7. I came into her life when she was 2.5 so she was fairly little. As i got older i always told myself i didnt want to be with somebody who had a child already because theres a lot that comes with that as is. Well my boyfriend and i ended up falling for each other really hard and i put aside what my beliefs were personally because to me he was what i wanted.. except for the having a child with somebody else previously.. Because i loved him so much i continued in the relationship and we actually ended up having a daughter of our own. Who is now 4. Well, i got over my feelings of him having a child but after 3 years or so of being together i started to feel very strongly about it again and it has not gone away. It has actually gotten stronger to the point where i get annoyed of her always being here. When he and i first started dating he was very active with her and did his job as a father. Well after a while he stopped doing all those things and relied on me to pick up his slack.. at first i didnt think anything of it but as time went by and realizing he does nothing and of course our share of problems aside form his daughter , i started to get really annoyed by him. He talks and cries for them to other people and goes off about how much he loves his kids, but when he has them here he doesnt pay any attention to them. He'll say hi and give hugs for 5 mins and then thats it. His daughter comes to me every single time she gets hungry and wants something instead of her dad. But when she doesnt like what i have to say she goes to him. Which irritates me. He expects me to care for her but i cannot say anything to her without him or her being bothered. He constantly contradicts me in front of her all the time too which is irritating because hes not actually present to take care of her. Her mom and I are two very different people and have 2 very different ways of how we raise and care for this kids. Im mexican so i grew up in a household where every weekend was cleaning day and we had to clean all the time and didnt like the house to be messy and we learn things at a young age. Her mom doesnt really implement chores or discipline it seems like. She cant sweep, cant wipe down a table, doesnt know how to pick up after making a mess. Meanwhile my 4 year old does this without any problems. But with the 8 year old its almost impossible to get her to do something and complete it. Anywho, now that her dad and i have been having major problems and ive brought up splitting up which he absolutely refuses to do and i have yet to understand why when there have been more downs than up in a good while. He still continues to pick her up from her moms and leaves her to me to take care of. He hates taking either of the girls with him anywhere every time he has errands to run and chooses ti go alone because it is so much extra work to do things with his kids by his side. Even though i have to do it too but with his daughter too. I told him if shes here that he needs to be more involved with her and actually do things with them. I tell him to feed her, clean up after her, anything but to just pick up his slack and he wont. He doesnt see an issue with anything of his actions because he works hard and brings in the money. After fighting so hard and not being heard i finally just decided that if he cant do his part with her then I wont pick up his slack in being a parent to her. I know its hard because weve been together for so long but i just cant do it anymore. I cant. Its draining. My daughter is autistic and does require a lot of specific attention. He also doesnt do it with her. But i cannot keep taking this role on with his 8 year old. She acts like a baby. She refuses to listen to me even though i am the one whos been by her side since i got involved with her dad , but yet gets mad because i have rules in my home and there will be punishments with they dont listen. He doesnt like that. I just dont know what to do anymore. How do i get him to understand that he needs to stop throwing his 8 year old on me and expect me to just continue to roll with it all because he works and makes the money. I told him if he cant make an effort then i will not continue to help him, but instead he keeps brushing off everything and anything i say. Am i wrong for not wanting his daughter around? Is it wrong that i dont want to watch her while he is gone all day working? He literally leaves for work at like 4am to come home at 5-7pm because he works 2.5 hours away? I cant shake this feeling of not wanting her here off at all. It just irritates me to the point where i sit in my room to not have to be around her. Please i dont know what to do.

OP posts:
Buzzer3555 · 15/07/2022 22:51

You need to break away. The child has enough problems without a selfish stepmother to dra3l with

Buzzer3555 · 15/07/2022 22:52

Deal with

TrailOfAbandonedPlanners · 15/07/2022 22:58

Without the ‘selfish stepmother’ she’s going to have no one looking after her, cooking, cleaning etc.

Why is the selfish father not the problem here?

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ThisMustBeMyDream · 15/07/2022 22:59

What! She is not a selfish stepmother!! She is a stepmother put upon by an absolute twat of a man. She has done absolutely nothing wrong. Of course she should leave him. But not because she is selfish. Because he is a user, low life and a pathetic excuse for a father.

Ididanamechange · 15/07/2022 23:03

There's a lot to unpick there but basically if I was in your shoes I'd leave him. You've tried telling him how you feel, he doesn't want to hear it. He's expecting you to be the default parent to his daughter but doesn't want to let you parent. Its unsurprising that your step daughter acts the way she does, she wants her Dad not you. The bit about the standards at her mums house is irrelevant. Its frustrating when two households have different rules but its often par for the course with parents who have separated but it can still work when the adults in each separate house unite and agree on their own expectations. Your household is not united. Walk away, give your daughter the attention she needs and I fully expect your step daughter will be spending a lot more time with just her mum which I image will be better for her than her uninterested father.

britneyisfree · 15/07/2022 23:04

It's not up to him whether you break up or not. You don't want to be with him so end it.

For what it's worth it sounds really tough! Good luck

Greensleeves · 15/07/2022 23:12

Good grief, I don't read this as a "selfish stepmother" at all. The man is an absolute joker. He doesn't give a monkeys about either of his daughters, and he doesn't give a monkeys about you either, OP. You're there to skivvy for him and do all the childcare while he pleases himself and poses as a father.

I don't agree with your views on chores, personally - picking up after they've made a mess, yes, but not cleaning all weekend. I think you'll find most 8yos would chafe against that, and I don't think most 4yos are spending their weekends sweeping and mopping up, either. That's beside the point, though - the problem here is your lazy, deadbeat partner who is sucking the life out of you. Ditch him.

AnneLovesGilbert · 15/07/2022 23:15

You’re still so young and you’ve had far too much responsibility from far too young an age.

Your daughter needs you. She needs all of your time and attention, her dad is a useless waste of space. Free yourself and her of this toxic set up and focus everything you have on just the two of you.

Your step daughter isn’t the problem, her dad is. The longer you stay with him the worse your life will be and the more angry, resentful and exhausted you’ll be. The more your daughter will lose out.

What practical steps do you need to take to leave him? Are you in the U.K.? What’s your housing situation? Do you work? It doesn’t sound like it but have you worked in the past and have skills or qualifications to fall back on? Family support?

Aquamarine1029 · 15/07/2022 23:25

Your partner doesn't get to "refuse" to break-up. If that's what you want, do it. I think it's the best decision you'll ever make.

Angeldelight21 · 16/07/2022 05:44

Hi Op, first of all a huge respect for looking after your partner's daughter. I share the same feelings about partner having kids from previous relationships so I completely understand how you feel.

I also agree about kids doing jobs in the house, specially for an 8 yr old. I was brought up in the same way, I know some moms might not agree with it.

Anyway, his daughter is not your responsibility. LThe problem is clearly your partner not his daughter. You have spoilt him from the beginning and he is taking advantage of you, taking everything for granted.

I hope you are financially independent and you can leave your partner if you want to. Have a proper sit down with him and present the facts.

Good luck Xx

MrsTerryPratchett · 16/07/2022 05:54

Dad's a twat. Is there really anything else to say?

luxxlisbon · 16/07/2022 10:15

I don’t know how you can expect reasonable behaviour from an 8 year old when you sit in your room and ignore her!

You’ve been together 7 years, and started to feel strongly against him having another child 3 years in - so exactly when you got pregnant and had your own child? Interesting.
This girl is probably pushing boundaries because no one in her life gives a shit about her. I’m not saying you need to pick up all the slack from her father but since your relationship is clearly going down hill I hope you consider how his next girlfriend could treat your own daughter.

Marls3 · 16/07/2022 15:42

I am not saying we spend all day and every weekend cleaning either. But I do ask for daily pick ups and wiping the table when we sit down to eat and to feed the dog. Very small things. But those are all hassles for her. She is plently loves. You guys have no idea how much she gets babied by her dads side of the family. She is a smart 8 year old, but knows when to play her cards right and knows whento act like a baby whenshe doesnt want to do something. She doesnt lack love, that she has plenty of. My mans mother will take just her on trips out of town often and doesnt like to take our 4 year old because shes more work. So the 8 year old gets to go everywhere and gets to have everything and anything she wants. I have mentioned this to my boyfriend 100's of times and yet he refuses to listen or care. I currently am not working and lost my job about a month ago very suddenly and unexpected. I dont have family nearby. He moved us away from everybody we knew because of his job.. I have tried to leave but you guys dont understand the lengths he would go to make us come back. I mean hes harrassed my entire family, threatened my ex boss, harrasses friends. He will do whatever he has to to keep me and my daughter here. To the point where hes given my car a flat or taking a part out so it doesnt start or takes my keys or rips my clothes and throws them away. He will not let me leave. He changes when he gets in his ranges and not in a good way. Like today he had to work and he told me last night he picked up a side job. Even though ive told him if she is here then he needs to be here and be present too because she comes to spend time with him. But all he cares about is kissing his boss's and his sons ass to get in good with his company. I told him why doesnt she go to her moms for a few days and he wont do it. Like i cant even visit my family because im supposed to be at the house taking care of the kids. This is a guy who says hes always right. He always one ups everyone around him, he thinks hes his job as a father by working all the time to keep a roof and food for them , but isnt active with them if that makes sense...

OP posts:
Newestname002 · 16/07/2022 18:25

@Marls3

I have tried to leave but you guys dont understand the lengths he would go to make us come back. I mean hes harrassed my entire family, threatened my ex boss, harrasses friends. He will do whatever he has to to keep me and my daughter here. To the point where hes given my car a flat or taking a part out so it doesnt start or takes my keys or rips my clothes and throws them away. He will not let me leave.

OP, you and your child are living with an extremely controlling, intimidating, violent man. Don't think that because he hasn't hit you (has he?) that he isn't violent. He is. It sounds like you need to, for a while, be in a women's refuge where he, nor anyone else, knows your location as soon that you are safe whilst you are helped with a more permanent solution.

Have you spoken to Women's Aid (womensaid.org.uk), spoken to any of the domestic abuse organisations (do a quick Google) or spoken to the police (either 101 for the non-emergency number for advice or 999 for emergency). If not perhaps you could take a look and see what help you could get?

Also look at the ANI service (www.gov.uk/guidance/ask-for-ani-domestic-abuse-codeword-information-for-pharmacies) which is availing participating pharmacies where you ask to speak to Ani.

This man is dangerous and you do need to see how you can get away from him safely. 🌹

Tangelablue · 16/07/2022 19:34

You need to leave safely. Do not tell him you plan to leave. As newestname suggested, call womens aid for advice, they can do a refuge search for you and help you plan to leave safely. Good luck.

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