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Relationships

Mumsnet has not checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. If you need help urgently or expert advice, please see our domestic violence webguide and/or relationships webguide. Many Mumsnetters experiencing domestic abuse have found this thread helpful: Listen up, everybody

Advice re step daughters

9 replies

Hydrograd1 · 29/11/2019 11:09

Hi
Just some advice and guidance. I have been with my partner for over 12 years. I have three children, 27, 23 and 12. My 27 lives at home and my 12-year-old daughter is co-parented. My partner has two daughters 26 and 19 who live away at their own house and university.
The problem is the eldest, she has never liked me as she blames me for her mum and dad splitting up. Her mum was not happy in the marriage and we met and that was it. She left her husband and out of respect we did not start anything until then. My life was also a bit complicated.
She has always been rude to me and dismissive, even being a typical teenager to her mum. She was not happy that I got on with my ex-wife (mum of my boys) and my daughter's mum. She would be very rude and when my partner went through a very bad stage she nearly lost her house. We decided that while her children were at home we would not live together, however, at that time she felt she could never stay at my house because of her daughter. She was always involved and invited and included. She separated from her boyfriend at to my shock, she confided in me and talked and I was over the moon. Luckily they got back together which is when it all started again.
When her daughters moved out she moved in with me, so it was me, her youngest and my 12-year-old. When her eldest came around she was like a mood vacuum, sitting there with a long face, moping, talking like the victim, generally dragging the mood down. She messaged her mum and said she could not cope with the fact that her mum and dad had split up and that it still upsets her, I was firmly the center of blame.
My partner does not like confrontation and we argue. I wanted to set the record straight so I spoke to her. She was very rude, I put my point across and we left with what I thought was a resolution that we would muddle along.
My partner has never told her children off, even when they need it, they turn on the tears and she folds. I am ex-military and if my children step out of line, they get the big boom voice and then it is forgotten.
The daughter has been quite candid that her mum deserves better and that I am only after her money (proceeds of the house sale) despite her mum living with me. Apparently, because I don't work (i am a retired policeman on a nice pension, I work from home and home school my autistic daughter three days a week) that I am taking advantage of her mum. Also that I am controlling her mum (apparently because I studied hypnotherapy I have her under mind control).
So I decided that it is best she does not cross over into our lives until she can be nice. So we had another chat and she said her mum wasn't happy and she would get between us. Two weeks later on Valentine's day, a card arrived for my partner from a mystery admirer.
She is getting married in April, I was not sure about going, because it would be awkward, especially for the ex-husband. However, I have not been invited, which saves me buying a suit. This has upset my partner because she feels that her daughter won't ever accept me.
Am I right to feel angry at this girl, who keeps told me that she loves her mum more than she loves herself, that she wants her mum to be happy, tells people I am a bad person? But then when my partner was recovering from surgery only made the effort to see her twice in six weeks. I do not suffer fools gladly and because of that I have said enough is enough. My partner has said she does not want it to affect us.
Is this normal in families? Do people behave like this still and should I just do as my children say and just forget all about her.....Phew....If you got to end you get a cuppa.....

OP posts:
Mintjulia · 29/11/2019 11:20

Step-relationships are notoriously difficult. You only know part of the story as to what is going on in your dsd’s head, so I’d take a deep breathe and not rise. Reassure your partner that you don’t mind the lack of invitation and you will support her however she wants to deal with the situation.

Soon dsd will be married, have her own husband and home and hopefully children. She will be absorbed with her own life and hopefully the animosity will drop down her priority list.

Hydrograd1 · 29/11/2019 11:39

Thank you, it has been very hard. it is almost game playing

OP posts:
Stressedout10 · 29/11/2019 12:16

A couple of questions your 12 year old is that with your partner?
You had an emotional affair but not fiscal affair but can't see why dsd would blame you for wrecking her parents marriage?

SpiderHunter · 29/11/2019 12:42

So I decided that it is best she does not cross over into our lives until she can be nice.

I had some sympathy until this sentence. This is incredibly controlling.

Her daughter may never accept you. You played a part in the break up of her parents' marriage and likely caused considerable pain to her father. There was a thread on relationships a couple of weeks ago about a bride asking where to seat her step-mum at her wedding. Lots of responses said they wouldn't invite her at all. So I think your step-daughter's response isn't particularly unusual.

Treesthemovie · 29/11/2019 13:04

My advice would be back off from their relationship and focus on your relationship w your wife and own kids. Shouting and bawling at your kids isn't exactly a sign of amazing parenting btw. You may never get on but that's life, your relationship may improve if you just allow things to run their course instead of forcing things

Hydrograd1 · 29/11/2019 13:39

Hi
My 12-year-old is as a result of a very bad relationship choice after my marriage failed. That is a long story.
We were friends and she wanted to leave the marriage for her reasons, to this day the children have not been told that as that would taint the dad. However, dad got married 9 months after.

OP posts:
Hydrograd1 · 29/11/2019 13:43

Treesthemovie, when I say the booming voice, it is not bawling or shouting, it is to tell them they have crossed a line. It literally lasts seconds and we carry on. I have single parented them for the last 12 years also when their mum moved away.

OP posts:
Hydrograd1 · 29/11/2019 13:46

SpiderHunter you misunderstood, it is my partner who has encouraged our paths not crossing as she knows what her daughter is like. Unfortunately, the marriage had its problems, nothing happened until she left and the husband married 9 months later.

OP posts:
ColaFreezePop · 29/11/2019 16:11

Stay away from the step-daughter.

Don't go out of your way to invite her to your house, don't communicate with her unless you have to and where you have to talk about neutral subjects not about her feelings on any subject. Make it very clear to her mum you are not bothered about being invited to the wedding.

If the step-daughter realises you are not going to rise to her behaviour and not interested in her, she will eventually give up on trying to cause trouble between you and her mum. (She will probably complain to her mum you are ignoring her but simply say I'm staying away from her to avoid causing conflict amongst everyone.)

She will likely again try to cause trouble when she has kids over grandparents - again just ignore.

You have enough children of your own and depending on your hobbies/work even more younger people who value your input in their lives.

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