My step daughters despise me

[CountryGal13]

Hi all, I have two step daughters 16 + 12 who atm can't even bare to look at me and I don't know what to do. We also have a young baby together.

We have them a couple of times a week and although I wouldn't say we've ever been close we'll always make polite conversation with each other when they visit.

Out of the blue last week there mum said that they won't be coming to stay anymore and my husband would have to see them alone. We were really shocked but the children wouldn't speak to him, instead the eldest text to say that 'we have the perfect family and they're just in the way' ect. Lots of what she said was directed at me so I replied so I could clarify some of the things I'd been accused of and to reassure them that I really did want them here. I said that I also feel pushed out at times and that I thought we could all make more of an effort and may be do more things as a family.

They came to stay for the first time since the messages last night and it was awful. I said hello and was ignored and the eldest walked staight to her room. I tried to make conversation with the youngest but she would only answer my questions and no more. I went out for an hour and when I returned they were both chatting away with their dad, and then shortly after I got back the eldest asked him to take her home.

I can't understand I they have gone from chatting to me one week to hating me and not wanting to see me the next. I understand that they're jealous of the new baby ect but this feels so personal and I don't know what to do. I honestly do think that there mum has been fueling the fire as the wording in the messages didn't sound like they were coming from a teenage girl. I feel like they've been brainwashed and there's nothing I can do about it.

Anyway, this morning I'm in bits. I feel angry with my husband (no sure why) and I'm worried for my marriage and my babies future. I feel like there going to drive a wedge through my 'perfect family'. I actually feel physically sick at the thought of their next visit.

Please can anyone offer any advice or is anyone in a similar situation? Please don't have a go at me though, I've come here because I'm desperate.

Hello NanaNina, good to see you back. Your posts are always so "on the money", as you have clearly been there.

Nothing has changed for me, two years on. I am still the social pariah I ever was. It must have been awful, years ago with little support and no forums to vent in.

Well you know what they say Eliza you have to experienced SPing at first hand to understand the tensions that are so often involved. At least you have a good r/ship with eldest SD and SS, and they are all adults which makes a lot of difference.

I just noticed in one of your posts CG that you mention that you are scared to speak to your SD. Are you quite a reserved person, or is it just this SD that makes you feel like this. The thing is kids are like dogs, they can tell who is scared of them, and this gives them more power over you. Somehow you have to learn to act and cover up that fear.........just say Hi Cattymadam (or whatever her name is!) and just carry on with what you're doing. I don't think you should make any attempt to try to make conversation with her (or her sister) and if you feel the atmosphere is too tense how about something like "Hmmm I don't like the atmosphere in here so my and baby are going upstairs to play/nap" or "I don't like the atmosphere here so I am going to my mums" but I think the first option is the best because SD will probably like the fact that you have been "driven away" - might be interesting though as if you do this and obviously take baby with you she might be less interested in chatting to her dad for a few hours.

I know these kids are confused and angry and all the rest of it but I also know how bloody difficult it is to like them. I think it's called being human!

How did the meal go last night?

Hope it went ok and the youngest was civil to you. :)

I feel sadness and empathy all at the same time about what I am reading with this post. I have been a DSD myself, and I have been a DSM so I have, like many others, got the benefit of seeing it from two perspectives. yes it is a minefield of emotions.

I had a somewhat unsettled childhood and becoming a DSD was confusing and traumatic for me. I did not trust my DSM at the time we were a "family". I thought she only cared about her children. but I was so wrong and my negative vibe was the blocker that prevented us from having a loving relationship. I know I behaved badly and feel lucky to have had a chance to repair and build the relationship with my DSM. If only I could tell these DSCs "PLEASE just give the relationship a chance with your DSM" as I could have so easily never realised what a beautiful person my DSM is. Thats because I "met her half way" so to speak when I was an adult and appreciated her as a human being. Some years ago, when I lost my DH, and she gave me so much support, I realised she was my best friend.

One thing that I do remember thinking was that I was going to be so horrible to her, push her away and hate her (just for being there!) to see what she would do. She was far more tolerant that I EVER deserved!!

I hope you dont mind me sharing my story but I wanted to use it to show that, even when there is nothing, no love, no feelings, all hope is not lost. It is just so hard to see through it when you are in the thick of it, and feeling the negative vibes But my DSM never gave up hope and I think she maybe believed that underneath my obnoxiousness as a young confused person, there was something worth fighting for.

CountryGal - Maybe recast your belief that your DSDs despise you and think of it instead that its not you they despise, its the situation. I remember feeling powerless, out of control and unable to have any choice in the matter. That should NOT excuse their poor behaviour ( as I dont try to excuse my sulkiness and tantrums that I had) but it may explain it.

So sorry for your upset. {{hugs}}

I cannot add much as it all has been said already. I am a step mum (children now 21/19/15)

Try reframing maybe. I used this a lot when I was teaching and it got me through tricky days. in class it would be looking at the kids that were disruptive on bad days and I would reframe them in my mind as "super enthusiastic" - just to get me through the day
In this case you could reframe the not wanting to spend time with you as your idea. So you sit them down with DP and say " I am knackered and could really do with some help. I am going to head upstairs for a bath and a read - can you look after baby for me for an hour?" This sounds really simplistic I know. Try to keep the thought in your head that this is YOU asking them. You will need to be armour plated to start with I suspect. Then another day YOU say " if you wouldnt mind folks I could really do with some quiet time today. I dont want to restrict your choices so will keep baby with me but can you girls and DP take yourselves off for a day out so I can get some chores done etc?" That way your are taking the choice away from them and its now your idea not them using it to cut you out.
I know this will need to be modified to suit you and they may not make it easy for you but worth a try?

Would it be a terrible idea if I spoke up and said 'I just said hello to you so please don't ignore me'??
I don't think this is a terrible idea. I wish I'd been more assertive in the early days of my relationship with DH, when it came to insisting on the DSCs speaking respectfully to me, treating my things with respect, respecting my privacy...I let it slide too often, or spoke too hesitantly. I let them speak and act in ways I would not have let other kids I was related to or responsible for, and that was a mistake.

I think this would be "playing into their hands" - they would know you were upset by them and give them more power (so to speak) Yes it's a pity that it has got to this stage, and the trouble is dynamics tend to get stuck in concrete, but you can develop new ways of behaving (in most things in life) if you need to. My DP has a saying (not in r/ship to SPing) but if someone doesn't respond (usually one of the grandchildren) he says "no answer was the stern reply" so you could try that and say it as if you are talking to yourself. I honestly think the more these girls know they are "getting to you" then worse things will be.

Change the script........(life is like a play sometimes) and we play out our roles (even though we don't know we are doing it) Rows between me and DP definitely have a script - Act 1 (scene 1) is shouting at each other (Scene 2) I depart to my bedroom (scene 3 - DP comes up to say sorry, but he's not ready to say sorry really and I am not ready to accept) so (Scene 4) can be further uproar. Act 2 is usually when we make things up.

If you change the script (just in small ways at first) the other person will be confused because they will be expecting you to do what you've always done. These aren't conscious thoughts of course. Try it out in a small way with DP and see what happens; practice on him (or someone else) and then you can use it with the girls. I'll give you an example my DP hates losing something and gets irrationally agitated and begins to look under cushions and charge about the house. I always used to start looking with him, but then I decided not to, and the next time it happened I just sat reading the paper (well pretending too) and he was totally confused and kept coming in the room and saying "I've lost my car keys" - and I said "Yes I know" - it worked! Now he doesn't make such a fuss about losing something. Maybe think of this one "If you do what you always do, you'll get what you always got."

Hope this makes some kind of sense.

I too let far too much "go". When, 2 years in, I spoke up for myself, the ensuing boycott of our home, my son, me and to some extent DH, seemed so unjust. It was like I was expected to just swallow this crap being thrown at me. I wanted to keep the peace/not rock the boat/cause estrangement so did as much as I could to keep getting back to normality or certainly, civility. It didn't work. I was hung for a sheep....then strung up again, as a lamb!

I'd say, try subtle and then get firm in a subtle way. They do need to be aware that just because you're married to their dad doesn't mean they can treat you badly. I would say that I was often singled out for treatment which, had SD given it to a stranger, she'd have been told to go away and come back when she could display some basic manners and human kindness.

I did change my reconciliation tactics, however. I ceased to send messages via her elder sister (lovely young woman) that we can all rub along/play nice. I didn't send any more cards saying "lets just wipe the slate clean and be ok with it..... Because I'm sure we've just got off to a poor start". No. No more of that. SD is a spoilt young woman who has been mollycoddled to the point where she cannot comprehend anyone else's needs, other than her own and I do not want her within 50 yards of me.

Sorry, not much help, am I?

Countrygal, I sympathise with you too. My dsd lives with my dp full time (we live separately, neither of us has a big enough property for us to live together as I have 3 ds's). She thinks nothing of telling us to be quiet if we talk while she is watching tv! He immediately stops talking, I sit and fume! Reading these posts, I think the next time she does it I should tell her myself not to be so rude. I've not done this before as I know he will make me wrong for telling her off. She's 17, and a complete diva!