Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Please or to access all these features

Step-parenting

Connect with other Mumsnetters here for step-parenting advice and support.

first weekend with step kids

52 replies

mistressmiggins · 04/08/2006 20:49

Hi girls

have asked your advice b4 over last 8 months so if you could just spare some reassurance

my children (4 & 2) have arrived at daddy's house - this is the first weekend where daddys "friend" (as DS 4 calls her) will be there all weekend. My ex hasnt told the kids anything - I have to fill in & explain things....DS knows SHE is living with daddy now

just a little anxious....DD (2) ususally comes in when she wakes up - its going to be weird seeing another woman in daddy's bed

Im hoping they will take it in their stride....to be honest, when they come home after a weekend with daddy, I have bed wetting, weeing during the day and early morning coming into my bedroom crying for me

Im OK - just cant help worrying about the children... SHE has not exactily gone out of her way to introduce herself to the childrne

oh well they weill be back Sunday lunchtime

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
proudofmyboobs · 04/08/2006 20:51

Wasn't she their dentist MM? Or am I mixing you up with someone else? Apologies if so

It's bound to take some getting used to. Children seem to adapt to situations better than most adults, but just be there for them and ready to answer any questions they may have, as best as possible

oops · 04/08/2006 20:52

Message withdrawn

mistressmiggins · 04/08/2006 20:54

no not the dentist - they work together

ex just makes comments like "Im 100% responsible for the children not HER"...but she needs to make the effort or help him surely

just wittering I know....just odd as first time....

hate ex for doing this to us - children need their dad but they dont want to be away from me....and I get all the upset when they come home

OP posts:
FrayedKnot · 04/08/2006 21:14

Well..

From the other side of the fence I was a step-mum before I was a mum, and at that time had NO IDEA at all whatsoever about what it must be like for a motehr to watch her kids go and stay with anotehr woman who she doesn;t know. But I hope I wasn;t a completely ignorant cow either.

Reading your post now makes me feel sick, DS is also 2, the thought of teh same happening to him horrifies me.

My step children were older when we first met (6 & 7).

I met them during the day a few times before DH & I started living together. On one occasion we took them to see relatives and DH insisted the kids did not see us sleeping in the same bed so we slept in separate beds.

I hope they are sensitive to the childrens' needs.

tenalady · 04/08/2006 21:25

Well if she is anything like me she will have all the weekend mapped out for them to do. Fun, Fun and more Fun.

My sc were 5 & 8 when they first met me at my house and they didnt seem to have a problem with me and now dh together in bed, in fact (you probably dont want to hear this) but they snuggled in with us in the morning just like it was another day.

My advice: dont mess with their plans and she will give them the earth, I am sure. This step parenting thing always goes sour when the birth mum starts giving a hard time over the littlest things which just winds it all up and makes them resentful of the aggravation. >

mistressmiggins · 04/08/2006 21:34

you're right - I dont want to hear the fact that my children will snuggle up with HER & my ex

might be different for you BUT SHE KNEW my ex had kids when she started an affair with him so I dont exactly feel warm towards her

still I want the best for my children and will jsut not imagine what you've just said

I do not & will not muck up their plans - how about the other way round though?
Ex was meant to have them a fortnight ago so I obviously had made plans to go out but had to rearrange as he "suddenly" had to go America on business....AND we agreed that the first time kids met her would be for 4 hours but THEY changed it to all day (over 10) and didnt tell me.....

I know you are only answering the question Tenalady but I am different to other BMs and my ex's new girlfriend was part of our break up which is not the same for most step mums on MN....

OP posts:
mistressmiggins · 04/08/2006 21:37

FrayedKnot - your Dh sounds respectful to his children
well done you both

my ex has introduced HER twice - once at his house and once up here for the day.

he has never explained his "friend" - Ive had to tell my DS today that said "friend" is actually girlfriend and is living with daddy...."will daddy still want to see me then?

my ex is very selfish & explains nothing - just expects everyone to get on with it and like it

OP posts:
PollyLogos · 04/08/2006 22:05

Tenalady, sometimes the birth father messes the situation up, sometimes the birth mother and sometimes the new partner, maybe your situation was different but I think your comments are very insensitive indeed.

Mistressmiggins I really feel for you in this situation, your children are so young to be coping with this. For what its worth I have actually come over all puritanical and feel that your ex and his new partner could at leastsleep in separate rooms when the children are there - after all what is it? one night a week? At least until the whole situation is more familiar to them or they are a bit older. Probably nonsense, but that is how I feel.

mistressmiggins · 04/08/2006 22:12

thanks PollyLogos - but that wont happen
ex will be safely tucked up in bed with HER when the children get up for the 3RD time in a strange house....
they have 2 toys in the house - a drum kit & a pirate ship - my DD is 2 FFS.....I asked my DS what DD plays with and he said they share....

so Ive sent lots of their toys so they feel comfortable....

they dont have books - DS told me this

DS doesnt have his own bedroom - its a double bed with a computer in

I know other couples who are divorced and the part time/weekend dads have made the bedrooms up for the children so they know its their room....

my ex is so selfish he would consider it a waste of space & money for the children

OP posts:
PollyLogos · 04/08/2006 22:33

He sounds a very insensitive man to me mm.

I hope you r weekend passes well, I am sure they are always glad to get back home with you.

Can i ask a question as I have never met anyone in this situation with such young children? Do they go off quite happily to stay with him? At 4 mine would go overnight to granny who they knew very well, but I don't think any of mine would have gone happily at 2...

mistressmiggins · 04/08/2006 22:51

its daddy - and even though he was an unattentive dad (and husband) he loves them and the little attention he did give them means they love him

I dont think DD(2) quite understands whats happening - daddy comes to pick her up & she is happy - its more telling her behaviour when she comes home

he is insensitve - always has been - I guess I made excuses for his thoughtlessness and to be honest, I didnt mind doing most of the childcare etc

at least the kids have adapted cos our day-to-day routine hasnt had to change - the only difference is that daddy isnt here at weekends anymore

OP posts:
PollyLogos · 04/08/2006 23:01

Thanks for answering. Yes he is daddy but still makes me that children so young have had to adapt to this lifestyle.

I know from following your story that you are a great mum though.

mistressmiggins · 04/08/2006 23:21

thanks
I feel better for chatting on MN - its just so hard and you feel you're doing well and then you feel tearful and think you're not coping

like I just said to another MNetter on Lone Parents, you want to protect your children from crap and I just feel awful that through no fault of their own, they are 3 hrs away from me & their home.
I know their dad loves them but what if something awful happened? or if one of them was sick & wanted me, they cant just come home like they could if ex lived nearer....thats my biggest beef - the journey, not staying away (contrary to what ex believes)

OP posts:
tenalady · 05/08/2006 08:59

Let her know that. Whatever the circumstances mistress, you need to communicate with both dad and lady friend, that way it will make the childrens path so much more pleasant. Sorry that you are feeling raw at the break up but if he has chosen his new life and there is no chance of reconcilliation then try to keep it amicable. He is a selfish wotsit and you musnt let him bring you to his level.

Speak kindly of him to the children and you will get much more out of a hurtful and difficult situation in the end.

Good luck x

proudofmyboobs · 05/08/2006 10:53

I wouldn't let her know it, I wouldn;t let her know anything, it's up to him to know that a sick/unhappy child needs their mother not a fecking stand in!!

tenalady · 05/08/2006 16:19

Well let your problems begin then. You have to let go of what has gone between you and him for your childrens sake.
Parping, sorry but been on this sort of thread before, no point in asking a different perspective if not prepared to listen.

mistressmiggins · 05/08/2006 18:30

Tenalady
I dont need to let HER know anything. The relationship I need to maintain is with my ex. He is responsible for my children not HER - BUT I would like her to treat them with respect and in time love them.
If you'd read my previous posts, you'd realise that I have done nothing but be respectful and positive about my ex to the children (even though it sticks in my throat)
To be honest, when they are adults and ask the truth, I can show them the admission of adultery by my ex and they will realise why we split up.
Until then I pretend all is fine so that the children dont suffer
But surely you can see it from my POV - its hard to want to be civil to a woman who embarked on a relationship with a married man with 2 children under 4?

ProudofMyBoobs
I appreciate your support but as I have pointed out to ex, although he says the responsibility is 100% his, while SHE lives there, she has to help and so if the children are ill, I expect her to chip in....I guess if she doesnt, my ex might question whether she is right for him.....

OP posts:
proudofmyboobs · 05/08/2006 18:41

Sorry, It's just I would find it very hard to be civil in your position and got a bit angry on your behalf at the thought of another woman (especially the one he left you and the kids for) tending to a child when all the wanted was their mummy sorry again..

mistressmiggins · 05/08/2006 18:49

please dont apologise - I quite agree with you - its VERY hard to be civil but thankfully SHE doesnt answer the phone....its sooooo hard listening to my children & knowing they are so far away.....I have to hope they dont fall ill or miss me otherwise Id go mad

I just hope that my ex remains faithful to this one - especially if they have children together
I dont think she will ever realise how hard it is for me until she has children & maybe then, she will realise what she did to me & the children...

OP posts:
rickman · 06/08/2006 10:01

Message withdrawn

Caligula · 06/08/2006 10:32

MM, on the one hand you say that you expect her to chip in and help if one of the kids is sick or something, and that you hope in time she might love your children, but on the other hand you say you don't need to let her know anything as you only need to maintain a relationship with your ex.

Can you see how contradictory these positions are? I know it's very easy to say and you must be going through agony knowing that that this bitch is playing happy families with your kids, and frankly I'd want to kill her, but you can't have it both ways. If she is part of your ex's life, then she's part of your children's lives for the time being, like it or loathe it, and that has to be acknowledged, not for her sake, but for yours and your children's.

Please don't think I'm minimising how tough it is and how unfair it is - I think it's bloody awful that mothers are forced to eat this shit when break-ups like this happen - but tbh the less you are able to distance yourself from it, the more like eating shit it will feel. And I know it's tough because it's still so raw - five years down the line it won't feel so bad, as long as you play it right now. But tenalady, however bluntly she's phrased it, is right. If you can't at least pretend to let go at the moment, you may be starting on a long career of years of hostility, anger, niggling, wind-ups, etc. about the children. And that will not do them or you any good - you deserve better than that, not to be stuck in that awful, self-destructive rut.

Having said that, I don't really know how you can "let go" as tenalady puts it, at this time. I don't think it's possible to let go of such a bloody major betrayal so soon, but you can pretend to. This is one area of life where denial and pretence are probably necessary as a short-term strategy. I won't be so crass as to tell you to prioritise your children's needs - I know you'll do that anyway - but please prioritise your own needs too. And your long-term need is to find some kind of way where emotionally, you can deal with the fact that your children are going regularly into the lair of your enemy. If you start off with the negativity now, five years down the line, instead of having emotionally moved on, you will still be embroiled in the heartache, betrayal etc. and it will still feel the same each weekend they go there. And that is just a horrible prospect for you, please try and avoid it for your own sake as well as your children's.

mistressmiggins · 06/08/2006 19:48

I appreciate both sides of the fence but actually think some have misunderstood (so easy to do with email etc)

When I said that I didnt have to let HER know anything, I just meant I wasnt going to ring her & say "hey everythings fine" ......if she answers the phone, I will be perfe4ctly civil & polite......am glad that children seem to like her

alll I was saying was that its unrealistic for me to chat & become friends with someone who contributed to the break up of my marriage

Im sure that in a few years all will be "OK" but until then, I have no intention ringing her up to be come pals

having said that, I did feel the urge to ring her & ask her how she found the weekend and as stupid/contrary as it sounds (if you knew me in RL you'd know I could do this) offer pointers.

my only concern is my children and if being nice to HER is needed, I will be

incidently today when ex dropped the kids off, my DS said "daddy will you give your friend a hug cos I reallyt love her"
ex laughed nervously
I said "aaahhh thats lovely DS"

I realise that at 4 they dont understand "love" so he was just being friendly but can you imagine how that feels for me?
but I behaved impecibly - always have & always will

I guess my OP was jsut asking for a little reassurance and a "its OK to feel hurt & concerned in your situation but it will be OK"
After all, like I said in my OP, she has made very little effort to get to know my children - she & my ex have just expected my children to get on with it - while thats probably happened, I feel disappointed & angry that ex hasnt thought more about chjildren's feelings/confusion

OP posts:
proudofmyboobs · 06/08/2006 19:55

Oh MM, I just felt a lump in my throat as big as a stone when you wrote what ds said about daddy's friend... and I am grinning at the way you handled it, now he can go back and tell his lady friend what you said and in no way will it make you look bad you are a clever girl!!

Caligula · 06/08/2006 20:30

"its OK to feel hurt & concerned in your situation but it will be OK" MM? Frankly, it's OK to feel fucking murderous. As long as you don't let on that that's how you're feeling. (And of course, don't act on the feelings! ) Sounds like you're doing a storming job, it must be so hard, but it will get easier. Reward yourself with a treat, you deserve it.

mistressmiggins · 06/08/2006 20:41

I love MN and have to say I really wouldnt be where I am now without support & opinion from both sides of the fence

I am no saint BUT want to be able to stand up in 20 yrs time and have my children tell me I did the best & they are grateful

you cant believe how hard it is but I NEVER show it as not fair to my children....they are soooo well adjusted and it is thanks to me - I know that.
After DS said he loved daddy's friend, he looked at me and said I love you too mummy - that really hurt as although hes only 4, DS was lumping me in same box as HER !!!!!

anyway as Ive said on a different thread, for some reason, my self esteem has grown this weekend and am finally feeling better about MYSELF

as for ex? he is ringing tomorrow....I have told him that DS is off to Speech therapy on Wed and asked him to make a note to ask me - hard you may think but why shoiuld I always tell him things? he needs to show interest and ASK me how it went

OP posts:
Swipe left for the next trending thread