I am a newish step parent (about a year in)
I love my DSD 7 but sometimes I feel irritable with her, she has a tendency to invade my personal body space, I love her cuddles and snuggles but she sometimes puts her face VERY close to mine she seems to find this amusing, I try to go along with it because she's just playing and I will say that's enough now and generally she stops.
I have quite sticking out front teeth and she often asks to see them which makes me feel really vulnerable and hurt which I know is a childish emotional response, I just say no and feel a bit pissed off.
It annoys me that on a sunny day she would rather watch TV.
Reading this back I can see that she is exactly as I was as a child and I don't want to reject her based on things which irritate me and I don't outwardly but I just avoid her when she's here and get on with my own stuff.
I am so aware that I don't have that parental unconditional love for her.
I get really easily irritated by her, if she forgets to say please or doesn't pick her pyjamas up from th living room floor etc but I know this is her home and she should be able to be relaxed and not picked up on everything she does or doesn't do.
I am a training primary school teacher and have nannied for many years and have loved many children over the years so I'm confused by my feelings with my DSD.
My DP is a great dad and I can't talk to him about it because he can't put himself in my position.
I just feel like I'm struggling to bond/create a positive rl with her. She tends to be quite horrible/rude/aggressive, to other children and seems to lack friends so socially she is not the easiest child to like at times, as much as I love her and would never express this.
I don't know what to do.
Thanks