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Step-parenting

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DS (10) is devastated that I'm pregnant with his first (half) sibling - how can I help him through this?

15 replies

SqueakyClean · 26/06/2014 11:31

I'm six weeks pregnant with my second child and my first child with DP, who is step-dad to my DS (10). I have been feeling increasingly sick and am now working from home/off work, and have been conspicuously absent from several things relating to DS (football matches, etc).

DP and I felt DS was owed an explanation, so we told DS a few days ago, gently but with a "this is positive news" vibe. He was amazing at first - took it so much better than I could ever have imagined. It was as though a whole load of primal instincts - love, protection, care, loyalty - bubbled up and he was so positive, saying he wanted to teach it to play football and to read, and asking if it would look like him, and hoping the pregnancy would go OK. He said he was positive about it "because it's family". He has a really good relationship with DP too, which maybe helped him take it so well.

However, a day later - yesterday - after a long day at school and clubs (tiredness may not have helped), he came home a different child. He is so angry, feels so rejected. He doesn't understand why we've chosen to have another, other than to replace him; he says we have our hands full as it is (DP has his DCs too, who are with us about a third of the time). DS feels he has no value anymore, doesn't see the point in anything - school, etc. He says I'll have no time or attention for him, and said this "fucking baby" has ruined the rest of his childhood. He also referred to it as "that piece of shit growing in your tummy" (he never talks like this normally, so please don't think he's so very awful), and said he wished I'd have a miscarriage. Sad

At this point, I walked out of the room and left him to his own devices until this morning (when he was still miserable and angry). I have tried so hard to be understanding - saying I know it's an adjustment, that some things will change but we think positively, that he can carry on doing all the things he loves. I've reassured him I love him to bits and always will. But I have also said he crossed a line saying what he said last night, and that he's not the only person in the household with feelings - that I don't expect him to verbalise any thoughts like that again and I expect an apology. I know he's going to feel all over the place, but surely there has to be a line somewhere?

I just feel so low about how DS is taking the news. DS's initial reaction seemed too good to be true, and perhaps it was. I'm so worried I've damaged our close relationship. Do you think DS will come out of this unscathed, eventually? How do I support him as he comes to terms with the news, listen to his feelings and help him feel reassured, without crumbling under his guilt trips and cutting remarks? How understanding-versus-tough is it reasonable to be with him when he's just had this news dumped on him? I'm listening and listening and understanding, and then after all the worst-case-scenario negativity, I want to just say look, stop trying to make me feel bad, and you'll get out of this what you put in. But I don't imagine that would help much!

Thanks so much for any support with this - and any good news stories where a similar situation has come good?!

OP posts:
weatherall · 26/06/2014 11:37

Omg that a horrible thing for him to have said!

I hope you feel ok, OP.

There's no excuse for saying that. He needs to apologise.

BuzzLightbulb · 26/06/2014 12:05

He's 10, he's still a child so he will react like a child.

Maybe if you can emphasise that this is HIS brother, HIS family that might help? Much as he may get on with his step siblings he will know they are not his 'real' brothers and sisters.

Your baby IS.

Then there's all the trust and responsibility you will expect of him as the baby's grown up big brother, how baby is going to look up to big brother, adore him and want to be just like him.

He doesn't seemed to have reacted any differently to the little boy next door to us, who was only 4 admittedly! Couple of days out of hospital he asked his mum when they were taking his baby brother back.

swissfamily · 26/06/2014 12:07

What you're describing is exactly what happened with a friend of mine and her then, 11 year old.

It had been 'just the two of them' right up until her DD was 11 and then my friend got pregnant. Initially her DD was delighted but very quickly that turned into anger. To be honest it lasted for the rest of the pregnancy and I remember her getting very upset when the cot, pushchair etc started to arrive. My friend was at her wits end, no amount of attention, days out, treats (she re-did her DD's entire bedroom so she didn't feel left out) etc seemed to make any difference.

All the anger melted away though as soon as her DD saw the baby and she's an amazing big sister; the little boy (my godson, he's 5 now) almost sees her as a second mother I think.

MackerelOfFact · 26/06/2014 12:24

I think 10 is a really tough age, being somewhere between a little child and yet on the cusp of adolescence. In some ways he wants to be grown up and responsible, in others he just wants to be loved and cherished by his mum and sees the baby as the threat to that.

Reassure him that he will always be your first baby and it doesn't matter if he is 10 days, 10 years or 30 years old, having him will always be the most incredible life-changing experience you've ever had, because he was first!

Explain that love expands with each child - the new baby will be given brand new love, and you won't give any of the love you have for him to the baby. You will love him exactly the same - if anything, even more, when you see him being such a lovely big brother. Compare it to the love he has for members of his family - does he love his parents/grandparents/aunts/uncles/cousins any less because there are more than one of them? (Obviously that depends on your family dynamic).

In his head, he hasn't had any choice in the matter and now his life and relationship with you is going to be negatively impacted forever. Reiterate how much the baby and your DS will bring to each others lives, and how exciting this time is for all of you.

YouAreMyRain · 26/06/2014 14:17

I was in the same situation last year with my DD threatening to kill the baby and attacking me etc.

Don't get "tough" or make him feel bad for having those feelings. He's only 10 and probably scared. Just listen and empathise and listen and empathise but firmly tell him that this is the situation.

I turned it back on DD and said "I don't think I will be able to love this baby as much as you" that made her quite cross and defensive on the baby's behalf "but mummy you have to love it!!!"

Anyway he's nine months now, she loves him and hasn't killed him.

Thatoneoverthere · 26/06/2014 15:04

My sister (then 12) didn't talk to my mother from the time she told us she was pregnant until she went in to see her with my brother at the hospital. She was disappointed we weren't getting a new telly but as soon as he came along the two of them were inseparable. They used to have sleeps together when she came home from school and as he got older the used to gang up on me and leave me out Shock (Classic middle child! Grin)

TwelveLeggedWalk · 26/06/2014 15:08

It's a very sudden change - does he have friends at school who have had a tough experience of newborns coming into the family who have told him it's going to be crap? CAn you reassure him that your family is not their family?

PeterParkerSays · 26/06/2014 15:23

DS borrowed a book from the library about a girl who's mum was pregnant and she was worried about being ousted. The character was younger than your DS but the story suggested her writing lists of the positives and the negatives of the baby. Could you ask your son to do that? If he can't think of any positives, he needs to go away and have another think, but you can praise the positivity of the good things he's thought up, and address the issues he raises in the negative - you will still go to School shows, football etc, there will still be money for him to have new trainers or whatever.

I'm not going to recommend the book for you - the book is aimed at primary aged children and the mother ends up having twins!

divingoffthebalcony · 26/06/2014 15:27

I saw your other thread and my first thought was, actually, that a ten year old doesn't have the right to dictate your reproductive choices. He may have always been adamant that he never wanted a sibling, but whatever you do, don't feel guilty or indicate to him that you feel guilty, as it will only validate his anger.

He's entitled to be angry, of course, but I'd also be letting him know that the disgusting language and shocking, disrespectful things he's been saying are completely unacceptable and will not be tolerated. He's ten years old: both too young to be swearing freely and old enough to know how wrong it is.

Has he always been very highly strung and demanding?

SqueakyClean · 26/06/2014 16:51

Thank you all so much for your posts. You've all offered helpful advice and I really appreciate it.

I was very clear to DS this morning that he crossed a line last night, and no matter how angry/hurt/threatened he feels, that what he said was completely unacceptable and he must apologise.

He went off to school miserable, but when he came in an hour or so ago, we had a really good chat. He said he's had a tough week with a friendship issue at school, he's tired (he's been having trouble sleeping lately), and the baby news was the last straw. He said that the friendship issue was actually bothering him more. He has been remorseful and apologised, and I have said we understand he might be feeling all kinds of things about the news and that's OK - but some things are not to be said. He gets that.

We've had a lot of big hugs and reassurances, a long chat about the friendship issue (which isn't really solvable but it's good to talk all the same) and he's calmly gaming in the next room. So that's a lot better than I feared it would be around about now.

diving, I agree that the way DS spoke last night was completely out of order and have come down on this. I did say in my OP that this was out of character for him. I think this news requires a massive adjustment on his part, since it's mostly been just the two of us through thick and thin. His dad and I separated when he was a toddler, before we'd had another, and there have been a fair few ups and downs with his dad over the years - lots of different girlfriends, insecure jobs, more house moves than I can count, money worries. I represent stability and security in DS's life and as much as I didn't like how far he took his outburst last night, I think him feeling pretty unsettled by this news is understandable. IMO, labelling him "very highly strung and demanding" for his reaction is unkind and unhelpful.

OP posts:
TwelveLeggedWalk · 26/06/2014 17:01

Sounds like you handled that really well. Thanks

TwelveLeggedWalk · 26/06/2014 17:01

OH, and congratulations!

yoyo27 · 26/06/2014 21:07

Has someone spoken to him about it and put negative thoughts in his mind? They're VERY strong words to suddenly be using.

wheresthelight · 26/06/2014 23:30

Firstly op congratulations on your news!!!!

Secondly am glad your ds has apologised. To be honest I was terrified that my dss would react the same way ashe has emotional issues anyway. LLuckily he was fab and is a brilliant big brother.

Thirdly I think you need to prepare yourselves for a roller coaster of these emotions over the next few months whilst he adjusts. Finding out the babies sex may help in so much that if it's a girl he may feel less replaced. I would also try and involve him, consult him on name choices (and you dsc's). Get them all involved in nursery prep etc

Good luck!

CalamityKate1 · 27/06/2014 10:03

I think you handled it really well OP.

Do you do much with him where it's just the two of you?

When I got PG with DS1, DH made sure that DSS (then 12) knew that he wasn't being replaced and that they still spent lots of 1-1 time together - doing things that babies can't do.

When the baby was born and DSS got him a pressie I wrote him a thankyou letter which also went on at length about how lovely DSS is and how happy I'd be if baby DS grew up halfway as wonderful as DSS.

He read it in private and when it was time to go suddenly doubled back to run upstairs - "Almost forgot my letter!!"

Lots of understanding and love, loads of "How lucky would DH and I be if the baby turns out as lovely as you?!" and it'll be fine :)

Congratulations!

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