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I'm struggling with SS please help!

118 replies

MumTo2GirlsDT · 07/10/2016 22:57

New to this sort of thing but really need advice! I don't know if I'm irrational, selfish or just plain mean but me and DH have 3 children between us. DH has son (11), I have daughter (3) who DH has bought up since 1 year old and she calls dad (doesn't see biological for various reasons) and we have a 5 month old LG together. We have been together 2 years and got married 5 weeks ago. The day we got back from honeymoon SS moved in with us into a rented 2 bedroom house (LG still sleeps in my room and 3yo & 11yo shared). We have just bought a house and are currently doing it up. SS has fallen out with his mum and is determined he is living with us now. My issues are:
Firstly DH was supposed to drop DD off at school in the mornings as baby struggles with sleep but now has to do 30mile round trip to drop SS off at school so I have to drop DD off... resulting in baby being a rat bag all day... literally my children hate sleep!
Secondly the house we bought is 3 bed and my 2 were supposed to be having separate rooms. Mainly because I wake up several times a night when baby stirs (I'm sure all mums are like that!) and because in every house we have lived my 3yo has never had a room to call her own. Now SS has to have own room, taking baby's room meaning she has to stay in with me. And in future share with eldest daughter.
Thirdly, he is ALWAYS there. Just sitting there with us. My kids go to bed at 7 and then we normally have "adult time" just me and DH but now he is there and goes to bed at same time as me (I go to bed about 9-10 due to being up most of the night with baby) so me and DH get NO alone time... we have been married 5 weeks... Surely newlyweds need time together.
Fourthly, me and DH are currently living separately as rented house lease ran out and we moved into parents whilst doing up other house. However no room for all 5 of us so DH & SS stay at new house and myself & 2 DDs stay at parents. Without SS we could all stay here.
Am I being selfish as he was never part of the plan? SS has literally changed everything and it is only benefitting him. My girls miss out on their father as he isn't here due to being at other house with SS and I miss out on my husband. I feel like SS has taken DH away from me and DDs, and any time I do get to spend with DH, SS is present.
Before SS decided he wanted to live with us, we only saw him once or twice a month (due to his own choice not ours) so I barely know the boy and have no strong feelings towards him as we haven't bonded like that yet.

Any advise on what you think or would do?

Please bare in mind I have nothing against SS, he is a lovely boy, its just the situation.

OP posts:
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AyeAmarok · 08/10/2016 08:41

But can I just add it is yourselves that are saying DH's son but I call him SS so who is it considering him an outsider?

You. All you. Your SS is your DH's first child. He should be his priority before he makes any plans/DC with anyone else.

Why did you buy a house that had no space for one of your DH's children? What would you have thought if your DH suggested your 3yo had no room of her own? Why would you make the loft a playroom for your DDs and not the SS's room? That you (and your DH) planned your lives/home without considering where his son fitted into that was fucking stupid so it's good that something has now happened to make his dad have to put him first. Let this be a lesson to you.

All 3 children are equal in your family - that's what you have to understand. Your DH's priorities are his son and his baby. Yours are your 3yo and your baby. All are equally as important a part of your family.

You're being ridiculous.

Starryeyed16 · 08/10/2016 08:41

Says a lot they couldn't post here op doesn't it. Your attitude to that lad is appalling considering you have a child to someone else but your DH treats them as there own again would you think it's acceptable if he treated her and spoke about her in the same way?

stitchglitched · 08/10/2016 08:44

Doesn't say much for your husband as a parent that he is supporting you tbh.

ayeokthen · 08/10/2016 08:45

I've been a step mum a lot longer than you have, and believe me there have been issues I could write a book about. But the one thing I could never allow myself to feel was that my DSDs didn't belong in my home, because they do. It's their dad's home (actually he's their stepdad but that's a whole other thread) and therefore they belong here. Nobody said there aren't issues with blended families, God knows it's a minefield at times. But you cannot, ever, just behave like a child doesn't belong because they're not yours.

swingofthings · 08/10/2016 08:45

You started your thread indicating that you were wondering whether you were reacting selfishly to the situation, so deep inside, you do know that your attitude is not right, but it is just harder when people tell you so.

Once again, problems are already starting raising serious alarm bells because once again comes another situation that has been massively rushed. Within 2 years, you've met someone, had him become a father to your DD, had another kid within months, got married and are taking on a pre-teenager who clearly has some issues if he felt so strongly about moving out of his mum's house. OF COURSE you are going to face issues and difficulties.

What is coming across as is that you had it planned in your head that you would build this perfect family with this man, someone to replace your DD's dad, have another baby with, move in together and play happy family with the other child in the picture but hopefully not impacting on your plans. Now you are finally faced with the reality that this child who means little to you, means as much to your OH as your two children.

On this basis, you do need to put yourself in your OH shoes and realise that it is very wrong that you consider normal that he should so quickly become your child's dad, but think that you shouldn't have to accept his child full-time. That child has as much a place on your family than your two children, however inconvenient it is to you.

You also need to look at it from a 'normal' family dynamic. If you had three children, a boy of 11, a 3yo daughter and a newborn baby girl, OF COURSE the 3yo would be expected to share with the baby once it sleeps through the night. Your statement that she never had a room for herself and your seemingly attitude that she deserves to have one at that age is irrational. At that age, they normally don't like being on their own anyway.

All this is not to beat you up. You are right that you didn't expect to have to share your life with this boy, so this is now coming as a big shock, require a massive adjustment at a time you will feel most vulnerable with a young baby, so you do deserve some empathy. However, you also need to try to understand it from your OH's point of view. He is now asking you to take on his son as you have expected him to take on your daughter. As a matter of fact, less so since you are not expected to act as his mum. It might not be what you signed up for, but when you took your OH, you also took on the possibility that this could happen.

You now need to work together to make sure that it doesn't all fall apart. It's great that you seem to be able to communicate well as this is the most important part. It sounds like your OH is showing understanding of your feelings and be prepared to do something about it, it's now your turn to do the same.

So yes, your 3yo should share a room with her sister. Yes, you should be the one dropping your DD to school whilst your OH takes his son and if this mean that your baby needs to adjust, then that's what needs to happen like millions of babies with older siblings have to do. Don't start resenting your DS. I'm sure he didn't pick to feel that he can't live with his mother any longer, and take on a new SM and two kids by moving with his dad. Compassion is really essential all around. Good luck.

hippydippybaloney · 08/10/2016 08:45

That poor, poor little boy.

I see stepmothers getting slaughtered on here when they don't deserve it and I'm shocked

And then I see posts like these and I can understand why people stereotype

People aren't bashing they are just giving you answers you don't want to hear - because they are true. You are being hideously self absorbed. How would you feel if this was your child's father?

You better hope it works out with your husband OP, or you will find out when he happily lets the next woman push your girls out.

BantyCustards · 08/10/2016 08:51

Goodness, you are very passive aggressive.

You need to get past not liking a mirror being held up to you.

Muddlingthroughtoo · 08/10/2016 08:57

You can sort of tell the kind of woman she is by the way she has responded to the posts. My best friend grew up with a step mum who treated her like a stranger in the house and it was horrific for her, she still has issues 20 years on. You don't seem like a nice person OP, your husband accepted your daughter and you resent his son. I wonder if you'd show him this post so he can see how you feel, really feel that is.

swingofthings · 08/10/2016 08:58

It's possible to feel sympathy for your situation and still think that the way you are reacting to it is wrong. As stated in my previous post, I think you need to accept a large responsibility for where you find yourself now because of the choices you've made. That doesn't mean that you deserve to be aggrieved, but it means that you need to accept that you now will need to make compromises you might have hoped to never have to make.

Starryeyed16 · 08/10/2016 09:10

Swingofthings you make total sense in you're posts but I don't think ops prepared to accept and may the compromises when needed given by her responses thus far.

Mamatallica · 08/10/2016 09:15

Poor kid. Maybe the OP should have waited longer than 10months of knowing a bloke before getting knocked up and expecting a perfect little family with her kid and their new one? If she'd thought about it, she could have bothered to get to know the existing child of the man before babies and marriage were thrown into the mix but obviously not. Hmm

JenLindleyShitMom · 08/10/2016 09:18

Thirdly, he is ALWAYS there. Just sitting there with us. My kids go to bed at 7 and then we normally have "adult time" just me and DH but now he is there and goes to bed at same time as me (I go to bed about 9-10 due to being up most of the night with baby) so me and DH get NO alone time

In 8 years that will be your daughter. Your daughter will be the one who is always there. How would you feel if your husband was saying this about her?

ayeokthen · 08/10/2016 09:20

JenLindleyShitMom spot on!

Onedaftmonkey · 08/10/2016 09:23

Op are u for real? You married him with the full knowledge that he has a son. Doesnt matter that he previously lived with his mum. What if she was to god forbid pass away suddenly and U had custody full time? That's what happens to me. My step mum was a total cunt to me when she couldn't get my dad to herself. I hated her for years. Oh and i shared a room with my sister didn't do me any harm. it's not all about u. Maybe get the mother involved. Get a dialogue started between them. Jump off the pitty parade your on. Be a nice step mum. Don't be a stereotype.

user1473454752 · 08/10/2016 09:27

If ss is living with you now I would change his school to where you live, 30 mile round trip to school everyday is a bit much.

cuntinghomicidalcardigan · 08/10/2016 09:31

You say dh agrees with you that he isn't used to having his son full time and you not there? Yet you've only been together 2 years and his son is 11? How did he possibly cope before he met you? Everything you describe sounds like the difficulties a lot of marriages face when kids are involved. The only differences in your situation is that him living with you full time is slightly unexpected. He would still need his own space and be there some of the time even if he lived with his mother, right?

pictish · 08/10/2016 09:36

"Firstly I personally think a bed time of 9/10pm is far too late, I might be evil but I'd say at 11 bed time should be 8/8:30. I think if you and DH establish some house rules and present them to the two eldest (so to not look like it's all directed at SS) it would be a good first step."

Can I just say that I disagree with this. He's 11, he's not 5.
8-8.30 is a little kid bedtime and he is no longer a little kid. 9-10 is appropriate for his age.

Starryeyed16 · 08/10/2016 09:41

I agree Pictish my DS is 8 and goes to bed at 8ish

JenLindleyShitMom · 08/10/2016 09:43

My DCs (7 and 11) do extra curriculars that only finish at 8/8.30 so a 9pm bedtime is as early as it is ever going to be on those nights. Usually it's after though as they will want supper too. Does this child not do any clubs or hobbies? Maybe that's an idea to allow you and DH an hour of alone time a couple of evenings a week.

ayeokthen · 08/10/2016 09:45

Our 9 yo goes to bed at 8.30 on a school night and 9-10 on weekends and holidays. 8/8.30 is way too early for an 11 yo.

Starryeyed16 · 08/10/2016 09:46

So it's OK for our other children to miss out on their father because of SS? And for DH to literally wipe SS's backside, my 3yo does more for herself than 11yo

It's clear from this that the little boy will never measure up compared to her precious girls..

ayeokthen · 08/10/2016 09:50

Also OP he's not "their" father is he? He's the wee one's dad, and your SS dad. Is it fair for your SS to miss out on his dad because you've decided he's got more important priorities? Actually I don't even know why I bothered asking. You won't change your mind, you will continue this way to do things your way and shut this poor kid out of his own family. Shame on you.

EggInABap · 08/10/2016 10:07

You say he is 'always there' and claim to collect him from school twice a week and get him ready each morning but then state you aren't living together at the moment and that he's only visited 10 times previously and you hardly know him??? Get your story straight Hmm

pictish · 08/10/2016 10:27

It's not about giving you a bashing OP - it's about making you understand that you are being quite breathtakingly selfish in your approach to your SS. You want your dh all for your own daughters, one of which isn't his, while SS is supposed to be an occasional visitor who otherwise makes himself scarce. I'll tell you for nothing right now - when your dds are 11 you won't be carping about them being there and sending them to bed at 8 so you can have alone time with your husband. You need to disperse with that nonsense now.

I do appreciate that this has all been sprung on you and you're fumbling with it...but you know...chances are, he'll go back to his mum's sooner or later. It sounds like an impulsive move made after a probable build up of tension.
The point being...he has every right to expect houseroom in your home and lives when things break down for him. He should be able to rely on and turn to his father at any time and expect to be answered. Just the very same as you do your girls and always will.

Beebeeeight · 08/10/2016 10:54

When you marry someone with kids you take on them as well as your partner. It is always a possibility that the step child will come live with the other parent.

I blame your dh in this. He's a terrible father for marrying someone who doesn't love his child.