Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Step-parenting

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

Help

39 replies

desperatestepmother · 17/06/2017 17:08

Been to the forums and close to tears, apologies this is a long one but it's been building up for a while.

I've been with my partner almost a year and he has a 6 year old daughter from a previous relationship (divorced due to his unreasonable behaviour)

He sees her 3 times a week and she stays over 2 nights.

I'm really struggling with the relationship he has with her, i wouldn't call my self jealous but it may come across that way and i'm really not sure hence me asking your advice.

His daughter is a very very clever girl and is more than capable of doing things things for herself but OH does everything for her. "dad get me a drink" "dad i want this" "dad get me that"
She won't do simple tasks such as wiping her own bottom (which she does at her mums and at school from what i've been told)
Her manners when talking to him are appalling - no please or thankyou, and when i ask her to say please or thankyou i'm the bad guy.
I think he lets her get away with it out of some sense of guilt because they're not all together anymore. Her breakfast consists of 4-5 different options - she'll want one thing and then change her mind but that's ok to him, he'll throw it away and make her something else. Same with dinner and tea - she'll barely touch it say she's full then demand a bag of sweets which of corse she gets.

I've tried to talk to him about it but on the occasions i have mentioned his daughter and the issues i have i've been verbally abused, hes thrown glasses and beer cans at me, he purposely made so much noise to scare my pup to the point where he wasn't a quivering wreck. I was banned from mentioning her name and he accused me of being a danger to her (i am moody but i'll take myself upstairs out the way when i do get that way - anxiety sufferer for 3 1/2 years but i manage it)

I try so so hard to build a relationship with her. I try and find fun activities for us to do together painting nails, clothes shopping (all out of my pocket) etc
Today for example, ive had a really rough week, my baby (which is a pooch) has been in vet hospital for 3 days really really ill. So i've been worried sick, not sleeping etc. I'd planned on an afternoon of fun crafty activities with her to take my mind off it and spent a fortune on kits and other craft/art supplies. I got her changed into some old clothes so she didn't ruin them and got told off for changing her. I apologised and ignored it. We were starting to make Papier-mâché in the garden and she had little bits of PVA glue on her hands and legs and he started cussing under his breath "look at the state of her" "she's covered in it" "for f**ks sake"
So i told his daughter to go paint some plaster butterflies i'd made last weekend instead. He just huffed about her getting covered in paint.
I gave up at that point. I packed everything away and tidied up.

He's gone off and took her to the park now and i've stayed behind contemplating whether to pack my bags and leave. I was so looking forward to spending time with them both and now it's ruined. It's not the first time i've tried and had it thrown in my face.
He's told me he would like to have children with me when the right time comes but i'm not sure he has enough room in his life for me let alone another child or if i even want to be with him anymore.

Quite rightly he dotes on his daughter but i feel it's so excessive to the point where it feels uncomfortable and in my opinion a little strange.
He's brought me into her life after having her to himself for 4 years and now i think he's regretting it. I can't do anything right for her except make myself late for work after i've stayed behind to do her hair because he can't do it apparently (managed for 4 years by himself himself)

It hurts my feelings all this and when i do mention it i'm made out to be unreasonable and nasty.

She's a lovely girl and i think the world of her but it's getting impossible now.

Is it me wanting too much to build a relationship with her or is he making things difficult.

So sorry this is so long and i've cut other things out that he does but i don't know what else to do and don't really have any family to ask.

Thankyou for your honest advice in advance

OP posts:
suffolknclose · 17/06/2017 17:13

Been it, done it, seen it before.... pack your bags and leave.

user1486334704 · 17/06/2017 17:15

Get out. Leave. It's only going to get worse.... save yourself the angst. He clearly doesn't appreciate the effort you're making and it will fester into resentment.

Hope your dog is ok 🐶

wheresthel1ght · 17/06/2017 17:16

Your step daughter isn't the issue, your feckless dp is.

She hasn't created the issue this weekend he has. So deal with him.

The Disney parenting is normal. How long have theu been separated and how long have you been with her?

You really have 2 options. Leave or deal with the actual problem

desperatestepmother · 17/06/2017 17:27

They separated 4 and a bit years ago i think, not 100% sure on the exact details i try not to ask.
When she's not here and everything is rosy it's great.

I know she isn't the problem, im not blaming her, if i could get away with it i would.
I'm just trying to understand not being a parent and my parents seperated when i was a teen so was old enough to understand, i don't know what's right and wrong. Right now all i know is i just keep getting it wrong.

OP posts:
Rainybo · 17/06/2017 17:34

Above everything else:

He throws things at you
He verbally abuses you
He doesn't support you emotionally
He wants children with you but already aggressively undermines what you do with his daughter

Leave.

CrazedZombie · 17/06/2017 17:36

Get out before you're pregnant.

Only he can change his ways and it's clear that he won't,

Slightlyperturbedowlagain · 17/06/2017 17:38

He really doesn't sound like someone you would want to stay with. Packing your bags sounds like a good option before you get too over-invested. I feel sorry for the little girl tbh, but I don't think you staying will really help.

paxillin · 17/06/2017 17:42

Leave or your own babies will have the same upbringing.

AyeAmarok · 17/06/2017 18:34

You're on the wrong board. This isn't a step parent issue.

Your boyfriend is a nasty, abusive dick. You deserve so much better than to be treated this way. He is awful. A poor parent, but a terrible, terrible partner.

You should ask for this thread to be moved to Relationships, and would you consider having a chat with Women's Aid? Flowers

paxillin · 17/06/2017 18:45

One of the advantages of being a step parent before becoming a parent is watching your proposed co-parent in action. I often wonder about threads describing shit dads who were shit dads to the OP's step children before being shit dads to her children. Do not have a baby with him.

desperatestepmother · 17/06/2017 18:51

He's not a bad dad. Mine WAS a bad dad. Regularly beat up my mum, brother and me so i disagree about him being a poor or bad parent. He adores and loves his daughter i will say that for him.
I know he's reacted badly and god knows i've made the excuses for him but he can be the nicest bloke you could ever meet so it's not always bad. Just has a rubbish temper.
I just don't understand why he'd want to bring someone into his life just to push them aside and make me feel useless when it comes to his daughter. I don't try and be mum - she doesn't need another mum, i guess i'm just trying to be a fun adult to her.

OP posts:
desperatestepmother · 17/06/2017 18:52

I'm making excuses for him again 🙈

OP posts:
MrsDanversKnickers · 17/06/2017 18:55

He's an abusive arse, LTB.

desperatestepmother · 17/06/2017 18:56

Am i trying too hard? He has a go when i go upstairs because i don't want my mind to turn to mush watching kids programs but when i try and do things with her, he already has plans with his other mother (every sunday 😤) or he just doesn't like what i do with her or the bond i'm trying to make with her. Does he think he's made a mistake? I don't think he wants anyone to be near her except him - hence the title overbearing dad?

OP posts:
katronfon · 17/06/2017 19:00

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Evilstepmum01 · 17/06/2017 19:01

Get out now. He's a prick who doesn't want to change and thinks very little of you.
You deserve better. So do any kids you may have. Do them and yourself a favour and find a decent man.

katronfon · 17/06/2017 19:02

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

desperatestepmother · 17/06/2017 19:04

Phone decided to put other in by itself. I just meant his mother. Almost tied to her apron strings

OP posts:
RandomMess · 17/06/2017 19:06

Geez run for the hills as fast as you can, I can totally see why he is divorced!

katronfon · 17/06/2017 19:06

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

desperatestepmother · 17/06/2017 19:13

Lol no, just a typo.
I love him and don't want to judge him on his previous mistakes, god knows i'm not perfect and could test the patience of a saint when i'm in a mood. But the anxiety makes me a wreck when shouted at - can't handle much confrontation. But when i stay quiet, it makes him worse.
Guess this is a relationship problem. Sorry to have spammed up the step parent section. Thanks for the advice everyone.

OP posts:
TiredMumToTwo · 17/06/2017 19:20

Run, now & fast!

katronfon · 17/06/2017 19:21

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

CrazedZombie · 17/06/2017 19:29

Just because he's a better dad than yours doesn't mean he's a good dad. Your standards are far too low because of your upbringing.

I'm not saying that he's shit and everybody else is perfect because that's obviously bollocks. It sounds like he has no awareness that his behaviour towards his dd is a problem. Change only happens when the person wants it.

It sounds like his ideal would be to have his dd as his focus 3 days a week and you for the other 4 days. There's countless posts on here where the dads are prioritising their older children because of the dysfunctional relationships they had before younger ones arrived. You could put money on him being one of those dads if you become pregnant.

Leaving a relationship because your needs aren't being met is a difficult but legitimate reason. If you stay, the resentment will build.

phoenixtherabbit · 17/06/2017 19:37

Leave him. He sounds like a shit parent and a shit partner!