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Step-parenting

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

When to step away

23 replies

Maggie24715 · 13/09/2017 13:41

I have a 12 year old step son and to the outside world we have the perfect relationship. Behind closed doors he's a different person, he needs so much attention it's exhausting. Everything has to go his way or he gets so moody and argumentative. I'm not sure I can deal with him anymore.
We have him 2 nights midweek and every second weekend for 3 nights.

His mother hates me, which I can take but her attitude towards me influences my DSS a lot. My husband has recently started shift work and I feel like I'm spending too much time alone with my DSS. I have to walk on egg shells and manipulate the conversations to keep them on his good terms. If he feels slighted in anyway then he ignores me. I've had 3.5 years of our whole lives revolving around him and I don't want to do it anymore. Our wedding centred around him, our first weekend with our baby home from hospital was ruined by his tantrums and lies. He's ruined every holiday we've had by not speaking to us for days if he's disciplined. My husband adores him & I only tolerate this life because I love him so much.

I'm tired. I don't think I really like my DSS anymore.

OP posts:
Nomoresunshine · 13/09/2017 13:57

Imo your dh should organise his contact for when he is at home. . Its not up to you to pander to Mr Twist. .
If dh wants to parent him like a toddler let him. .
Putting the dc first is OK but this sounds ridiculous. .

XJerseyGirlX · 13/09/2017 14:00

Your not a child carer. Tell DH that he is to look after DS as its causing you a lot of stress. Theres some jobs that just don't work around children, this is one. He needs to get another job and look after his own child.

Maggie24715 · 13/09/2017 14:25

I am tempted to ask my DH to not take his son on days that he won't be here to take care of him. We have a very sick child so we only have one salary coming in while I am now a carer - changing jobs for my DH isn't an option. If access is court ordered can he do that?

OP posts:
XJerseyGirlX · 13/09/2017 14:29

Im surprised that wasn't the set up anyway. Surely he should be looking after his own child on contact days.

I dnt know about the court order.
Why cant he change jobs? Can he not go back to the shifts he had before?
This isn't your issue to deal with , especially with an ill child to look after OP
He is taking the piss a bit expecting you too.

cherryontopp · 13/09/2017 14:48

OP, Yes even if the access is court ordered it still can be changed as your DH circumstances have changed, in this case he's shift pattern.
If you have your child to look after which is poorly, then explain to your husband looking after your DSS is getting you really stressed and worn out and then ask if he could not have DSS on the days his out. Say while you will do the odd bit of childcare, you seem like your being left alone with DSS a lot than you should.
It's not your job to look after him, hopefully your DH will understand this.

WhiteCat1704 · 13/09/2017 15:28

I'm sorry that you are struggling OP. Having a sick child must be exhausting and very stressful for you.

I agree with other posters..your DH should be taking responsibility and parenting his DS . Hopefully you can talk about it and he will be supportive of you.

Maggie24715 · 13/09/2017 16:52

Thank you - I need to speak to my DH about this & be honest. I'm starting to dread the days we have my DSS which isn't right. Changing access days will cause trouble with his ex but I can't see any other solution. I've tried to make it work with my DSS but he has no respect for me & thinks I'm a pushover. I should be focussing on my sick son not an entitled brat!

OP posts:
ohreallyohreallyoh · 13/09/2017 17:20

So your partner changes job and expects you to pick up the slack? And if you don't, his ex will have to? Presumably her life is organised around contact so playing devil's advocate, if contact is court ordered, what has any of this got to do with her?

I doubt very much his ex gives a damn about you, let alone is seeking actively to,cause problems. You may need to look at yourself for attitude - he is likely more than aware of what you think of him.

lunar1 · 13/09/2017 17:40

Just as it's not your responsibility to take over from him when he changes his hours, it's also not his ex's. Why did he think it was ok to swap his hours like that?

YoureAllABunchOfBastards · 13/09/2017 17:43

Access arrangements are for a parent to spend time with their child, not to provide childcare for the other parent. If DH is not there, then why is DSS?

Maggie24715 · 13/09/2017 18:03

His attitude isn't only with me, he's difficult with all of his family including my DH. he can be the sweetest boy if everything is going his way & he's getting all of our attention. It's draining to have to always keep him positive. I asked him this morning to put his phone down when he should have been getting ready for school so he ignored me & refused to say goodbye to me or his baby brother when he was leaving.

I wish you were right Ohreally & his mother didn't hate me as she has no reason to. Unfortunately she texts me at least once a week to let me know how she feels - the last few months her messages are that I'm not his parent & im nothing to do with him. One day I got 13 messages in a row saying that - I only reply re access issues. It doesn't need to be so difficult. He also tells me what she says about both of us - but I think he plays both sides. I've never bad mouthed his mother.

OP posts:
ohreallyohreallyoh · 13/09/2017 18:18

Why are you accepting this? If she is emailing you several times in a day and the emails are unpleasant, it is nothing short of harassment. Tell her that anything other than business-like communication re: step son will be reported to the police as harassment as of X date and make that report if you have to. You don't have to put up with that.

It is pretty normal for a preteen to sulk and want their own way. You have to remember he is living between two homes and one of his parents got himself another child. Imagine how that feels? Very hard not to be resentful even without the hell of hormones and stroppiness that is running through him at the moment!

Access arrangements are for a parent to spend time with their child, not to provide childcare for the other parent. If DH is not there, then why is DSS?
The access is court ordered. The father has changed his working hours. Why should mum just have to manage that? Fair enough it's not the OP's problem but unless he has discussed his working hours and come to an arrangement with the ex prior to changing his hours, nor is it his ex's problem.

swingofthings · 13/09/2017 18:25

You are absolutely right that you shouldn't be left with the burden of looking after him on your own, especially with a sick child.

However, your DH had no right to change jobs (you said he's just started shift patterns) and then say that he can't have his son any longer because of it and because you can't cope. How would you feel if his mum suddenly said that you had to have him every week-end because she's decided to take a week-end job?

If it is going to be too much for you, then him doing shift work just isn't an option. You might end up with less money but that something for you as a couple to deal with, not for his mum to make changes to her life to suit yours (unless she and SS are happy about it of course).

TheRealBiscuitAddict · 13/09/2017 19:42

There are several issues here. Firstly, the statement that "Access arrangements are for a parent to spend time with their child, not to provide childcare for the other parent. If DH is not there, then why is DSS?" doesn't ring entirely true as this is not an "access" arrangement it's a 50/50 parenting split and as such this house should be as much DSS' home as his mother's house. And based on a 50/50 arrangement I certainly wouldn't be expecting there to be a rigid agreement that the child is only with one or other parent when that parent is there, I would expect there to be some times when the parent is not there and the step parent be responsible for the child. That being said, those kind of arrangements do need to be discussed between the parent and the person they expect to be there when they are not, and it sounds as if the OP's DH has unilaterally changed his work hours without actually discussing this fact with his partner, and at the same time maintaining the nights his DS is scheduled to stay there.

OP your DH has been incredibly selfish in unilaterally changing his work hours without talking to you about it, especially as you A, are still expected to be responsible for his child during that time, and B, you have children of your own who demand more of your attention and he should be there to help out with those children as well where possible. With regard to the ex, she absolutely shouldn't be sending you texts and i would make it clear to her in no uncertain terms that this is to stop or you will be forced to speak to the authorities. However, from her point of view I would imagine that she is somewhat pissed off about the fact that her ex took her to court for greater access and doesn't actually spend that time with his child, so clearly he did it to prove a point rather than because he wanted more of his child in his life.

At this point you need to speak to your DP and tell him that this just isn't working with his child being there when he isn't, and that while 50/50 is all well and good, he needs to speak to his ex in order to come to an arrangement which suits them both.

WRT the child, twelve year olds can be notoriously stroppy, but you have to almost treat them like toddlers, and ignore the bad behaviour, reward the good behaviour. So if he's behaving like a stroppy teen I would give it no attention what so ever. He will soon learn there's nothing to be gained if he can't get to you and his behaviour creates no response. And if he goes off to his bedroom, wel let him. Don't worry about whether he speaks to the baby, twelve year olds often don't engage with babies even if they're their full siblings. Again just ignore ignore ignore.

SandyY2K · 14/09/2017 20:43

I suggest the Ex contracts your DH about access issues.

If she can't be civil, she should be blocked....and if DSS insists on being rude...then try ignoring him.

rOsie80 · 14/09/2017 21:53

I can relate. Dss now 16. When he was 12/13 it was hardest, so far, anyway! There's so much everywhere about what you, the step-parent should do to make dsc feel loved, wanted, not left out etc. but little to encourage the natural parent to do the same. I've frequently felt over the years like the one holding the rope taught and picking up the slack for dh where dss concerned. If you're feeling resentful of your dss, step back. Ultimately he's a child. You know best but it's not up to you to raise him or teach his father how to. Step back and give his dad a chance to step up. And encourage it but don't let it rule you're relationship with either of them. In my experience step children come to realise the support their step-parents offer their natural parents and recognise the faults in their own parents that you're not responsible for (but love them anyway - like most of us!) Don't try and be a hero to your own detriment - do what you can then let them work through it. In the meantime enjoy the time alone you have with your partner and try not to make it all about the relationship with his child. It'll all be ok if you want it to be.

Bananasinpyjamas11 · 14/09/2017 22:43

I have sympathy Maggie. I had a DSD from age 12 for 5 years. It was slower, in that I didn't realise how hard she was until a couple of years in. I thought she was off in her own world but realised that there was a real resentful, simmering undertone of aggression and she would ignore me and my DS for months.

She would also just turn up at the house a lot when DP was at work and she was supposed to be at her mums. I did actually ask that her time with her mums was kept and that the time DP was at work and I was alone with her was limited.

I got the most awful backlash. I'm still resented for it and it caused a huge rift in my relationship. However at that point I knew that I had to do something to have my other kids grow up in a better atmosphere, it was really starting to affect them negatively as DSD lived with us full time.

Unfortunately it will test you and your DPs relationship, and you will have to tread on eggshells trying to make it a bit better. However, even though it was awful, I do recommend you draw some lines in the sand - you will not tolerate some things from your step child, and you will not have too much time alone to parent him. As, you have already outlined, you have other children and it will affect them.

My DSD moved out in a huff because I eventually asked her to say "hello' to me and DS and not ignore us, aged 18. My DS was really relieved and the house has been much more peaceful ever since. Like we could breath again.

Bananasinpyjamas11 · 14/09/2017 22:50

the last few months her messages are that I'm not his parent & im nothing to do with him.

Wow just had to say I've had the exact same! I had angry texts from DSDs Mother who dropped them without any warning in our house for a few days while DP was away at work, I texted back that I wanted some warning. I got 'How dare you, you are not their mother this is nothing to do with you and you do not have to do anything for them so keep out of it.'...

This is after leaving a 10, 14 and 15 year old with me for 3 days! It undermines the step parents role totally and breeds huge resentment from the step kids. Kind of evil when you think about it.

Maggie24715 · 15/09/2017 07:26

Thank you Bananasinpyjamas11 the first 2 years here were perfect too. I joke to my DH that I've been catfishes by my DSS and he was trying to woo me by being a different person until we married! It's all changed since we got married from his mother, until then she was polite to me. Now she feels the need to constantly remind me that her rules go and I'm not his parent. If I'm doing pick ups/drop offs she will not be home when arranged to make me wait outside for up to an hour. I never rise to it as like I said I've a very sick child so my mind is preoccupied. I've tried to keep the peace with both of them to make that side of our life easier. I have let it go on for too long & now they think that I'm a weak pushover. One day when my son was in ICU she refused to open the door to my DSS at the drop off time arranged of 9am - I had to bring my DSS to hospital with me (my DH was working out of the city that day) and she didn't reply to my calls & texts until 5pm that evening. Thats the day I should have stood up to her.

I've spoken to my DH and he said he will take over the majority of my DSSs care from now on. He's actually up getting him ready for the school run now Shock

OP posts:
Wdigin2this · 15/09/2017 16:09

Parenting of your DSS, is not your job, if your DH cannot be there when his son is due to visit, then it's up to him to rearrange!
If you don't make it clear you're not responsible for looking after/entertaining/parenting this boy, you'll be the easy option cop out, for years to come.....sort it now, before it wrecks your relationship!

Bananasinpyjamas11 · 15/09/2017 17:10

That's the awful thing, it puts you right in the middle of parenting and punishes you at the same time. Hence the angry text from DPs EX when she dropped them off, in no sense did she then take the responsibility that if she didn't want me to parent, don't drop them off then without checking who is in the house!!!

Of course, our DPs are the ones who could make a huge difference. However a lot of the reason things have gone very difficult is that they lack the fortitude and boundaries. My DP is in many ways a very good man, but he allowed his ExW to manipulate situations. For example the one above in my case...

ExW contacted DP to say that I was 'keeping the kids away from their own house, which was their home... etc etc etc'. DP then told me that 'he could see both sides'. And yet, if I hadn't spoken up, I would basically be taking on 3 step children for 3 days who were under clear instructions from their mother to not listen to me.

Unfortunatley OP, for example you shouldn't have to drop off your step kids anymore. But if your DP doesn't take some measures to make sure that your household has some harmony and you are not continually taken for a ride, it'll never work. He has to tell his kids to totally respect you and that yes, you will have to be in a parental role if he is not there. He has to do that at the very least.

Me and my DP broke up, as a direct result of a lot of these incidences and our child does not live with him anymore.

SteppingOnToes · 15/09/2017 17:29

I'm another one where an unreasonable ex (and weak DP) caused too much strain on the relationship resulting in a breakup :(

Bananasinpyjamas11 · 15/09/2017 23:57

Oh sorry to hear stepping. To be fair DPs Ex was only part of the problem but it definitely filtered down and into DPs guilt - and into my step daughters hearts. Just the idea that it was me in the wrong, me causing any strife, the blame just stuck onto me and stained our entire relationship.

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