Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Please or to access all these features

Step-parenting

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

Equality ( AIBU)

56 replies

jingleberries · 10/12/2017 11:57

Been with DP 3 years now. I have a DS 6 and he has a DD 9. We see His DD EOW and she hates the ground I walk on / the air that I breathe etc. It's not a great relationship! But that's for a different thread. DS's father died when he was just born so it's just me and him extended family wise. No 'second' xmas for him. DP has just announced that we should spend equal amounts on the children. I recoiled in horror ( an over reaction I agree but is how I feel) and pointed out that his dd has xmas day with her Mum ( we never get her for Xmas as per her mother, it would be too upsetting) so she will be getting spoiled on Xmas and Boxing Day. I'm not suggesting we get her nothing. Have already started a plan where I keep back some of DS presents for Boxing Day and have a lovely stash of pressies for her ( that will be from Santa and nothing to do with me as if she thinks they are anything to do with me they will be ignored) DP now annoyed with me as I am spending more on my son than we are spending on his dd. ( we have separate finances and I would earn considerably more than him). I can see his side but also my own. Who is BU??

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Oswin · 17/12/2017 00:22

You would really put a nine Yr old on the naughty list and get her fuck all? She's a child. Tell your dp you will buy each others children a few gifts each then you each get your own children's presents.

Koala2018 · 17/12/2017 03:04

I don't think it's unreasonable for you to spend more on your child if they only have you, and your step child has her mothers presents. It logically makes sense to me. Just be careful as to not make it too obvious to the step child so they feel second best. If it's done discreetly it shouldn't be a problem.

My Step Mum and bio Dad always spent more on the child they shared together compared to me which wasn't an issue at all and was completely understandable. I had my Mum to rely on for main presents too.

My step mum would tactfully not give the expensive presents in front of me and me and my step sister would get relatively the same gifts at the same time and then obviously as I went home, her main gifts were revealed to her as my main gifts were revealed to me at my Mum's house. No issue at all.

Just make sure she feels loved/wanted and equal and there shouldn't be a problem :)

SandyY2K · 17/12/2017 19:16

You would really put a nine Yr old on the naughty list and get her fuck all?

Her father can get her a gift...and the OP didn't say she wouldn't buy het anything. Just less than her son.

wanderlust99 · 19/12/2017 20:25

Op the presents issue is the least of your worries. From what you have said it sounds like a very unhealthy environment to bring your D's up in.

Louw12345 · 21/12/2017 00:35

Equal amount of money spent or equal amount of presents?

GetMeOutOfHerePlease · 28/12/2017 00:08

I never ever saw my Dad on xmas day as a child (stepmum didn’t and I absolutely did know my gifts were much less.

Stepbrother would be sat next to massive pile of stuff he’d got while playing on the console and ten games to go with it all bought my Dad while my brother and I opened a book and a cd. I never complained, and thanked stepmum and dad for the few things I did get but I won’t lie and say it didn’t hurt. I found out after his death it was because stepmum felt her son should get more to make up for me and brother getting two Christmas. My Dad left my Mum in the shit finance wise, he didn’t pay maintainance half the time, and when he did it was £5 a fortnight (and he did everything he could to stop that). Stepmum said I’d already gotten gifts off my Dad as he paid my mam £5 a fortnight, hahahaha.

My Dad lived ten mins away and couldn’t see his two children on xmas day because he was “busy” watching stepson open gifts, that I was selfish for asking him to come and pick me up.

It was never about the money, or the size of the gifts etc, it was about the presents being yet another thing showing how I didn’t belong, how I was a pain in the arse esp for my stepmother, and how I was seen as less.

I had very little gift wise off my Mum, but loved xmas with her, she did her best every day, with very very little help from my Dad. I was wanted and loved. Can’t say I felt that at Dads, not just at xmas but all year round.

My situation is different in that my Dad was the one buying the gifts, that he earned decent money yet chose to not support his biological children and watch them go with holes in their shoes while he bought his stepson expensive trainers, it wasn’t a case if stepmum paying herself, or her ex paying for his child (he wasn’t around)

I think if you live together then you’re one household. You’ve gone from two single one child households to a couple with two children. The nine year old is a child and sounds like she needs some support, and your partner need to deal with his child’s behaviour, it’s called a blended and when things blend there’s changes on both sides. You need to discuss which changes need to happen so that you’re respected in your home and that his child feels as much part of her fathers family as everyone else who lives with him

Good Luck OP

New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.

This thread is closed and is no longer accepting replies. Click here to start a new thread.