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.

I'm a terrible step mum

21 replies

dogsbodymum · 10/10/2018 18:59

I mean I do all the things I should do washing, cooking, running around, caring for both my step children and my own dcs, but one of my step daughters just gets on my nerves, she's rude, she never eats the dinner I cook, it's never up to scratch, she refuses to go to school a lot because she's tired, she does strange things, shouts at me, just doesn't abide by any rules were as the others do, and won't communicate to anyone. She's 13 so I know it's a horrible age but the others are 12, 14 and 15 and I don't feel the same about them.

What is wrong with me she is a child I'm the adult, I mean I don't say anything to her, but I avoid her and it just winds me up when I'm around her, I can't help it, it's the things she says and the things she does. I want to say something but I just shut up.

My dh knows she's difficult and tbh although he loves her he doesn't really like the way she behaves either but there is never any consequences for her actions and it annoys me and the other dcs . If I say anything he will get very defensive and shout so I guess I just have to put up and shut up. I am just the step mum after all.

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Spanglyprincess1 · 10/10/2018 20:13

Or you dp could deal with it effectively? Depends how bad her behaviour is.
Disengage and don't do her clothes, cooking or lifts. No manners no favours.

MelonBuffet · 10/10/2018 20:31

Just a warning, you won't get much sympathy on here. Unless you're gushing with unconditional love for you SCs some people will post that you should split up with their dad and not subject them to your evil step-mother ways.

Kids are annoying. It's a fact of life. Sometimes you find your own DCs annoying too, but the bond you have with them overrides that. With other DCs (yes, even if you love their dad) you don't have that unconditional love to temper the annoyance.

Your H needs to step up and actually parent her, especially as it's showing his other DCs that they will be treated differently. Unless she has special needs or there are some mitigating factors why she isn't held to the same standard as the others.

dogsbodymum · 10/10/2018 20:39

I kind of almost feel I deserve to be shouted at! She's a child going through difficulties but she simply gets on my nerves, I've tried bonding with her, shopping etc etc it doesn't work so I find distancing myself is the best thing I can do!

OP posts:
Blendingrock · 11/10/2018 00:57

You do not deserve to be shouted at.
You are not a bad step-mum.
You are doing the right thing by distancing yourself.

Your DH needs to stop making excuses for her, parent her and actually get to the bottom of what the heck is going on with her. It may well be that she has some form of special needs it may be that she's just behaving the way she is because she can, and your DH is enabling her. Does she behave oddly anywhere else? Have any of your friends or family said anything quietly to you about her?

The reason I ask that is because I had issues for years with my eldest SD, let's call her Carol (still have issues come to that, but that's another story).

When we first got together and were in the meeting each other's families stage, my Dad remarked that she was an "odd little girl". She was always perfectly behaved when they were around and he couldn't put his finger on what it was, but just felt she was odd. When she played up at home DH just shrugged and said it was just "Carol being Carol" She was socially awkward and often inappropriate. She did stuff that was just plain weird. When she was 11 she came to live with us full time which meant switching schools, and without going into a long boring ramble, we went through 2 years of hell. After 2 years of enduring intense scruitiny by social services, numerous tests, dedicated help at school etc etc it was decided by the "experts" that she was very slightly on the autistic spectrum, and had learning difficulties but that most of her behaviour was learned from her Mother (again, we won't go there). Bottom line was she didn't have any mental health issues so we were on our own in trying to deal with it. Lovely.

During this period DH was forced to accept that he had unwittingly been enabling her behaviour and change how he approached her. He had to step up, and I had to step back and disengage to a large extent. Needless to say that did not go down well with Carol who was used to having her Dad wrapped round her little finger and me bending over backwards not to upset her.

We had a bumpy few years and then she seemed to come right - until she turned 18 and was once again forced to change by being willing to take her first steps into the adult world. She refused, DH didn't cave, she threw a tantrum and went to live with her Mother, where she still lives. I became the font of all evil and source of every problem known to man and a really bad person. She also punished her Dad by basically cutting him out of her life unless she wanted something, then she became "Daddy's little girl" again. I ceased to exist, which suited me fine. Interestingly in the last 6 months she has apparently been trying to change, and wants to visit this weekend (I'm soooo looking forward to that!) so we'll see how it goes.

Anyway. Bottom line is you don't have to like your SD, it's ok to not like people who treat you like the dirt beneath their feet. You are also not required to enable her behaviour. Disengagement is a sanity saviour, and it will help your relationship with your DH because you won't resent him for enabling her. It will also help his relationship with his daughter because it will force him to parent her, which even if she resents, she will respect. She will love him, but if he lets her walk all over him, she won't respect him, and neither will you. But that's his problem, not yours.

The only other thing I would say is don't let her behaviour ruin what you have with your DH. You entered into the relationship because you love him, not because you want to parent his children. Yes you want to help them, but not to the detriment of everything else.

ps: sorry for the really long post!

swingofthings · 11/10/2018 05:32

It's a vicious circle. She acts up, it makes the people closest to her not like her, she feels insecure and unloved, she acts up.

Some teenagers are much harder than others the same some babies are more difficult than others. It shouldn't make them less lovable though. It's hard though, even more so for a step parent but her parents should try hard to love her just the same, give her as much positive attention whilst also disciplining appropriately.

Some teenagers come out of it quickly and go back to being lovely young adults but if they feel unloved during that time, the damage can be done.

swingofthings · 11/10/2018 05:32

Ps: you don't sound like a terrible step mum at all.

dogsbodymum · 11/10/2018 07:34

Thank you so much @Blendingrock for sharing. I do think there is something not quite right with her, I think she maybe on the autism spectrum but neither parent has done nothing to get her assessed. She had no empathy at all and struggles with relationships at home and school and as I've said before she doesn't communicate just lashes out! This really makes me feel worse though as if this is the case she needs more understanding and patience, I don't know why I can't do that. I feel my dh has given up as he doesn't know how to handle her and then will just shout if anyone says anything. It's very hard

OP posts:
swingofthings · 11/10/2018 07:55

She's your oh responsibility. It seems that directly or indirectly he is passing on the buck to you.

Of course it's very hard to know what to do for the best but if he's lost and confused he needs to seek professional support and communicate more with her mum.

Don't best yourself up you are already managing brilliantly by not letting your frustration on her.

dogsbodymum · 11/10/2018 08:50

Thanks swing I am just worried I will finally snap and then regret it. I'm the one that picks her up from school because she won't walk, I cook her something different for tea because she doesn't like what I'm making, but still complains, but if she does have a form of autism then they do have issues with food as I've looked it up, so that tells me again I need to be more patient but it just does annoy me when I make her something she likes different to the others and still she throws it in the bin! I wish it didn't bother me but it does, it wouldn't if it was occasionally but this happens every night and then she is allowed to eat junk food 🤷‍♀️ is it normal to feel frustrated by that?

OP posts:
auntyflonono · 11/10/2018 09:01

You are not a bad SM because you are worrying about it!

Would she benefit from having counseling? Someone outside the family to talk through issues with school etc.

With the food I would do what I did with my toddler, took an emotional step back and looked at it as a long term process of present the food so they get used to it with out any expectations, never commenting. Routine. Food is so emotive, we cook with love and when its rejected it hurts.

auntyflonono · 11/10/2018 09:03

Sorry for the xpost, I see you are cooking something different. It may be she wont eat anything you cook, because of who you are.

swingofthings · 11/10/2018 09:04

Of course it is. I've had this with my kids and it made me annoyed and td them so. Telling her that it is not acceptable and explaining what it entails for you to cook two meals to see it in the bin is what she needs to hear. It doesn't mean that any issues she has with food is not being listened to though. The two can take place together.

Like many parents, I tend to grit my teeth at things and then explode. It's not the way to do things but parents get away with it, step parents don't. That's how it is.

Can you devise with your oh how to deal with such situations before they arise?

Difficult kids take so much patience but your oh should do more than just passing the buck.

dogsbodymum · 11/10/2018 09:12

I agree with both of you, it may well be the fact it's me cooking it, I also think that's why dh doesn't understand, I'm cooking for 6 of us well 5 nights a week, trying hard to get my sd to eat as I know she's eating Doritos or other crisps or chocolate which aren't any good for her. Then she'll say some comment like the mash is too dry or she doesn't like it and it goes in the bin, then she gets a chocolate bar out the cupboard and run upstairs. Dh says nothing even if I point it out, it winds me up, I get over it, then it happens the next night. I will snap eventually

OP posts:
swingofthings · 11/10/2018 11:08

A suggestion, next time she asks for mash patatoes, you could point out that she didn't like how you made it so she could help you make it, so that you get her involved.

I can imagine it would be easier if she's not in the kitchen in your way but it could be a good way to have positive interaction?

redcaryellowcar · 11/10/2018 12:40

I am a step daughter with a persistently tricky step mother who I met when I was seven and I'm now 37! So my perspective would be that it's probably best to leave the tricky conversations to your husband. He needs to be the one to talk to her and spend time with her, and perhaps even do her washing etc! I wonder if all your children, step or otherwise were asked to step up with helping with washing their own clothes, cleaning their own rooms etc then it would be far harder for you to feel taken for granted. By her or the others? I agree with pp that you shouldn't be being shouted at by her or anyone. Unfortunately being a step child is a turbulent and disruptive experience, so it probably won't ever be an easy ride. My relationship with my step mum improved only when I didn't have to see her as much and when I spent time with my dad with just my sister.

dogsbodymum · 11/10/2018 12:53

I could try that yeh swing, she would probably just ignore me though but it's worth a try x

OP posts:
dogsbodymum · 11/10/2018 13:31

Redcaryellowcar thanks for your prospective, I didn't have a step mum but I did have a step dad, I used to resent him because he did all the things I wanted my real dad to do, so I get it's difficult. I try and encourage her to have time with her dad without me, but it doesn't really seem to be about that. I do leave conversations to him but when he can't be bothered it makes it harder for the rest of us.

OP posts:
HeckyPeck · 11/10/2018 17:19

It sounds like you’re taking on the bulk of the parenting duties so it’s not surprising that you feel frustrated, especially when your efforts aren’t appreciated. Your DH doesn’t sound like he appreciates everything you’re doing for him either.

Is there a reason you’re having to do everything parenting related?

Do you do the shopping? Can you stop buying junk food? That might solve one problem.

I wouldn’t be making a separate meal for someone if it’s just going to end up in the bin. How soul destroying!

redcaryellowcar · 11/10/2018 18:39

I think the attitude of her dad 'not being bothered' probably is the route of the problem, it's not you, it's him. You don't have to stop caring, but he really needs to start.

SandyY2K · 11/10/2018 19:04

You need to stop worrying so much. If you cook and she chooses not to eat...That's her problem.

If she doesn't show gratitude...stop doing those things. You need to pull back from engaging with her so much.

If you're still concerned urge her dad to deal with her.

Bananasinpyjamas11 · 11/10/2018 19:18

If I say anything he will get very defensive and shout so I guess I just have to put up and shut up. I am just the step mum after all.

This is the key part of your problem. If you were allowed to deal with your DSD as a mother would, and get backed up by DH then this would be a very different story.

When she’s at your house, she should respect you and your DH should respect you. In return your need to be fair, considerate and respectful to your DSD, but be able to tell her that
No she cannot talk to you like that. You give her consequences.
She has to be considerate to others in the house. She has consequences if not.

She doesn’t go to school? That’s her parents job but you can’t be left looking after her. She goes to mums or her dad stays with her.
She doesn’t eat dinner? She doesn’t get treats. Your DH needs to make sure she eats something else.
She’s strange? That’s not really anything to be picking up on.

So I’d strongly urge over riding your weak DH and definitely taking charge on things that cause a horrible atmosphere in the house or cause upset because she gets away with stuff e.g. ignoring / rudeness / not doing chores others do.

Everything else can be left to your DH. I’d stop cooking for her and doing anything for her.

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.