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Step-parenting

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It's a long one sorry.

11 replies

incrediblyfedup · 13/05/2019 13:24

I've name changed, this will out me if but I've had my last nerve worked.

Dsd is 15, I have been married to her dad for 9 years together for 14 (not the other woman, amicable split etc etc)

I get on well with dsd mum and her dp as does dh we all talk and are pretty supportive of each other so that is a huge bonus.

Since dsd was 7 she began having outbursts when she was told no and would follow dh around the house (or her mum both houses having same issue) going on and on and on wearing them down. Consistency being non existent and therefore finally getting her own way.

Fast forward to a few weeks ago, dsd is with us (shared care) and due to her awful attitude the Wi-fi was turned off at 11pm. She came out of her bedroom demanding to know why it had been turned off and to turn it back on. Dh explained why it was turned off but that wasn't good enough for her she began to shout at us 'turn it on, turn it on, give me back my Wi-fi, how dare you'

Dh very calmly told her no and that her behaviour was not acceptable. She carried on shouting on and on and on so we went to bed and ignored her. Both of us know that getting involved in any sort of communication at this stage escalates quickly and she isn't rational just shouts abuse at us tell us we are disgusting and how dare we do this.

She decided to leave so of course dh gets up and goes to find her, an hour later she is still refusing to come home so I get in the car drive to where they are and ask dsd to get in the car and we can discuss in the morning. Not good enough, she starts shouting at me that I am nothing I'm a no one and I can't tell her to do anything. I said if she doesn't get in the car I will call the police it's now 1am. She tells me I wont call the police she will not allow it. So I picked up my phone and began to dial (I wasn't actually calling them) she got in the car and we went home.

Got home and she's still shouting demanding the internet and that we have no power of her she can do as she likes. Dh and I don't lose our tempers often and through experience of this sort of behaviour we know we have to react as little as possible. However she then screams at me that I am not her mother and I can get lost. At that point dh got angry and said how dare she speak to me so disrespectfully. Eventually he left her room and we went to bed.

The next day we sat down with her to discuss what had gone on and she refused to look at us telling us we were disgusting people and again how dare we. She went back to her room but 20 mins later came back downstairs and said to Dh 'give me the internet' dh again explained that it wouldn't be happening and that her behaviour was completely unacceptable. She then said 'oh that's right she's told you to say that, you do what she says'

Again she tried to leave but this time dh prevented her ending up with her shouting and screaming for a good hour to let her go and to get out of her way.

Dsd mum is aware of all that is going on and is supportive so no issues there.

This is so long I'm sorry, I don't dictate to dh but I do always support him in front of dsd even if at times I don't necessarily agree, but we will discuss things when she is not in the house. I am much firmer that he is and she knows the difference clearly.

Same evening she's still carrying on and this time starts shouting at me, I tried to shut the door but she put her foot in it to prevent me. I have no idea if she thought this would intimidate me it didn't but apparently this works on her mum. She got a shock because despite her foot being in there I carried on closing it gently until she moved her foot. Dsd once again upped and left at 11pm that night and went to a friends house up the street, I was very embarrassed she has absolutely no shame. At no point did she see her behaviour was appalling or abusive and refuses to apologise.

I haven't spoken to her since and I have no plans to. I am sick of the way she treats us the lack of respect and the sheer entitlement. I work away for 3 weeks and I am home for 3 weeks. It has been decided that dh will have her for the 3 weeks I am away and her mum the 3 when I'm home and of course she can come for dinner after school anytime, I will find something to do elsewhere during those hours.

I don't really know why I'm starting this thread, I feel absolutely done in. I have never been her enemy and out of everyone I am the one she will talk to if she needs. We don't dictate we ask but we do expect her to be respectful to tidy after herself and help out with the dishes after dinner, that is it.

There's no bad blood between her parents neither say bad things about the other and we all get along. I just don't know where to go from here. I am the one to blame it seems and I feel awful however the fact remains her behaviour is the cause of all the drama.

Her mum is very lenient with her and perhaps allows her more freedom that she should have she's a very young 15. Dh has become far more strict over the last few years and that is my fault again according to her.

I don't hate her, I can't talk to her because she will not discuss she just starts shouting you down and I refuse to get in the ring with her. Everything is my fault she has done nothing wrong and I am a bitch.

Does it get better??

OP posts:
Tactfulish · 13/05/2019 14:03

This reply has been deleted

The OP has now deregistered, as they have privacy concerns. We have agreed to take this down at their request.

swingofthings · 13/05/2019 17:16

You could have described my friends daughter at that age. She actually did ran away twice and she had to call the police. She was totally dispairing. She was also facing at school.

Everything got better whrn she started college and did OK. To my friend amazement, she decided to go to Uni and did great. She became another person and they grew very close.

She now has a great job and great relationship with both parents. It's hard to associate that lovely 23yo with the horror she was at 15.

There's hope!

Magda72 · 13/05/2019 17:20

Hi @incrediblyfedup, tbh I don't see her behaviour as normal at all. Yes teenagers can be vile, but this level & consistency of anger to me seems very symptomatic of a deeply unhappy & angry person. Sure - maybe she's just a complete brat but if you are who I think you are you've been dealing with this behaviour for years & it's getting no better.
Her df having her while you're away working is a great idea in the short term but in the long term it's only telling her that her behaviour will be tolerated by her df & that her vile treatment of you has worked, ie she's managed to push you out & get her df to herself.
I don't know if she's just really badly behaved or if there's something else going on with her - but if it's the first she needs a long spell of tough love from all 4 adults in her life who HAVE to get on the same page, & if it's the latter she needs professional intervention - imo.

incrediblyfedup · 13/05/2019 20:18

I don't think her not being with us whilst I'm at home sends her any message other than incredibly will not tolerate abusive behaviour and she has a say in her own home.

The abuse is awful and it goes on and on and on she is like a Duracell bunny just keeps going even when you've walked away she just follows.

I recorded her so at some point she can listen back to herself, she will not take no for an answer and I'm not sure this is just typical teen behaviour.

OP posts:
MiseryLoves · 13/05/2019 22:28

You have just described my daughter. She’s also 15 and a nightmare at the moment. Well I say at the moment, it’s got worse these past few months (I’m thinking stress of mocks) but only instead of walking out she smashes stuff or threatens to cut/kill her self when she doesn’t get her own way. I’m constantly walking on eggshells. I wouldn’t say it’s ‘normal’ behaviour but there’s an awful lot of teens the same age acting the same way in various support groups I’m in. Its just manipulation

LatentPhase · 14/05/2019 16:01

What was the transgression that led to the WiFi being switched off? Are there long running power struggles?

I’m asking to get a sense how she is managed. I’ve found (through having a horrid time & getting things woefully wrong with dd1 for ages) that ‘connection not correction’ is a more constructive mantra. I realise that sounds mahoosively patronising. There isn’t enough info in the OP to judge whether that’s happening here.. Perhaps you’ve tried that.

Of course there maybe deeper, underlying issues, impossible to know from the OP. Have you tried posting on the Teens board?

Agree with Magda your plan smacks of divide & conquer when you and DH need to stand united in whatever works best from here..

It certainly sounds awful. Bad enough when the kid is your own. Sympathies.

HeckyPeck · 15/05/2019 18:58

I would do what you’re doing OP.

Life is too short to be shouted and screamed at by a stroppy teen.

Let your DH and DSD’s mum deal with her and you enjoy your time at work then scream free time at home.

incrediblyfedup · 28/07/2019 20:28

So here we are a few months on, seems the new routine is working well. Dh now gets to spend quality time with dsd whilst I am away. I still haven't had an apology and she states she has done nothing wrong.

I'm done there is nothing more to say, I am so pleased Dh and dsd relationship is good however I will be having nothing more to do with her for the foreseeable future.

OP posts:
HeckyPeck · 30/07/2019 20:57

I’m glad the new routine is working for you OP.

Sorry your DH hasn’t made her apologise. Lord knows what kind of an adult she’s going to become but not your problem I reckon!

Toronto70 · 10/08/2019 15:00

You’ve tried so hard. I do hope she appreciates you one day.

TwentyEight12 · 10/08/2019 16:00

Hmmm... the victim mentality played out by a child and believed by the adult audience around her. This is not a new story sadly.

Well, the upshot is that you will no longer have to play the imaginary role of perpetrator in the make believe drama that she created for you.

And that is a blessing!!!!!!

I imagine it will take quite sometime to negotiate the injustice of what has taken place... however now that you are out of the picture, you have time to heal.

Detaching emotionally is possibly the best outcome for you. You have one life and that life is to be enjoyed as much as possible.

I agree with you, there is no point in wasting that precious life chasing down another who harbours such poison. The thing about this that always amazes me is, it is the person who harbours the poison who suffers the most and yet they are completely oblivious to this. But life has a way of matching the ill within you to the ill in others around you.

Be thankful that person is not you.

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