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Step-parenting

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Dont know what to do for the best 😐

3 replies

Akania · 11/06/2019 14:44

Hi all

First post here even though I’ve been a bit of a lurker for some time .

My partner and I are having trouble with his son, my step son . Up until he left junior school he was a pleasure to be with , loving , funny, kind, brilliant at school and an all round fabulous child . He started secondary school all excited and hopeful as he had always been popular and slot of his old school friends were going . Everything was great for the first two weeks and then bamb! It was like his personality changed over night.
He became sullen , rude , aggressive , in fact he couldn’t have been more opposite from the happy child he was before.

To cut a long story short , his began two years of hell. We talk and talked and talked . It seemed that in the beginning all of his friends splintered off and he didn’t have any friends . It then transpired that this was because he was aggressive and antagonistic. I think he must hold the record for ‘demerits’ and exclusions for pure defiance and fighting . We liaised with the school in a constant basis , called up there weekly for meeting and to sign behavioural contracts. Eventually they suggested the he go to a school that was linked to them , where children go to straighten out . It was sold to us as a good thing but all he learnt was to roll fags , drink beer and smoke weed , oh and fight .

So we pulled him out and sent him back to the original school and the demerits and exclusions started again . Meeting after meeting was had , and eventually it was decided between us and the school that instead of expelling him we would home school him .

Initially everything was fine . Happy house , first time for two years , doing the work I set him and he was back to the happy loving boy he used to be . Two weeks later , off we go again to the point now he literally refuses to do anything .

We have spoken to doctors who have referred him twice to Cahms but they have told us his needs are not severe enough.
We have paid for private councilling. No change . We have spent hours and hours talking to him. No change . Bottom line is if he doesn’t want to do something he won’t which includes school work or behaving . We feel like we are living in a war zone where the dictator is a 13 year old boy .

Oh and I forgot the tantrums , screaming crying banging . And the wind ups , when he has been nasty and caused all sorts of problems especially with his sister (she is 3 years older ) which includes fighting , he will then laugh and sing like nothings happened

The whole family is gobsmacked this is happening and I feel like I’m living in Satan’s house 🙄. Oh and the rows between me and his father are great as well 😡

So , any suggestions ? I will try anything !

Thanks everyone .

OP posts:
notmygumdropbuttons · 15/06/2019 07:30

Hi OP, I'm not sure why there are no responses to your post...

I don't have experience in this but didn't want to read and run. This sounds absolutely horrendous and also heartbreaking .

My cousin went through a similar situation at this age, and got to the point where he was about to be expelled, and my aunt ending up sending him to a boarding school to help badly behaved boys. It sounds so harsh, but after the initial adjustment, he ending up absolutely loving it, liking the routines and making best friends for life. He's now a great kid at uni and you'd never know he was once trying to set fire to his school and sell cigarettes to 8 year olds!
Could this be an option? I appreciate there would be a cost associated.

Is his mum on the scene?

Weenurse · 16/06/2019 01:45

Boarding school sounds like a good suggestion.
In Australia we have camps where difficult kids go to learn discipline and self control.
Good luck

WhiteCat1704 · 16/06/2019 08:37

Does he live with you full time? Where is his mother?

Are there any relatives he could stay with fior a,while ?
Boarding schools are so very expensive...

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