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Step-parenting

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I’m starting to dislike my step daughter

201 replies

Ashlea22 · 21/01/2022 02:36

Warning long post!!

So me and my partner have been together 7 years, he has 2 (11.13) from previous relationship (split when both children were under 2) we also have 3 together. We have the girls 50/50 split with their mum and since the day I met them, his eldest has taken a dislike to me.

I am in my late 20s much younger than their mum, so I’m unsure if that’s perhaps part of the problem. She’s obsessed with her dad that’s only way to say it, but he’s literally the best thing since sliced bread to her and can’t do any wrong. So originally I assumed you know, evil step mum taking dad away narrative is normal maybe for young kids?

Her behaviour towards me I’ve put up with it for so long now, I feel like I can’t! She screams at me constantly, I mean screams! In my face in front of my family, friends it doesn’t matter who. Its always been this way, I stopped tidying for her room because she would go mental that I touched her things.

She will come in the door il say hiya or ask her how she is, immediately she will start screaming at me so now I say nothing at all, if I sit in front of the car beside her dad she’ll refuse to get into car start shouting and crying till I move. If I sit next to her dad she’ll physically try to push me out the seat and starts an argument, over past few years she’s started to swear at me.

Bad words like I’ve never called anyone half the things she calls me daily, I regularly get called a bitch, asshole, witch, horrible, I get told to fuck off, or worse once to go die. She has slammed doors actually on me, pushed me, once she slapped my back as I was leaving her room, she puts horrible tik toks up about me, she tells people I abuse the pets and her, that I don’t feed her(we actually almost weigh the same so when she is pushing me she is strong).

She says I ignore her, that she doesn’t get anything, she says the most horrific things about me and to me, she has called me a retard because I have an impairment. She’ll tell her mum these stories that are just lies about things that I’ve done or said she must think I’m a monster!

She also said horrific things about her mums new boyfriend what he was supposedly doing, that I had to talk to her mum/dad because I was so worried about it. later she said I made it all up, Her sister had heard her telling me so thankfully told them I was saying the truth. She says things like she wishes her dad would cheat on me so I’d leave.

on the contrast her sister spends more time with me than her dad (not saying she’s a saint all time just a typical kid who has moments) but she looks forward to seeing me spending time with me etc.

Example 12th birthday I spent hundreds of pounds and hours doing up her room, so when she went to secondary it would be nice. She picked everything she wanted, she told me how she wanted it and I did it exactly like that. When she seen it for first time she took a huge tantrum screaming, swearing I was so upset.

For her 13th she insisted she didn’t want a party then morning of her birthday she changed her mind. I spend the rest of the day running around getting stuff for her friends, the cake she wanted, decorating, food etc only for her to lock herself in the bathroom and tell me to fuck off when I asked her what was wrong.

She is really mean to her all siblings, she will physically hurt them even being 5 and 3,3. She threatens them, screams at them If I ever try to give her into trouble for something, it results in world war 3.

It feels like I’m being bullied that sounds so stupid but it does. It’s so confusing because she’ll come tell me things she wouldn’t even tell her mum, she take takes my clothes, make up, she’ll ask me about boys etc one minute then next I’m evil again. I think she genuinely believes that she has a bad life.

All birthday Christmas presents/parties I do it comes from me and she knows that so will tell me what she wants, then call me a bitch later that night. All days out/holidays are me, I always do stuff for the kids, I try really hard for them all of them. I would never get one with out the other. I feel like I’m the only one that find it actually really wrong that a child is even allowed to talk to someone like that!

I’m not saying I’m perfect because I’m not, I was young when I met them I probably made loads of mistakes which is why this has happened. I’m in a house of 5 kids so there are many times over the years when I have just snapped, been grumpy or I have lost it and stormed out because I’m sick of it. Everyone says to me they’d of left by now how do I put up with it, that the worst thing I done to her was just be with her father.

What upsets me most is my kids have started to copy the way she treats me and they have started swearing at me to get what they want ,says I’m horrible, a bad mum that they hate me too.

I’ve tried and tried so many times to talk to my partner about it, even though he agrees she shouldn’t be doing that nothings done apart from a shouting match between him/her. It will normally end in an argument between me and him, I’m literally at the point of leaving only thing that worries me is her behaviour towards the kids.

(Worth noting she confided in me that she was depressed a few years back, which is why I think I’ve sort of took it on the chin most time with her outbursts. I tried to get her mum and dad to get her into counselling, made doctors appointments, anxiety treatment, I’m only one who kept pushing for her to get help. I feel sorry for her if she feels like that as I’ve had mental health issues, I love her but she’s making me dislike her. if that makes sense, which is a horrible thing to say and makes me sad even writing it)

OP posts:
Contactmap · 21/01/2022 02:40

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk guidelines.

Kanaloa · 21/01/2022 03:10

Leave.

You have a huge huge problem with your husband who is incapable of parenting his child (who sounds like she needs professional behavioural support at this point) and he is unlikely to change now at this juncture.

As a side note it’s a bit unhelpful to call the girl a ‘little bitch’ when the only parenting op mentions from the father is ‘shouting matches.’ No wonder the child’s out of control, her father’s a lazy incompetent man who isn’t supporting his wife or parenting his child.

Bogeyes · 21/01/2022 03:13

I'm afraid I would leave. Your partner should support you. Has he forgotten it's his daughter? Yes...I would leave.

LadyPropane · 21/01/2022 03:18

Wow. Honestly, I'd leave. No one deserves to live like this.

Iwonder08 · 21/01/2022 03:32

Run!!! You are bullied in your own home with your own family watching and your useless DH allows it to happen. The girl will get only worse as she clearly got the message it is allowed.

Bogeyes · 21/01/2022 03:37

Your mental health is at stake here

Mumadof3 · 21/01/2022 03:53

I dont see what else you can do but live separately
But I'm sure someone will come along and say this isnt right. How well do you get along with the mum ? She's hers and your partners kid get them to parent they're kid. I would be so mortified if my kid reated anyone like this.he needs to step up here and take control by the sounds of it. And stop running around after her.

JumperJump · 21/01/2022 04:33

Your DH is a useless parent, there’s no way he should be letting her get away with any of this. Your options are:
*. He makes it stop, right now. If she behaves like that again she gets dumped at her mothers.
*. She never comes over again until she can apologise and behave. You have the right not to be abused in your own home and just because she’s a kid does not mean she can get away with it. Plus she abuses the younger kids, this is a big NO, she’s a bitch and a bully.
*. You kick him out and he can deal with shared custody on his own.

MintJulia · 21/01/2022 04:46

You need to leave. Take your children and establish a normal calm home for them, where they don't witness such awful behaviour.
Make it clear to your dh that you have to act, for your own sanity and for the safety of your children. This is his fault. He needed to act 5 years ago and didn't.
I'm so sorry but you cannot continue like this. I put up with three years of similar and it won't get any better. Your eldest dsd is allowed to enjoy her vendetta against you and that isn't healthy for anyone. Your Dh's lack of action will encourage her to escalate the behaviour. Eventually it will become unsafe. Don't let it get that far.

MrsMiddleMother · 21/01/2022 04:51

Jesus you need to leave this awful situation. Not only does this child sound vile, her dad is allowing her to abuse you. That is in no way acceptable, it's not right and you need to leave now if your children are copying. Not just for your own sake but for theirs, how do you think they are going to grow up treating people if they think this Is acceptable? So leave not just for you but for them. While you sort out arrangements I'd be telling him he's not to have contact in your home. He can pay for a hotel for the half a week or stay with parents with his kids.

Sweetpeasaremadeofcheese · 21/01/2022 05:04

You should have left a long time ago. You teach people how to treat you. This is on her parents but it's on you too..you shouldn't have had kids in this situation.

Secondtimemama32 · 21/01/2022 05:25

@Ashlea22

Warning long post!!

So me and my partner have been together 7 years, he has 2 (11.13) from previous relationship (split when both children were under 2) we also have 3 together. We have the girls 50/50 split with their mum and since the day I met them, his eldest has taken a dislike to me.

I am in my late 20s much younger than their mum, so I’m unsure if that’s perhaps part of the problem. She’s obsessed with her dad that’s only way to say it, but he’s literally the best thing since sliced bread to her and can’t do any wrong. So originally I assumed you know, evil step mum taking dad away narrative is normal maybe for young kids?

Her behaviour towards me I’ve put up with it for so long now, I feel like I can’t! She screams at me constantly, I mean screams! In my face in front of my family, friends it doesn’t matter who. Its always been this way, I stopped tidying for her room because she would go mental that I touched her things.

She will come in the door il say hiya or ask her how she is, immediately she will start screaming at me so now I say nothing at all, if I sit in front of the car beside her dad she’ll refuse to get into car start shouting and crying till I move. If I sit next to her dad she’ll physically try to push me out the seat and starts an argument, over past few years she’s started to swear at me.

Bad words like I’ve never called anyone half the things she calls me daily, I regularly get called a bitch, asshole, witch, horrible, I get told to fuck off, or worse once to go die. She has slammed doors actually on me, pushed me, once she slapped my back as I was leaving her room, she puts horrible tik toks up about me, she tells people I abuse the pets and her, that I don’t feed her(we actually almost weigh the same so when she is pushing me she is strong).

She says I ignore her, that she doesn’t get anything, she says the most horrific things about me and to me, she has called me a retard because I have an impairment. She’ll tell her mum these stories that are just lies about things that I’ve done or said she must think I’m a monster!

She also said horrific things about her mums new boyfriend what he was supposedly doing, that I had to talk to her mum/dad because I was so worried about it. later she said I made it all up, Her sister had heard her telling me so thankfully told them I was saying the truth. She says things like she wishes her dad would cheat on me so I’d leave.

on the contrast her sister spends more time with me than her dad (not saying she’s a saint all time just a typical kid who has moments) but she looks forward to seeing me spending time with me etc.

Example 12th birthday I spent hundreds of pounds and hours doing up her room, so when she went to secondary it would be nice. She picked everything she wanted, she told me how she wanted it and I did it exactly like that. When she seen it for first time she took a huge tantrum screaming, swearing I was so upset.

For her 13th she insisted she didn’t want a party then morning of her birthday she changed her mind. I spend the rest of the day running around getting stuff for her friends, the cake she wanted, decorating, food etc only for her to lock herself in the bathroom and tell me to fuck off when I asked her what was wrong.

She is really mean to her all siblings, she will physically hurt them even being 5 and 3,3. She threatens them, screams at them If I ever try to give her into trouble for something, it results in world war 3.

It feels like I’m being bullied that sounds so stupid but it does. It’s so confusing because she’ll come tell me things she wouldn’t even tell her mum, she take takes my clothes, make up, she’ll ask me about boys etc one minute then next I’m evil again. I think she genuinely believes that she has a bad life.

All birthday Christmas presents/parties I do it comes from me and she knows that so will tell me what she wants, then call me a bitch later that night. All days out/holidays are me, I always do stuff for the kids, I try really hard for them all of them. I would never get one with out the other. I feel like I’m the only one that find it actually really wrong that a child is even allowed to talk to someone like that!

I’m not saying I’m perfect because I’m not, I was young when I met them I probably made loads of mistakes which is why this has happened. I’m in a house of 5 kids so there are many times over the years when I have just snapped, been grumpy or I have lost it and stormed out because I’m sick of it. Everyone says to me they’d of left by now how do I put up with it, that the worst thing I done to her was just be with her father.

What upsets me most is my kids have started to copy the way she treats me and they have started swearing at me to get what they want ,says I’m horrible, a bad mum that they hate me too.

I’ve tried and tried so many times to talk to my partner about it, even though he agrees she shouldn’t be doing that nothings done apart from a shouting match between him/her. It will normally end in an argument between me and him, I’m literally at the point of leaving only thing that worries me is her behaviour towards the kids.

(Worth noting she confided in me that she was depressed a few years back, which is why I think I’ve sort of took it on the chin most time with her outbursts. I tried to get her mum and dad to get her into counselling, made doctors appointments, anxiety treatment, I’m only one who kept pushing for her to get help. I feel sorry for her if she feels like that as I’ve had mental health issues, I love her but she’s making me dislike her. if that makes sense, which is a horrible thing to say and makes me sad even writing it)

Ah this is horrible OP Sad. Have you spoken to the daughter about her behaviour?
PopsicleHustler · 21/01/2022 05:38

Wow,. Its time to leave, OP

She is hitting the smaller children and hurting them...
. And now they are mimicking her behaviour. It's time to close the door on this marriage. Your husband doesnt respect you or defend you. He is clearly week and cant parent. My husband would go bonkers even if our teens rolled their eyes at us. Its something you dont do.

I honestly cannot believe this. And I am so so sorry you're going through this. You need to protect yourself and your younger children

Get all your ducks in a row and leave.

Is the house yours? Do you have access to your own money and do you work?

You deserve so much more than this.

I have a 13 year old and this is bloody horrific.

I wish you nothing but the best.
Take care

PlanktonsComputerWife · 21/01/2022 05:43

How horrible is your husband?!

NewbieSM · 21/01/2022 05:44

You need to put yourself and your children first, you are being verbally and emotionally abused in your house and you need to leave him. Your husband sounds completely pathetic allowing his wife and children to be treated like shit and then blaming you for it.

As for your step daughter, being a teen is difficult and growing up in blended household makes it even more so. However none of that is an excuse to behave in such a disgusting manner. It sounds like she needs counselling ASAP to see what is going on as this behaviour is very concerning.

She is not your problem though, so I would completely disengage when she comes over. Don't do ANYTHING for her. Her Dad can cook and clean for her until you figure out your next steps.

Good luck OP

TidyDancer · 21/01/2022 05:46

I think you probably do need to leave OP. Or if you're not quite at that stage, have a very serious conversation with your DH and tell him that's where you're heading so he's got one last chance to deal with this.

Ultimately, this girl can't be around the younger DCs with her despicable behaviour so your DH will need to work around that with immediate effect if he has any chance of fixing your marriage.

pictish · 21/01/2022 05:53

Gosh this is dreadful. You’re being abused by a child.

What on earth has your husband to say about her wretched behaviour?
And her mother, for that matter?

Not acceptable OP.

pictish · 21/01/2022 06:03

I’m going to assume she doesn’t carry on like that anywhere else because if she did, her parents would be beside themselves already.

cherrytopcake · 21/01/2022 06:03

Sounds like your partner has a free ride having YOU look after ALL his kids whilst he does zero parenting. He is a lot to blame for allowing the daughter to come between your relationship. She is bullying you. It's time to tell her where to get off and leave. The saddest part about your post is when you said your own kids are starting to treat you like she does & copy her appalling behaviour. Stop pandering to this and start standing for yourself or you whole family will walk all over you and things will only get worse. In a healthy relationship your partner supports you and you both put a stop to her behaviour. I mean she is literally treating you worse than shit and he does nothing ? Red flag there. I'd leave him. Let him deal with her. Until you stop parenting his child for him, he won't help make things change. Why do you continue to do things for them when they are blatantly disrespecting you ?

Harlequin1088 · 21/01/2022 06:09

Oh hell no, this stops immediately. I have two teenage stepsons and if either of them physically assaulted me they wouldn’t be stepping over my threshold ever again. Their Dad would just have to have contact time with them outside of the home.

The fact this child is screaming in your face, assaulting you, causing harm to your children, lying, verbally attacking you, and just generally being unpleasant while your husband does absolutely NOTHING about it, is just chilling. You need to sit down and have a frank discussion with him. If a stranger in the street did even half the things to you that your stepdaughter has done, your husband would surely be apoplectic with rage so why on Earth does he think it’s acceptable to allow a child to treat you like that?

Tell him that things need to change. It’s his job to parent his kid and if he doesn’t step up and start doing so then you’ll be making plans to end the marriage to protect yourself and your children.

In the meantime, disengage entirely from the stepdaughter. You can be polite to her but don’t cook for her, don’t take her to/from school, don’t do her laundry, don’t tidy up after her, nothing. When she screams at you, assaults you, etc. hold up your hand in a stop sign and say, “X, you know this is unacceptable and I won’t tolerate it” then call her Dad into the room, tell him what she’s done then leaving the room saying, “I’ll leave you to deal with your daughter”. Keep doing it. Every. Single. Time.

If your husband still won’t step up then I’d start packing your bags to go. He sounds spineless and your stepdaughter sounds vile.

lunar1 · 21/01/2022 06:16

What's your husband doing to solve this and parent his five children?

Mummyoflittledragon · 21/01/2022 06:19

Her father needs to put boundaries up but from what you’ve said, it reads as though he doesn’t parent his children at all. She sounds like a damaged and troubled child, part of her stuck in toddlerhood from when her parents split. You should absolutely take a big step back and should have called her out on her behaviour long ago.

At 13, it is not your role or the role of a parent to wave a magic wand and fix poor decisions. She needs to learn to be accountable. By being kind to her, unfortunately you’ve unwittingly made the problems even worse as she’s learnt is she can treat the person, who shows her a lot of love and affection any way she wants and is never reprimanded or told no. If you and her father continue with the same dynamic, she’s soon going to hit the self destruct button, possibly getting a caution or criminal record for violence.

This girl is really messed up. She’s screaming out for boundaries. She obviously does not feel safe at all and she is acting out how she feels to make you feel unsafe to literally show you how she feels. But you don’t know how to help. No happy child acts this way. She urgently needs therapy and ideally the intervention of a child / teen psychologist. She should already be under CAHMS at school. I would be wondering what school is saying about her and if she acts like this there.

Your dsd has 2 parents and a father, who seems to be failing her. There is no co-parenting her between your partner and his ex I take it from what you have written. Does her mum even know how she’s acting o wonder?

You are responsible for ensuring your safety and the safety of your young children. If things will not change, you have to put them first and leave. I also hope you are using cast iron contraception. You’ve already got a man, who isn’t parenting 5 children. He doesn’t need a sixth and you need to put your existing kids first!

LiG123 · 21/01/2022 06:21

I disagree with the 'run' comments unless husband isn't supporting you?

She needs her behaviour addressing. No more mrs nice guy! I imagine you're super nice to her doing all these things then she behaved nastily?
Well in my eyes bad behaviour doesn't get rewarded.
You need to, for your children.... show her you aren't putting up with this behaviour any more.
I'd sit down with just her- you, your husband and just talk to her like a 'adult'
Explain this is unacceptable and you won't be putting up with this behaviour anymore.
Maybe ask her why?
Put a plan into action- IF you're rude/nasty in any way you will go straight to your room and not do XYZ (park,fun day out) then take the others out and one of
You stay back whilst she is there.

She needs showing who is boss.

She's pushing your buttons for attention and a reaction.

ChaToilLeam · 21/01/2022 06:22

I would be having one final, serious conversation with Disney Dad about him actually doing some parenting with his obviously troubled daughter, but really I think that ship has sailed. He is spineless and useless and allowing you and his other children to be hurt. Honestly, I think you have to leave.

Ploppy1322 · 21/01/2022 06:22

Good grief, just stop doing anything for the little cow, her dad should arrange her birthday treats, food, activities. Your DH is at fault for not sorting out this out, I'd be telling him to sort it out or both he and his vile daughter CA n do one, why are you putting up with this?