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Step-parenting

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School run issues

141 replies

Bananarama77 · 29/04/2023 10:35

I’m posting this as a follow on from previous thread I started about being de facto caregiver to my SC…so I have told DH that I am no longer willing to provide childcare that he should be doing especially school runs/ after school care/holidays etc. He has now sorted it so that SS goes to breakfast club/after school club with him doing the drop off/pick up before & after work, he will take time off during school holidays or they will go to his sister for the day if he has to work & he’s rearranged their tutoring to fit in, all good so far however SD has point blank refused to go to bc/as club so DH has said that he will pick her up after school & take her into work with him but he asked if I would take her to school. His ex has refused to do it as she says it’s a faff for her apparently. It’s only until July when they break for sh (after that she’s in secondary so will be walking with friends) it’s just a temporary arrangement. Tbh I really don’t want to do it & I have said this but he says well there’s no point them staying then & I’m being stubborn just to prove a point..I’m not sure what to do

OP posts:
SquidwardBound · 30/04/2023 09:30

The problem is that he approached this as asking his DD if she might possibly be willing to go to BC/ASC. When it should have been an announcement that they were both going to wrap around care from now on.

VWHoliday · 30/04/2023 09:34

The more I read about DH the more I think I would be ending the relationship.

Pebblesnoses · 30/04/2023 09:51

Why does she get to refuse? She's a child and she won't be the first or the last to need to go to BC/ASC. Why is she being given a choice? Her parents are in work, therefore, like thousands of others, she needs to go to wrap around care.

PaigeMatthews · 30/04/2023 09:54

VWHoliday · 30/04/2023 09:34

The more I read about DH the more I think I would be ending the relationship.

Quite.

op, what did your partner say yo his ex when she told the kids you were the selfish one?

I don’t care that he’s out all day when we don’t have plans…Better than having him sulking round the house all day
you do know that with decent men these are not the only two options, don't you?

Bananarama77 · 30/04/2023 09:55

Pebblesnoses · 30/04/2023 09:51

Why does she get to refuse? She's a child and she won't be the first or the last to need to go to BC/ASC. Why is she being given a choice? Her parents are in work, therefore, like thousands of others, she needs to go to wrap around care.

I agree but ultimately I cannot force him to send her, but what I can do is refuse to take her so something will have to be sorted, I don’t care what as long as it doesn’t involve me

OP posts:
billy1966 · 30/04/2023 10:10

SquidwardBound · 30/04/2023 08:25

Scapegoating stepmothers is a post-divorce parenting standard practice.

Because ‘neither your dad nor I want to look after you’ isn’t something they want to admit to anyone.

Agreed, but only of the scummiest of parents would do this.

No decent parent would ever dream of telling their child that another adult in their life doesn't give a shit about them.

The most appalling behaviour but with parents like the OP describes, really hardly surprising.

Only the really lowest of the low hurt and confuse their own children all to score points off an ex's new partner.

It speaks to their complete failure as parents and their utter selfishness as adults.

I really hope the OP wakes up to the toxicity she is collateral damage to.

Neither of those parents could care less about her OR the children.

Focused on doing as little as possible themselves, and using her as a total mug if they can bully and tantrum her into acquiescence.

These are just the type that would expect grandparenting childminding duties from her.
My old friend has retired recently from a long busy career in teaching a few years early, having received a substantial inheritance from her parents a couple of years ago.

She had barely put away her pens when her partners daughter who has never given her the time of day, TOLD her that it will be helpful if she shares childminding duties with her mother!

She is with her partner 5 years, but kept her own lovely home.

Her son lives in Australia, and she was genuinely stunned at the suggestion.

Que outrage that she wouldn't want to pitch in🙄.

Even her partner had the temerity to mention she could maybe help a bit.

The same man who excused his daughter's choice to only politely tolerate her over the years.

She gifted her son money so that space for them to visit was factored into his purchase of a home in Melbourne.

She intends to visit and enjoy retirement without any ties on her time.

Certainly not the ties of childminding the children of someone she has only the most distant of relationships with.

Her partners ex wife unsurprisingly thought it was a great idea.🤔🙄

My friend feels little real interest in her partners grandchild as she has seen the baby only briefly , as she has only ever had a polite relationship with his two daughters, completely their choice.

Her partner was divorced and single for years when they met.
She told him he is welcome to look after HIS grandchild, but she will not be tied down in any way.
Of course his face was a picture at THAT suggestion!

She thinks the entitlement is absolutely hilarious, she has great boundaries, but it has cemented her decision to not remarry nor share a home, despite being very fond of her partner.

Her friends have all warned her to be wary of being imposed upon for any caring duties.

Unfortunately men of a certain age do like to try and reel in a nice woman to mind them as they age.

I know of several women in their 60's that have met such men via the golf club.
All have given a hard swerve on remarrying or leaving their lovely homes.

Simply not worth it.

Pebblesnoses · 30/04/2023 10:13

Bananarama77 · 30/04/2023 09:55

I agree but ultimately I cannot force him to send her, but what I can do is refuse to take her so something will have to be sorted, I don’t care what as long as it doesn’t involve me

Yes of course! It just baffles me that he's letting his child dictate this. He needs to work, it's his time with her, she needs to go to wrap around care.

Absolutely agree though that it need not involve you!

Bananarama77 · 30/04/2023 10:22

Pebblesnoses · 30/04/2023 10:13

Yes of course! It just baffles me that he's letting his child dictate this. He needs to work, it's his time with her, she needs to go to wrap around care.

Absolutely agree though that it need not involve you!

If it wasn’t for his ex I think he would make her go tbh, if he’s not prepared to stand up to her & pander to his DD then he’ll have to go to work later or take her to work first. This isn’t the first time his ex has ‘put her foot down’ about something he’s arranged. I believe that she’s deliberately awkward just to try & inconvenience me, there’s no reason at all she can’t go to BC (she’s obviously not being asked to pay for any of it) it’s just petty.

OP posts:
philautia · 30/04/2023 10:28

Would you allow this if your biological child said they did not want to go to breakfast club? I wouldn't.

Gothambutnotahamster · 30/04/2023 10:29

Stay strong Op - you've set your boundaries & he needs to respect those.

Daleksatemyshed · 30/04/2023 10:53

I was expecting you to say their Mother was now telling the DSC that it was all your fault. She and your DH have got so used to you being about whenever they needed that gratitute has turned to entitlement, now instead of being grateful they can't believe you've finally said No. I'd try to have a chat with the DSC and put your side to them, obviously it would need to be toned down as saying your Dads a huffy git probably won't help 😂.

FuckoffeeBeforeCoffee · 30/04/2023 11:09

I'm just wondering what mornings look like in your house and whether there's potential for him to just leave her with you so you've not choice but to take her to school?

femfemlicious · 30/04/2023 11:11

I think you should just do it.

aSofaNearYou · 30/04/2023 11:12

femfemlicious · 30/04/2023 11:11

I think you should just do it.

Maybe you should volunteer.

EliflurtleTripanInfinite · 30/04/2023 11:16

Annoyingly his ex has told the kids that the reason they have to change everything is because I don’t want the hassle of them anymore & I have better things to do with my time than babysitting someone else’s kids. Really helpful

Their Mum and Dad both think they have better things to do than caring for their own children. I don't know if she's trying to guilt you back in to being free childcare or if she's trying to hurt you, but what she is doing is harming her children. It's disgusting behaviour. Neither of them are behaving like caring responsible parents.

Bananarama77 · 30/04/2023 11:16

Daleksatemyshed · 30/04/2023 10:53

I was expecting you to say their Mother was now telling the DSC that it was all your fault. She and your DH have got so used to you being about whenever they needed that gratitute has turned to entitlement, now instead of being grateful they can't believe you've finally said No. I'd try to have a chat with the DSC and put your side to them, obviously it would need to be toned down as saying your Dads a huffy git probably won't help 😂.

She has told them it’s my fault. I’m not going to say anything to SC as I’m really not interested in getting into any dialogue with their mum, if they go back & say I’ve told them something else it will just escalate & I’ve no desire to be as petty. I’m sure she’d love a rise out of it as she definitely wanted me to know she’d told them it was my fault but I’m not interested. She’s my DH problem to deal with not mine

OP posts:
Bananarama77 · 30/04/2023 11:25

FuckoffeeBeforeCoffee · 30/04/2023 11:09

I'm just wondering what mornings look like in your house and whether there's potential for him to just leave her with you so you've not choice but to take her to school?

He absolutely would not do that he doesn’t disrespect me like that, he has behaved badly in this instance but it’s not a reflection of how he treats me on the whole, he accepted it when I told him & made alternative arrangements,. He did apologise for taking me for granted & said he lost sight of his responsibilities which I accept. He didn’t initially anticipate that his DD would refuse to go to BC with the backing of his ex so he asked me to do school run after this & now because it’s going to cause him a headache he’s got the hump but not at me with himself & when he gets home it will be forgotten. I’m more pissed off that he allows his ex to berate me & use me for childcare and yet remains totally passive about it

OP posts:
Daleksatemyshed · 30/04/2023 11:27

I see your point @Bananarama77 but I can see this esculating anyway, it's just another tactic to push you back into line. Your DH and his ex haven't got used to the new assertive you yet, they're still hoping to change you back to the previous pushover.

Bananarama77 · 30/04/2023 11:40

Daleksatemyshed · 30/04/2023 11:27

I see your point @Bananarama77 but I can see this esculating anyway, it's just another tactic to push you back into line. Your DH and his ex haven't got used to the new assertive you yet, they're still hoping to change you back to the previous pushover.

It’s not really a new assertive me, I just fell into a routine gradually without realising, I’m assertive about lots of things in our lives I’m certainly not passive! This situation is just a snippet of a situation it’s not indicative of my relationship in its entirety, I’m not controlled by my DH & I’m definitely not little wifey at home doing his washing & ironing & making sure his dinner ready when he get’s home. We discussed everything before we moved in together, division of labour, finances even how our daily routines would work together but we failed to discuss SC as they weren’t here 50/50 at that point so didn’t seem that I needed to set my boundaries at that point

OP posts:
Daleksatemyshed · 30/04/2023 11:47

Sorry, I didn't mean to make you sound like a controlled little wife. Trouble is all these threads just give a snapshot of someone's life and it's easy to run away with an idea of who the Op is. I'm glad you're standing your ground and nit letting his ex get to you

Bananarama77 · 30/04/2023 11:49

Daleksatemyshed · 30/04/2023 11:47

Sorry, I didn't mean to make you sound like a controlled little wife. Trouble is all these threads just give a snapshot of someone's life and it's easy to run away with an idea of who the Op is. I'm glad you're standing your ground and nit letting his ex get to you

No need to be sorry, like you say it’s easy to jump to conclusions I know I’ve done it after reading a few sentences on here & made sweeping assumptions about someone’s life!

OP posts:
billy1966 · 30/04/2023 12:23

Yours is a classic boiled frog analogy, as is the case with many many step parents that suddenly find THEY have been quietly out manoeuvred by both partner and his ex, to thanklessly do a disproportionate amount of childcare that they NEVER volunteered for, nor agreed to.

Unfortunately for them they completely took the piss and now you are done.

This is about more than the step children and will set the tone for your future relationship.

He will either step up and buck up, accept your new boundaries, OR you will find yourself in a series of petty battles like this, being bullied by them both while he sides with his ex rather than you.

Should the latter occur you may find yourself rethinking things seriously.

I really think you would be well advised to look at the bigger picture and your long term position in all of this and let that steel your back.

We teach people how they can treat us.

You deserve better and he really needs putting firmly in his place!

pillsthrillsandbellyache · 30/04/2023 13:24

TBH I think you have done far too much while the ex wife has been so hostile. It makes you look like a mug, i know you're not but thats how these type of people see it. She sounds like a nasty piece of work and I think its disgusting that your DH would rather shit all over you than her. I know you are defensive about the man you love but this is what he's doing. Keep repeating to him that anything to do with the kids is between him and her and you don't want to hear it. I hope your DH sees the error of his ways and sharpish because you sound lovely.

funinthesun19 · 30/04/2023 13:30

As someone else upthread said, if she was your biological daughter she wouldn’t get a choice and she would just go. And miraculously, I bet your DH wouldn’t ask her what she wants to do either. Funny that.

I don’t understand why parents get to opt out of picking their actual children up but stepparents don’t get to opt out of picking those same children up.

The parents have a perfectly reasonable solution (breakfast club and after school club), but they want to faff about and give their daughter the choice instead. Well they can be the ones who opt in to pick her up then when she inevitably says she doesn’t want to go.

You shouldn’t have to facilitate their choices. I don’t know why people seem to think stepchildren/first children are allergic to breakfast clubs and after school clubs. Oh and holiday clubs too.

Bananarama77 · 30/04/2023 13:39

funinthesun19 · 30/04/2023 13:30

As someone else upthread said, if she was your biological daughter she wouldn’t get a choice and she would just go. And miraculously, I bet your DH wouldn’t ask her what she wants to do either. Funny that.

I don’t understand why parents get to opt out of picking their actual children up but stepparents don’t get to opt out of picking those same children up.

The parents have a perfectly reasonable solution (breakfast club and after school club), but they want to faff about and give their daughter the choice instead. Well they can be the ones who opt in to pick her up then when she inevitably says she doesn’t want to go.

You shouldn’t have to facilitate their choices. I don’t know why people seem to think stepchildren/first children are allergic to breakfast clubs and after school clubs. Oh and holiday clubs too.

Absolutely if she was my DD there wouldn’t be an option to refuse in fact she wouldn’t even be asked she’d be told. Her mum doesn’t want her to go if she doesn’t want to so rather than just tell her that she needs to do what her DF has arranged from her she’s being awkward. She doesn’t like it because I don’t work so thinks that automatically signs me up for childcare. I briefly heard my DH on phone to her about it & what I heard was along the lines of why should DD be forced to do something she doesn’t want to just so she gets a lay in..I wish my DH would grow a pair & just say that it’s happening & that’s that..anyway the arrangements are up to them to sort now

OP posts: