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Step-parenting

Connect with other Mumsnetters here for step-parenting advice and support.

Mum’s chaotic love life

95 replies

YeezyBreezy · 11/04/2024 12:38

I’m simply here to vent to anyone that can sympathise as I have no one in real life that has any experience with my situation.

DH’s exgf and mother to my SDs is a whole mess. On social media she looks like she’s living the high life… she’s pretty, has cosmetic work done, designer clothes, lavish holidays, always out etc. You’d be convinced she had her sh*t together and was doing well in life.

The reality is that she is incredibly lazy and lives a hedonistic lifestyle where she puts her own wants and love life above the stability of her daughters.

She flits between not working (through choice, she’s able bodied and capable) or working part time, never more than 2.5 days a week in her entire adult life. She dates men willing to lavish cash on her and support her lazy lifestyle, not choosing men who are good partners or actually care about her or the kids.

In the 8.5 years I’ve been with DH, she has had at least 4 boyfriends that she’s introduced to the kids or cohabited with that we know of. It’s a revolving door of new “stepdads” and we have tried our best to not interfere as the kids don’t appear to have been in any danger, but obviously it’s an unstable home life.

SDs are now 19 & 15 so there’s very little DH can do about it in terms of custody as one is an adult and we’ve been advised that kids over around 11/12 years old generally get to decide which parent they want to reside with and unfortunately they both idolise their mum.

Their mum’s most recent bf seemed pretty nice… good job, had a nice daughter of his own, my SDs like him, he treated them well. So when my SDs said they were all moving in together into a new house we were so RELIEVED.

Their mum has a history of lying, it’s bizarre and almost like she presents what she wishes would happen as factual. This has ranged from SDs being told they’re getting a puppy more than 5 times (and obviously it never happens), to declaring they’re going on a lavish holiday to Dubai for a month, to telling them she’s been offered a job paying £100k per year, and the latest lie she told the kids is that the house they were moving in to with the new bf was equally and jointly purchased by her.

Immediately I knew this was a lie, her house was rented previously and she would never have saved the £40k+ for her to be put jointly on the mortgage whilst being unemployed or working for NMW part-time.

She’s a complete fantasist but the kids adore her and despite her wild promises never materialising, they always appear to trust and believe in what she’s telling them.

Getting to the most recent sh*t show, they did end up moving into this lovely big new house. The kids were proudly telling everyone about their new home, how pretty it is, how lovely their new big bedrooms are etc.

We could not have been happier for them! Like I said, we were relieved things seemed stable and nice.

Until last night. SD15 came over for dinner and when DH was dropping her home she told him to drop her at their old house, not the new one. He was obviously confused and SD burst into tears and told him mum’s bf had kicked them and their mum out.

Mum and SD19 had behaved so appallingly and entitled towards the new bf that they lasted less than 2 months all living together.

SD15 is humiliated and embarrassed that her mum lied to them about co-owning the house, that she excitedly told all of her friends and family about their new home, and their mum has yet another failed relationship under her belt.

So now they’re back in their old rented house… which begs the question of why hadn’t their mum given up her tenancy (they knew they were moving for over 6 months) or any of her furniture? Did she expect this to happen? If so, why did she put SD15 through it knowing it was as likely to go pear shaped?

We asked SD15 if she wanted to stay with us for a while, she said no but we have her this weekend anyway and intend to spoil her with love and attention.

I just feel so bad for her.

OP posts:
0sm0nthus · 12/04/2024 12:14

@YeezyBreezy
I've mostly read your posts on this thread. I was surprised and disappointed to see the flak that you received initially on here, you come across as very reasonable and genuine. I think the stepmother sounds somewhat personality disordered, these types are often good at putting people under a spell and (undeservably) securing their unconditional love. If you directly criticize or oppose the stepmother you will probably strengthen the bond between her and her daughters and make it harder for you to connect with her daughters- clearly you already realize this.
I think that in time the stepmother will meet her own fate and luckily the daughters have you and your partner there to support them through this.

EG94 · 12/04/2024 12:16

0sm0nthus · 12/04/2024 12:14

@YeezyBreezy
I've mostly read your posts on this thread. I was surprised and disappointed to see the flak that you received initially on here, you come across as very reasonable and genuine. I think the stepmother sounds somewhat personality disordered, these types are often good at putting people under a spell and (undeservably) securing their unconditional love. If you directly criticize or oppose the stepmother you will probably strengthen the bond between her and her daughters and make it harder for you to connect with her daughters- clearly you already realize this.
I think that in time the stepmother will meet her own fate and luckily the daughters have you and your partner there to support them through this.

the lady posting is SM not their mother. But interesting the concern you have seen you have confused her role. I like this

Tyiue · 12/04/2024 12:19

whathannahsaid · 11/04/2024 13:45

I've been in this situation but as the mum, ds was living with me and stayed weekends with his dad.
Every time he came back from their house he would complain that they had done such and such or said such and such.
I had his dad's partner confront me one day with a load of lies that ds had told her, turned out they were exactly the same things as what he's come back telling me about them.
He's in his 30s now and openly admits he tried to play us off against each other, examples such as mum forgot my birthday so dad would go out and do extra feeling bad for him, then come home and say dad forgot it was my birthday so I'd do the same to make it up to him and we both thought the other were terrible parents until sm confronted me and we put our story's together and worked out what was actually going on, since then we worked together and discovered neither of us are actually bad people we just both fell for his tactics.
He did this from age 6.

Wow!! Well done on you and sm working together. This must have hurt.

Illpickthatup · 12/04/2024 12:29

YeezyBreezy · 12/04/2024 12:12

@Illpickthatup I think it’s reasonable to expect mum to give dad a heads up over a big change in living situation, especially when she expects to be informed of our family circumstances.

She hit the roof recently because she suspected I was pregnant. I am not, my “baby” is 10 years old and I have zero desire for any more kids. But she was ranting and raving about how we shouldn’t keep secrets that affect her kids from her.

The hypocrisy! Also, I’m burning that dress I was wearing 🤣🤣 Pregnant indeed! I’d just had a big Sunday roast!

It’s also come to light that she’s been pressurising SD15 to not talk to us about her home life with mum. It’s ridiculous but when we make small talk with her such as “Did you have a nice weekend? What did you get up to?” we noticed her clamming up and acting uncomfortable.

DH talked to her about it in private and she said her mum is telling her not to tell us anything. SD does talk to us and we 100% are not trying to pry, just taking an interest in their lives. It seems excessive that she’s being told she can’t tell us that they went for a walk/to dinner/ to visit friends or whatever they did.

Oh yes, they are the champions of hypocrisy! Again, she can expect all she wants, doesn't mean she should get it. She can hit the roof about what ever she chooses. Let her.

Google the "let them" theory. It's very freeing.

TammyJones · 12/04/2024 13:01

Op totally get it.
We're 20 years on now and didn't suffer a fraction of what you are going through.
I actually always got on with ex but anyway - both step kids now have good jobs , live independently.
We have 3 grandchildren between them.
And their mum?
Doesn't speak to the youngest , rarely speaks ti the eldest and has NEVER seen any of the grandkids- this is her choice.
Sad really.

Littleme2023 · 12/04/2024 13:05

Illpickthatup · 11/04/2024 13:32

People love to point the finger at stepmums. They're always somehow the bad guy. We've never actually concerned about the welfare of children we care about we just love to be judgey and live for all the drama.

You could have wrote that their mum was shooting heroin infront of them and someone on MN would tell you to mind your own business.

LITERALLY 😂😂😂

Illpickthatup · 12/04/2024 13:38

EG94 · 12/04/2024 12:05

im getting more and more envious of your husband each time you post 😂 I’ve been asking my partner to limit the contact with the ex and call the boys not her. Only discuss access with the ex nothing else.

Haha! Oh he hates her guts. When I met him she was blocked on everything and they only communicated via email. She hated not being able to call him whenever she wanted. I was in the car once at drop off and heard her saying "you need to unblock me, we should be able to speak on the phone". And he replied "we should, but we can't, because of you". Her face was a picture!

Before he blocked her she'd been calling him at all hours, leaving abusive voicemails etc. He had every reason to block her.

He agreed to unblock her a couple of years ago but warned her if she started any of her shit she'd be blocked again. Voice notes were blocked because she was abusing that.

DSD is still only 6 and even so communication is kept to a minimum.

Last year she messaged him about DSS who was 16 at the time and DH told her "I'm sure he can tell me himself he's 16. Don't contact me again about him".

She still tries her best to speak to him. It's like she's obsessed despite having a fiancé. She called him the other day about something that could have easily been a text. She tries to facetime him sometimes but he just ignores it.

EG94 · 12/04/2024 14:09

Illpickthatup · 12/04/2024 13:38

Haha! Oh he hates her guts. When I met him she was blocked on everything and they only communicated via email. She hated not being able to call him whenever she wanted. I was in the car once at drop off and heard her saying "you need to unblock me, we should be able to speak on the phone". And he replied "we should, but we can't, because of you". Her face was a picture!

Before he blocked her she'd been calling him at all hours, leaving abusive voicemails etc. He had every reason to block her.

He agreed to unblock her a couple of years ago but warned her if she started any of her shit she'd be blocked again. Voice notes were blocked because she was abusing that.

DSD is still only 6 and even so communication is kept to a minimum.

Last year she messaged him about DSS who was 16 at the time and DH told her "I'm sure he can tell me himself he's 16. Don't contact me again about him".

She still tries her best to speak to him. It's like she's obsessed despite having a fiancé. She called him the other day about something that could have easily been a text. She tries to facetime him sometimes but he just ignores it.

ah sounds like heaven! thankfully she doesn’t excessively contact but she will contact about can you get me this or that from the shop or can I have a lift 🤯 but anything he should know about she doesn’t say a thing 🤬 he got a call once, it was half term he was working he answered and it was can I borrow this? He said seriously I’m working and you called for that. She went off on one about if he’s at work he shouldn’t answe and it’s his fault. He said I’ll answer because I’m expecting if you’re calling me it’s something serious about the kids. He came down said she wants to borrow this and then I just unleashed and said no she ain’t and we are not her personal shoppers and we are not a taxi service. Tell her straight this stops because if you don’t set the boundaries I’m off!

MagicCastle · 15/04/2024 09:56

YeezyBreezy · 11/04/2024 13:21

To be clear, I have never and would never say anything negative to my SDs about their mother. Hence me venting on here because I would never say these things out loud in real life.

DH is doing everything he can to support SDs, which is why he asked if she wanted to stay with us for a while when she expressed how upset she was.

DH’s life and our home life is a lot more stable and calm. He speaks to them both everyday and listens and offers support. He lets them know they can come here any time and invites them out to spend time with him 1-on-1.

What else would you advise? He really wants to do the best he can for them.

Has anyone else been in this situation?

Yeah I can sympathise, we have had similar issues with DH's ex. Her backstory is she had multiple affairs whilst they were together, one which produced a child which DH took under his wing as the dad did a runner and she came back and threw herself at DH, all apologetic & claiming that she was co-erced into having this affair. One year later and she's sleeping with their mutual friend. Honestly it's like a soap opera.

But more to your point - she sounds similar to your stepchildren's mum in that she can't seem to cope being on her own without a man/partner, so much so that she seemingly picks the first easy guy she finds, moves them in and makes DH's kids call him dad from day 1. She split up from one boyfriend who was violent and under police & social services observations, I'm not kidding you within two weeks she had a new boyfriend living in the house with her and DH's children - at the time they were all under the age of 12 years old. She married this new guy after about 8 months as well.

I realise this has turned into a bit of a vent about the ex (!) but yeah you have my sympathy OP and there will be a lot of people on here telling you to keep your nose out. With the best intentions, (it is so hard though) it really is for the best to let your DH handle it all. You can quietly support him and make a nurturing safe environment for them at your house, that will be what sticks with them as they go into adulthood & hopefully they can model yours and DH's relationship rather than their mothers.

Hope this doesn't sound condescending (!) but yeah I feel for you. It's hard when you see things happening to kids you care about and there's not a lot you can do about it.

MissTrip82 · 20/04/2024 12:19

She has form for picking terrible partners?

You mean…….like your husband?

TheCheekyKob · 20/04/2024 20:16

MissTrip82 · 20/04/2024 12:19

She has form for picking terrible partners?

You mean…….like your husband?

Sounds like she struck a nerve with you 🤣

Dweetfidilove · 29/04/2024 22:44

No child needs 4 different partners moving through their home, regardless of how many years it is. At some point you must realise you are not good at relationships or they just don’t agree with you, so you’ll keep them away from your chi.

She sounds a walking disaster, but thankfully had the presence of mind to keep her tenancy. Maybe she is quite self-aware after all, so had a strong sense the relationship would fail 🤦🏾‍♀️.

You and your husband can only now be a safe space for your stepdaughters. Thankfully they have at least some source of stability should they need it. It must be difficult watching ☹️.

StormingNorman · 30/04/2024 00:34

You sound like a lovely step mum and you are probably doing as much as you can do right now. You are providing them with stability and a safe space. They know they have a home with you if they need it. And you are being respectful of their mum.

Just keep doing this.

MissyPea · 30/04/2024 22:16

YeezyBreezy · 11/04/2024 13:39

Jealous? Of SD’s upset? What on earth is there to be jealous of?

You can easily spot the bitter exes on here a mile off can’t you. Soooo much projecting. There’s nothing to be jealous of at all which is clear to everyone else.

Vettrianofan · 02/06/2024 10:17

The ones that live next door are lazy and just spend all Sunday doing nothing, no idea how they keepa 3yo quiet until the afternoon. When it's just them with their youngest they don't surface till the afternoon. If the older three DC are there, they don't behave that way. They keep the 3yo up late till at least 11pm on a Saturday night which is a shame. She sounds like she needs her bed!

The point I am making is I see parallels with the SM in your life OP, as the mum next door to me is selfish too.

Daisy12Maisie · 02/06/2024 23:23

It's not ideal having lots of boyfriends round the kids but I'm sure she doesn't deliberately pick men who are going to dump her. It's not very nice for her either. 😔.

MissTrip82 · 03/06/2024 00:32

She choose awful men……..like
your DH?

adviceneeded1990 · 03/06/2024 01:05

YeezyBreezy · 11/04/2024 13:09

You don’t think having 4 different men living with the kids or staying over/ being introduced as stepdad in 8 years is excessive? And these are just the ones I know of during my relationship with DH, she was engaged twice before I met them.

No judgement on her dating, it’s involving the kids and moving in with them so quickly that’s problematic.

Mum constantly lies to them and gets their hopes up about things that will never materialise, and moving twice in 9 weeks is pretty chaotic imho.

If a Dad had moved in 4 different women in eight years the MN crowd would be after his blood, he’d be a shit father, prioritising his dick and not his kids, etc, etc. Unfortunately, because you’re a step mum discussing the behaviour of a bio mum, she could move in a mass murderer and you’d still be wrong. Step Mum rules of MN !

Bansheed · 03/06/2024 02:15

I am completely baffled by the negative responses on this thread, towards OP.

It is always good to know there is an alternative point of view bit so many nasty, disingenuous responses to a woman who is showing genuine care.

Bloody weird.

OP, keep doing what you are doing. Offer your SD an ear and support. Of course she loves her mum but having your place for some.calm and stability is great, too. Just let her know your house is always open.

I am not a step mum, but my DH is a step dad to mine. It is not an easy role necessarily but genuine care goes a long way.

YeezyBreezy · 03/06/2024 07:58

@MissTrip82 no, I never said they were all awful. Her most recent boyfriend seemed like a nice guy too and obviously my DH is lovely otherwise I wouldn’t have married him.

But at least 3 men she’s dated in the last 8 years have had well known bad reputations locally, one was in and out of prison like a yo-yo.

@Daisy12Maisie I honestly have no sympathy for her, especially in light of the fact I started this thread only 7 weeks ago and she’s already got a new man who she’s been having around her house and my SDs for a least a couple of weeks.

She’s callous and selfish, and does not consider the impact of her choices on her children.

Like I said, date who she wants to date… but why introduce them to my SDs so early on and so often? She has a huge amount of free time to date and do as she wishes without involving them.

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