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Step-parenting

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

Stepdaughter and being nice

85 replies

stepparentinghell · 27/07/2024 11:06

So after my last post I have come away and done some thinking and had seen my counsellor again.
Ultimately I know and have known it's not fully the step daughters fault.
Her mother has always been a nightmare, and tbh in lockdown we had calls from the daughter her mum was passed out etc. her dad is no saint when it comes to alcohol but is what it is and her mum was ultimately the one who made the decision to leave her at his house when he was drunk because I was there. Her mum always said she liked me compared to his other ex and didn't want me to end up like herself. She claims she is suffering from ptsd from being with him. Which at times I can see so have always taken things from her as quite truthful.
Anyways I know her house is always a mess; my son stayed there last year when me and him where on a break and he said it smelt and wasn't nice.
Yes I can be mad that she is using the situation with her dad to get everything she wants, but ultimately that is upto him and what he sees fit. Yesterday me and him went out and he was complaining that he had no money to spend on himself. I just kept quiet,
I invited them all for a bbq last night; the kids played in the pool and things, I was miffed as he was like 'well I need to ask them if they want to'. I am under the impression as they are kids they should be told, as that's what I do with my kids. I don't let them dictate if we do or don't do something or go somewhere but each to their own. My partner then has suggested we go to some field today for a picnic like we use to l, and because it's free and he can't afford to go out. So yeah fine; but then said to the eldest if she gets out of bed and comes then me and her can go and get our nails done. Hes kinda planned this without asking me, I will tell him he has to pay for mine as I cannot afford to do it today as wasn't planned. But I am thinking I will go and do it, I will be nice. I have invited her on days out in the summer holidays too with me and the kids because ultimately isn't her fault.
I do think I'll get a backlash from her mother but ultimately that isn't my fault because she allowed her daughter to move out.
This week she has gone into work with her mum for 3 days, they have been to Costa, and apparently she is staying there tomorrow because her mum wants her to try and stay for longer. So I am a little confused as she does say she doesn't know what she wants still but seems to be there a lot but will go with it.

My partner has told the daughter that he is meant to be coming on holiday with us and that he will decide fully soon and that if he does she will have to stay with her mum. (He's worded it like this as he said it's to do it nicely but has told my kids he won't let the down and he will be going.)

Ultimately it's upto him really how to make this all work; I have done my bit having them over, inviting her for summer, bought a bigger dining room table etc and will sort some sleeping arrangement. I made a point yesterday of asking us kids for photos to put up in my house is then etc all things he said he does at his and feels I need to do more at mine to be Inclusive and hopefully so we can all stay at each others houses. If this doesn't change things then it's on him.

Any advice on what I can say to her mum if she kicks off she is spending more time with me, also I wish to message her and ask her to refrain stirring the pot as she keeps telling my partner stuff we had spoke about in the past or things from work. She has completely stabbed me in the back when I haven't with things about her. Me and her were actually friends in the end. Then it all went tits up because back in March me and my partner split and I had said to her we were just good friends and things for the kids (which we was for a while) and never explained we were getting back together. As I didn't feel it was her business. Well he told her when she got argumentative as I had a go at the stepdaughter for lying as I caught her dangerously cooking with oil whilst her dad was at work. She's 12 and I was concerned and she was lying. I apologised to the stepdaughter but yeah

OP posts:
Cloverforever · 30/07/2024 07:57

The poor kids caught up in this shit show!

AlwaysWashingTeatowels · 30/07/2024 08:04

Two points: your partner is always skint, and expects you to entertain and pay for his child. This is not acceptable. She is his responsibility, financially and practically.

Secondly, you talk a lot about ‘forcing’ people to do things (eg sign over benefits). The things you want to force people to do are not your responsibility. Anything to do negotiations around where the child lives and who claims benefits is your partners responsibility, and just between him and his ex.

I absolutely agree with other posters that this relationship is unhealthy, and that you need to take a step back. Your partners priority needs to be his daughter. Your responsibility needs to be your own children. This situation will negatively impact on all the children involved.

stepparentinghell · 30/07/2024 09:42

@StormingNorman
Holiday is end of August, but she has no passport; he has no birth certificate for her. We could add her on but it would be £1000 to add her plus the passport cost which I just don't have.

OP posts:
GKD · 30/07/2024 10:03

stepparentinghell · 30/07/2024 09:42

@StormingNorman
Holiday is end of August, but she has no passport; he has no birth certificate for her. We could add her on but it would be £1000 to add her plus the passport cost which I just don't have.

This is so sad it’s hilarious.

look at your speech ‘we’ cannot add her because ‘I’ don’t have the money.

It seems he wants to force his daughter back to mum (who it sounds like she needs protecting from) so he can go on holiday?

How can you love and respect a man like this?

he needs to drop out of the holiday and look after his child.

stepparentinghell · 30/07/2024 10:22

@GKD right now he is working a full time job, and paying the ex £360 maintenance plus she is still receiving all the CB and UC for th daughter, he is receiving no help financially. She has come with no clothes nothing, so he is struggling to pay for everything with all the bugs his daughter wants and needs like makeup and clothes etc. he doesn't have £1000 lying around to pay for her and neither do I,
He's given her money to go shopping today so I am taking her whilst my kids are at football club and hopefully will get her some pjs for her mums; some more underwear and bits,

OP posts:
stepparentinghell · 30/07/2024 10:29

@GKD why is it also all
Falling on him. His ex claims she wants the daughter back, well she then needs to be made to step up. She knew he had plans to go away and it's all convenient the mum is suddenly being difficult. And I can't respect someone like that.
He is trying to not let my kids down so yes I respect that he is trying to be a decent step
Parent

OP posts:
StormingNorman · 30/07/2024 10:41

stepparentinghell · 30/07/2024 09:42

@StormingNorman
Holiday is end of August, but she has no passport; he has no birth certificate for her. We could add her on but it would be £1000 to add her plus the passport cost which I just don't have.

It does look like he’s going to need to stay home with his daughter if you can’t take her with you. It’s a shame for them both to miss out but as a dad he only has two choices: take her or stay home.

The cost of adding her and getting the passport should be for dad to pay rather than you.

excelledyourself · 30/07/2024 12:28

stepparentinghell · 30/07/2024 10:29

@GKD why is it also all
Falling on him. His ex claims she wants the daughter back, well she then needs to be made to step up. She knew he had plans to go away and it's all convenient the mum is suddenly being difficult. And I can't respect someone like that.
He is trying to not let my kids down so yes I respect that he is trying to be a decent step
Parent

She doesn't care whether you respect her or not. That's not to say I agree with what she's doing, but you have literally no influence over her.

She can't be made to step up. If she says she's not having the daughter back, whether that is right or wrong, then your partner has to keep her. If that means he can't go on holiday, because he can't afford to take her, then that's how it is.

Your partner should not be making promises to your kids when things are so uncertain in his own parenting situation. He needs to prioritise his own child.

And why is he still paying his ex CM. Tell him to get his own claim in. Probably not straightforward in the circumstances, as I think it's linked to CB, but has he actually sought any proper advice?

stepparentinghell · 30/07/2024 14:31

@excelledyourself

He was booked to come before she moved into his. This holiday has been booked for
Over a year, the ex just didn't know he was coming until recently.
He has been to UC who are requesting a letter from her or the school but school is closed, we have contacted Child maintenance however they aren't getting back to us and said we still need to pay until they sort and, and be made a CB claim but was told by them she needs to relinquish hers first.

If he doesn't go I will lose £1100 plus have very u happy kids

OP posts:
BeachRide · 30/07/2024 14:37

Your poor son. I hope he escapes this shitshow as soon as possible and can rebuild his life.

excelledyourself · 30/07/2024 15:33

Regardless of the ex's motivations, his circumstances have now changed and she can't be forced to have the DD for the holiday. At least not without massively damaging his relationship with his DD.

You split up in March, so there was always a chance you'd lose money and your kids would be disappointed. Those are risks you've chosen to taken.

There's a lot of talk about your money here. You've paid his holiday and now you're saying you also contribute to the child maintenance? Why are you doing that?

GKD · 30/07/2024 15:48

stepparentinghell · 30/07/2024 14:31

@excelledyourself

He was booked to come before she moved into his. This holiday has been booked for
Over a year, the ex just didn't know he was coming until recently.
He has been to UC who are requesting a letter from her or the school but school is closed, we have contacted Child maintenance however they aren't getting back to us and said we still need to pay until they sort and, and be made a CB claim but was told by them she needs to relinquish hers first.

If he doesn't go I will lose £1100 plus have very u happy kids

If he doesn’t go YOU will lose £1100?
You paid for his holiday?

Jesus wept.

For him, your children's wants shouldn’t be above his child’s need.

It’s on him because according to him mum is inadequate. And he’s shit if he doesn’t step up or leaves his DD in inadequate care.

stepparentinghell · 30/07/2024 16:14

@GKD
Yes I paid, because he runs a house ok one wage, I have alot of extra incomee. Mine is roughly double his per month. In the beginning of the relationship he paid our more for things. I wanted him to come on holiday and so I paid. Yes we split in March and would have taken someone else but now it's too short notice plus isn't enough time to get my son use to the idea. When we split we maintanved a friendship for all the kids so we also looked at him still coming.

I have helped with maintence just while the daughter has moved in and he's waiting on them to recalculate as he can't afford everything

OP posts:
socks1107 · 30/07/2024 17:16

Who on earth have you got yourself so involved and into every bit of his business.
I didn't get involved at all until I moved in with my dh.
Leave the man and his daughter alone. It's not for him to abandon his child so yours feels better. It's for you to provide stability for your child which you aren't doing

GKD · 30/07/2024 20:29

stepparentinghell · 30/07/2024 10:29

@GKD why is it also all
Falling on him. His ex claims she wants the daughter back, well she then needs to be made to step up. She knew he had plans to go away and it's all convenient the mum is suddenly being difficult. And I can't respect someone like that.
He is trying to not let my kids down so yes I respect that he is trying to be a decent step
Parent

Just fully read this.

you don’t need to respect mum, she has nothing to do with you.

On the other hand how can you respect a man so skint that he couldn’t even pay his own holiday costs even though you are helping pay his maintenance. That will leave his DD with a woman he feels is abusive to holibob with someone else’s kids?

I don’t know you and have no respect for you - how can you spend money on this man instead of your kids? You don’t have a grand yet paid it for him to go on holiday?

shameful all around.

stepparentinghell · 30/07/2024 20:33

@GKD no I don't just have a grand lying around to add his daughter. I paid for my holiday monthly, I have money on the bank for my children, to feed them and clothe them etc. plus I am helping with maintenance u til cSA agree he doesn't have to pay because that's what you do in a relationship. He use to help me

OP posts:
Didshejustsaythatoutloud · 30/07/2024 20:41

Truly and utterly baffled. Wtf is going on? How can all you people understand what is being said???🤔

socks1107 · 30/07/2024 21:28

Didshejustsaythatoutloud · 30/07/2024 20:41

Truly and utterly baffled. Wtf is going on? How can all you people understand what is being said???🤔

She has another thread.

Her boyfriend who she doesn't live with has had his 11 year old move in with him.
She doesn't want this. She wants the child to be sent back to her mums as him parenting his child is affecting when she sees him and apparently has disrupted her children. But they don't live together.

There's a holiday booked that his daughter isn't invited on. Not been included and she wants her boyfriend to put her kids above his.
That's the upshot really that she wants her kids and herself to come before his 11 year old.

She's either unbelievably selfish and cannot see beyond what she wants with no thought to any of the children in this relationship or it's all a wind up

stepparentinghell · 30/07/2024 21:31

@socks1107 yes I wanted her to go back but I have been dealing with the situation and making the best of it.
They came Friday for dinnner, we spent Saturday with them and her dad asked me to go to nail salon with her. Her nail came off so whilst he was working he for me to take her yesterday to have it fixed and now today I took her in my own shopping for underwear and bits as he was working. So I am doing my best here. I even suggested to add her to the holiday if he could pay. Or ask his mum to lend him the money, we could try to fast track passport but then the ex wife would kick off that his other daughter isn't going

OP posts:
GKD · 31/07/2024 08:23

stepparentinghell · 30/07/2024 20:33

@GKD no I don't just have a grand lying around to add his daughter. I paid for my holiday monthly, I have money on the bank for my children, to feed them and clothe them etc. plus I am helping with maintenance u til cSA agree he doesn't have to pay because that's what you do in a relationship. He use to help me

You also look after your children and don’t force them to stay with someone you think is inadequate so you can go on a jolly with someone else’s kids.

Thats what you do as a parent.

You don’t have any savings yet you are using your household resources that could be used for your DC on a grown man?

slow clap…

stepparentinghell · 31/07/2024 08:58

@GKD
I do normally have savings, but have just had to buy a new car which I have done out right by saving. It cost me £16099. Plus have just put down the deposit for me and my two kids to go to Florida in 2026.
I am now starting back at saving again. As roughly I can save £1200 a month. So yes I do have savings normally, yes I do have money, just this month I am not paid until 20th Augusy which is a couple day after our holiday starts so if our holiday was 21st o could have done my best to help.

OP posts:
Starlight1979 · 31/07/2024 09:03

stepparentinghell · 31/07/2024 08:58

@GKD
I do normally have savings, but have just had to buy a new car which I have done out right by saving. It cost me £16099. Plus have just put down the deposit for me and my two kids to go to Florida in 2026.
I am now starting back at saving again. As roughly I can save £1200 a month. So yes I do have savings normally, yes I do have money, just this month I am not paid until 20th Augusy which is a couple day after our holiday starts so if our holiday was 21st o could have done my best to help.

Oh how unfortunate that your holiday is 3 days too early for DSD to come along with you.

You know you could use a credit card / loan / borrow the £1000 until the 20th August? Which is literally 3 weeks away? Then you can take her with you.

Starlight1979 · 31/07/2024 09:06

Sorry, am I missing something OP... Why are YOU seeing a counsellor because of your boyfriend's relationship with his daughter?! That is seriously bizarre.

stepparentinghell · 31/07/2024 09:12

@Starlight1979
I don't have a credit care or loan facility. Unfortunately I have just finished a IVA due to my youngest dad when he lived with me as he was a stay at home dad as I worked and took lots of debt on my name. I have tried to borrow of my family and they won't do it. So I have exhausted every avenue.
I booked the dates I did because I knew I would get paid whilst
There

OP posts:
stepparentinghell · 31/07/2024 09:23

@Starlight1979
I a
Physically trying to have arranged the money, my next step is to approach his mum and ask her. Because as much as I don't know how the holiday would go with her there; I want to make sure he can still go for my kids

OP posts: