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Step-parenting

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Should I speak to my partner about his spoiled kids and particularly son's behaviour

61 replies

Pamalam · 08/03/2025 13:02

Hi, I would love some input on this as I'm really unsure how to proceed.

I (40f) have been in a relationship with my partner (45m) for a year and a half, before this I was alone for 8years. I have 4 children, 20, 17, 13 and 11 who are with me full time. He has 2 aged 11 and 9 who he has 2 nights midweek and every other weekend.

Theres a couple of problems I am having and I'm unsure how to address these or if I should even mention it at all.

Firstly, his kids are extremely spoiled, both from him and their mother. They demand and expect things and will 9/10 always get their way, only exception is if my oh doesn't have the money for whatever it is - then the kids will huff over it and complain, cry etc. he has said himself that they are spoilt, but he sees that as the amount of stuff that they have rather than how it affects their behaviour, if that makes sense. He doesn't seem to acknowledge their manipulation tactics or respond to their tantrums. His 11yo is rude and shouts demands at him through the house, my oh laughs it off and does whatever he's told. My kids talk between themselves about how his kids are spoiled, there's no jealousy there, more so they find it irritating to be around.

The next, and probably greater issue if I'm honest, is the behaviour of his son. Since we have met his behaviour has been a concern to me, specifically his language and way he behaves/talks. For example making r#pe jokes, being racist , using the N word, violently hurting his younger sister, calling her and my youngest b#tches, putting inappropriate content on the TV etc. I've spoken to my partner about this over the time we have been together, but he's never done anything about it than say "hey don't do that". I've considered that this behaviour could have been coming from a place of insecurity and that his son was trying to maybe appear cool/show off to my older children, or establish himself as being somewhat older than he is. I put it down to being exposed to content he shouldn't be (both kids are constantly on tictok) and thought that this would settle down over time/his dad would nip it in the bud. But nothing has changed. Although under all that there is a sweet and affectionate boy, he does genuinely believe he is superior to everyone and I am finding him difficult to be around. My children don't enjoy being around him to the point they don't want to go if he's there and they don't want him to come to ours. I've said to my partner before that my kids don't want to come because of his language and behaviour, and he said he's spoken to him about it but then next time we are there it's just the same. At first my kids were shocked and offended, now they are just tired and bored and becoming resentful.

I don't know how involved I should be with this, obviously I don't want things to continue as they are, but Im also aware that if it's not handled properly it could come across as a personal attack on his kids, which would understandably most likely be a deal breaker for him. Is this behaviour a deal-breaker, should I be walking away? After all, it's not ok for my daughter to be called a b#+ch, what kind of example is that setting for how she should expect to be treated...

Any advice gratefully received xx

OP posts:
Stripeyanddotty · 08/03/2025 13:04

Just leave. Why put your children through this?

wizzywig · 08/03/2025 13:06

Agree. Leave. Your kids aren't happy. Why prioritize a lame dad over your kids?

redcherrie · 08/03/2025 13:08

Please leave him. This isn't going to change. Your poor kids- they should come first.

Spirallingdownwards · 08/03/2025 13:09

Does your partner accept that you should be able to pull his son up too each and every time he makes such vile jokes and for inappropriate behaviour If he does then yes speak to him and agree a joint approach and consequences. If he does not then I personally wouldn't be in a relationship with a man who thinks it's okay to raise an Andrew Tate wannabe.

Dearg · 08/03/2025 13:11

How long have you lived together? 18 months is not a long time to meet, decide to take this further, acclimatise the kids and then try part-time blending. If I understand your Op correctly.

But, time aside, your partner needs to sort this out, for his own daughter’s sake. I would be looking at moving out / moving him out as it’s not good for your family.

Snorlaxo · 08/03/2025 13:13

Do you really think that you have the power to change things ? Your partner clearly doesn’t care and has no inclination to change things so you have 2 choices suck it up or run. I know what I’d pick- especially when I had kids who shouldn’t have to tolerate that shit

Pamalam · 08/03/2025 13:13

Dearg · 08/03/2025 13:11

How long have you lived together? 18 months is not a long time to meet, decide to take this further, acclimatise the kids and then try part-time blending. If I understand your Op correctly.

But, time aside, your partner needs to sort this out, for his own daughter’s sake. I would be looking at moving out / moving him out as it’s not good for your family.

We don't live together, sometimes we will stay at his house and sometimes he will stay at mine but not with his kids

OP posts:
goodnightssleepbenice · 08/03/2025 13:13

Do you tell his kids off ?

BettyBardMacDonald · 08/03/2025 13:16

Don't force your children to be around those horrible people.

I would think with four children of your own who need your attention, you would be casually dating, at most. Not getting embroiled with some other family.

Pamalam · 08/03/2025 13:16

Spirallingdownwards · 08/03/2025 13:09

Does your partner accept that you should be able to pull his son up too each and every time he makes such vile jokes and for inappropriate behaviour If he does then yes speak to him and agree a joint approach and consequences. If he does not then I personally wouldn't be in a relationship with a man who thinks it's okay to raise an Andrew Tate wannabe.

Edited

Eugh, yes, I had this exact talk with him about Andrew Tate, his son was saying things like oh he seems like a good guy etc I was horrified and he said that he had a chat with his son about it and explained and his son was clueless about the implications behind it all

OP posts:
onetwothreefourfive11 · 08/03/2025 13:16

Don't mix the kids then

Keep them separate
They didn't ask to be apart of a blended family

It either works or it doesn't

So leave, or keep them separate if you have that option.

UpTheLaganInABubble1 · 08/03/2025 13:19

Don't mix the kids. Is your ex still involved with looking after your kids with him? Could you just see your partner on his kid free days (and your kid free days if you have them)? I wouldn't let me kids hang out with a 9yo who makes rape jokes and uses racist language if there was any way I could avoid it. Does your boyfriend also laugh that off btw? Yikes

PotteringAlonggotkickedoutandhadtoreregister · 08/03/2025 13:41

If you don’t live together then there’s no issue, surely? You just don’t mix the kids.

Adamante · 08/03/2025 13:44

End it. If he thought it was a problem and was willing to address it he'd have done so before now and wouldn't need prompting. Sounds like a total nightmare! I'd tell him why too, make him think about what a nasty potential man he's helping to raise.

Hoppinggreen · 08/03/2025 13:45

The first time his son spoke to/about my DD like that I would have left the house or told his Dad to take his son home.
Whatever the reasons and whether he is redeemable or not (unlikley given how he is being parented) your kids don't deserve to be treated like that and neither do you

Dearg · 08/03/2025 13:45

Ah , then my apologies, I misunderstood. I agree with PP, don’t mix the kids, and maybe just avoid seeing your partner on the nights and weekends he hosts his own dc.
Feel sad for his own daughter though. He is letting her down.

LilyFox · 08/03/2025 13:48

I got about a third of the way through your post and stopped.

Obviously finish the relationship.

Your kids won't thank you in the long run if you persist in this.

PreventPomtoPerson · 08/03/2025 13:49

I wouldn’t be getting involved in discipline someone else’s dc personally, you’re putting yourself in a position where you can never win. Families bring dc up differently and sometimes two families might not be compatible. If you don’t live together then just keep your kids at yours while his are at his, it doesn’t have to be the end of things entirely if you don’t want it to be.

HundredMilesAnHour · 08/03/2025 13:52

Both the son’s behaviour and his father’s lackadaisical approach to dealing with it would be dealbreakers for me.

lunar1 · 08/03/2025 13:56

Don't waste your time, don't want to be associated with people who are racist and make rape jokes? Because if your partner isn't coming down like a tonne of bricks every single time, it applies to him too.

Certainly don't involve your dc with suck awful people.

BeaAndBen · 08/03/2025 13:59

Keep your children completely separate. Baby incels are not the type of people your children need to be around.

soarklyknobs · 08/03/2025 14:04

Either end the relationship or simply don't see your bf when he has his kids.

He only sees them 4 days a month and a couple of evenings, you've got over 20 other days of the month to see him without his DC around, why not just do that?

EveryKneeShallBow · 08/03/2025 14:04

Men who nod along with other men’s misogyny are a huge part of the problem. I wouldn’t be in a relationship with someone who doesn’t call out a friend for it, let alone an inadequate who isn’t capable of parenting his own child.

soupyspoon · 08/03/2025 14:08

I dont understand how your kids come into contact with his kids then?

But in any case unless this boy is checked and treated he risks growing into someone who could case actual harm to you and your children, so I would steer clear.

Pamalam · 08/03/2025 14:33

Thank you all for your responses. It's tricky because also my kids really do like him and overall we have a good relationship, he's always treated me well and I've felt safe and loved. his daughter and my youngest are very close and absolutely love spending time together.

I think aside from the obvious, his son's behaviour, which is clear to me now that I'm not overreacting about feeling this way about it, I'm realising that there may be other issues at play here.

I was quite shocked to hear the suggestion that my partner would think/behave in the same way, because I've never got that from him. He's genuinely kind and loving and not at all a 'lad' incel type and I've never had any reason to doubt that. However, the comments from Hundredmilesanhour and lunar1 (apologies if other similar I've missed) have really hit home... Your totally right, his doing nothing is also condoning it. As obvious as that may seem, it's not really an angle I'd considered it from. This is why it's helpful to speak to others.

The lackadaisical approach is something that's been an issue in some other areas in our relationship, that have been addressed, maybe i need to consider this further as if it's a recurring theme then it's probably a bigger issue than I had first anticipated.

OP posts:
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