Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Please or to access all these features

Step-parenting

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

Weekends with step kids are boring

133 replies

Navigatingstepparenting · 17/05/2026 10:39

Aibu?

Been together 6 years, live in seperate houses mainly because he has a 4 bed house but won’t have his children share who visit maybe every other weekend these days. My two children can’t share due to my youngest a disability. His mother owes them house and she is apparently told old to sell this house and get a bigger one, told us when she’s dead then we can do what we want but she doesn’t want to. Also financially I would actually be skint living with him.
Anyways his kids are now 12 and 14. They come roughly every other weekend now when I have my kids rather than every weekend. Which I am happier about as means that we get the every other weekend without my children and his and can just relax and chill like we use to when we first got together as he use to have his kids Sundays and Mondays every week but that changed to every Friday and saturday. Unfortunately I will still book my weekends away on my child free weekends and it’s upto him whether he stays at home with his kids or comes with me and he choose to come with me. So I think naturally they now come every other week. But this is now my dilemma. His kids will stay awake a lot durn the night (says he can’t control this because their mother allows it.) and then they sleep u til like 1-2pm. My every other weekend with my children we have to to be quiet until 1-2. Usually I have a lie in Saturdays so they are happy in the room they have to share the 2 nights we are here but then I get up and we don’t do breakfast or lunch until they are up, we just sit and watch tv, play iPads and do nothing with our day or go out and do nothing fun because we wait for them to get up and then they don’t even want to go out. I then get grumpy and in a mood because I’m like this is just boring, he believes it’s doing my kids good as believes over the years they have been too spoilt with weekend to zoos and theme parks etc as his kids didn’t and holidays abroad etc. but I’m bored at home, I also don’t want my eldest wanting to live with his dad because we do nothing. Today I have made plans as he went to work at 7am and his kids let themselves out when they wake up and that’s wrong because I am treating my kids to a day out, well yes unfortunately I am because I have to do something with them! But we can’t make any noise and wake his precious children. I’d i stay at home the weekend we get moaned at that we aren’t spending time together as a family.

I take my kids abroad most years, his kids don’t have passports and that’s a him problem I can’t be expected to pay for them aswell as me and my kids. But I am putting £30 a week into an account same as him to do weekends away in this country with all our children! That’s great but we have done one and have another booked and one of his kids is saying she may not come as it’s too childish. We go to like park deans. But she had a blast last time, and we’ve said we are open to ideas to suit everyone. Anyways he doesn’t really like to go spending on them park days etc but has said this time we can take food to cook and use the money to d a theme park or something to make her want to keep coming. Sorry but she’s just being ungrateful on my eyes. Her mother doesn’t take her away we are trying to do something every other month and it’s not good enough. But he just tells me I am making them the enemy and I’m being harsh. Like err no. She’s being ungrateful.
Now refusing to eat dinner if I cook it, although it’s cooked the exact way he does it.

All his kids did was spend all weekend upstairs anyways! Like what’s the point in coming over? The youngest was because she wanted her friend over Friday night which disturbs everyone as they can’t be quiet. But he thinks it’s great because the friend is allowed to stay here and not the mothers and that he could win the battle with her wanting to move on here.

I get staying home is great we save money but I’m bored of it. Step

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
LadyDanburysHat · 18/05/2026 09:07

arethereanyleftatall · 17/05/2026 13:53

This isn’t difficult whatsoever.

don’t go over there on the weekends his children are there.

or carry on making yourself and your kids thoroughly miserable I guess.

utterly baffling.

This! I can't believe you are making your and your DC weekends miserable for him. See him when you both have no kids and enjoy your life away from his kids.

Jinglejinglejingle7 · 18/05/2026 09:13

I think you've been taken fir a mug here. Once a man starts dictating when you have fun/ stay at home/prioritise your kids and you do as he says, you know he's not got your best interests at heart. You have to be a bit stronger for your kids if not for you.

MsSquiz · 18/05/2026 09:13

He should be spending the 4 days a month he has his children with his children. He has the rest of the month to see you (with or without your children!)

also, his reason to not divorce is ridiculous. Divorce is no blame now, so it doesn’t matter who files. The debt situation is separate.

none of this sounds happy or fun, just like extra hard work for yourself and your kids!

BudgetBuster · 18/05/2026 10:07

I guessed this was the poster who absolutely despised the younger stepdaughter.... but I've only just copped it's also the poster who posted this week about her own child's dad.

All in all... a total shitshow

havingoneofthosedays · 18/05/2026 10:25

Yip crops up every few months, hates her boyfriend’s children, not step children as they are not married. However the ‘midlife crisis’ wife is a new part of the story…

MiaKulper · 18/05/2026 10:38

as they are not married He is. She isn't.

All in all... a total shitshow👍

Snorlaxo · 18/05/2026 10:47

There is no benefit to being the one who starts the divorce. His family and friends presumably know you so they don’t think anything about the marriage. Are you sure he isn’t staying married so you don’t ask him to get married? 🤔

As for the kids stuff, are you mad? If he wants to be a lazy Disney Dad then leave him to it. You should be putting your kids first and doing what’s in their best interest. Moving in will be a disaster. He’s not on the same page as you parenting wise so you will be bad cop and in time you’ll have kids demanding to stay up all night gaming and getting you to jump higher and higher obstacles like his kids do to his dad. Don’t ruin your life and theirs by moving in. Stop kidding yourself about being one family. Best thing for you and the kids is living separately and you see him during your free time. You can’t blend families where the adults are miles apart like you are because you will be bad cop. He sees you as a nanny with a fanny - don’t let your kids see this man treat you like this.

OriginalSkang · 18/05/2026 10:51

If you're telling your children to be quiet until 2pm for the sake of some lazy fuckers that don't get up until 2pm, that is on you!

MiaKulper · 18/05/2026 10:51

According to what she posted on another thread she has already moved in.

Mulledjuice · 18/05/2026 10:52

Navigatingstepparenting · 17/05/2026 15:27

@letmebetheonehe basically won’t divorce her (she was a midlife crisis wife between the girls mum and then me.) she’s younger than both me and his first wife. She had a few affairs and left him with £15000 worth of debt so he wants her to be the one to file so he can prove to everyone she left him and that hw can try and reclaim his money that he won’t get.

Yeah yeah yeah sure.

Just stop compromising your life and your children's lives because your boyfriend tells you to.

Do the Saturdays that suit you. Do the weekends away that suit you.

Read your OP back again - what would you say to a friend or daughter who had written that?

Navigatingstepparenting · 18/05/2026 10:57

@Besidemyselfwithworry I currently recieve around £4400 a month. My Pip is £570, my son DLA is £570, carers allowance, 3 bedroom home rate, LCWRA and UC is approximately £2400 a month. Plus CB and CSA.
I would lose the majority of the £2400 a month because of his earnings! As he has also said we would have to split any UC 50/50. As apparently why should he not gain anything out of us moving in as all the bills go up. Which I would be paying those increases but he doesn’t see it that way. The majority of my UC is mine and my son’s disabled elements however he doesn’t understand that.
he is very frugal, he doesn’t do dishwashers and tumble dryers which I have as a necessity due to my disability so that’s a lot more running, he doesn’t see my kids clothes and clubs as joint so that I have to find somewhere. His water bill double last year but apparently that was my fault for living there for a few weeks in Easter rather than his daughter actually lived there and was having 2 40 minute showers a day.

my kids love staying there, mainly when his kids aren’t as we don’t have to be silent. I don’t see why if we lived together my kids are there 26 days a month, his 4 days… they can share for the 4 days. Whilst my kids need seperate rooms and it’s part of my youngest issues. When they aren’t there durn the week he allows my eldest to stay in his youngest daughters room so my kids are seperated.

he doesn’t want to pay the divorce fee, and he believe if she files he can try and gain the debt money back as it proves if she files that he didn’t choose to end it all. His mother is in agreement too. Something about when he divorced his first wife, the kids mum, she tried to take him for this and that so he had to get rid of money or something.

thing is he can be lovely, any issues I have he is there and sorts them, needed to change my car he put the £2000 extra on his credit card, my car breaks he pays for it, the kids need to get their hair cut he does it, the youngest is having a meltdown he deals with it. There is so many good aspects, he takes one of my kids to a club thing every Wednesday, every Tuesday he takes the other to football, he is there for them, he’s who they message and ask to come to school plays and things and he does his best to be at everyone. We have discussed living together this year, however we cannot find a solution for the sleeping arrangement. I have suggested building an extension on the house, or we convert the summer house to a room for one of the kids. He’s suggested getting a caravan on the drive for a kid. But we have to iron out this whole kid thing first. An d frankly I don’t know how. Suddently the last 2 months it’s all about ‘his girls’ and things but realistically it’s all just words. I have been taking his eldest out every week doing homeschooling, and to hair appointments etc as her mum doesn’t. But that’s over looked. His kids can never do wrong, he’s just bought the 14 year old a box of about 40 disposable vapes.. because apparently he’s better getting them from him than some dodgy bloke. He wants to be their friend not their parent. But will parent mine as he says he can’t undo the mistakes with his and he doesn’t get a day because they live with their mother primarily. Again there is issues there but he doesn’t go to social to get them living with him etc and even his mum said we don’t want the eldest moving back in with you.

last weekend I said I was going to stay home as we have coughs and colds and he gets really ill if he catches it, his response was well if you do I won’t be impressed we aren’t seeing you, he wants us there with him and his kids,

OP posts:
arethereanyleftatall · 18/05/2026 10:58

BudgetBuster · 18/05/2026 10:07

I guessed this was the poster who absolutely despised the younger stepdaughter.... but I've only just copped it's also the poster who posted this week about her own child's dad.

All in all... a total shitshow

It’s why stepmothers get a pretty hard time on here, because there is a daily post from one who doesn’t seem to give a shiny shit about their children’s happiness as long as they have a boyfriend.

EmailsaysOOO · 18/05/2026 11:08

JustABean · 18/05/2026 00:06

I'm just a stranger and feel your dislike of the two kids so how much more worse it is for them to be around you. I think I would stay in my room as much as possible to. 4 Poor kids in this mess because 2 adults can't figure it out properly and reasonably

That's how it looks to me too. Can't see the point in keeping this weird relationship going.

Bournetilly · 18/05/2026 11:08

The whole thing sounds like a disaster. You need to put your kids first and end the relationship.

BudgetBuster · 18/05/2026 11:09

arethereanyleftatall · 18/05/2026 10:58

It’s why stepmothers get a pretty hard time on here, because there is a daily post from one who doesn’t seem to give a shiny shit about their children’s happiness as long as they have a boyfriend.

She should be getting a hard time as a biological mother though...

Dalmationday · 18/05/2026 11:12

You have your own house. Stay at your own house with your children. He stays at his house with his children. Your kids won’t care about not seeing him regularly

arethereanyleftatall · 18/05/2026 11:13

BudgetBuster · 18/05/2026 11:09

She should be getting a hard time as a biological mother though...

True. Both.

IfyouStealMySunshine · 18/05/2026 11:13

You’re not a family though op so no need to act like one.
Ive been with my bf for 4 years and our kids only actually get together couple of times a year.
No one dislikes anyone but they are all very different with different likes and hobbies - why would we force them to all be together when it’s not natural.

We tend to get together on our child free nights there will be plenty of time to spend more time together when the kids have all grown up, already 2 out of 5 are adults now. Time goes fast, spend the time doing what you enjoy with your kids.

arethereanyleftatall · 18/05/2026 11:16

having read your last post - we have a situation where due to government (tax payers) generosity you can house yourself and your children very comfortably and not work. Good, it’s what the system is there for. But you have instead chosen for some inexplicable reason to subject the 3 of you to living with a man who sounds frankly vile, and his children who none of you can stand. You are all miserable. Why. On. Earth?

MiaKulper · 18/05/2026 11:17

Cos he's got a cock.

Stoicandhappy · 18/05/2026 11:18

Are you really this desperate for a bloke?

Aposterhasnoname · 18/05/2026 11:21

Navigatingstepparenting · 17/05/2026 15:27

@letmebetheonehe basically won’t divorce her (she was a midlife crisis wife between the girls mum and then me.) she’s younger than both me and his first wife. She had a few affairs and left him with £15000 worth of debt so he wants her to be the one to file so he can prove to everyone she left him and that hw can try and reclaim his money that he won’t get.

He’s being incredibly stupid. First up, who left who is irrelevant when the assists are divided, and second up, the longer he waits to divorce, the longer the marriage, and the longer the marriage, the more she is likely to get.

Shocke · 18/05/2026 11:22

So the benefits system allows you to live very comfortably, no pressure to work. You’re able to enjoy weekends away and holidays and generally have a nice life.

Instead of allowing your kids to enjoy that nice life you’re subjecting them to miserable weekends where they are way down your list of priorities and you’re obsessing about some wanker, forcing them to play “families”.

You’re not family. Take responsibility and just see him casually if you really must, without any of the kids there.

ForTipsyFinch · 18/05/2026 11:23

If you’re so keen on having a bf I’m sure there would be a far easier option. This is all absolutely ridiculous. Why are you trying to cram everyone together? Sounds miserable tbh.