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Teenagers

Parenting teenagers has its ups and downs. Get advice from Mumsnetters here.

Can’t live with my step son anymore.

16 replies

Natasha1810 · 23/07/2023 11:20

Not sure who to talk to about this but I feel I need to let it out as the more I keep it in the harder im finding it.

My step son who is 16 came to live with us last year in August. We’ve always got on well and I go out my way to include him but since moving in things haven’t been great.

I find it hard to tell him off as he isn’t my son and my husband doesn’t as he wasn’t part of his life for so long so he feels he wants to be the nice parent.

This causes troubles between us as he feels I’m always putting him down or picking on things. It’s our house and I just want set rules to be in place like I will have for my 2 year old and little one on the way.

I took him away to centre parks as a family in March for his 16 birthday and it was a disaster. He was so rude the whole time, moaned about everything and then when we got home said some horrible things about me and my mum.

Since then I’ve found it so hard to live with him. If I’m honest it’s since then I’ve not wanted to live with him. We just found out after the weekend we were expecting again and I just feel like I have to protect my family.

Things are getting worse between me and my husband as he says he can tell I don’t want him here which is true.

He has just got back from staying at his mums and I’m trying so hard but everything he now does winds me up. I don’t want to talk to him even and that just makes me feel guilty. I’m the grown up so should move past it but I can’t.

Last night he locked my daughter in her room because she wanted to play with him. That made me seething but feel I now can’t talk to my husband about it as he’ll think I’m picking on things.

Looking for advice on what to do next. He is living with us till he finishes college but that’s 2 years and I can’t live like that for 2 years. My husband says he can’t throw him out as he has now where to go. He has his mum but she lives on a farm in a mobile home that only has 2 bedrooms. She moved there with Harris and her twin girls and that’s why him and his mum fell out so he came to us.

Any help or advice would be great!!

OP posts:
WimpoleHat · 23/07/2023 11:23

Last night he locked my daughter in her room

That’s appalling. Absolutely appalling. What did your DH say about that? I know it’s easy to say on here, but I’d be seriously considering asking your DH to leave with his son at that point. If only for a few days to make him reflect on how serious that was….

Natasha1810 · 23/07/2023 11:27

I’ve not said anything yet as don’t want him to think I’m picking on things again. He only arrived back on Wednesday from his mums. Going out in a bit and I’m going to bring it up then.

OP posts:
Kirstyshine · 23/07/2023 11:29

Sounds extremely challenging. Read up/watch YouTube about NVC, or if you’re flush see a family therapist with the intention to all learn better communication skills. You all need to be able to express your feelings and needs and to hear each other’s. Read Siegel’s BrainStorm (also in audio format if you’re too busy to read - understanding brain development really helps.

SnowWhitesSM · 23/07/2023 11:34

I don't think you should make him leave. I think you should stand up and speak rather than seething with resentment. You're holding on to things like the cp holiday because you don't feel it's your place to say anything.. well it is your place. He lives with you.

Tell your Dh that you are going to fully embrace him being part of your family and that includes telling him off when needed. That you expect dh to 100% back you up and if he doesn't parent his son because he wants to be nice then he's being pathetic and needs to actually do his job as a dad.

I'd also speak to him about how rude he was after the holiday and that you're still upset about it. Teenagers need to learn empathy and how to behave. You've agreed for him to live with you for at least two more years so you need to parent him too. You can't live with a child and not.

You can't do this without also doing nice things. Make his favourite meal once a week, chuck him an extra fiver on a friday for the college canteen. He will be different then your own, you will have to chat and guide him more than telling him off, but you absolutely must speak out.

Natasha1810 · 23/07/2023 11:51

We all need to sit down and talk. Today I’ve had this horrible feeling in my chest, feeling quite anxious by it all and I just want to get out.

OP posts:
78Summer · 23/07/2023 11:53

You may need to get some family counselling. It’s not fair for you to take all this on yourself.

watcherintherye · 23/07/2023 11:56

I think you’ve named him in your op. You might want to get it edited?

Beeonmyeyelash · 23/07/2023 12:01

There's more to this. His mum has basically moved to somewhere where there's no bedroom for him as soon as he turned 16. I doubt his attitude problem is new.

Balloonhearts · 23/07/2023 12:04

Firstly it's your home too and you need to lay down the law. I'd do that with any child in my home treating me with disrespect. Set out your expectations.

Speak to others with respect.

Don't bully your younger siblings.

Pick up after yourself, I'm not your maid.
Check the entitled attitude, especially when people have made significant effort to please you.

You don't need to 'parent' him as such but you do need to assert yourself as being deserving of basic human courtesy. Your DH needs to step up and be a father or step out and take his son with him. This would be an ultimatum. I couldn't live like that.

He's doing his boy no favours letting him grow up rude and bad mannered. Children need boundaries and clear expectations of them. The fact he hasn't been present until now is no excuse to opt out of raising his son right. If anything it is worse! He's not been around for ages and now he is, he STILL cba to parent his son.

I'd lay this out and make it clear. Things improve or you will leave and then he'll have 2 more kids he has let down.

Devb83 · 26/09/2023 04:34

Hi I’m new on here and desperate for some advice /guidance .

I’ve been together with my partner 6 years, living with him in his home 5 years and engaged for two years. My partner has never really had a good relationship with his son over this time and not for the want if trying as I have seen him attempt to spend time with him and spend in excess of £20,000 on him ie expensive clothes , dog, car , pay his car insurance monthly , trips abroad , flying him to football games. He has never really shown any gratitude for. My partner blames his mum for poisoning him against him but I cannot comment on that a I don’t know .

after 1 year to father my partner asked me and my two daughters to live in with him and treated them as his own children for which I’m extremely grateful as their own father doesn’t play a part in their life and has always let them down . My girls are now 12 and 21. My partner has never really tried or pushed for his son (20 years old , soon 21) to spend time or communicate with me and my children so we’ve never really been included in any of the above plans /trips etc which I’ve not had a problem with and let him spend that time with his son. we have twice for two years on the trot booked him a table for his birthday for a meal with his dad and me and my children and he hasn’t shown up . He never includes me on any Christmas cards just to Dad and has never even sent me a happy birthday message but my children include my partner in everything .. birthday cards and presents , Christmas and Father’s Day .

This has always played on my mind , more so that my partner wasn’t saying or doing anything about it but it’s now all been brought to a head as my partners son has been asked to leave home by his mum so has to come and live with us. His mum has asked him to leave as he’s not contributing and as he has now left college and still only working 10 hours a week she’s given him the ultimatum to find a full time job or leave so he has asked his Dad to come and live with us . As he had a dog and we already have two dogs on the house my partner came up with the idea he will transform the out house in the back garden into a one bed apartment for him of which he has now dove and spent in excess of £10,000 on ( of which it’s not really money we have at the minute ) but it’s what he needed to do to help his son. Me and my partner have sat on numerous occasions now the past few weeks and I’ve asked that we are a team and show co parenting and he doesn’t just let his son think my opinion doesn’t matter and he promised this will be the case and we will show a United front . My partner is already going back on things we’ve agreed and he’s not even moved in yet . My partner makes me take £160 a month from my 22 year old daughter as she works full time towards the food bill which I have done the past eleven months. I also contribute what I think to be quite a considerable amount of money per month aswell as cover all weekly food bills . We agreed my partner was going to push his son to get a full time job and contribute as my daughter does but now it’s time for his son to move in my partner is now advising me he will have to cover filling his sons cupboards and fridge in his apartment with food and he’s now advised in conversation he may take a small amount of rent from him but save it and give it him back. This has never been made an option for my daughter . When I didn’t agree that this was fate my partner didn’t like it it’s caused a huge fight he’s now accusing me of seeing his son as a threat and asking me to leave .

My 40th birthday present from my partner back in March was a trip to NYC as it is my dream destination I have never been to and I want to go around Christmas time which I was so excited for and last week my partner just came out with “ why don’t we take my son and his gf with us fir his 21 st “. This upset me that he would even suggest this and he doesn’t understand why.

Mu partner is not putting in the United front we discussed making me feel my opinion doesn’t count and this is all before his son has stepped through the door so what chance do I have of his son respecting me ?

I can’t seem to get through to him his son is and adult and he needs to guide him not modicoddle him buy his love .

I feel like walking away but I do love my partner and we usually have such a great relationship I’m so confused .

sanityisamyth · 26/09/2023 04:38

@Devb83 you need to start your own post rather than commenting on a zombie thread

Mandapanda2k · 12/10/2023 12:55

I know this was posted some time ago, I am in an incredibly similar situation and wondered how you were getting on. Looking for anything that might work for me too to be honest xx

Dazzz13 · 12/10/2023 23:51

@Mandapanda2k . I was reading that woman's post and I'm like ...what? The first thing I would say is....(and I'm 34 and not a parent but), if it's similar... The step-son is still living in YOUR house... Like if it was a person renting a room, you wouldn't let them carry on like that or you'd be asking them to move out, (or move out yourself), so you just gotta be firm. If he's 16, firstly, I'm guessing he's in school, be needs to fill his time and take up a hobby: coding/software development online, learn to play the guitar or music production, I always think dif the mind is occupied there's less chance to for rudeness. Also, if he's rude I think grounding is still an option regardless of who's son he is etc etc, like he's the minor and you're the adult so. But I don't know, it is a tricky one, but there's no excuse for rudeness and if it's similar, I would give him the silent treatment until he apologised for his actions and maybe take away the phone or something as a punishment. If he acts like a child, treat him like a child. As Basil Fawlty rightly says: "Manners cost nothing dear!"

Burntouted · 15/10/2023 18:43

You intentionally married someone who hasn't been a large part of his child's life and you've decided to have children with him.

Your husband has been a deadbeat absentee parent who just recently decided to become involved in his sons life, and expecting his son to not have been traumatized by this.

His son is traumatized by him and other things and his internalized trauma and pent up aggression has externalized and manifested.

It's not a wonderful thing to see your voluntarily absentee father play house and have other children that he has been involved with their whole lives. Being forced to spend time with a man that wants to pretend like he's father of the years ...becoming only involved when he married, not before like he should have been.

He prioritized marriage and other kids over his already existing child.

Your husband left scars and traumas that will never be erased...and you being in the picture isn't helping.

His mother basically abandoned him, and let's him know that he isn't a priority like the other children..and that she "fits" him in whenever she feels like it.

Both parents have failed him, and you being there and having children with his father isn't helping the situation.

He feels alone, abandoned, unloved, and uncared for. He doesn't have stability, and everyone keeps passing him around and discarding him..

Plus he probably hears all or some of the terrible things you say about him.

You need to leave. How dare you expect your husband to choose you and his other children while excluding the son that he possibly is trying to make amends and repair his relationship with.

His son should remain with him inside the home for as long as needed. Unless your husband is planning on becoming a deadbeat parent again, he will be a parent for the remainder of his life. His son will a priority regardless of age or time.

You need to vacate and take your children with you. Your first priority should be ensuring that you and your children are in a safe environment, and safe.

You and your children aren't safe nor comfortable in the current situation. Do not give your husband an ultimatum.

Just leave.

That is also his child. Your husband didn't have his priorities straight and created a large portion of this mess.

He never should have been in any relationship nor have had anymore children.currently...until he worked on repairing the relationship with his existing child, as a single unattached man.

He and his son should have been living in the house alone together for many years and building a relationship...before introducing and including someone else to their lives.. Things may have been better for all.

This is all too much and too traumatic for his son to process.

Leave..let him and his son live alone and get the help they both need..perhaps in therapy...without you included in the picture for now.

Use this time to reflect on your own personal choices, including your choices in men and relationships.

A man who's chosen to not be involved in his child's life for most of it, should have been a major red flag to you and should have been a no starter relationship for you.

Hope things go well for all involved

Natasha1810 · 15/10/2023 22:34

If this was in regards to my post then it wasn’t his choice to be out of his sons life. His ex partner refused all contact for all the years we were together.

We had to fight and get legal action to see him which took 4 years and it was only then she started to let us see him so it wasn’t the fathers fault and he didn’t abandon his child.

OP posts:
Belle3257 · 18/10/2023 22:52

Hope you’re ok

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