You are here

Overwhelmed, Lost, UNDERSTATEMENT!

Tigerlily7's picture

It has been a while, I have been raising babies and picking up 2 BM's slack. 

I am raising 4 children in total. 2 are my SD's 11 and 9. DH has full primary custody of. BM does not exercise what time she gets with them, does not pay CS, and does not communicate with Dad on behalf of the kids, let alone pick up a phone just to say hey or check on her children. 

My Adopted SD is now 7, and my only Natural child just turned 4.... anywho.

I am navigating my own demons, I had a traumatic childhood myself... absent mother etc, so i find myself loving and nurturing these kids to the best of my ability and sometimes overcompensate I guess you could say but is love and compassion ever really to much?

Recently my ASD, had a family member pass away in the BM's side of family, none of the BM's family has stayed in contact with us for my daughter, but somehow they have been receiving pictures, and updates on my child. they also listed her in the family members obiturary. This family member did not keep in contact and we hadn't heard from any of them in over 3 years. They reached out to me via social media, asking was I upset that they put her name in the obituary and from then forward in coversation I found out they knew so much about my daughter as present as her last surgery and school accomplishments from just 4 months ago. 

I got to looking at contacts, mutuals and all of my husbands family has the close relatives on facebook!!!! I know I cannot go accusing one over the other but I am talking.. close as in Paternal Aunts, Grandfather, Grandmother!!!! I am so upset, hurt and emotional. I don't know, maybe it is because i have so much going on in my current journey... but I feel betrayed by the family, I also do not feel supported from my husband as he is always taking his families side over mine. 

I told him he should have set boundaries when I adopted our daughter 5 years ago, he should have told his family to not communicate with the BM's family when it came to my daughter. 

I do not keep details from my child, infact I've always been very forthcoming to her in ways she can understand based on her age.. She knows another woman carried her in her belly and that she has a hosts of siblings, and family members shes not met. 

but now I've got family members contacting wanting to know her, wanting to keep up to date with her, but also not wanting to acknowledge that their sister/daughter gave up their niece/granddaughter... they want to place the blame on my DH for me getting to adopt her... 

BM was into the party life, drugs etc... and before the adoption was finalized hadn't seen my daughter in nearly 2 years with a random text or message every 5 months or so "How is she?" nothing more nothing less

.... I feel like I am drowning with now way of escape/rescue.

Comments

OtherSideOfTheRainbow's picture

It's a terrible situation; you feel that people who should have been looking out for you as you undertook this responsibility of taking ASD as your own daughter have just ditched that. And now you have to navigate a situation that leaves ASD open to a lot of confusion and pressure. 
 

i would suggest you, DH and ASD see a councillor to map out together what relationship if any you are comfortable with with these people. The trouble is, although you are her legal mother, you clearly have people around you that don't respect that. They are likely to disregard your request for no interference, and bypass you to get ASD in touch with BMs family. So you, DH and ASD need a united plan. 
 

you're not drowning, you're just dodging a lot of traffic that hit peak hour earlier than expected. 

Exjuliemccoy's picture

We have a granddaughter (BPD younger SD's first child) who was adopted by the father's brother and his wife. Nice people, we remain in contact but respect their autonomy.

Within a few years of adopting her, the family moved across the US. Even though it had been an open, friendly adoption, there were just too many bio relatives of granddaughter whose desire to remain involved created conflict. They needed time and space to gel as a family without interference. Even after the move, the bio dad decided to ALSO switch coasts, expecting continued access to the child. He caused so much conflict that the parents had to go No Contact with him.

It sounds like your family also needs some space. Have you and your H considered deleting social media? Is moving an option? He really needs to be supporting you and protecting the family you've made together.

Tigerlily7's picture

Well we found out today that the BM has moved back and is less than 20 miles from us. I've sat down with husband and discussed moving, he is worried that it will affect his custody of our oldest to but I am almost positive as long as you make it known to the court they would approve it if it is beneficial to the family wouldn't they? - the BM to those 2 children get them every other weekend and she rarely exercises that time.

My AD's BM reached out to me on social media today in messenger begging to see her... I told her although my daughter knows the details surrounding her birth and knows her family by name... she truly does not want to meet them yet and i asked for privacy at this time.. 

I never dreamed I would be going through this especially early on. She abandoned her and just wants to pop back in like it never happened so many years later... 
The sister showed up to my husbands place of employment, I am just finding out about this too!
I took down my account today, I still have messenger but not actual posting/visual capabilities of their activities or vice versa.

I am willing at this point to go to another county away to do our shopping etc... just to avoid the family and to protect my child.

 

Winterglow's picture

Talk to your lawyer. A cease and desist letter might suffice but you might need a restraining order. What she is doing is harassing you and it's just a matter of time before this turns into stalking (though her sister might already have crossed that line). She doesn't get to pop in and out of your daughter's life and cause her who knows how much distress. She gave up her rights and now she has to live with that. 

Children are not toys that you pick up and play with when you feel like it.