SD lying to her therapist
I have no clue if I should post in this forum or others.... this just compasses so many different titles/subjects.
Quick backstory - 3 SK, 11 yr old SS, 13 and 15 SD, no kids of my own.
Been married for 4 years, together 6, my husbands divorce was over 7 yrs ago. Exwife cheated on my husband many many times....
Middle child and I are pretty close, similiar personalities, like the same hobbies, crafty, artys, etc whatever.
She has started "dating" at 13, this new BF is more serious than the others and emtionally abuses her, breaks up with her weekly, tells her that he is not good enough, etc. I've had heathly convos with her about this kind of behavior and that she'll be forever chasing her tail trying to make someone else happy when we are only in charge of our own happiness. She has just been in a MOOD since she started dating him weeks ago, it affects the whole house hold, both houses.
Hard to tell if she is just acting out as being a teenager, pre-teen, because shes "dating" or just constatly dealing with her HCBM drama. My 13SD is in that phase where she knows everything..... shes right, no one else is, shes verbally abusive to her siblings, etc all since the new dude came along.
I have been a huge advocate for these kids since my husband and I met, I encouraged my husband to get the kids into therapy years ago, found a life skills coach to help teach my 13 year old with healthy coping mechanisms as she had a self harm incident a few years ago. Always helping them all naviagate lots of issues, buffering, etc. Just so much, which I am completely fine but right now I'm super exhausted and feeling beaten down.
I left to take my 11 SS to an appt yesterday and at the same time, my 13 SD had a telemedicine appt with her therapist and I guess the call dropped. Therpaist texted me to ask child to log back into session. I called SD as I was driving and she was immeidately exacerbate the minute she answered the phone...which is nothing new in the last couple of weeks. I told her what her therpaist said and she was getting shitty with me on the phone. I said what is wrong? she said why are you mad at me, I said I am not, you had a tone the moment you answered the phone, I told you what I needed to, now I need to let you go to get SS into his appt but I am tired of you telling people I am mad at you when I am not. Well....the little...... told her therapist that I was listening outside of her bedroom door! SHE COMPLETELY LIED, I WASNT EVEN IN THE HOME. Mind you this is the same child we've had talks with over and over again about choosing her words wisely. She likes to tell lies to mom that we won't let her take her expensive clothes there, or whatever she wants to be a brat about, which is not even the truth. Its always resulted in HCBM calling the GAL and costing us 10k in motions to go over and explain/provide proof again and again... I'm fed up. HCBM doesnt even provide for the children, period...I'm buying clothes, socks, underwear, bras, jeans, etc for both houses for all three kids. I'm just fed up with all of this and now to make this kind of lie just has me thrown for a loop and hurt. Her Father and I both asked her why she would lie like this, no lying is our number one rule in the house. She said she didnt know and thought I was home. I said I wasnt even home when you went into session, I got caught up late at work, was outside doing yard work when I got home for a whopping 20 mins before I had to leave to take my SS to his appt.
I don't know what I'm asking, maybe I'm looking for some sympathy, advice....IDK but if this was a friend in my life, I would of ended the realtionship/set much more healthier boundaries but I can't do that with a kid, espeically with a kid(s) who is constantly dealing with HCBM drama... I've spent over 400K in atty and gal bills in 4 years....I'm exhausted.
Sympathy and advice
You're in the right place for sympathy and advice! My SD61 is a lifelong liar and I'm positive she's lying to her therapist, as she does to everyone. For therapy to work, 2 things are necessary: desire to change and honesty. She doesnt really want to change, wants support for her dysfunction.
Your SD is young, I hope she can straighten out. You've put a lot into your family, you deserve better. But, this is steplife....
Thank you
Honestly, thank you so very much for the sympathy, not attacking me, being supportive and reminding me that she obviously doesn't want a positive change in her life right now.... sort of reminds me of her mother. Not sort of, is acting like her. Her mother lies to therapist, co-parent counselor, even got a therapist fired/fined/lost her license for lying to her therapist and her therapist writing a letter to the court that was chalk full of lies. The therapist was bench warranted and investigated by LARA...all because of lying.
thank you again for grounding me and reminding me.
How?
If you don't mind me asking... does the life long load wreck your marriage? How do you navigate this constant drama? My husband and I both had a long talk with her about lying and all the repercussions this is going to cause.... he doesn't think it's fair to ground/punish her for her actions. Alll I'm looking for is something like no cell time after school, no friends for a week...idk. Write a report about lying. Lol jk to that last one.
Lifelong lying
Well, my SD's lifelong lying certainly didn't help our marriage but we are still together at 78 and 85. The constant drama has been a drain.
I've been thru many stages with her. Initially, I wanted desperately to bond with her but soon saw that she manipulated everyone and resented my presence, she almost broke us up. My DH was very conflicted and I went to counseling after 4 years. Counseling helped me a lot and coincided with her and 2 brothers moving in full time. I assumed more of a "mother role" with them. She was a hellish teenager, running away, disobeying, police trouble.
We sent her to beauty school and she married the first time at 21 and had her first child. That one lasted 2 or 3 years and she was back here with e child after an upset at her mom and SD's place. Marriage #2 lasted about 20 years with 2 more kids. Cause of divorce was the same: her lying, drug use, untrustworthiness, infidelity.
I was still in "Supportive SM" mode until she moved back in here, broke, addicted, homeless, and made our lives a nightmare for 9 months. When my physical and emotional health began to suffer, we moved her out and I disengaged and thats where I am now.
Now that I'm on Steptalk, I often think, "We should have nipped it in the bud". But, truth to tell, she was 11 when I met her and these habits were already established. My DH was in guilty dad mode for a long time, felt sorry for her (bought her a horse and at 16, a new car). He could see her troublesome actions but just couldnt change her. Plus, when things got too hot for her here, she'd move back to BM's. Lather, rinse, repeat when she and BM clashed.
I wish I had some answers for you, I'm on ST to get answers myself. Now that I'm more removed from it, I have such pity for my DH, poor guy, he just wanted everybody to be happy. Good luck, its a journey.
Damn. I'm sorry you are going
Damn. I'm sorry you are going through this. One thing i will say as the parent of a teen girl and as a former teen girl - they love drama. Anything that increases the drama. My daughter did something similar to me a few years ago - lied to her doctor and said i was harassing her about her weight when in fact it was her dad doing it. When i asked her why, she said it was because she was afraid to tell on her dad but she wanted to tell someone it was happening. Lucky me, i guess i'm the "safe" parent. I guess you are, too. You are giving so much to these kids and caring so much. That's a dangerous thing for a stepparent to do, as you get so much less in return than a bioparent does. Bioparents get bonus points just for existing where steps have to earn their place.
**My husband and I both had a
**My husband and I both had a long talk with her about lying and all the repercussions this is going to cause.... he doesn't think it's fair to ground/punish her for her actions.**
Your husband is wrong. If there are no consequences for her lying, she will continue with her lying. She might continue anyway, but by not providing consequences he's affirming the behavior. I'd be especially worried because the BM is a liar and may encourage the SD to lie to hurt you, cause chaos in your home or achieve some custody or CS objective. In the past it's been lying to her mother. Now it's lying to the therapist about you eavesdropping. Next it could be false abuse allegations. Stepkids who lie about you are dangerous! Luckily you have no bios who can be taken away - would an abuse allegation affect your livelihood? If so, get the cameras up now, because a lying child who receives no consequences is going to continue lying, and you never know how she'll ramp up or what she might accuse you of.
I hope when you say you've spent $400,000 on legal fees and GAL expenses you mean that your husband has spent that money. Your money should not be going to his custody and related battles.
Chicago3
Do you actually think BM will let her daughter run around braless ? Or clothing two sizer too small ? You are doing things because you want to. The kids want name brand, and BM will not spend the exter money for name brands.
If SK lie and stab you in the back. Disengage, stop doing for SK's or SK. There BH and BM kids, let them handle it
I started my response and
I started my response and deleted it several times. The reason being that I'm really emotionally-charged reading your post because when it comes to lies, I just won't fucking tolerate it. I had a bio I could have lost and my entire career ruined, so there was no way in hell I would tolerate letting lies slide.
Your DH needs to spell out to your SD the entire chain of events of the devastation of lives that could occur as a result of allegations. Do not let your DH let it go. If he pulls the bullshit excuse about how he doesn't want to consequence his lying brat in case she won't go to him if she's really abused, stand strong and tell him it's pure bullshit. She's learning that it's OK to lie. She's learning to up the ante because she didn't quite get the big bang result she wanted. So, next time, it'll be a doozy.
Also, with all due respect, why is it you forking over so much money? Paying over 400K in attorney and gal bills is not your concern. It's DH's "shit" to handle. Also, why are you the one encouraging therapy and finding the life coach for your SD? You buy them clothes, etc. You admitted to being exhausted. What is your DH doing to show appreciation for all of that? Is he throwing himself at your feet and worshipping you? Because if I was doing all that you're doing and not getting much in return, I'd have a major problem with it. I don't see in your post where your DH is doing anything useful of his own volition or showing you appreciation. I could understand you doing all that you do if you were being rewarded for it, but since you're exhausted, that means that you're over-functioning for little to no reward. Believe me, I understand because I've been there. Until I wasn't. After decades of doing what you're doing with no reward, no affirmation from my DH that I needed so badly, and crappy treatment from my SD who ended up shunning me in my own home for over 7 years and not one person standing up for me, I threw in the towel and totally disengaged. I have not spent one cent on my SD in YEARS. I have not done one household task for her in YEARS. DH has learned to kiss my royal ass like I deserve. I will no longer be overlooked, ignored or be invisible in my own damn house or family. I highly recommend disengaging. You're not being rewarded or appreciated, so you'll have to reward and appreciate yourself. You might want to have it out with your DH if he isn't showing you that he values you. From what you say in your post, I think that your DH needs to step it up as both a father and as a spouse.
Spot on!
Your response is fucking amazing, seriously. You shared exactly what I am/was going through. From being recognized, to then not, to me realizing I need to disengage (again) and then getting my ass kissed cuz he is now overwhelmed doing the daily shit for the kids. Even not tolerating lies, this is mine and my husbands most important rule. Next is you can disagree with us, but you have to be respectful and that is not what SD is doing.
I explained more to my husband yesterday about how this lie has really put a spotlight on how unfair I am being treated and I am going to disengage because I can't keep doing for others that won't do back/love/respect/kindness, etc etc. so of course I'm typical husband mode, he tried to talk to the kids yesterday about how I've been put through some shit and how I am not feeling all the things about all the things. 2/3rds of the kids yesterday greeted me eagerly at the door, hugs, asked how my day was.... and guess what SD13 could only say hi and then said idk if you saw my text but where are my new bathing suits
I said I saw your text
she said when can I have them because I really want to try them on
me - I have other things to do, I'll give them to you later
hours go by and about an hour before kids bedtime, my best friend calls and I hear a knock at my bedroom door and told whoever I was on the phone (I knew deep down it was probably sd asking for her bathing suits) get a text from my husband that SD was trying to talk to me. I told him I’ve been on the
I’ve been on the phone with my sister. If it’s about bathing suits, I will not be entertaining that until the more serious family issues are discussed. She could only say hi to me today and then pester me about bathing suits. Doesn’t work like that. The other two talked with me.
Love you, off to bed.
He came upstairs and told me he totally agreed and that was something he was talking about with SD. He told her basically same as my text, you can't do what you did to me and then ask her for something else when you just did her dirty. Whatever the reason she came knocking last night, idc.
I agree with all the things you said and I'm not ignoring it. I 100,000,000,000,000 agree with you that he needs to step his shit up cuz I'm about to enjoy my hot girl summer and he will be tasked with all the daily shit that I helped with.
My husband and I both talked to our therapist, friends, etc and we can't think of an appropriate punishment for this situation because lord knows the HCBM catch's wind of it, she'll say we're punishing SD for sharing, or whatever million other dumb lies she will make up. SD could of looked to see if I was home but I just don't have the confidence she would, the new version of her is nasty and I bet you she was trying to get me into some drama....
No wonder you are exhausted!!!
Cripe - 400k? Chit.
Thats like 5 college educations.
Disengage. Shes going to get you in trouble with her lies. Let her go. Dont keep fighting with BM. Its super duper not worth it.
Yup!
Yup...I will not tolerate the lies and told my husband that she is not allowed to stay in this house with me if he is not home. So the days he has to take the kids to activities, she no longer gets the privilege to stay home with me, she can go each and every single time because she has lost my trust.
No kid of mine would date a POS.
Part of parenting is preventing minor children from harming themselves. That includes serving themselves up as a victim to a domineering asshole "boyfriend"... particularly not at 13yo.
smh