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I'm a semi-new step parent and now I feel like I regret even being in the relationship

tonitonytone's picture

My boyfriend and I went to middle school together. We started dating when we were 19; he already had a 1 y/o son. At 20 he and his family ENCOURAGED me to have an abortion; I did. Now at 23, I feel like I don't even want to deal with this relationship anymore. I love my boyfriend and I have love for his son, but I feel resentful towards both of them because this was not what I wanted to get myself into in my early 20s. Now I have no idea what to do. My stepson is now 4 and my boyfriend has full custody. The child MAY see his mother once or twice a month if that. My boyfriend works 12 hr days and I take care of SS before and after school. I'm just so confused on what to do! Does anyone have ANY opinion. Good or bad. I just feel so alone in this situation.

morethanibargainedfor's picture

Get out! You are too young for this. You have your whole life ahead of you and you do not seem happy. You deserve to be happy and have a child of your own.

SecondGeneration's picture

We are the same age, I am fortunate enough that there is zero drama with our BM however I could not/would not be here if it wasnt for how much I love my partner and how happy I am with our life.
I am a great believer that if you have those feelings of "should I be doing this, I kind of regret it, this isnt the life I wanted" then you need to really listen to that voice and be prepared to act on it.
There is no shame in realising that you are living a life that you didnt really sign up or agree to, hell between 19 and 23 you change alot as a person!
Take some time for yourself and have an honest think about what YOU want from life. If your boyfriend and his family were able to convince you to have an abortion was that because theres a part of you that doesnt feel ready or doesnt want a baby at this point? If so why are you dedicating so much of your time to raising your boyfriends child?
You can acknowledge that you are not happy, you feel alone which is always a warning sign and you mention guilt, I think you already know what you want to do but you really shouldnt. We only have one life, you need to live it living yours in the way that makes you happiest.

frustratedstepdad's picture

You do know that there are PLENTY of men your age who don't have kids right? I honestly suggest you move back in with your folks, and go to college if you aren't enrolled already. Plenty of young guys in college.

Hell even if older guys are your thing, there are plenty of guys looking for women who don't have kids. Why commit yourself to a life of misery at your age?

Shaman29's picture

This is not your child and you are not responsible for his care.

Sit your BF down and tell him he must start making arrangements to care for his own child. This is not your child and he should be the one caring for him.

Move out and go to school and make a better life for yourself. If your BF loves you, then he will understand.

If he doesn't understand, and tries to guilt you into staying, then you'll know his only interest is in you being a stand in mother to his child.

Don't be surprised if his family gets involved and starts in on the "you're leaving the child, the child will suffer" angle. If they're that concerned then they can start stepping up and helping out.

fedupstep's picture

I know it's easy for us to tell you to just leave...but you really have 3 options:

1. Put up and shut up.
2. Pick a good time to talk to your BF and voice your concerns, especially about his family. But do it in a way that you are looking for answers and not just placing blame.
3. Just leave. You are young and deserve a happy life. Don't wake up 10 years from now and realize you wasted all that time in something that wasn't fulfilling you.

TakemySKIDS's picture

Leave and don't look back. The only positive thing about my current relationship is my bio daughter.

It will drain you and age you.

I feel hateful and angry most of the time because of his precious kids getting anything and everything they want. Then there is the ex who still thinks she can demand anything anytime.

I'm made out to be petty simply because i just want to live in a freakin clean house and i don't like kids walking on furniture.

It's exhausting and is not for the faint hearted.

I hate my partner most of the tiem and that is not healthy.

Rags's picture

You know the answer to your dilemma. Take care of yourself. You are young. Focus on you for a few more years, finish college, date quality men with no baggage.

Move on.

If you were the one with a young child then the view would be different. However, you have no baggage and you do not need to tolerate the baggage of your BF nor the controlling nature of he and his parents. My DW and I met when she was 18 (w/ a nearly 2yo kid) and I was 29. We met during the last semester of my 11yr undergrad career and her first semester of college. I was graduating, already had accepted a high paying job, and my bride's baggage was not a deal breaker for me. It would have been if I had been in my early 20s. We married 9mos after we met and a week before SS-22 turned 2yo.

Give yourself some time to get to know the you that you like being. When you find her, the right guy will find you.

Take care of yourself.

Sincerely,

disengagmentninja's picture

Bah, you're twenty, you don't have a kid with him, get out while you can!

I would not be able to love someone who insisted I abort a child we had together. Nope!

CompliKated's picture

I committed myself to the wrong guy when I was your age. I almost ended things at 25 but I think i felt I was still young and I have committed myself (married..had we not been married, Id have been gone LONG ago)..just 1 more year and see how things are, try one more time...Before I knew it my 20's had basically flown by and they were wasted in that relationship. Now I am a 29 year old divorcee and my head is still spinning with how time went by so fast and how I managed to stay in such a miserable relationship for so long. If you are truly unhappy, NOW is the time to move on. Life goes by fast. Don't waste it being unhappy.