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Staying For the Bio to watch for Abuse, not staying just because of a bio

betterdaysahead12's picture

I posted a blog yesterday asking if there are any steps out there who stay in the marriage for fear that their bio might be abused by half siblings. Some thought I meant staying in a marriage just because there is a bio child.

My issue isn't that I want to stay married because of our child.... I'm not a fool to think that it is healthy to stay in a marriage just because of a child. I was asking something different....

I was asking to see if there are any other step mother's or step father's out there who stay in the marriage until their little one is old enough to talk so that if there is abuse by half siblings, then the little one can tell me and I would take action to have my bio do visits with dad without half siblings around.

If there is no one out there that stayed in the marriage for a few more months than you planned to and you left, what do you do to ensure that your child is not abused by their half siblings during visitation time???

My lawyer told me that to have the half siblings not be present at visits legally, the twins would have had to have done something to harm my child and then I would be able to keep them away from him etc. I refuse to leave my bio alone with them even if I'm in another room, because I don't want him to get hurt or mistreated, so no real harm has come to him for this to happen legally.

I'm not saying I dont want my bio to not have a relationship with the twins one day, but the way that they are now, I can't trust that they will not do something to him during visits when my DH is in another room etc.

I have to watch my baby like a hawk right now otherwise, they will throw baseballs at him, pull VERY HARD on his ears ( one twin was caught pulling on the baby's ears, police were almost called, counselors and DH intervened and so far it has never happened again because I watch the baby like a hawk), they blow their stinky breath in my baby's face and also mine, I heard one say he wanted to see what the baby would do if he poked at his eyes. I can't wait for them to poke his eyes when I'm not looking and then have a judge determine that they don't need to be around my baby. Why does harm have to happen to my child before any legal action can be acted upon? Where is the prevention of abuse at in this country? So in order to have a court order state that the twins not be at visitations, they have to poke my child's eyes out FIRST???? No way I'm going to sit around and let that happen...

All of this nonsense has been attributed to them being curious about a new baby in the home (from their counselor, my attorney and a social worker). However, it has now been 2 years and my baby has to be by my side or near me at all times because I can't trust the twins ( they live with us full time, see BM maybe 4 times a year, never talk to her on the phone, boys, 10 years old, severe behavior issues, Disney Dad, Clueless and does not discipline, refer to my previous vlog if you are curious for a little more info...). I am a prisoner in my own home and it's not fair to my baby that he has to be watched and guarded at all times just so they will not abuse him. There has to be something else that I can do...

So I can't imagine what they would do to him if I were to leave my DH today and on visitation days with DH while I'm not there I already know that DH will not watch our bio like I will.

Also, I have already decided that I am leaving my husband, which is why I have an attorney etc. He does not want me too and claims he wants to work it out and parent the twins better. However, I'm at the point where I dont even want to be involved with the twins anymore and 100% disengaging does not work since I have to do their pick ups/drop offs everyday etc. They have destroyed our marriage of 5 years. My MIL doesn't even sit with the twins or see them anymore and they are her GRANDCHILDREN. They have destroyed her furniture and home and her husband will not allow them back in the house. So it is not just ME the stepmother that sees the dysfunction in these children. My DH own family sees it and knows that he needs to do something about them.

My only frustration is that I am not leaving today. I feel that I will leave in about 8-10 months when my baby is better at forming sentences to let me know of what, if anything that the twins are doing to him that way I can have the twins not be present at visitations legally if they even spit in his face... I just want to RUN NOW. But I know that once DH has baby for visitation the twins will begin their attack when DH is not looking, or is in the shower, cooking, you name it...

Sorry for the redundancy, but I am at my last rope... I feel like there is someone out there with a good idea for me.... Thanks for your time...

Comments

zerostepdrama's picture

This^^^^ all of it....100%

Were your skids always this evil?

Have they just started acting so evil now that the baby is here?

What does your DH say? Is the skids are truly abusing your baby, why isnt he doing something about it? Who lets their baby be abused?

betterdaysahead12's picture

They have always been “off the wall”. I came into their lives when they had just turned 4. DH always says “oh it’s because they are twins, oh that’s because they are twins”. No type of discipline EVER. And if DH does set down some type of law, it is overturned the next day. It’s just horrible and at the end of the day, I only feel sorry for the twins. I don’t hate them at all. I love them very much, I just hate the type of children that they are and I hate their behavior. It’s all my DHs fault because he does nothing.

He thinks everyone is against them… He thinks his family is against them and he thinks my family is against them and he thinks all of our friends are against them…. When I ask him what he means by that, he just says “because they are twins…”. WHAT? This is why I have given up on the marriage and why I am leaving.

When they baby was born they were excited and of course all siblings are curious… But enough is enough…. I overlook normal kid behavior with them, but because they are so hyper and basically “tag team”, I can’t trust them around the baby.

betterdaysahead12's picture

Yes, you are right about breath, that is nothing serious. But pulling baby’s ears to the point where they are almost bleeding and potentially poking my kids eyes out with a pencil are what I am afraid of. I do admit that I can’t keep living in fear of what “might” happen. A part of growing up is that with siblings we will all get hit and spit or breathed on. But there is a line between that normal sibling annoyance and KNOWN problem children who have a parent who will not acknowledge the said problems. The annoyance behavior with breathing and spitting they will do when my husband and I can see so it is addressed at that time.

But when we are not looking what will they do? That is what I can’t fathom and need some type of reassurance that DH can watch my baby in their presence when I’m not there.

I didn’t mention all of their behavior here because it’s just too long and people don’t want to read all that.

For example, they poked at their hamster’s eyes with a pencil (DH was in shower, I was cooking). They poured toilet cleaner in the aquarium and watched all the fish nearly dissolve. Numerous times they spit snot in the aquarium and also on the hamster as well as pull the hamster’s ears in front of us at which time the hamster was moved into the family room and eventually adopted out for my fear that they would kill the hamster. So they act one freaking way in front of us, but behind us they assault. I'm telling you they will do that to my kid, I know it.... And this lawyer is still telling me that legally the judge will not remove them from visitation unless they harm my kid? WHY NOT? I understand normal kid behavior, but doing that to innocent animals that can't defend themselves is an indicator of what is to come. I am only asking that my child be protected until he can TALK...

When you ask them why they do those things, they just say because it was funny or they want to see what the hamster was going to do? What?

This is why I am afraid for my baby because what if they do something like that to him during visitation when DH isn’t looking? I know that I can’t live on the what ifs, but I don’t understand why those types of things they do to animals is not enough for them to not be ALONE with the baby without a parent really watching. The baby can’t talk or defend himself just yet.

These boys are in counseling/therapy because of the hamster and fish incident. Our family dog has been adopted out because the counselor wanted to deter them from trying to harm him. The boys cried and cried not to have their dog go away, but MIL intervened and decided to adopt the dog. There is some severe issues going on with these kids and when I say they have never been disciplined, I MEAN IT. They get ANYTHING they ask for. DH buys them everything they want, takes them to every amusement park etc. Every weekend is a wonderland for them. All DH does is talk to them to be good every single night, no types of consequences for what they did during the day at camp or school etc. I have finally decided to get out and let that be DH problem to deal with. I’m just so sorry that I brought a child into this world in this type of situation.

Thanks for your suggestion on asking for supervised visits. I will try that and see what comes of that. I only really want this until the baby can fully talk. Once he’s able to talk, there will be no need for me to be so paranoid.

moeilijk's picture

You're playing a waiting game, but you're relying on your kid to be able to play. Instead, I would start filing police reports now. Then when you leave there is a paper-trail documenting past abuse substantiating that your child's safety is in jeopardy. At a minimum you should be able to demand supervised visitation.

betterdaysahead12's picture

Police reports have been filed, this is why they are in counseling. Also this is why no pets are ever allowed to be in any residence that they live in. You are correct. I'm working on demanding the supervised visits. I can't stay any longer. Many friends and family that I have talked to have said that I can stay with them in the meantime. It's on DH now to figure out what to do with them because I can't be worried about that anymore.

betterdaysahead12's picture

Thank you. You are correct. Just because he can talk doesn't mean he will tell on his "brothers". I am already in the process of making arrangements to stay with family (my parents). I have offers from friends too, but prefer to stay with my parents. I have taken others advice about demanding supervised visits, I will have to request that. I hope all of that works out when DH starts wanting to see the baby. I refuse at this point to let the baby visit without the supervision. Who knows what they are capable of. And if they never do anything, then that is wonderful, but it's always better to err on the side of caution than not.

Thank you again for bringing up the scenario about the baby might not speak up because I hadn't thought of that before... I just kept thinking of the "tattle tale" scenario where the younger sibling would tattle on the older ones. However, in this case when you are talking some form of physical abuse, goodness.... You are right, he might not even say anything if the twins tell him not too... I really need to get in a better place, this worries me all day long that it's affecting my work and health etc.

ChiefGrownup's picture

Here's another option. It's drastic but I do understand your concerns about safety for the child. I have the same fears for my stepson from his own sister. If I had my own baby, I would also never ever leave stepdaughter alone with baby for one second.

How about you leave your husband, but don't divorce? Go live where you want but don't involve the courts. This way there is no custody order. Your husband can visit the baby at YOUR home or wherever is convenient for you to supervise. The twins never come to your residence.

I do understand the dilemma you are in cuz I see it in my own home. You did ask if someone might consider staying married for the baby's safety so I wonder if this married-but-separate arrangement might be workable for you.

StepX2's picture

I disagree with the statement that you're just paranoid. Those are your motherly instincts telling you how to protect your child. Please don't ever brush those off because someone accuses you of being anyting other than the mother that you know you are.
With that said I really don't know what I would do in your situation. I've been in a situation though where I waited until my children were old enough to be heard by the courts in mediation for child custody. The first time I left my now exH (father of my kids) I discovered what I was up against...his family had lots of money and people I had never even met who were to come "forward" to speak of what a horrible mother I was. It was an abusive marriage and even though I would have been capable of supporting my kids and myself (I was the only one who worked in the last several years of my marriage) I had to bide my time until at least my older children were old enough to be heard which is age 7 where I'm at. It was tough and I still feel horrible about the extra years my children witnesses what they did in our home but I always believed that the truth would prevail in the end and it did! Despite the high priced lawyers my ex had, I won full custody and he had supervised visitation. He would take me back to court CONSTANTLY but the supervision was always upheld.
If I were to make any suggestion it would be to just document as much as you can and if you're able to get some type of surveillance in your home (without them knowing of course) that would be even better?!?