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Teens, drama, exes and then having to worry about BD12

hangingbyathread6's picture

So less than 12 hours after leaving the courthouse from the custody hearing with exH my BDstb15 texts me and says "we have a problem, mom I'm really worried". So I ask what's going on. Now since the beginning of the school year my YBD and my exH gf's MBD have been attending the same school, and are in the same grade. This is a new school for gf's BD no Jr. High is a tough age. Along with the fact that my BD12 doesn't like her at all, and that exH has been trying to force BD12 to show her around, introduce her to her friends, involve the other girl in the activities that our daughter does. Things have NOT been going well to put it mildly. This other girl has lied repeatedly and both my daughters have caught her and presented the evidence to their father, because usually they are either both or YBD is blamed for things this girl is doing.

Now my SS12 is involved and supposedly told the gf's daughter my daughter was saying things about her and her younger sister. Now, she may have been, however I'm not sure why my SS would betray my daughter'so cinfidence...they have always been quite close. Anyway, this among other things have caused discord between BD and exH and of course exH's gf. I have talked to my daughter repeatedly about not needing to be a mean girl (she denies vehemently that she tries to get other kids to not like gf's daughter), about that she doesn't have to like dad's gf but she needs to be respectful because she is an adult and an adult that has a part of the life BD shares with exH, and that at least being polite and cordial would make a lot of tension with gf's daughter dissipate. Although it seems that gf's daughter just keeps on continuing to try to cause waves with BD12. Her most recent is that my BD12 makes life miserable at school and then she can't even get away from it and come home because BD12 makes life miserable for her at home too (my daughter is there every Wednesday and EOWE...and proves more WHY EOW would not have been good and that gf can't possibly really want BD12 there other than to reduce exH's CS). The issue is that exH continuously takes gf's side and gf's daughter's side. He does NOT stand up for BD12 nor BDstb15 even when handed evidence of their innocence and gf's daughter's lying. ExH is pulling his usual routine (one I know well) of completely ignoring BD, not speaking to her, not looking at her, not even answering her when she speaks to him. He called her an asshole and some other not nice things. This has been going on for about three months. Well, BDstb15 went to talk to BD12 and as BD12 is sobbing. She says she's done with all this. She wants to die. This got my OBD very concerned and upset as we have had close friends who have had young teenage children commit suicide. It's a terrible thing.

So I immediately call exH. He won't answer. I text. No answer. OBD continues to text, very concerned mom I'm scared mom what do I do, etc. so I tell BDstb15 to tell your dad to call me. She does, he ignores her. So I tell her to tell her dad it's very important so mom is going to come over. His response, I don't need your mother to tell me how to parent. I have NO intention of telling him how to parent, however if our 12 yr old daughter says those words, I am not taking them lightly. I could never live with myself if my daughter reached out to me about her sister and I didn't take it seriously and do something about it. I go there. After five more calls, BD12 answers the door. I walk in and ask him if we could all please sit down and talk. Gf wasn't home. We discussed things. I discussed things with daughters he sat there with his arms crossed not saying a word other than to say, "she's a snot, she's trying to cause problems, gf's daughter has a hard time, they had a harder life than our kids, etc etc". Gf comes home. I apologize to her that I a, there, especially when she wasn't home but something quite serious had occurred.

After another 30-45 mins of all of us talking, she only defends her daughter (I get that but still...) while I say I know my daughter isn't perfect and not completely innocent here, and I understand your daughter is probably having a hard time with a new school at Jr. High age, but I think you need to also accept that she is possibly dramatizing and exaggerating things or not portraying it accurately as well" of course she's a mom who thinks her kids do no wrong, doesn't say no to them and will always bow down to them.

I gave my daughters a hug and kiss told them I loved them and would see them Monday after school. Thanked both exH and gf for having this talk and I hope things go better over the weekend. And I have done nothing but worry and wonder since Friday night. Sigh. One time I happen to hope for Monday to come around.

Comments

fuckitall's picture

That does sound serious if your BD is talking suicide, always take those things seriously you're totally right. I don't know if this is an option for your family but maybe she doesn't want to stay at her dad's house at the moment, I wouldn't force her to if that's the case. It sounds like your ex is being kind of mean to your daughter, and maybe he thinks that will correct her behavior in some way but it won't. Also it sounds like there is teenage drama going on big time, especially with the girls and it is to be expected! I think the adults should try to stay out of the issues that the girls are having as much as possible, keep reminding them to behave like ladies.
I probably wouldn't have come in their home to have a discussion like that if I were you I would have just gone and picked her up, it sounds like the new GF is insecure and it might just cause more tension in their home. You should just deal with your ex or keep your daughter with you until things settle down. If her dad is ignoring her and calling her bad names, why is she visiting him, what is the point?

hangingbyathread6's picture

Unfortunately I can't keep them from going there on his court ordered parenting time. If he wants them I have no choice but to send them. I can't get him to agree to let her stay home. But maybe after this weekend that is an option I should bring up to him. Just as a temporary thing. I agree the parents should be staying out of it and letting them figure it out. Instead BD is getting attacked by gf's kid, gf, and dad. That sucks.

I didn't really want to go there. Had exH answered my phone call, or called me like my daughter asked him to I would have stayed home. I really didn't want to leave the snuggling on the couch with my DH in the middle of a movie to go there but at the same time if my daughter is talking suicide and my older daughter is that worried and exH knew nothing of it because they weren't talking to him I had to do something. He needed to know what was going on and I needed to know he was acknowledging it. And I needed to see for myself my daughter was okay. But I do realize it was an intrusion which is why I made a point to very politely apologize to the gf about coming to their home and being there when she wasn't there initially.

hangingbyathread6's picture

Thanks Swet Pea. It does suck. And if my daughter was really making life hell for that girl there would be hell to pay at my home. What it seems is that this girl is ,asking life hell for MY daughter. She begged to come home with me. Right in front of her dad. Broke my heart to tell her it's dad's time right now kiddo but I'll see you Monday.

She also said while her dad was right there, "he is mad at me because I don't want to live here EOW. I don't want to live here!" I told her that that wasn't something she had to be concerned about. That she will be coming home Monday and that she goes to dad's Wednesdays and EOWE and that's how it is staying. He apparently didn't tell her that he lost his attempt with the court earlier in the day.

I wouldn't take my kids away from their father, but I sure as hell will fight him to keep things the way they are, especially since that's how they want it. And obviously she is getting the support and stability and sense of belonging and love she should be getting at her dad's house. I wish things could be easier for her, for all of them actually. I said that night, "how about if everybody just starts over and tries to be respectful and get along? Maybe relationships can made and/or repaired okay".

The other option....maybe exH needs to make sure gf's kids are at their dad's house when my kids are at his place. Then gf's daughter doesn't have to feel miserable at home, and BD won't struggle either.

hangingbyathread6's picture

Gf's daughter says that my daughter tells all her friends to not talk to, let's call her Amazon (because for her age she is a BIG girl...like 5'7 and husky compared to my 4'10" BD), and not be friends with Amazon and if they are then BD won't be friends with them anymore. BD allegedly tells Amazon no one likes her. BD allegedly gets the whole 7th grade class to NOT sit by Amazon at lunch so Amazon has to go sit with her BBall team (that sounds normal to me but whatever) and then BD decided to get the whole group of girls to sit at the table where the Bball team sits so there was no place for Amazon to sit then (really? no room for ONE more girl?)

BD also apparently says not nice things about Amazon to her friends and apparently her stepbrother, who they have always had a good relationship and she did confide some things to him, and he apparently told Amazon what BD said. He will be getting a talking to this evening when he returns home from his BM's house.

I find it hard to believe that my BD has enough clout in that school to make a whole grade ignore and ostracize Amazon. I jut don't think BD is that in control of her peers.

hangingbyathread6's picture

Oh I had a talk with both my SS and my BD. SS and Bd both live with me full time. Be has complained about Amazon and her kids to SS here in this home, but she has to me and my DH also. They just don't get along. SS apparently divulged some of the things BD complained about to Amazon. I had a talk with both. Now I'm not saying my daughter is innocent. I've said from the beginning that I'm sure she is not, but that I also believe gf's daughter is overdramatizing some things also. And like I said both my BDs have caught her in lies with proof numerous times. The conversation I had with my SS and BD is that "BD, I have told you that you shouldn't say things about people. Now on one hand I'm upset that you would say anything about Amazon to a peer, but on the other hand SS is your brother and you have a close relationship so I'm not sure just where the line is here. I've confided in my brothers things I would never repeat to my average normal peer. And SS, you have confided things in your stepsister about things that upset you or you don't like either. How would you feel if she betrayed that confidence from you?"

I see this as two separate issues.
1- BD DID say things/complain about A,Avon, exH, and gf and her other kids to SS. SS then went and repeated these things to Amazon. Now again I don't know where to go with this one. If it was just a random girlfriend of BD's that was repeating the complaints/remarks I would be very upset with my daughter for discussing that with another peer. However, this is her stepbrother she lives with daily. They are the same age. They are in the same grade. They play on the same sports teams. They are together 20 days out of a month. They have known each other since they were 2. This isn't just gossiping with any old person.

2- allegedly my daughter is making the whole 7th grade not like this girl and BD won't let her friends be friends with Amazon also and goes out of her way to ostracize Amazon at school. I don't see this happening for two reasons, a- I hineslt don't believe my daughter has enough clout to get a whole grade of girls or even 20 to turn on Amazon. b- my daughter really isn't like that. She has a history of sticking up for kids getting picked on. She has been acknowledged for her behavior for treating kids equally (the disabled kids in school) even when others have not. She usually is the one sticking up for the bullied kid so I just don't see this happening to the extent Amazon is saying it is. They are 12, they are in Jr. High, they don't like each other, there IS going to be some drama, from both of them, and it's not helping that their parents date each other.

I don't know. I talked to my daughter again tonight. I talked to my daughter and SS together. If it doesn't get better, my next stop is the school counselor. Maybe she can get both kids in together and work something out

hangingbyathread6's picture

Tommar, thanks for the vote of confidence. I earnestly impress on my children that bullying is NOT okay and that they should stand up for kids they see being bullied. Both my daughters are so empathetic and help out when they see classmates with struggles or disabilities. My oldest used to walk and carry the books for a wheelchair bound student every single day so he would always have someone by him. This went on from elementary until Sixth grade when classes split and you change classmates with every period, but she still talks to this boy and helps him out when she is near him. BD that is being accused of bullying Amazon has done similar things as oldest with a boy who had cancer and another student who kids picked on because he had learning disabilities. My DH has an older brother with Down's syndrome, and my daughters will sit and color, make crafts and visit with him for hours on end. They really are sweet girls. Which is what makes this whole, "BD is making life miserable for Amazon both in and out of school and she is awful" so hard to believe. Especially since Amazon doesn't have the greatest track record. She had issues at her other school before. It's always someone else picking on her. I know the two girls don't get along and I know my BD is not always the nicest to Amazon and doesn't go out of her way to be friendly to her, partly because she's gotten bit in the ass by Amazon prior, but again some of it is simply teen/tween jr high drama. I wish gf could see that and deal with it appropriately also. Oh well...my kid only has to spend EOWE and one night a week there...hopefully it turns around. In the mean time, she knows she is well loved, and has stability and security with myself and DH in our home. If at some point she decides not to go to BF, well that's on him. I am no longer going to be responsible for trying to maintain his character to her.

learningallthetime's picture

I would personally say at 13, if she refuses to go over there, you shrug your shoulder, say "I came over and attempted to fix this, she is 13 and can make her own decisions", in terms of her being so upset, I do not think a court in the land would force her to visit.

hangingbyathread6's picture

Thanks for all the feed back everyone, I really appreciate it.

I won't change my daughter's school. It is the school she has always gone to, all her friends are there, she is very active in clubs and sports and that just wouldn't be fair because gf and exH decided to move close and she enrolled her kid in the same school. Her reasoning was that it would help them form a relationship...hello...I KNOW you were a 12-13 yr old girl in Jr High at one time too, you can't make anyone be friends and since the relationship was poor from the get go it's likely to stay that way. MyexH is teaching at another school 4 miles away as a substitute, although he keeps telling the court he will be hired full time as a regular teacher once he has a valid license...maybe gf should have HER daughter go to that school.

They both carry some blame here, by all means. However some of the things that are supposedly going on and said I finally looked at my ex and said, "you know what, YOU KNOW how OUR daughter has been raised, the values and morals instilled, now you on your own admission say these girls haven't come from the best background. There are times when you have to stand up for your daughter and rock the relationship boat. You can't be so afraid of losing gf that you make your daughter believe you have no trust or belief in her, you can't just ignore her and act like she doesn't exist. You are the adult, she is the child, if you must address a situation then scold her but giving her the ice front is not going to fix anything"

I'm waiting to see how she is doing today when she comes home. And I may have to look into not making her go. Which would mean her dad would have to force her by calling the police to have her handed over. I also may have to call the FOC and see what our options are. I really don't want my daughter to not have a relationship with her father, she's been a daddy's girl from day one, but I see him pushing her further and further away and damaging her self esteem and security while doing so. I am not sure what to do anymore.

Anon2009's picture

I think you need to alert their teachers and principal. Then they can know what's going on and help monitor it.

I'm sorry your xh is such a tool. Something that many tend to forget is that while many men are victims of bms, judges, etc, others are not.

Easylikesundaymornin's picture

Teenage girl are the meanest !!!

My SD bullied my daughter for a year in school. We were new to the school district ~ SD was asked to help her a unlisted to the school. SD is a bad bas influence drugs, drinking n lying. My daughter was involved as well ~ I was naive to believe she was involved with such bad behavior but it happens. She was trying to fit in ~ my daughter is more of an artsy kid ~ guitar n singing.

The harassment my SD did to my daughter was her way of hurting my daughter. I guess she wanted to ultimately hurt me n then I woukd pick a fight w DH n then that would be the end of us. But her plan backfired ~ I saw every shitty thing she did ~ I let her hang herself ~ n prove to her father was an asshole she is/was. BM infiltrated as well with bad mouthing of me.