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Skids in your bedroom/bed - advice on a silly situation

Morgan Le Frayed's picture

I need some advice from all you experts. I don’t say that snidely – I mean it! Those of you here on this website really are an amazing resource for those of us stuck in a horrible living situation. I can’t thank you all enough.

But anyway . . I’ve been with DH for 3.5 years. I am completely disengaged. He is a Disney Dad – no rules, no boundaries, no consequences. We have SD10 and SS7 every weekend, and I do my best to work/make other plans/stay busy during that time.

I’ve pretty much given up on anything related to his children, and I avoid them as best I can. But there is ONE frigging thing, and one thing only that I ask, and I can’t get ANYONE to cooperate. I don’t want them in our bed. DH calls me “Hitler” and “controlling” and “psycho” because I say I don’t want his kids in our bed.

They don’t try and sleep in there, thank the Gods. But they are in our bedroom and on the bed any chance they can get. Obviously, only when I am not there. I come home, and my bedclothes are on the floor. I ask, “Were you guys in my bed?” and they both look at Disney DH and he just laughs. I come home, turn on my TV, and see that Disney channel is on. AGAIN. Yet again, I’m disrespected, disregarded.

They have the run of the WHOLE FLIPPING HOUSE. Upstairs is their bedrooms, and another room DH and I used as an office. I completely packed up all of my stuff that was up there and put it in the basement, because I cannot STAND going up there. The cluttered, dirty cluster-f*#k that is their bedroom churns my stomach and I can’t stand looking at it. So I don’t go up there. I have NO OTHER PLACE in the house that is my sanctuary, save our bedroom, and specifically, our bed.

From the time they get here till the time they leave every weekend, it is them and DH sitting on the couch watching Disney and playing games on the iPod/DS/phones. I stay in my room for the most part.

So . . firstly, am I crazy for not wanting them in our bed? I just feel . . violated. All I ask is don’t touch my stuff, and keep them out of my bed. That’s it. One, they ARE NOT MY KIDS and I don’t feel comfortable with them IN MY BED. Two, they don’t wipe their butts and they SMELL. OMG you guys should see the laundry DH does. Yuck. Additionally the little one . . I don’t know what smells worse – his feet or his armpits. But when I bring up them being in our bed to DH, he goes off about how I hate his kids, I’m a bitch, its his house too and his kids will go where they want, blah blah blah. Secondly . . is there ANY way to get through to DH? I know, I need to get out of this relationship, and things are only going to get worse. It’s a long story, but I am stuck living there for about another year and a half. I’m just trying to get through. I’ve given up, and I’ve conceded defeat on MANY other things but damnit, I don’t want them in our bed!!!!

So recently SD has come into the bedroom a couple times during this winter when I was sick, and we watched TV together, both lying in the bed. I’m okay with that. She came in and ASKED if she could hang out with me, saying she didn’t feel good either. (I know, she was fine, but . . I like her. I really do.) Most importantly . . she ASKED if she could be in there with me. Recently if I’m in the bedroom watching TV, she’s in there with me too. I am fine with it. She lays on top of the covers, and we watch all kinds of shows that are not Disney! So DH uses this against me. He says SD goes in there all the time to watch TV when I am not home because SS gets on her nerves, and it is MY fault because I let her go in there with me, so she thinks it is okay to go in there by herself.

So now what? I have to tell SD “Sorry kid, your Disney Dad has no parenting skills so I have to punish you by telling you that you cannot watch TV with me anymore. Oh and stay out of our room when I am not here please.” DH has also said during an argument that “You take her away from me.” So obviously, it bugs him when she’s with me. Oh and why are we not all together out on the couch? Because it only seats three, and SS is asleep on it by 7:30 every night taking up a good portion of it. If DH would put him up in his bed where he should be when he’s sleeping, then maybe I would sit out there more.

Silly situation, isn’t it? So what do I do? Just give it up, and count down the time I have left there? Stick to my guns? Try yet again to get through DH’s thick skull?

Annoyed1's picture

I went through this years ago with DH and SS's. I felt the exact same way that you did about it. It was my only skid free space in the house and I didn't budge an inch on it. Not to mention the fact that BM used to send the kids over when they had lice and never told us!! When we found out they had lice, I looked at DH and said "see! This is a perfect example of why I don't want them in my bed". It hasn't been an issue for us since, and that was years ago. Hope you can get through your DH's thick skull.

simifan's picture

Actually this topic shows up a lot. Personally DH & I do not let anyone in our room - No Skid/ No bio. It is our space only (We used to say adult only space but actually SD is an adult & still not welcome).

Unfortunately, I don't know what to tell you. I do not want to have kids laying where we have adult time & I certainly wouldn't want adult time in a space that smells like S^&* & I wouldn't want adult time with someone who disregards my feelings.

SecondGeneration's picture

Wow I am so sorry your husband is such a douchebag. I mean seriously, its one thing to have different ideas but pulling the "its my house" to get his own way and then play "you dont like my kids" cards is just pathetic.

The bed thing is a common "problem", we had it, however my SD is 4 and was 2 at the time we got together. She slept in her own bed but in the morning she would come through to us and sleep another hour or so with us. I didnt like it, I told my boyfriend I didnt feel comfortable. Same as you I felt violated in a way. Its OUR place, fortunately my partner listened to me and since then our bed has been a total SD free zone.

It sounds like you have tried all the normal, reasonable ways to get your point across but its not working. But if you have already given up on the marriage then theres little point beating your head over it.
Without being too blunt have you not posed it to him from the point that it is your marital bed, you have sex in it, you dont think its right for his kids to then essentially be sitting on/in those sheets. Even the most disney dad should be weirded out by the concept of his CHILDREN and anything to do with his SEX life.
Though that being said, if you have already checked out of the marriage and there is no sex life then that wont worry him.

Otherwise Togs advice might be your best solution, its not ideal by any means but it might make him realise.

Lillian23's picture

Would it be impossible or a waste of time to have a conversation with your DH about setting boundaries? My SS7 knows that he must knock and ask to come in before he sets foot in our bedroom. He's very good about it because we've basically put the fear of God in him about our room being OURS and not his to share. Plus, I could be changing/naked/showering and neither of us want to experience THAT kind of embarrassment. Sometimes he'll hang out with me if I'm folding laundry and his dad is at work or something like that. I think one time he watched the end of a TV show with me for maybe 15 minutes, then it was back downstairs for everyone.

I think it's great your SD asks to come in and that you allow her (at times) to watch TV with you. Nothing wrong with bonding with her! Your SS7 is definitely old enough to understand the concept of asking for permission to enter your room. I don't think it's unreasonable to sit both of them down and have you DH tell them the following:

1. From now on, in order to enter your room they must ask permission of either you or their dad. If one or both of you are in there, they must knock and wait for an answer from you.
2. One of you must be in there with them and if you're both busy, that means they can't go in.

Personally, I don't think kids, especially ones over the age of maybe 3, ever need to be in their parent's bedroom for an extended period of time. Your marital bed/bedroom is for sleeping, sex, and personal time. It's not an extended part of your living room. There's truly no reason for them to be in there when they have an entire house to roam.

luchay's picture

THIS is what I was thinking. Not that you move - make HIM move.

Or just put a lock on the room you both share, and whenever you leave the house lock the door }:) }:) of course do NOT give him a key...

JustAgirl42's picture

It sounds like he needs a third party to tell him that your wants/needs are not unreasonable.

Ask him why it's so important that they be allowed to be in there...why is their WANTING to be there more important than your NEEDING your own space??

Lillian23's picture

^^This.

To which I would respond "Asking that your children stay out of our bed/bedroom is hardly the same as a dictator who killed millions of people. Yes, I would like to "control" what happens in my house/my bedroom. And finally, honey, this is nowhere NEAR psychotic behavior...but push me far enough and I'd be happen to enlighten you."

My SO has said to me "You can be such a bitch sometimes" and I agree with him. I can! But if I wasn't pushed to it, I wouldn't be.

luchay's picture

I did this.

And the sexy underwear over the end of the bed...

I tried the "we have sex in that bed!"

(backstory, SD(then)12 would climb INTO bed with her daddy whenever I left the house. He sleeps naked and back then we had a lot of sex. She took great delight in telling me "I love it when you leave the house early, I climb into bed with MY daddy and take your place!")

I pointed out to him that it made me uncomfortable and was inappropriate, he couldn't see it. I said "you are naked!" He said "as soon as I realise she's there I put my shorts on...." Ummm yeah, but how long has she been snuggled up against your naked body before you wake up and realise its NOT ME????

Finally (because the "it makes me uncomfortable, I need some place in the house that is just ours, please respect my wishes" wasn't working) I said "you realise we fucked on those sheets about 6 hours earlier? Do you really want your baby girl laying in that? AND - I cannot have sex with you there anymore if you continue to allow your kids there, it kills my mood to think of your daughter when we are getting busy."

So, in the bed stopped, but ON the bed and in the room whenever they fancied continued... nothing I said worked. "they aren't used to not being allowed anywhere in the house they want to go!" (yes even my own dd's rooms were not off limits to the speshul snowflakes...)

So I started leaving things out that he wouldn't want them to see. "toys", boxes of condoms, sexy underwear. He asked me to put my stuff away, I told him to fuck off it's MY room not theirs. If he didn't want them seeing that stuff KEEP THEM OUT!

Finally they were kept out }:)

Childless stepmom's picture

As a woman you we need a little of our own space , skid free zone. I battle with having to share a bathroom as they don't respect not using my things. That's maybe something that will never change. But one boundary is that they are not allowed in our bedroom. There is nothing in our room that they need. So certainly will not welcome in our bed. It took a few moans but now they know. Nip it in the butt

SunnySkies's picture

This would drive me mad. Withdraw his conjugal rights, saying that you feel uncomfortable making out where the skids have been laying and don't have any frisky nights until he changes his attitude. Agree with other posters as well about leaving "adult things" lying around, whether you've had sex or not!

MissJulsie's picture

We went through this too!

I objected to this as soon as it happened. DH agreed to it my new rule of our bed being child free.

However, a few times when SS would come in anyway, or cry, or bang on the door, DH would give in to him (largely from being half asleep, and forgetting about our agreements). DH asked me for leniency and special consideration, saying that SS was used to sleeping in his mothers bed.

The third time it happened I lost my temper, yelled at my SO and drove home in a fury. (We hadn't moved in together yet).

The next day I offered a compromise: SS was not allowed in during the night, but was allowed in during morning cuddles.

When he was 6, he totally associated the parents bedroom as being a "free-for-all" zone, because it was when his parents were a family. But now he has grown out of it.

I am really concerned your partner has no sense of negotiation, compromise or meeting half way.

Why are you with him?

I realise that when people say "Oh just leave", they are forgetting how it's incredibly, incredibly hard this.

But couldn't you just leave him for a week? You could say that you are DONE with this situation , and that you need a trial separation.

It could achieve several things:

- it might give you the courage to leave him for real
- it might give you a taste for life without him
- it might give him a scare , to jolt him to his senses

MissJulsie's picture

Oh and by the way, just because my partner and I compromised with morning-only bed cuddles, doesn't mean that you have to.

Come to think of it, when SS turns 12 this year, I might rule out all bed access altogether. He's old enough!

onthefence2's picture

When I went out of town with my kids once, my exbf (instead of bringing the caged animal to his apt) wanted to stop by my house to care for it, etc. which was fine. Until we were 18 hours away, and he told me on the phone that he was at my house, with his 7dd in my bed (other 2 kids "playing" somewhere in my house), watching my PG-13 movie. OMG I about lost it! This, from the same idiot who wanted to keep me out of his custody battle with his crazy ex who had already made accusations of possible sexual abuse on him. EVERYTHING was ALL about how careful he had to be so that bm couldn't use anything against him in court... until he wanted to get in my bed with his 7dd and watch an age inappropriate movie while the other kids were doing God knows what. Another time when they were over and we were in the middle of an argument, he wanted to take both girls down to my bedroom to watch a movie in my bed, and this was around 9:30 at night. I think I just looked at him in disbelief. I was so dumbfounded I did not know what to say. We did not live together. So glad that someone else is dealing with his pathetic ass now.

Anyway, you have every right to make demands for your space.

And how in the world does a 7 year-old have stinky arm pits? My 12 and 13 year olds don't even have stinky arm pits yet, and they are well into puberty. Something's not right there.

ShellBell74's picture

I've got this issue, basically my partner has said the same thing as yours, "the kids can come in our room if they want". I'm not allowed in SD's room without asking, but she can come in ours. Also she has no personal hygiene, and I hate the fact that I go into my room and they are all (sd13 & ss8 & partner) in my nice clean bed all dirty and stinking it up. Then I have to ask them to get out so I can go to bed, then I look like the mean one. My partner will say SIGH "come on guys we have to get out now"..... So unfair. Like you I have had SD In on the bed watching more grown up shows, which was good for bonding, but BM put a stop to that as she said she didn't like what was being watched (don't think it would have really mattered what was being watched). I also feel that is my only personal space, and all my things are in there. I brought up the sex thing too - know what happened, no sex while the kids are at ours (we do one week on one week off).... Nothing I have tried has worked, and I don't have the luxury of having a study I can make my own space.

Childless stepmom's picture

Tell your partner as Skids need there own space so do the both of you. My skids must try put there toe in our room, I will ask them directly why they in there.

Morgan Le Frayed's picture

You sound exactly like me ShellBell. I can't do a damn thing about the situation right now, but I am absolutely never going to let this happen again. DH keeps bringing up getting married (we are engaged) and I keep saying "Mmmmm, no, I don't think that is a good idea. No sense locking ourselves in even tighter like that, since we obviously can't agree on a living environment." It's starting to drive him nuts but I'm sticking to my guns.

This is NOT their house. This is MY house, and my DH's house. They are merely guests here every weekend. That's not how he sees it though.

I've also made a great deal of progress in that in about a year, I should have better credit and a small down payment if I choose to just say screw this and go get my own house again. I daydream about having my own place again, where DH and I can live until the weekends come, then he can go back to HIS house and be with HIS kids.

If by some miracle things work out and I do stay with DH, you better believe that I will NOT put a dime towards the next house unless I have MY OWN room.

lostone123's picture

im having this issue as well, my bf wants his son to sleep with us occasionally
after breaking my ss sleep anxiety issue since hes used to sleeping with bm my bf now wants to toss this in there
myself personally feel our bed at night should be our private time whether we're both on our phones watching tv, talking or being intimate its like the only thing thats left that is just mine. i even feel when i have my own children they wont be in our bed - i know he only said occasionally but i just dont want it. and he said " I'm just more family oriented than you " and not to say its our bed because its YOUR bed.

like really? i even said if u feel you need that kind of time w. ur son sleep with him once ina while during nap or instead of rough housing for an hour play for 20 and cuddle and relax for the rest but he says no its not night time i want to go to sleep and wake up to him. hes 3 and he feels hes guna grow up and miss out on that.

Rags's picture

No kids sleeping the the relationship bed ..... PERIOD! At least after they are infants.

Sitting on the bed watching TV and talking could be Okay IMHO but that bed belongs to the adults and both adults have veto rights over how it is used and who uses it.

You vetoed. There is no overturning a partner veto.

Emily1984's picture

The first time I stayed with my partner and the kids he allowed the oldest one in bed with us, who spent the whole night wide awake, talking to DH and kicking me. That was the first and last time it happened.

Since then one of the kids might wake in the night and get in our bed. DH knows he must tell them they can have a cuddle with him for 5 minutes then it's back to their own bed. If DH falls asleep in that time I give him a helpful prod in the back!

Dogmom1321's picture

Before we got married, DH allowed SD to watch TV in our room because "our bed was more comfy." At the time, we lived in a small apartment, but SD had her OWN room. I had to talk to DH about it. Since we got married and bought our own house, there are ZERO reasons why our room shouldn't be a kid free space. There is plenty ELSEWHERE for kids to go. In our master bath we have a large jacuzzi tub. When we first moved in, DH goes "You know ____ is going to want to take baths with the jets, right?" Um, NO. I put my foot down. I did NOT buy a house to have kid clothes laying on the bathroom floor, a dirty tub, and all of my personal things played with.

SD10 now knocks on our door and asks to come in. She doesn't ask to use our bathroom (there are 4 in the house for God's sake). Getting to this point took a couple of years though. 

I had to be very blunt about it "Well, I just got out of the shower and am getting ready to change. I need privacy please." 

"I am watching ________ and it's not an appropriate show for you to watch"

"You have the choice to go in either your room or _________"

SD eventually took the hint.

But really, wth is up with these men that let SK do whatever they please??? 

Rags's picture

Why TF do you move your crap to the basement?  Time to grow a set and take control of your spaces in the home and purge the StepSpawn from those spaces.  LOCKS!  Retake your office and put a thumb print lock on the door that only you can open. The same for your bedroom.  DH only gets in when you give him access.  If he cannot recognize and defend the sanctity of your your marital bedroom, he does not need access to the marital bedroom unless you give him access on a case by case basis.  He calls you Hitler?  Show him Hitler.  And put it entirely on his shoulders both as the cause and as the fix.   He gets h is spawn under control... or you will and neither he nor they will like it much.

Though I did not have this level of drama when my Skid was at that age I did set and enforce the standards of behavior and performance I would accept in my home.  My wife had a choice.  If she did not like how I parented and disciplined she could step up and get it done before I had to, or she could have my back and bite her tongue until we could discuss it in private.  Never would I tolerate her not supporting me in front of SS any more than she would tolerate me not supporting her in front of my SS.

We worked it out. We partnered in raising SS and we were successful in that effort. Neither of us sacrificed our space,ourselves or our relationship to the Skid.  He learned to deliver to the behavioral and performance standards because we gave him no other choice.

Time for DH to gain this knowledge or ... he can suffer along with his ill behaved spawn.

IMHO of course.

Good luck.