You are here

Not sure what Im doing? Opinions please

notfun13's picture

My relationship in a nut shell

My BS 16.5
My BD 15.5
His D 12
Met SO in summer of 2013, we seen each other EVERY weekend, typically he would come to my house with his daughter EVERY weekend (our homes were about 1 hour apart). My children see there dad every weekend usually Saturday but always come home to sleep, (ex rents a room in a house)

SO moved into my house beginning of 2014, he continued the 2 hour round trip every Friday and Sunday so she could spend the weekend with us.

I raised my children to be polite, to help each other and try your best at what ever you do. They also help out around the house with weekly chores and at times need to be prompted to help out with some things. But when asked will do it.

SD had an older step sibling when she lived with her parents but that sister lived with her dad. Mom was a bar tender and worked nights and weekends. I don't think SD had a great upbringing at home. She did not learn to say please or thankyou, never had any chores, and learned that if she cried and threw a tantrum her dad would give her what she wanted to calm her down.

When we first met maybe the first month or so, she was nice to me, she would pull me a side to have my one on one attention. Then it turned into he is my dad, would try to sit between us, if he or I put arm around each other she would try to physically remove it. She also wanted ALL of my daughter attention. My niece (17) had spent at least 2 weekends a month at out house but slowly anytime my niece came over the SD would tell her dad that they were ignoring her. Kids need space so yes my daughter would want her own time with my niece again my daughter is 15 niece 17, his daughter is just turned 12 a month ago. Anytime my niece came over even for a night SD would cry to daddy, 2 times he actually left for the weekend with his daughter to his mother because he could not take it. It was unfair to his daughter that my daughter enjoyed her alone time with her cousin, please keep in mind they did include her in some things just not everything. SD would make up stories painting a picture that niece was not nice to her. in my house hold be would have bday parties on a sundays and family and friends would come. Her birthday last year she said she did not want cousin to come, I explained that was fine. But if we excluded her I would have to exclude her mother my sister, which would mean I could not invite my other sisters and their families, because it is not right to not invite one and invite the others. She still chose not to have niece come. So her party was her dad her grandmother and myself.

We have gone on family vacation which she has totally ruined, because she would not do anything if it was not her idea, and her dad did not make her. it was awful.

His daughter has spent every weekend every holiday and every school vacation with us. Which in turn meant that my SO and I never do anything together. I have brought this to his attention at least a handful of times, but he has never acted on the clue. Maybe we could at least do a dinner date or movie night alone. NEVER happens

Last fall DCF got involved because SD told school her mom had been drinking and drove her in the car. SO got temporary custody. I though great this will help put a visitation to schedule into place where we might at least have every other weekend alone. Nope mom give full custody to dad, and has only seen SD once in 9 months.
SD resent me I feel because of my relationship with my kids and ex,
she tries to annoy me by playing her iphone loud when I ask her to turn it done she turns it down one notch. She will NOT doing any chores and SO tells her she needs to help BUT never enforces it. My children are resenting this as they see it, and I just tell them I am raising them to be well rounded and I expect them to be helpful. Example other day my son and daughter where moving sons room around when SO comes home and asked his daughter why she wasn't helping her response was I never do. Wouldn't this prompt you to explain the importance of working together as a family. Dad just lets it go.

After 9 months of her living here fulltime I can not take it anymore. My SO and I never do anything alone, I have told him on several occasion we do not have a relationship. Every time we do something it is SO, myself and his daughter. My kids are either home doing their own thing or off with dad. Typically we go to breakfast
it is always those 2 walking together with me in the back like a 3rd wheel, again I have told him this. She cuts me off if I try to walk with him. A month ago we were invited to a wedding which was my daughter was in , and my son was invited to as it was their half brothers wedding. My SO was invited and he asked if his daughter was and I said young children typically are not invited. I thought finally anight alone with him, as my kids would be off with their half siblings and cousins. We even staying over night, I suggested his daughter stays with his mother. But no he puts my step son on the spot and ask if his daughter can come. So now my night alone, is ruined she sits between us at the wedding we share our room with her, the again when we go for breakfast they walk side by side and I am left to trail behind. Then on the way home she continues with her rude behavior towards me. If I say black she says white. When we got home I lost it and said I can not do this anymore, I can not come home every day to her attitude, I was really done. But now she is on her best behavior, for the past month. But I don't think I can do it, its been a month and I can not let the resentment go. He has and always will put her before me. I understand she is his daughter, but I am his SO, and he allows her to trash me, She was suppose to apologize to me because she acknowledge that she trys to get on my nerves by dong things to upset me. He asked her to apologize but she refused to and he did not make her. She said she is not ready.
Last weekend we had another wedding and he chose to not go with me
cause he did not really know the bride and groom so he stayed home with his daughter. Again I feel he should have gone with me to spend time with ME.

I can not let that go. I am feeling that I don't matter. But he is doing this around the house to make up for those actions. I don't care what he does around the house at this point. I want to feel
that I as his significant other am number one. Yes he needs to care and tend to his daughter needs but he should not allow her to disrespect me. He tells her not to but does nothing when she does.

I am so close to moving on

jssdallas's picture

Doesn't sound like SO makes your relationship a priority and that he doesn't have your back. These situations are all SO hard (or there would not be this website). I think everyone needs alone time with their bio children especially in a blended family. He should want the break from his kids to be with you as well (like any parents would).
If you can support yourself and afford do move out then I would do it and move on. I really think if I got a divorce from my DH I probably would never marry again, never someone with kids and would prefer to be alone than the pain of blending families. We as step-mom's get the rawest of raw deals.

jssdallas's picture

Couples counseling? If that does not work let him know you would not like to continue in the relationship. Are you married? If not, will be painful but doable.

Delilah's picture

You have told him this situation is not working for you, in fact it wouldnt work for the majority of women out there...after all who likes to be relegated to third wheel status while watching your romantic partners balls be led by his pre teen child?!...NOT sexy or fulfilling...however has flipped the ignore switch on your warnings and needs lady!

Having his dd12 play nice for a month while continuing with his emotional emeshment with her, refusing to particpate in romantic, quality, couple activities solo and opting in and out of your supposed blended family when it suits him and dd12 completely demonstrates his lack of commitment and care towards YOU. Remember you are in this relationship to be with HIM, so you can fulfil his dreams and needs but equally HE has the same responsibility towards you however he doesnt have room for the healthy, romantic relationship that any rational, adult female would desire. The reason being? He is getting financial support, housing and sexual fulfilment from you however you then get relegated to back seat maid when sd demands it...just like a partner
demands attention this child has been permitted and encouraged to compete on an alpha female level with you by your SO. Its sick and toxic for you both, as a while a child may needs x % of attention from her dad she certainly should not be allowed to push you away, dominate her dad exclusively to push you away and show you who is "top dog...in charge", act insolently towards you and your bio kids. There is a vast difference between providing love, security and attention to your child and getting your ego strokes from them while neglecting your partner.

The reason he isnt taking you seriously? You keeping putting up with it and the only consequence is talking to him, telling him you have had enough...big whoop...most men are doers by nature and we are communicators. The only way for him to get how serious you are is to tell him one last time, in details, outlining exact expectations and examples of failures and the most important step = following through with ACTION. Make a decision how you plan to manage this - ensuring its a different way than how he has been used to you reacting to stuff, what you want and should the worst happen and he remains selfishly preoccupied with HIS and dd needs to the exclusion of everyone else. The best thing you can do is to start changing your behaviour towards him and sd, they treat you with rudeness then they get treated the same way, distance yourself to consider your options and stop fulfilling his and sd needs while yours are being stampeded over! Personally I would ask him to move out, but thats because right now he is using you imo!

misSTEP's picture

She is engaging in typical mini-wife behaviors. However, this is all on her father. He is enabling the shitty behavior by not punishing her when she doesn't do what is expected of her.

It sounds like he wants a bed warmer and not a real relationship.

Kaliko's picture

Also.. that is really common for weddings. Normal and expected, most of the time. It's hard to invite all the people you like to have there if you're on any kind of a budget. If you have to consider all their children as well, you have to cut out 1/2 of your friends, *and* it generally doesn't mean much to the kids anyway. In this case, I bet they would have made an exception and invited her if she were interested in being part of the bigger family.

notfun13's picture

Yes I too believe in family events. BUT the month befor we were
All invited to a shower my self my daughter and step daughter. But
Step daughter refused to that day said it was not her family she didnt have tovgo. Dad
Did not force her and let her stay home by herself. Which upset me
Because it was a family function. So when the wedding came I did not feel I
Needed to press for her to go. There was no other children her age going. And
She made it clear my family is not her family.

We also did counseling as a family Sd did not want to go so
Dad said it was not helping. Now I am the only one going

robin333's picture

I would have SO and SD leave your home. Living with resentment isn't worth it and you and your kids deserve better.

Vanessa68's picture

I agree with "you have told him this"

Until today, I firmly believe there are not a lot of women out there, that would enjoy being second best, hell even 3rd or 4th, for any length of time. This is my first experience with a man with kids, and I will bet you it will be my last. Yes children come first, but not every single breath, these men are going to lose a lot of amazing women who would adore them till the end, if they gave us half the love the give their children.