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LOOKING TO VENT

purplegirl201's picture

SS10 came for his Thanksgiving visit and we were told by BM that he ay have to stay with us for a while because she was moving. A few days later she shows up with  3 trashbags full of his clothes and his school laptop saying that he is in virtual school until January 15 and that after that we might have to enroll him in our district school. Fastforward 5 months SS has been in in virtual school in our district since January. BM has only seen him 3 times since then, we found out this weekend that she is living at a hotel that is known as a hooker/drug hotel. I only know this is where she is living becasue SS spent the night with her on Saturday and his phone has GPS on it. I have tried to make SS feel at home any way I can think of becasue I would imagne that the whole situation must be a lot for him to deal with.

Here are my issues with all of this. 

SS is a royal pain in the ass. He lies constantly about school and homework. If I don't check every night he will say he has no homework, I constantly get text from the teacher telling me that he has logged off early or not logged in at all. A lot of the times that he is supposed to be in school he is logged into Youtube watching videos. He sneeks into me and DH bedroom and roots through drawers and moves things. I put clean laundry on the bed as a deterent but he only knocked it all onto the floor. If I tell him to stay out of my room he gets argumentative and slams doors. He constantly forgets to close the refrigerator door, last night he did it and milk and lunchmeat was bad this morning when we came down for coffee. I have told DH that he needs to start being punished in ways that hurt him (take away his phone or game controllers so he can't play). DH yelling at him dosen't do any good and he has started yelling back. DH laughed when I suggested taking things away from him but it will be the only way to get to him.

He is a slob and eats and drinks in his bedroom and never brings dirty dishes or glasses out unless you tell him to, I have said that I didn'ty want him taking food to his room anymore and was basically laughed at, I'm surprised we don't have bugs or mice in there.

I feel like a broken record constantly telling DH about SS and school but he is failing becasue of his lack of participation and I feel that if he fails it is on me because I am the one at home with him while he is in school. I raised my kids very differetly there were consequences for their actions. My son had ADHD and ODD and was put on medication at age 6. I think SS needs to be tested for ADHD and medicated if needed, BM said he had ADHD but was not actually tested and was put on a very mild medicine for it DH stopped that as soon as SS came to live with us so I don't know that it actually worked.

DH isn't doing his son any favors by treating him the way he does, he is more concerned with how SS looks and if his hair is brushed correctly than how he is behaving becasue he always seems to have an excuse. I find it disrespectful to me and his teachers that he cares so little about school. 

SS isn't a little boy anymore he is as tall as me 5ft and weighs 120lbs, It's like talking to a freaking wall most days and my anxiety is through the roof. DH doesn't understand why I don't go to karate with him when he takes SS, I thinks it pretty obvious that I don't go becasue I need that hour away from SS. 

Thoughts are appreciated.

 

Comments

Harry's picture

He not parenting his kid.  He pushing it all on you.  Just stop.  Stop doing anything for SS. He going to fail school and there nothing you can do about it.  His BM doesn't care or hid BF. So why should you

DH cleans up and cooks for SS.  If not get a cleaning service to clean up. The bill goes to DH.  Stop the school stuff. Tell school to contact DH from now on.

AgedOut's picture

Without his parents helping, or at least one of his parents doing something, nothing can or will happen. This isn't all on Mom, Dad is contributing to his son's failures too. You are in a lose lose situation, Dad is the one who set you up to fail. 

Ispofacto's picture

I would lock his game controllers in the trunk of my car, change the wifi password, put a lock on my bedroom door, and stop buying any snacks whatsoever.  Purge all the snacks from your house.  I'd only have meal foods that need to be cooked.  Or buy a fridge lock https://www.amazon.com/Rofio-Refrigerator-Upgraded-French-Door-Refrigera...

SS would lose his sh!t.  See if DH backs you up.  If not, leave.

 

justmakingthebest's picture

There are so many things wrong with your situation. 

1) Has your husband filed in court for full custody? 

2) The moment he "laughed" at your proposed discapline you should have told him- fine, you deal with it all. 

3) The invasion of your privacy has got to stop.

Like the others said, you can't care more than his father. Your H's behavior alone would have me questioning my choice in marrying him. Being a SM is HARD. MAJOR HARD. If you can't count on your spouse to have your back, who can you count on? 

Stop doing for your SS. Stop monitoring, Stop laundry services, Stop cleaning- STOP. Put a lock with a key on your bedroom door. Keep it locked. No means NO. It is important for any young man to learn that anyway. 

purplegirl201's picture

We actually did go to court for full custody because mom has a lot of issues and we thought SS would be safer and more stable with us. The judge at the time back in October felt that since he was in school and established that he stay there and she wa granted custody during the school year and we were given the summer. That lasted a month and then he was dropped off, it was only supposed to be for Thanksgiving, and then until January becasue his school had COVID issues and went virtual from in school and BM couldn't supervise him becasue she had to work. I am working from home so naturally they both thought it was a good solution, I was not asked how I felt at all. 

To have to go back to court at this timke would be pointless, it would be costly and we just don't have it after spending $4000 the first time around. BM is in no position right now to have this child live with her, as I stated she is living in a very seedy motel that is known as a drug/prostistute hang out. 

He needs to learn boundries and consequences otherwise he is going to be a real ahole adult.

I Need A Bubble Bath's picture

OMG are we married to the same man with the same ex??? Sending you hugs. 

Set boundaries (rules for your home and the respect you expect) and start disengaging. This has helped me so much. 

purplegirl201's picture

That's funny. Thanks 

Makes me feel a little better knowing others are just as frustrated as I am. 

Hastings's picture

I agree with others. You need to stop doing anything for him. SS is not your responsibility.

The fact that your DH laughed at you -- just wow. My DH has faults and he has thrown me under the bus in a couple of ways, but he's been very responsive when I have concerns. And he handles school, sports, etc., 100%. My involvement is limited to listening to him vent and giving advice when asked.

My SS is also 10 and we ran into the problem of him not signing on for class, goofing off, etc. DH had to start making him do his school in a common area where he could be watched and he only gets his games back when he can show all work has been done. But DH's job is fully remote so he's around to deal with it himself.

He also would take food to his room, leave plates and containers and lie about it. DH got on to him but not very effectively -- until BM reported she'd developed a bug problem thanks to piles of stuff under SS's bed and had to call the exterminators. Now DH is incredibly hard-line about it and will bring the wrath of God on that kid if he breaks the rule at our house.

The overall theme here is that your main problem is with your DH. He needs to be the one to step up and parent. He needs to support you. He needs to take your concerns seriously. If he refuses, you have to decide what you will tolerate.

Actions (and inactions) have consequences. Is he willing to live with those? Are you willing to make him? Because you shouldn't have to suffer HIS consequences.