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Do we need to attend step kid events

Renahemleezy's picture

 step child lives with us therefore I do all the school runs, random events, friends, parties and stay until it's over and  what ever  pick up dropp off you name it along with raising him since he no  longer lives with his mom ..

I told my partner I wish to not attend his school game over the simple reason that I don't get much time for myself on the weekends  i dont have anyone to watch him so he is with me  ...... now from time to time my partner may get the odd weekend off so i grab the opportunity but am seeing this like any other parent

"I  just need a break" 

 

  should I feel selfish for not wanting to attend all his events ... my partner feels that I suppose to attend  since he lives with us but he don't understand this is my only me time it's a chance for father a d son to bond

 

 He bairly sees his biological mother she would show up once in a while and I feel finally his mother can get involved watching his game or doing stuff with him   ...I just don't know like a few people told me I am doing way to much as a step parent ....... but what am I suppose to do when he bairly sees his mom so in general I just thought yeah I won't be dealing with the whole game season thats for his mom and dad again am I being selfish for not wanting to attend his games 

Comments

hregal2011's picture

With my SD I went to the ones I could make(back when she did cross country).  DH would go to the ones he could make and BM..she refused to go to 90% ..worried she would see us there (she couldn't handle being in the same space for several years).  
i don't think you are being selfish.  Any kids sports stuff can get crazy.  

stepregret's picture

Your spouse is the issue.    He's dumped skid on you.    Now you are recognizing the bad deal you have been given.

Amd of course now if you say something you'll be gaslighted and they will be incredulous about you not wanting to be the babysitter..

ndc's picture

There are plenty of bio parents who drop the kid off and don't stay for the games. Especially if there are multiple children, parents can't or don't want to spend all their time like that.  It's even simpler for a stepparent - it's not your child, so chances are the skid doesn't care all that much if you're there or not. No reason to feel selfish - you do way more for this kid already than either of his parents. 

Your H has unrealistic expectations if he expects you to be at every skid event,  especially if he doesn't go himself. Pick and choose what you want to stay for.

TheAccidentalSM's picture

"step child lives with us therefore I do all the school runs, random events, friends, parties and stay until it's over and  what ever  pick up dropp off you name it along with raising him since he no  longer lives with his mom"

Why does the step child living with mean that "therefore" you do all the parenting?  As a step parent, you can volunteer to help out but this stuff is 100% the bio parents responsibility.  

In reality it should be "step child lives with us therefore his BD does all the school runs, etc and I help out when it works for me".

I'd be tempted to ask your SO for a paycheck if he wants you to do all the childcare but only if you want a second job.  Hope this doesn't sound harsh but does he think this is womens work?  (Sorry, I'm finding the fact that he expects so much from  you slightly triggering)

Decide how much you want to help your SO and don't do an iota more.  Your SO is a grown up and will figure it out.

Cover1W's picture

LOL off topic but I just told DH last night, after he was acting non-committal about helping me spot sand and stain the deck (after I shopped for supplies, scraped and borrowed the hand sander from neighbors all by myself), "Ok, if you don't help me, after I did it by myself the last two times, I will charge you for my time per hour." So this morning is the trick to see if he'll start working with me before noon.

Winterglow's picture

THIS I-m so happy

And TAS said it much more politely than I would have done.. You are the kid's father's wife, not his mother. Anything you do, you do because you choose to do it, not because you've been guilted into it. You have your own life and don't need to be running after someone else's kid instead just because his father thinks you should! Stop doing his job for him NOW! 

Cover1W's picture

No.

I attended SDs events, the bigger ones, when they were younger and I lived closer. As they got older they did LESS so less events, and they would specifically ask DH to go but not me. So I just stopped. No invite or interest in me going so nope. Especially after YSDs last event that was a horrible ending. I was 100% done.

thinkthrice's picture

When Chef used to subscribe to the "One big happy family model" (TM),  he would get all excited about his kid especially the oldest enrolled in football et cetera. 

Chef is very athletic but the skids took after the clumsy non athletic Girhippo.   He would say dumb things to me  like "your ass is going to be on that bleacher seat every Saturday and Sunday all day."

Well I went religiously for the first few years, enduring the stink eye by the entire community that the Gir had poisoned against us  to the point of being screamed at and hung up on by one of the coaches (one of Gir's flying monkeys) just for asking for a schedule.  This was before the Internet boom  and online schedules abounded.  

 Then there was the time when OSS was enrolled in wrestling and wearing one of those wrestling suits that was 4 sizes too tight and looked like Borat. 

Chef tried to calmly give him pointers but OSS screamed at him to leave him alone  (picture oversized, too tall michelin man  ginger in orange Borat suit turning purple with rage)   It was  a giant intramural gymnasium and you could have heard a pin drop after that display as the result of PAS.   Extremely embarrassing for Chef and me for him.

 When it was clear to me that the ferals,  who were signed up for every activity under the sun,  were not taking sports seriously but just using it as a social occasion and to showboat, I slowly stopped going.

grannyd's picture

Just out of curiosity, Renahemleezy,

In your previous posts, you indicated that your stepchild was female yet you now indicate that the child is a male. Additionally, you failed to respond to any of the queries from the members that were attempting to offer advice. Whassup? Scratch one-s head

Renahemleezy's picture

I have 2 step kids my post was directly based on the male one ...you can clearly see those where post from almost 7 months ago when my step daughter used to stay with us ...( do I need to explain how many or if they male or female ? I thought this forum was to explain each individual situations ,problems ,issues no matter how many step kids a person has you have people on here that dont even have step kids but simply just wand advise ..

Furthermore 

do I have to reply to everyone comment I can reply to comments if i want to !  or privately  I don't have to answer everyone .. i solely appreciate every advise on these comments i even see many people on this forum who don't reply ....that don't mean a person is being mean I  I really dont understand why i have to explain again i use this forum for soley advice I get what you mean but  I shouldn't feel some type of way to answer or explain if the person has male or female step kid or because I did not reply ...ok cool 

grannyd's picture

Regrettably, I’m no longer able to access your blog from 7 months ago as it’s been deleted since my response. In that first post, you enquired as to whether or not you should invite your SD, who lived with you and her father, on a trip to one of your own families’ events.

Steptalk members asked about the age of the child and if she were difficult/disruptive as the information that you provided was insufficient for a judicious response. 

When Steptalkers ask for additional details of a situation, it is primarily, to better understand and reply to the blogger. 

 

Aniki-Moderator's picture

Grannyd, here is a link to OP's other post: 

https://www.steptalk.org/blog/renahemleezy/i-dont-even-know-272795

If OP posted another, it was deleted. 

 

OP, what grannyd says is true: when STalkers ask for additional details of a situation, it is primarily, to better understand and reply. Maybe the skid is transitioning so the pronouns changed. We don't know, so we ask. 

Going forward, I'm sure we'll be aware that your preference seems to be posting, then reading with little to no follow-up as you find the replies sufficient for your needs. That's cool. We all have our own way of doing things. Now we know yours. Smile

Renahemleezy's picture

Thanks 

Renahemleezy's picture

I'll explain each old post  to give others a better understanding .... "noted " 

Even thoe I may not want to give full details about my personal journey or shouldn't feel forced to   "noted " 

Even thoe not everyone is ready to explain there complex situation from a old/ new post " noted"

Even thoe i am focusing on the post I just put up " noted"

And lastly Even thoe I am fully aware this forum is to get a better understanding to help others to blog without confusion "noted " 

Noted ✅️  

It's all good 

 

 

Aniki-Moderator's picture

Renahemleezy, if your preference is to post and not respond, DO THAT. Other members do, it's their choice, and that's okay. 

No one is trying to 'force' you into giving full details or take your focus away from your current post. For some, knowledge is power, so past posts are read and questions are asked in an attempt to give the best advice based on the situation. If there are no past posts and no questions answered, people can still advise based solely on the post. 

If posting a blog and reading comments without interacting is what works best for you, DO THAT. 

If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to PM me. Smile

hregal2011's picture

I agree this is just a forum, but perhaps they were just confused on the situation? I know my family is a yours, mine and ours situation  and at times would be a good jerry springer episode! Everyone's story is complex because life is complex-you don't have to write or explain anything you don't want but for some it's easier to relate or give good advice when they better understand the situation perhaps?...life is crazy. Just  food for thought Smile

Renahemleezy's picture

I appreciate your understanding ... life can get crazy everyone is dealing with complex situations and handles them differently I totaly appreciate all advice and it was enough advice for me reading comments ... but ??? Am not even gonna ask the same question lol  it's cool I have taken a note of it .... thanks 

grannyd's picture

Yikes, hregal2011,

I did not intend to plagiarize your excellent post! As it happens, I submitted my own offering before closing and re-opening Steptalk so was not aware of your earlier reply to OP. Sorry 2

hregal2011's picture

Haha..no worries. It's easy really for any of us to get frustrated dealing with these issues and we all likely have mounds more that we don't share at times.  This is a good outlet-we all need it.