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Family - to be or not to be

Stepraaar's picture

This is going to be a vent, boy do I need it!

Some background first:
I met my DF over 7 years ago on a night out, we fell in love quickly and got engaged about 6 months later. He has 3 daughters from his previous marriage and 1 daughter from a previous relationship. He left his wife as she quite publicly and over a long period of time accused him of having affairs (he wasn't) and proceeded to try and turn his family against him. He finally had enough of this and left. Shortly after he met his exGF, they were together for 6yrs before she ended the relationship when his youngest daughter was 2yrs old. We met about a year after.

I haven't posted on this forum before as I know I don't have the same set up as most SM's on here, in fact call it what it is, I have a somewhat easier set up - my DF has EOWE visits to SD8 who lives about 2.5hrs away. SD's 13, 16 and 19 are out doing their own thing and he visits them on an adhoc basis (they live about 1.5hrs away in the opposite direction).
Originally we were based 400+ miles across country close to my family but relocated 5 yrs ago so he didn't have to travel so much (his exGF refuses to let SD8 travel).

My rant today is about exW. I have never met the woman as DF says she is nasty and can turn abusive.
DF has unfortunately had 3 deaths in the family over the past couple of months, his family is based close to the eldest SDs so he has traveled to attend the funerals. As exW does not drive she has gotten the Skids to phone dad and arrange for him to give them a lift to the funeral and then expected to also get a lift. The first time this happened she apparently spent the entire journey pointing out landmarks and saying she missed him and 'remember how much fun we used to have', don't you miss us :sick: . TBH his response was great - "you can't learn anything new from the past, only repeat the same shit". She then proceeded to ensure she was stood right next to him at the service and spent the wake chatting to DF at the bar whilst ignoring her F / SD to her kids.
DF kicked up a fuss about this and funeral 2 saw her get a lift with DF's parents. Again stuck by DF at the service then refused to take a lift back with DF's parents so she ended up getting a lift with DF.
Today is the 3rd funeral. This is my DF's aunt who couldn't stand the sight of exW and yet surprise! he received a phone call from SD16 to ask what time he was coming to get them, meaning SD16, SD19 and exW!!!!!
I haven't really met DF's extended family and a funeral is not the place to do so, however I feel sick to the core that this woman is attending with the sole intention of making sure a) I don't attend (she has as much said this) b) DF, skids and exW are seen together as a family unit.

I know this is petty, and I feel crap for having these feelings around a funeral, but on the other hand I am beginning to feel like the other woman in my own relationship.

We are also at the moment having problems with exGF. A couple of years ago she decided to inform my DF that SD8 and her were going to Australia for 4 weeks about 1 week before she was leaving. This turned out to be 6 weeks (however UK law states she can only be out of the country with SD for a month at a time). DF was furious as he is constantly ignored as a parent and she was still stating that SD8 was too young to travel 2.5hrs on a monthly basis to visit him. Fast forward to this year and yet again he has been informed that SD8 and BM are going out of the country for an extended period of time, DF refused to give consent as the tickets had been booked and paid for prior to consulting him. She got solicitors involved to give him a choice of either consent to the holiday (without rearranging his visitation) or go to court. This has somewhat been resolved in that he gave consent after speaking with SD8 whilst also trying to arrange alternative visitation and some time with SD8 at our home over the school holidays. BM has requested another letter giving just the consent - so yay for huge solicitors fees.

If anyone reads this - thank you.

Comments

Stepraaar's picture

Thanks for your replies. Guess I made the wrong call about going - it made sense that a funeral isn't the right place to be introduced (plus I didn't know the dead), but the trade off is exW trying to play happy families

Stepraaar's picture

He's already gone unfortunately. But lessons have been learnt - trust my own instincts and don't take advice from non-stepmums

SMto3's picture

Yes, for whatever reason, a lot of the time they identify with BM because they've never has to be SMs so they can't relate.

Glassslipper's picture

I agree with everyone, There is no reason this ExW should be attending the funerals of DH's family members, she hasn't been part of the family for 7+ years!

SM12's picture

You have been together 7 years and STILL have not met the XW??? That seems very odd to me. Even in the pick up and drop off??
After 7 years, you are a member of that family regardless of marriage or not. You should go support your SO.
I am sure that once XW finds out you will be going with...she will either NOT go or find another ride.
And if by chance she actually has the gonads to try and ride with you as well....start pointing out landmarks and telling SO, "Babe....we need to go there sometime. Sweetie, I would love for us to come stay a weekend and visit XYZ."
I promise...she wont want to ride with you again.

Stepraaar's picture

Nope, that's what I mean by lucky. DF's parents live about 10 mins from skids whilst we live about 1.5hrs away so they go to grandparents house. I used to work most weekends also so it has generally been just DF and skids when pick ups and drop offs happen at exW's place.

"And if by chance she actually has the gonads to try and ride with you as well....start pointing out landmarks and telling SO, "Babe....we need to go there sometime. Sweetie, I would love for us to come stay a weekend and visit XYZ."
I promise...she wont want to ride with you again." <- This!

twoviewpoints's picture

You have a choice, either go or don't go. It doesn't sound as if BM is getting much satisfaction from her 'family' playing back from husband. He sounds like a big boy that can handle himself.

Regardless of how you feel about appropriate BM attending these funerals, fact is you can't stop her. Sure DH can say 'no' to a ride, but he really can't bar the woman from attending with her daughters. With that said, what seems odd to me is that you didn't attend any of these funerals with your DH. They are his family (the deceased) and of course whether you have met this or that person before, there's no reason to not go and be supportive of your spouse and pay your respects to the extended family. Most funeral services (at least in my area) have a funeral luncheon following the graveside service (or memorial if no graveside), it would not be inappropriate to at this time take a few minutes to properly met and speak to the different families. If Dh cared enough to go and travel for their services, surely they were important (at least at one point in Dh's life) to be glad to meet his wife.

Weird that BM doesn't manage to drive herself (unless she doesn't drive and/or own a vehicle), but no one is forcing these people (DH and his parents) to drive this woman. There's another reason you should be there. BM can't squeeze her butt in DH's vehicle if you and three teenagers are already in. If DH's parents agree to haul her around, so what? It's the girls grandparents, harmless for them to refuse allowing BM to tag along (yeah, maybe not necessary but they either say yes or no. It's not your place to choose for them).

hereiam's picture

I am just trying to picture my husband in the same car as BM. Oh my God, I think his head would explode!

Yes, you should have gone and your DF should have told BM that she would have to arrange her own transportation.

DPW's picture

I have a hard time understanding that in 7 years you have yet to meet the family.... yowsers.

BethAnne's picture

Personally I think that you made the right decision in not going to the funerals. Funerals are for those that know the deceased and shouldn't be about introducing new partners. Also I strongly believe that only those that want to go to a funeral should. If it would have made you feel awkward then it was the right decision to not to attend and feel awkward and forced to fake grief for someone you didn't know.

I do think though that you need to be asking your husband why you haven't met any of his family after 7 years? You ought to have met pretty much all of them by now. I would start insisting that he makes plans for you to meet them. Do they know that you exist?

kathc's picture

Your DF needs to grow a set and just tell them he will drive his children to the funerals but NOT his exW and then stick to it. If that means his kids refuse to go with him then so be it. WTF is with these balless men?