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Re-Introducing Myself

TheBonusMom's picture

Hello (again) everybody! It’s been a little over 2 years since I actually got on here (life happens) but I wanted to come back because it was always so helpful to vent in a safe environment in the past. Re-introduction to our Crew:
Hubby works as a sous-chef at a fancy pants place, we’ve been married for a little over 4 years. He came with his son who I love and adore as if he were my own. We also have a soon to be 2 year old son affectionately known as “Biddy” and another boy on the way who we call “Bump” – I’m completely outnumbered by males but I love it. I work in the Mental Health field and love my job to pieces (found out on maternity leave with BS that I am NOT cut out to be a stay at home mom and you women who are are freaking WARRIORS!).

Hubby was 15 when he and BM (18 at the time) conceived and they were a very short lived relationship seeing as how she moved out of state shortly after with no contact information given. Flash forward 8 years and she suddenly wants Hubby (more specifically his money) involved. Hubby jumps at the chance, picks up everything and moves out of state to live with them on their couch for 6 months to get to know his son and pay all her bills. The initial plan was to see if things would work out between Hubby and BM but they both knew pretty much immediately that wasn’t going to work – zero attraction to her crazy ass. He was there only for their son. 6 months or so pass and her other man gets out of jail and moves back in so Hubs has got to go (he’s ruining her delusion of a perfect little family) so Hubs moves out but not back to Cali like she wanted. He stays close – he and his son have bonded and he’s not going anywhere. Hubby and I met shortly after, and with some help from my college roommates dad, we get his Rights established so he’s not paying her over half his income to see him for a couple of hours every other month or so when she feels like renting out her kid.

We never missed a weekend or chance to spend as much time with SS as possible, never behind on CS, never missed a school event (that we were able to find out about), and it drove BM CRAZY. He’s never been taught a good routine and she constantly moved him from school to school (especially when we would become active at his schools). In the past 4 years alone, he has attended 9 different schools. Last year he was failing everything, getting into fights, having suicidal and homicidal thoughts, and missing so much school we were shocked she hadn’t gotten Truancy charges. After talking with him (right after he turned 13) we asked him if he would be open to coming to live with us for the coming school year (this year) and he jumped all over it. We thought his mom would put up a fight but she really didn’t. She stated it would be “trial basis” and so, at the end of the summer, he came to live with us. She tried to back out of the plan at one point but all it took was us saying “If that’s how you feel, we’ll see you in court” for her to conveniently be back on board. She likes the deal because we didn’t go to court so she’s still getting paid CS even though he’s been living with us full time. We plan on taking her to court in a few months to make the change permanent. With us, he has not missed a single day of school, he’s involved in multiple extra-curricular activities, he has made all A’s and B’s, and HAD A FRIEND COME OVER TO THE HOUSE FOR THE FIRST TIME IN HIS ENTIRE LIFE last weekend (his mom never wanted anyone to see how horrible her home was). He’s so incredibly happy and tells us all the time that he never wants to go back to living with his mom full time. He goes to her every 2nd and 4th weekend and we’ve kept the same holiday schedule as in our original order and that’s more than enough for him right now.

She has A LOT going on right now and I’ll get into all that mess at a later time. But as far as our household: We can’t wait to make him being there full time official. We don’t want to take her to court before the end of the school year for fear she’s going to pull him out of school and undo all the progress he’s made here.

Comments

ProbablyAlreadyInsane's picture

I'm glad he's with you full time!!! I know the toll that crazy seems to be able to do on kids Sad We're working on making our full-time official too! (she ditched seven months ago... and honestly wasn't there much before that either) Keep us updated! That's exciting! plus it's nice to know your SS is thriving Smile

TheBonusMom's picture

Thank you! He seems so much happier. It breaks my heart for him because he's the one who keeps pointing out her crazy lately. He's old enough to SEE it for himself. She constantly tries to manipulate and guilt-trip him and he's over it. He's actually started calling her out on it at times which makes me proud (and fear for his safety at the same time because she's a Bear lol).

WalkOnBy's picture

the only comment I have is to make the custody change official through the court. As it stands right now, your husband has no legal rights to the kid.....

I don't understand the not wanting to wait. It needs to be done as soon as possible.

TheBonusMom's picture

We plan on speaking with our lawyer in March about getting it set in motion. We have the money lined up but part of the wait is due to wanting to make sure she blows through her Tax Return like she usually does before then so she doesn't lawyer up. We live in Texas which is SUPER Mom oriented. Feels a little like playing dirty but you gotta do what you gotta do.

ProbablyAlreadyInsane's picture

That's not playing dirty... Our lawyer suggested to try and get it done when she doesn't have money... If it's good for the kids then it's just saving resources, and yourself money, because it's more pricy for you too if she does lawyer up.

DaizyDuke's picture

Wow! Glad moving in with you guys provided positive changes in this boys life. Is BM paying you guys CS?? har-de-har-har. I'm going to answer my own question and say I will bet my home that BM is not paying CS.

This is something I had a very difficult time with when my SD moved in with us. BM1 had zero problems demanding her monthly CS.. even often asking for it early because she had some catastrophe or another. But during the 2 years that SD lived with us and then the 2 years that SD lived with DH's Aunt, BM didn't pay a dime. I actually talked DH into filing papers for CS and she blew up not only his phone, but MIL's phone and Lord knows who else, bitching about "how could he do this to her??" WTF??? :?

When SD moved in with us, DH thought things were just hunky dory for the first 6 months, but then she relapsed right back into her old ways. I am 100% certain my SD is a sociopath, so she can hide her crazy, but she can't do it for long. I hope that your SS "changes" remain steady.

TheBonusMom's picture

No she is definitely NOT paying us a dime as of right now but when we take her to court, we will be asking for CS (not that we expect her to pay). She'll flip out for sure about paying CS - she has another son and a baby on the way (a few weeks ahead of me) and her current Baby Daddy is in the hospital so she's on "family leave" and not currently working. We're also pretty sure she lost her apartment too because when SS13 goes to stay with her, he actually stays with her mom and she drops by when she's not sitting by her man's side at the hospital playing martyr. We have the money already set aside for the lawyer, have told SS13 our intentions, and he's on board. He just knows that if we serve her too soon, she will force him back to her house somehow until it's all resolved.

So far there have been no more major Mental Health concerns other than him getting frustrated with us about staying on top of all of his school work haha.

MoominMama's picture

so... the Bm should have been in jail for sex with a minor? or is that legal in your state?. Nice. But that's all history now. BM's hate to pay CS, for some reason they think they are exempt, 'i'm the mother!!' etc.

TheBonusMom's picture

Yeah she could have very easily gone to jail (happened in California). I think that’s why she bolted as soon as she could and didn’t even tell her Family who the dad was until SS was around 5/6 and she got back into contact with Hubby to start getting money from him.