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Need to see if i'm on or off track........

Yme's picture

SD13 hates me and goes days at a time saying NOTHING to me or joining in family activities...Lies and manipulates...SD13 has psych issues and is on meds...she has done many things over the years o cause the Dr's to warn us about safety in our home and wiht others SD13 is around...So she is not the typical rebelious teen...Because of the disruption SD13 causes by not talking and by sitting out of famiy activities DH is trying to put his foot down and have SD13 be social(guided by the therapist)...DH has asked SD13 to "Just be nice to Mom"...respectful..just how she would "treat the bus driver" no more no less.....just kind and respectful...to join in and to be social...and NOT lie about others being mean....or "leaving her out" when she will not make any effort on her own to even speak....(dinner...no a word from her...day after day the same thing...but SD13 can chat her DOD's head off about everyone being mean to her...)
Delima:
SD13 is starting to grow under arm hair.....Dh wants ME to shave them (cant give SD13 rozors because of the history SD13 has of cutting herself)...I have tried to explain to DH that this could be a very good area for SD13 to bond with me as another woman...The role of shaving/putting on make up/plucking her brows are all those things a mom does with her daughter...I feel that it could forge a very kind and loving bond with Sd13 and me...I could show her what a mom does and that she too is worthy of the same mom love from me her SM....SD13 puts up a huge wall and will not allow me to love her and show her the same motherly attention that I do my other children INCLUDING Sd13 sister (my other SD who loves and respects me and has lived with DH and I for years!)... SD13 is vert jealous of the bond that my BDs and the other SD share... I feel that IF DH would require SD13 to speak to me and join in our family that I could then step in and take SD13 under my wings and show her how to shave her underarms...bond...I'm not talking about weeks or months of talking...I even suggested a consistant weeks with of talking/joining in on the part of the SD13....a positive attempt on the SD13's part...then I can "surpise" Sd13 with showing her something girly and a rite of passage....all because SD13 chose to let me in rather than shut me out...and mention to SD13 how much it ment to me personally that she is trying to be part of our family...positive encouragement for her positive steps...
I must mention that the hair is not massive and it is not embarassing to SD13 AT ALL...she could care less...has never asked about make up or shaving her legs...Hasnt started the period as of yet (but she knows about it from ME teaching her)...so maybe she isnt caring about it yet becuase of hormones...I just feel that this could be a very good area to help SD13 see me in a positive light and as a caring woman...DH thinks I am wrong?!!...He wants me to shave her under arms...He things Im not being fair thinking that it could be a positive bonding moment for SD13 and me....He thinks I want to be incontrol and embarrass SD13...BUT he says himself that SD hasnt mentioned the hair and that HE wants it done...no one has teasted SD about it either!!
Im here wanting to know what you all think....I will go with your advice and put my feelings/wish for a touchy feely moment aside if you thing I am asking for too much....I must mention that BM has been out of the picture for years and put on the school paperwork before that "StepMom will handle all personal/health isuues" So REALLY there is NO one else to do this....the sister of SD13 is away at college and I mentioned this to her...she said having her show SD13 how to shave her under arms would "gross her out" (followed by gaging sounds)...and that she thinks it is my job to do this and cant understand why SD13 is being so mean to me....
Just need to know if Im asking for too much....or should I just shave her underarms and let it go...just dont want to see this little girl be so distant and full of hate...want her to see that reaching out and trying would bring her boundless love/caring and attention BUT that she has to make the first step...Not be allowed to be mean/distant/hateful and expect for others to always have to reach out to her that SHE has to reach out too...I cant make all of the positive steps just to be shot down all of the time....
Thanks!

Comments

MamaBecky's picture

I would tell DH that he can shave his own childs underarms if he thinks it needs to be done so badly and that unless his child is required to treat me with the respect and authority that a parent figure deserves that he is on his own with her. Then I would wash my hands of her and her issues and let him deal with it 100% on his own. I would focus on the BIOS and SKID that do respect your role and appreciate you. You cant parent her any more then her father will allow. If he is not supportive of your role in her life she will NEVER be no matter how you try to dress it up.

alwaysanxious's picture

It sounds like you have good intentions, but has there ever been any indication from SD13 that she will respond positively? What gives you any idea that she will treat this the same as you? You could reach out and have it backfire. It sounds like nothing you have done has worked so far, why would this?

Honestly, this event of shaving really isn't going to be much of a bonding thing either. If you want to do that, take her for a haircut.

As far as just shaving her because your husband wants you to, I'd say no. Why would an adult do basic hygiene for a teenager? If he is so worried about it, he can do it.. If none of it bothers her, then leave it. Sounds like she is a late bloomer. Maybe all of this will come in time?

Doodle's picture

OMG, noooooooooooooooooo....

I would rather die then let someone I hated shave my armpits. Why do you even think that would bring you closer? By forcing her to accept you invading her personal space?? "then I can "surpise" Sd13 with showing her something girly and a rite of passage....all because SD13 chose to let me in rather than shut me out." Whaaat??? I would "surprise" you back with a punch in the face if you tried to "treat" me to an arm pit shave. That's just ridiculous.

Buy her an electric shaver if she can't have razors and let her take car of her own armpits forcryingoutloud.

twopines's picture

>>Whaaat??? I would "surprise" you back with a punch in the face if you tried to "treat" me to an arm pit shave. That's just ridiculous.

Buy her an electric shaver if she can't have razors and let her take car of her own armpits forcryingoutloud.<<

THIS.

doll faced sm's picture

Agreed! I would completely die of embarrasment if someone tried to shave my pits for me - especially at that age. And then to try to turn it into a "bonding" moment. Um, no. This is a horrible idea. Do not shave her pits. Do not try turning pit shaving into a bonding moment. Buy her an electric razor or an epilator.
http://www.amazon.com/b?ie=UTF8&node=234944011

hismineandours's picture

I agree-razor blade, hatred for sm, sm-all these things just dont go together. I think noone should shave her pits but her. That's gross and I agree an invasion of privacy. If she wants to have hairy pits let her-if it bothers dh soooo much-then he can try and shave her. Again, really crossed boundaries. Do you all shave her legs too? I've never heard of this-I've known lots of cutters-they shave themselves with parental supervision not have the parent do it for them.

I dont think this would be a bonding moment either. In fact, I dont think your sd is going to bond with you. And while I understand how painful it is to live with a kid who wont speak to you (got a ss13 myself)forcing myself on him and trying to mother him only makes him resist and back off even more. He does not want to feel that way about him-actually I've found the nicer I am to him the more he rejects me. Sadly if I am somewhat rude he makes an effort to be at least polite to me. However, I have a problem with being rude so instead I am just neutral. I have been trying for 11 years to have a relaionship with this kid and it just aint happening. I think you may have to accept the same with your sd and work for a peaceful coexistance if that is possible. Let her father parent her and dont try and force bonding. She should respect you and I do think you should give consequences for that-but you cant force love and bonding.

oneoffour's picture

Good grief NO!
Invasion of personal space. No control over your own body. Maybe the girl LIKES having hairy armpits. HAving someone she doesn't want to like hold her down and say "Here, let me shave your armpits for you with a raxor. No, you can't hold the razor but I am going to denude your armpits for you to teach you this womanly task." OK, ask DH if he would like SD to shave his balls and see what the thinks THEN!

I wonder if she is being told what NOT to say but has no idea HOW to behave. Instead of vague generalizations "Treat her like the bus driver," why not "I expect please and thank you and nothing else." This gives her a concrete expectation. Please and thank you. No hugs. No smiles. If she doesn't want to take part "No ... thank you." OK, don't take part but you used your manners and this is a good thing. Don't force her to take part.

She only ruins things and events and camping trips if you accept her behaviour as more important than everyone else having fun. So she ruined things for EVERYONE ELSE by ignoring people and being silent. I would see that as a good thing. So she sulks. Carry on as normal. Stop trying to reach out to her.

Nothing annoys kids more than people having a good time and they aren't. Think of the power you are giving her by 'letting' her ruin these events.

Go about your daily work and tasks. If she wants to sulk in her room, let her. Just tell her she has to leave the door open or take the door off its hinges.
Don't force her to do anything except remember her pleases and thank yous. And everyone needs to say the same thing to her.

Her accusations of others picking on her and being harmful,... her father should tell her "I am sorry you feel this way. i will come over and watch for a bit and make sure everyone is being nice to each other... which includes you doesn't it?"
He isn't agreeing with her, he isn't giving her the benfit of the doubt. But he is standing by and watching everyone, including her. And will she play up while her father is watching?

But Do NOT think shaving her armpits will make her love you or accept you. I would punch you in the face if you attempted to shave my armpits. In fact NO ONE except me has ever done that. Maybe buy a trial size of Nair?

Yme's picture

thanks! My thought on this were to SHOW her how to shave her pits and monitor her when they needed to be shaved until she could prove she respected the razor and did not use it to cut herself NOT do it for her like DH wants me to do...gag...dont want to touch her pits any more than she wants me to touch them...I was just in hopes that it could be a bonding moment...BUT I get too wound up in the "If I try HARD enough...she will come around StepMom syndrome.."!!!!! "Nar" wont work she is very allergic to most everything and has to use special soap ect...think it would make her pits a mess...though of that already.....SD13 doesnt care about the pits....Dh does........
I just have a hard time with this SD13 hating me so much...that is what it boils down to...more me than her...I see that more and more now... I think that she should respect me and not ignore everyone then cry foul to DOD and anyone else who will listen...She wants a one way street of everyone kissing her butt but will not act like we are in the room most all the time but cry to DOD if we ignore her back and leave her out like she leaves us out...Unfair! But DOD has ALLOWED this behavior and hasnt put his foot down with her!...Just a real sad sad situation...I hate that she has so much control over our home...I am considered the "wicked one" because ONLY this Skid doesnt like me....DH's outside family who have no clue (they refuse to come to counceling with us to talk to the professionals ) about the issues with this skid judge me ALL the time and tell DH that SD13 should act differently and that it is ALL because of my lack of mothering her...NO ONE gives a damn about how hard I have tried......Thanks to the support and "Slap in the face" words of reality here that I have found by bouncing my probs/ideas off of you all!! I am getting the strenght to just say "look little lady YOUR happiness is NOT up to me!!" and walk off.....My "I dont give a damn" has just kicked in!!!!! Smile
Thanks.....will give a pit report at some point...It WILL NOT BE ME SHOWING HOW SD13 TO SHAVE.......DH PARENTING HIS KID NEEDS to be my focus and NOT SD13.....DH Must fix the mess HE has created! NOT ME!!

Yme's picture

OH HOW I WISH THE SALON TRIP WOULD WORK! Smile BUT I bet if I took her to the salon she would not talk then either! I had DREAMS that this could be a bonding situation like with you and your daughter...but others seem to think Im asking for too much...I dreamed of it being an area to start a touchy feely moment where SD13 could see me in a different light....a loving moment where I put aside my frustration and showed her a rite of passage to early womanhood...showing her how to shave and how to be safe....But I guess Im just asking for too much....(aka More "Punch you in the face" comments than "Yes it may be an opening of communication/bonding" comments...) So the PitJob is up to DH now.....NOT ME!!! She is mute when it comes to me....she shows her buttocks and is allowed to....BUT is seems that DH is getting it: DH told her flat out NO! she has a special trip to see a pro baseball game tomorrow with her school....DH told SD13 he was not going to allow her to have fun when she had been so rude to mom on our camping trip...too bad toosad...wont allow her to have fun when she robbed others of fun! DH did this on his own....not a word to me about it or a question about what to do....DH did this on his own...I have acted like I didnt know about the trip or his telling her NO!...I will just dance in the fact that SD13 DID NOT like it that DOD told her "NO WAY" because of HER actions!! Way to go DH!!! Bout time to step your a$$ up!!!!! Now Keep It Up!!! Cant wait til the pit job request comes up again......

Yme's picture

Oh No! SD13 doesnt care about shaving her under arms or legs...she wouldnt bathe unless we made sure she did...STILL stands with water on and her not getting in the shower...I have to physically check on her to make sure she is indeed in the shower...under the water...I want to show her how to shave not do it for her was just hoping for a bonding moment (aka: Sucker StepMom Syndrome)....DH wants me to do it for her so she doesnt cut herself...kid has it bad with the cutting thing...she will bend any type of metal into something sharp to cut herself with...I swear...the metal on the end of pencils, hair clips, ANYTHING....kid has it bad....she has stolen razors from my bathroom and hid the blades in her room...It goes on and on...just not the average cutting teen issue....we have our knives under lock and key...its that bad...Dr worries that SD13 will hurt others...not just herself...so some of it is self protection for everyone in our home...She has reciently been caught burning paper in her room....
I guess when she asks about shaving DOD can get her an electric razor....Im just done....dont care if she engages or not...but Im gonna put my foot down with DH that disrespect will get SD13 left totally out...Period!! No longer dragging a PIA with us and tryign to get her to engage!!! DH can have a great time with his lil princess ALL by HIMSELF.....I will have tons of fun with the kids/skids who respect and enjoy me.....;P DH created a monster...DH can enjoy his creation!! HOPE she is still there and such fun when I am long gone......DH is on a fine line right now!!