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I hate my step kids and I am starting to hate my husband

Jellybean76@hotmail.ca's picture

I had to leave tonight- yup just walked out and went shopping. I left mumbling under my breath outside how much I hate those kids and I don't want to do this....blah blah blah blah.
I worked all day and started hearing about all the things he did with them and our bio son. Then I started to feel resentful because when my 2 boys come, he sits on his fuckin ass. He says "they don't want to do anything with him"...Yeah thats because he is a prick to them and ignores all the ignorant shit his kids do. I just got fed up. Fed the fuck up. The two of his kids were wrestling and beating on each other downstairs, like what the fuck. He acts like a dad with his head in the clouds. If one of my kids were downstairs wrestling against his, he'd be right on it.
I feel terrible but I hate them.
I feel awful but I hate him.
I wish I would have met someone with no kids. No baggage. Nothing. I just ran away tonight crying. Tired from working 6 days this week, emotional from a long day, and tired of watching superdad show up 4 days a month when his brats get there.
Fuck you superdad.
Fuck you.
I locked myself in my bedroom till those little shits go to bed. Then I can feel some level of peace and quiet.

Ashley430's picture

Jellybean, you go girl! Kudos to you for putting it out there! I am so fed up with the bullshit that goes along with stepkids that I'm ready to walk out. I thought if they got older, they'd grow up a bit and I'd be able to have children of my own. The older they get, the clingier they get. His daughter's going to be 13 and calls him damn near every day. She acts jealous of he and I like she's got the Oedipus complex or however you spell it. His son is 9 and he acts like the whole world revolves around him. Always has to be the center of attention. When I came in the picture about 4 years ago, they didn't even clean up after themselves. They'd eat their dinner and just leave their plates on the counter. If you're old enough to raise a fork to your mouth, you're old enough to scrape the food into the garbage. Now here they are 9 and almost 13 and they'll put their plates in the sink, but leave disgusting crusty food on my table and don't even wipe it up. They're fucking royalty when they're here and I'm tired of cleaning up after kids that aren't mine. That shit's disgusting. We've been in this house 3 years and their bedroom hasn't been vacuumed since we moved in. I'm tired of living my life this way. I'm starting to resent their existence and I feel like I'm going to hell for feeling this way. UGH!! Let me know when we can get that damn wine. We might need to skip the wine and go straight to vodka.

Peculiarkids's picture

Omg! I literally couldn't have wrote this better.  And on top of all that I have a psycho that is my spouses ex that literally has harassed me or tried to since day 1.  I want to leave my spouse so badly when my stepson is here. When he is not it's so happy and easy and then the second that kid comes over it's shit.  And he yells at the 3 year old so badly because his son is a little weirdo and a bitch.  Uhhh I hate that kid so bad and I hate my DH and I hate his ex.  I just want to leave and start over fresh.   

emotionaly beat up's picture

Stepmothers should be given any amount of wine they need or want for that matter free of charge. God should just leave a few bottles on the doorstep every morning.

dassia2095's picture

amen!

OverIt100's picture

This comment made me deep belly laugh! Someone pass me a bottle!!

GillyWilly's picture

You poor thing! We are all responsible for our own happiness and you don't seem very happy at all. Maybe you need to do some soul searching and make a decision on this Sad

emotionaly beat up's picture

Old dart I too am 60. Like you never ever again. I have friends and family who have divorced, remarried and the adult kids on both sides are fine. Here however I have a DH who takes direction from his poor little girl who cannot cope with the years and years old breakdown of her parents marriage. Her mother died a couple of years ago and DH doesn't seem to have noticed she managed to get over that in less than a year. She is a manipative lying evil woman who wants to see us both dead. I think DH is resentful at times that I won't throw myself under a bus for her. Never ever again.

my.kids.mom's picture

It is posts like this that bring me to tears...happy tears...Because I have dodged this bullet thanks to people like you who remind me of the hell I *could* be in! But I feel so badly for the women who are in it. I know EXACTLY what you are talking about, and understand your pain. I am very frustrated for you and I hope you find something to bring your happiness back! Without leaving, I think the only thing that will do this is lowering expectations of your dh and focusing more on your awesome kids. It takes a LOT of energy, but be both mom and dad and let your dh suffer for it. I'm sure you will be too tired to put out at the end of the day! Wink

Express's picture

Does anyone have any ideas on how i can make these brats not want to come to our house? the one troll is 3 and the other roll is 5. I wish the trolls would never come to our house and just stay with their troll of a mother. My husband and I have just had our own baby, 2 months old now. We are so happy the 3 of us when his turd brats are not there. please tell me how can i get them to feel so uncomfortable that they never want to come back

AngelOfMisery's picture

Give them Chores! If these kids are like any other self entitled brats! They hate cleaning up after them selves and their siblings.

dassia2095's picture

Tell your husband if he wants to see them, he must take them somewhere else. It's your house, why should you have to see them. You didn't f**k their mom and you deserve peace in your home to take care of your baby.. (if only it was that easy, right?.. I know but it may be worth a try)

WTHDISUF's picture

I think we've all had a moment or two of hiding in bedroom or in a bottle of wine. Honestly the longer I'm on this board, the more I believe the biggest issues with stepkids are the Parents--BOTH of them. The non-custodial Bio's are usually guilt-parenting which creates a whole lot of serious issues. The custodial Bio's are usually angry and not at all willing to work with the new family structure and in some cases, actively tries to damage the new family. (Or in my case, BM could care less about her kid).

It doesn't surprise me that the kids go one way or the other: Pick up the dark-side of the aftermath by becoming manipulative, vindictive, competitive, uncooperative. OR they go the "baby" route & want attention 100% of the time, get immature and needy, forever the 'victim'. Either way, no one is really happy--not the kids, not the new spouse, not the bio-parents.

If only the Parents would grow up and do what they can to minimize the damage to the kids by working together to create a stable home for their kids in both homes vs acting out of their own feelings, everyone would be much better off.

It makes me understand why some Parents divorce and never date until their kids are grown and then only date others who have no kids or also grown kids who are already functioning well in life. Have a glass of wine--throw the empty glass at DH's head when he comes into bedroom. Smile It won't solve your issues but it'll make you feel better.

gaviotas's picture

Smile I do agree with you! so difficult situation! If my relationship ends I feel I will end up on my own!

MrsCancer1973's picture

The non-custodial Bio's are usually guilt-parenting which creates a whole lot of serious issues.

Holy shit snacks you hit that right on the head!

BTW I hate his teenage kids. Blum 3

Amandalcurry@yahoo.com's picture

Jellybean - thank you for so openly and honestly throwing this out there. I feel this way 100% and it's like you took the thoughts I'm afraid to say to anyone right out of my head and made a post. 

emotionaly beat up's picture

Don't throw the empty glass at your husbands head as advised above. It is plain wrong and bad advice. THROW THE BLOODY BOTTLE Smile

scarpetta's picture

I know how you feel. I have SD's I hate with a passion but if I leave my husband I'll have nothing. He ignores my daugher all week until his brats show up and then he wants to be "a family." I call BS!! I've told him numerous time what a fraud he is but then he turns the conversation around on me somehow and makes it my fault. I don't even know how he does it but I end up feeling like crap and walking away. He will not own up to how he treats my kids so there's no point in talking to him about it. I've gotten to the point that I don't even want to be intimate with him because of the ugliness I know him to be capable of! How could I have married such an asshole?!!

Jellybean76@hotmail.ca's picture

Your post is interesting. I keep getting told I am lying to myself and then made to feel guilty when I express my feelings. I have gotten to the point that I do not want to talk about it anymore either. Whenever I bring up something with his brats, he digs a bigger grave for my son, it just is an endless battle of me feeling disaapointed. My one son HATES his kids and openly expresses it. That is probable my fault to. I started to hint that when his kids are around I will be going out that night with my friends. I married an asshole too.

klm1717's picture

Happens to the best of us...you just don't know someone until you live w/them...

RedWingsFan's picture

here here - I'll be the first one to pour us all a BIG glass of wine and we can chuck the bottle at whomever we choose!

Thankfully, I have a very understanding DH who put a stop to his manipulative little brat's mini-wife behavior early on in our relationship. She still is a thorn in our sides, even living at her mother's full time now but at least I don't have to look at her snarky face for now.

gaviotas's picture

Patience, yes, I do feel like you today. Even I thought about marrying my husband more than twice.
Do you like your job? Try to get a job you love, or get a hobby and counselling as well.
when my SD comes, she has a severe psichological problem, she does not talk or respond to adults, anxiety disorder and other issues, I try to focus on my daugher, and work on my computer.
Of course I have to do all the cooking, laundry, take care of the whole family, but also when I am nervous I go to the park for running for about 20 minutes, and it clears my mind!
Hope you can resolve the situation without leaving.

Jellybean76@hotmail.ca's picture

Today the brats are back. SS is whiny as shit because mother is playing games and got him up at 5:30 for a 3 hour drive to our house instead of dropping him off at the normal court ordered time of last night. So of course the other kids are bugging the shit out of him, which is making him whine more. Negative course. My second oldest has announced that he hates his step dad and step brother and sister. Lovely. :jawdrop: The five of them fighting in the van, my son blowing up, gawd.....give me some advil. Of course I start fighting with my husband and then I am in a shitty mood over all the brats. My husband is sick so everything gets dumped on me. Ever feel like you want to scream?

klm1717's picture

Yikes. Hang in there! We could all use a vacation-but I liked the wine idea too!

planningMyEscape's picture

Right there w/ya. Though, slightly jealous that they are only there 4 days a month. My SO and dumbass BM decided (without even asking me) that our steps now spend EVERY weekend w/us.

Hence my screename.

MarriedaBallessWonder's picture

My H pulled the same shit for 7 years. He would never consult me on anything.

I would come home thinking it was our weekend off - looking forward to it. Only to see the kids sittings on the couch and he would say "Oh, I forgot, Horseface is on vacation for the next 18 days" He would wait for the kids to be there to tell me hoping I wouldn't flip out.

It's happened soooo many times. I hate them all and have fallen out of love with my H. I just want to run away.

dassia2095's picture

LOL love this, I agree. If DH wants them here and I don't, I think he should take them somewhere else. After all, this is my house too and i don't get to bring anything in my house that will hurt him/annoy him/ or just plain simple inconvenience him. Right? Yeah pack the bags!

pissedoff205's picture

lol I dont think it is enough wine in this world to fix our problems. I am sorry that we are all going through the simplest thing that could be fixed by DH's. My SD (20) told me Wednesday night that I felt insecure. WTF!!! She put on an oscar winning performance that could have made her famous if anyone gave a dam. She cant seem to deal with rules and regs as to her being use to having her way. I told DH he had two wives. I was his bedroom wife and SD was the everything else wife. I know Jelly sometimes we just have to bite our tongue and mumble bc murder is illegal lol. Try to stay focus and if you plan on staying, tune them out. I have decided to disengage myself from SD. I have tried all I can and she plainely told me she was not going anywhere until she gets ready and she could get a job if she liked. Needless, to say DH just sat on his big ass while she and I had it out. I lost some of the love I had for him then. He is suppose to protect me. He was a single parent. Have only one child and that is the bratt from hell. SD dont have to be the way she is. It is a power struggle for her but I just love my husband. I want her to be independent but she dont want to share dear old dad but my kids can share their mom. Where the fuck they do that at???? Well I wish us all well. We have marriage counceling tomorrow. Hope it works and if not I have a house in the country just 7 mins from my job and 3 mins from my BD's school. My son lives with my sister so the ball is in DH's hand this week. I have taken all I can. SD dont want BD in her room but she goes in there and rambles in my daughter's room. We moved in their home. I am so tired and slowly moving my shit back to my house in the country an hour away. I have sisters that live here but hey it is what it is. Wishing us all luck and a free round on the house. lol

duna's picture

Look at this:

"I wish I would have met someone with no kids. No baggage. Nothing. I just ran away tonight crying. Tired from working 6 days this week, emotional from a long day..."

This is reality. Even love comes to an end when there is this kind of everyday issues. I'm not saying you don't love your partner, I'm sure you do, I'm just saying that love has its limits, and you found that you have yours too.

That being told, I suggest you to come up with a meeting with your kids, his kids and both of you and talk to each other about this. How can we spend a great time together? And another question to your partner... Why in the world you don't want to make an efford to spend more quality time with my kids? Tell him this is afecting you and you feel your kids are left apart. You should be able to say it outloud, and you have the right to be heard.

There is also something else you can do, you can prepared a day out with his kids, yours and both, go to an amusement park or something, and show your partner how funny this could be for everyone.

SebringLad's picture

There is something to be said for "no baggage" for sure,but,in reality had to come by in this day & age !!!!

canboy2012's picture

I have to say...I have been with my wife now for 8 or 9 years and have raised her 4 kids. We have one of our own as well and I have to say I have really grown to hate the kids. Can't stand them. There are 3 boys now ages 12, 15, 16 and a step daughter of 19 with a 4 month old baby. Things just keep getting worse as my wife's daughter just moved in with the baby. Talk about crowded house. It's unbearable enough as I have gotten to really resent the older boys. Over the years I have done everything with them and have raised them as my own although as they are in the teenage years I can't stand to see them. 3 space takers. They are rude, argue all the time (with each other) and it's just plain awful to be around them on a daily basis...it's such a complex situation it really is mind boggling. Not to mention I feel completely trapped and not so sure I I love my wife as much as I used to to endure a life time more of this.

So I can completely understand what you are saying about your step-kids.

cascheib's picture

You seem like you did a good job but teenage years are hell for all parents and we are constantly struggling and trying to figure out how to reach them or teach them lessons and get so mad at how inconsiderate or lazy they can be. I found that having conversations instead of losing my shit helped but they just don't grasp things at that age. How tired we are, how much we do, common courtesy, why it helps to do simple things without being asked can make all the difference for everyone. When I stopped yelling and bitching and would just take time to explain, it helped. Maybe read or research where their headspace is at too. They are going though so much at this age that we forget or don't comprehend esp now. Lecturing, they tune out, feeling as though you get them and respect them abd eventually or hoping they start to understand that everything we ask and teach is bc we love them and want to prepare them for bigger things and it  will only make their life better. Idk I have a teenager and it's tough but I really try to figure out where she's at now and understand her much better when Incheck in and when I take them time to communicate instead of assume she is a lazy inconsiderate asshole which she is at times as we all can be. Try to validate and relate but I've always been about tough love, life isn't fair, sink or swim, don't make excuses but also showing confidence in who they are and empowering them, how you word it can make a world of a difference. Believe in them, empower them, validate to a certain level but also be realistic. They are in control of their decisions and emotions and motivating them without too much advice and lecture has helped us. Idk. I had a dad that grew up in the cults you read about and was abused to levels Ill never understand. He has the best perspective on life, never raised a hand on us, worked his ass off and never allowed shitty circumstances, or excused bad behavior but then I had a mom that was super positive and always believed in me when I couldn't and told me, i got this. It was a good combo.  Best advice ever he gave was we are all dealt a deck of cards, shitty or not, we decide how we play them. All about perspective, tough, empowering love. I'm sorry that is frustrating, but you got this! Be upset but figure it out. Idk. It's hard, nobody has the right answers but kids need people to believe in them abd hold them accountable at least in my opinion. 

JayS's picture

Don't feel too guilty...there is a lot of info out there from well meaning rose colored glasses type of people, that suggest we should love our stepkids as our own, and if we don't, there's something wrong with us. That is the biggest lie in the world of family relationships. I resent the shit out of my stepkids. They are spoiled, whiny, bitchy and if their mom doesn't give into them its an all night affair of tears and fighting. Finally, FINALLY however, my wife stopped jumping between me and her daughter for once, when daughter tried to rule the house. SD told her she was a mean mother...Mom called her a little bitch and slapped her across the face. SD ran upstairs crying. I was cheering inside, and I told her "Sorry, honey, but that little gesture is about ten years too late, but nice effort."
When a BM starts to resent her own blood, you know it's bad, which it is. I hope your relationship can stand the test of all that you're going through...it is very tough to live in a blended family, and hats off to anyone who finds a solution. As I write, I just took a break from teaching music. I had asked SD to let the dog out (I've been in here for hours) there's dog piss on the floor and she's glued to her Ipad. So, no, don't feel bad. None of us asked for this shit, and we shouldn't be expected to tolerate it one bit.

dledden's picture

my dh's kid is autistic and has a lot of physical delays. my kids are total boys, they break shit, touch stuff they shouldn't etc. My DH ALWAYS gives my oldest kid a hard time. I think because his kid and my oldest kid are so close in age, but his kid is still kinda like a 6 yr old and mine is like an almost 11 yr old. Does the same kinda shit as your DH. And I hate my skid too.

So, i'm good for hitting below the belt, I remind him that "this is what NORMAL BOYS DO".......then he usually shuts the fuck up Smile

Oh, and if we're sharing wine, bring 2 bottles, i'll drink a whole one by myself!

Good luck girl!

StepMat789's picture

I am learning the hard way...

First I never should have gotten remarried. I should have just gone on my way with my two kids and I. Second marriages are rare to work and if the step kids don't have a strong parent behind them, you are not ever going to be happy yourself. The kids will always be an issue. Your kids will always be second, third or farther down the line and you will resent your step kids and eventually your spouse.

Now, if the step kids and the birth father are all normal acting this may not be the case. But let's face it folks...we are all broken. These kids are broken and the baggage doesn't go away. It is about how we deal with it. One person can not make a difference that is fairy tale world...there are too many extra outside forces working against you. It takes a strong couple to battle the kids/step kids in a second marriage.

And, let's just be honest here. When we remarried, we didn't marry the same person we were married to before...we may have gone in the opposite direction. Like in my case. Now I do have disneyland dad and his kids live with us 24/7. Such a terror for me as I have to deal with BS every day. I enjoy going to work just so I can escape.

I have said it time and time again, and I have counseled people who have talked about going through divorce...to really look at their issues because the grass isn't greener on the other side. It is tainted and it is NEVER the same. For all those who have made it work...kudos.

I hope you feel better soon.

Dave02Dad's picture

This board should be required reading for anyone getting ready to have a blended family Smile I was one clueless SOB...thought blending would be super easy and fun to boot!  The kids would get along great and sit around singing Kumbaya.  My STBX and I would co-parent like a couples figure skating pair at the Olympics....and her kids would love me and my kids would love her.  Yep, I was dumb as dirt and will have the divorce decree in a few months to prove it. 

Unapologetically Me's picture

I agree as I thought this time around grown SKs would be better than pre-teen & teen SKs. The grown ones are worse because at least the pre-teens & teens because they should do and know better. 

ldvilen's picture

Since this post is several years old now, I think I can say this. . . I got news for you:  "I wish I would have met someone with no kids. No baggage. Nothing."  Someone with no kids doesn't want to have to put up with yours for YEARS and get nothing (or worse) in return.  I know this is the divorced with kids parent's dream, to find a bioless partner and then it'll be like, ahh, with angel's singing and all of the attention on the related bios with the new spouse basically being stuck sucking it up and taking it every time, BUT think about the childless person here.  The one, who perhaps like Dave above, has no clue what he or she may be in for.

I am a bioless SP, and the amount of giving and sucking up I've had to do for someone else's children and ex- is unbelievable, and my SKs are not all that bad.  It really makes the relationship lop-sided.  Eventually, the childless partner is going to get PO'd, feeling like sloppy seconds every time, and then the partner with kids is going to act like, "What's wrong!?  Don't you like my kids?  Can't you try a little harder," etc., and then it'll start becoming all of the bios vs. the childless partner, and then the childless partner will feel like total shiatsu and have no base to use a gauge as far as what is right or wrong with kids, and this leaves him or her totally opened to being screwed, taken advantage of and gaslighted.

So, even a lot of professionals now recommend that if you don't have children, it is best to find a partner, your equivalent, who is also childless.  Or, I suppose, the opposite.  If you have children and have been divorced, find another partner who has children and has been divorced.  That way, there has to be a somewhat equal give and take on each other's part for each other's kids vs. the childless partner thinking they now have bonus kids, only to find out that instead they are stuck being the pushover every time because bio-dad or BM and his or her kids will gang up to get whatever they want every time and think little of accidentally on purpose screwing their childless partner over to get it.

Rumplestiltskin's picture

The thing is, having children should not entitle anyone to any special treatment or get them out of having to do basic human things that any other person should be expected to do. It's so easy to use the kids as an excuse. Step hell has taught me to be more conscious that i don't do it, too.

People who want to be in a relationship should put any exes in their proper place, by setting boundaries. Minimal and only necessary contact if you have kids together. Same goes if you don't have kids but have to, say, work with your ex. People who want to be in a relationship should not allow their partner to be disrespected, have their privacy violated, or be forced to do anything they don't want to do. Whether it be because of kids, pets, your friends, family, or anyone. Even childless people could expect their partner to take disrespect from, say, their mother or friends. But somehow in our child-centric society, it's more accepted to throw the rules of common decency out the window just because you have kids.

I guess what i'm trying to say is that it's about respect and consideration. Granted, it's harder to set and enforce boundaries when kids are involved. Much harder. But, if you want to be in a relationship, kids should not give you a pass on basic respect and doing all you can to meet your partner's needs. I think there are reationships where people have kids and still respect their partners and meet their needs. We just don't see them here, because each person who ends up on this site got here because of either disrespect or unmet needs. 

jmt000's picture

I feel your pain!

I can't tell you how many days I have locked myself away from the step kids when they are here or just left the house to be anywhere other than home. 

Single life never looked so good some days.

I have my SKs for 6 days every two weeks and in the whole week blocks on the school holidays and I just dread those blocks ... it's like it's never going to end.

I understand the building resentment! It's certainly present in our relationship. Dad only seems to include his kids in the bubble of "plans" and his kids never include mine when they are talking to Dad about upcoming visitstion. 
Ive been actively disengaging for a while now and I have found it helps.  I do what I want when I want and I include his kids if I feel like it but feel no guilt if I don't. I take my own kids on holidays and when I go shopping the part of me that used to buy something small for everyone "to make it fair" is well and truely gone! Buy my kids $50 Xbox cards and nothing for his kids and not even a flicker of guilt of how it should be any different.  I work hard to provide for my kids and he has a job and if he wants his kids to get things he can do the same. 
I hope your situation improves.  I found the situation didn't so I just changed myself to a point where I was happy again and in a place I could make decisions just for myself and my own kids so they weren't missing out or getting less than they deserved because I was spread too thin!

Good luck

Frustrated_step_mom2's picture

I've been doing this step parent thing for 4 years, the skids were 6 and 10 when I came in. Mother was absent so husband had them full time. I really thought it could work. The girl Diablo was very resistant but I figured that was normal and would work itself out with proper parenting. The boy was extremely agreeable and wanted to please so no problem there. My husband seemed very agreeable to making some parenting changes before we got married. I had gently mentioned that some of the ways the house was being run was not agreeable to me or a healthy parenting style. There was too much screen time, lack of bedtime, lack of structure in general, no healthy meals, too much junk, too much freedom for the younger one outside alone which was a safety concern to me, and they were generally spoiled and whiny. I thought with some changes and proper parenting this could be fixed in 6 months or so and we could be a fairly happy family, especially with bio mom absent. 
 

I could not have been more wrong. Turns out he was not as agreeable to changes, kept claiming he didn't understand the "system" which was just rewards and consequences, and as soon as I left the house the rules would go out the door with me. This left me looking like an evil step parent and also undermined the efforts to correct their behaviors. These are kids who couldn't sit at a restaurant properly or be taken anywhere without a scene. After reading posts on here I realize I could of maybe disengaged but apparently that didn't occur to me. I just can't live in a house with children being wild and destructive. The girl wrote on and painted on various things inside and outside the house. This was unbelievable to me and no consequence was given any of the times by her father. Well I overstepped and out a stop to everything. I told him that he agreed to this changes and we were married now and he needed to respect me as an adult in this house and the kids were to respect me and the rules as well. He half way went along wi th this but it was fight after fight. I did get my way but it would be a 3 hours fight after sometimes in front of the kids. I dug my heels in so to speak and did what was right but at the cost of my happiness in a different way. After years of fighting almost daily I really resented these skids and more and more was frustrated at where their mother was to take care of them. She called randomly and would talk shit on me to them but that was about it. she told them they didn't have to listen to me and put ideas in their head...great. I had words with her and told her to come take care of her kids if she was so concerned (this was after about 3 years of her not being around). 

Things got worse and it was just terrible he wouldn't co parent with me and be on the same page. I was asking for bedtimes to be reasonable on school nights so they wouldn't scream in the morning and to eat home made food instead of McDonald's and junk and to go out to decent places to eat with them. Well SD also had some sort of eating disorder where she ate until she puked so that was another fight because he was fine with that and I wasn't. Insanity. It got to the point after 3 years that I disengaged but in a different way, he was at work and I just stopped doing extra stuff for them. I fed them but stopped trying to make special meals, I didn't bother taking them to restaurants because it was a fight with their father over her getting an adult sized meal (then throwing up of course later), we did basic stuff like go to the pool but I refused to cater to their want of expensive shoes and clothes and I limited their screen time as I saw fit. I had them lamb outside 3 hours a day minimum so I could get some peace since they were older at that point 9 and 13 (which he acted like it was child abuse or something for them to play outside). Everything I did was looked at negatively. I forced them to do their homework. Apparently I was just some evil person so that's why I just gave up and started doing some shitty things like I would change the clocks back an hour or hour and a half so I could send them to bed early some nights. I just got fed up with their lying and my husbands lack of support. With all the arguing and my lacK of doing anything above basic for almost a year their mother finally stepped back into their lives and they live with her now. She is a huge trouble maker and thankfully we don't see the kids anymore but we still argue about them. I'm ready to just divorce him becuase even though the kids are gone he blames me for everything even though I had good intentions and tried hard for 3 years and gave up the last due to the fighting and my resentment and frustration. I just needed to get this out and tell someone how much I resent those kids, I feel like I hate them, and I regret marrying someone with kids. 
 

I guess I wanted to warn people that even if the guy seems agreeable I wouldn't believe him and see if he changes and does the right things for a while before marrying him. My life was miserable for 4 years due to the mistake I made of getting with him and we have fought so much that I kind of hate him and resent him too now. All the love is gone and I'm thinking of leaving now even though the kids are gone and we don't speak to them. I have 1 bio child with him and that's the only thing that has kept me around. Our fights have gotten physical it was that bad even after they left, people can fool you into thinking they are something but when they have kids especially it can be a problem when kids are in the middle. Just my story thanks for letting me vent.
 

 

lafield's picture

Amen. They never mean it when they say they want to work on their parenting. I'm a slow learner and had two of them pitch this lie to me. You know who gets punished for the SKIDS bad behavior, the step parent that points it out. Daddies can't accept that their spawn isn't perfect.

Frustrated_step_mom2's picture

SD was terrible from day 1 and her daddy just coddled her like an infant even though she was 6. She had the balls to ask me if I paid for the house. She was a rude little bitch and one of the biggest liars I've ever seen in my life. She also stole regularly from kids at school (of course no consequence from dad). So she had no friends and no one likes her because she tried to steal from kids all the time. That's how entitled she was. I believe there is a a psych diagnosis in her future.

caruisancho's picture

10 years worth of daily nightmares...  All imaginable (by other step parents) situations in which I could go on and on recounting stories from hell my now 13 year old step daughter has put my husband and I through::  constant disrespect towards all efforts made towards a family--especially her happiness and well-being; continuous attempts to split our marriage (finally worked); complete colonization of belongings that are of interest to her (including apartment, car, my puppy); extreme economic and emotional manipulation of us...

---

About 6 weeks ago, I had a very troubling yet therapeutic catharsis.  It was as if I was on auto-pilot.  I had had enough.  I said things I had never said before, packed all of my belongings that were packable, and left.  The recent distance has allowed me to think calmly, although I know I will never truly heal nor fully understand exactly what happened.  

I realize this child wasn't born this way. Smile This is not forgiveness....she is old enough now to know what she is doing and what she did. I affiliate as I was a child once, that she learned through other people's behavior and was conditioned to simply survive, albeit her tactic went extremely egoistical, greedy, self-centered. Each legal parent takes turns pumping that little ego to fix their own ego problems: the quest for love, attention, forgiveness, and that oh-so-stimulating competition.... So I am still giving her some leverage that, at 13, she should be starting to be capable of independently altering her emotions towards her envy, jealousy, greed, control, materialism, the whole collection from Pandora's box, actually. ifffy The problem is, she really enjoys this attention and control--especially one-on-one with each parent.   I don't play those games, so ouch....I became a threat to these tactics, and StepDAughter unleashed all brat wrath...

Fundamental Mistake: I cared. every time I mentioned that she should brush her teeth; that she shouldn't order an entire fried-egg-and-ham pizza for herself; that she should be studying instead of playing AmongUs, I was adding fuel to the fire.  I was feeding the narcissism she had acquired to control our household.  Her dad, who didn't want to be responsible of reprimanding her bad behavior out of fear that she would not want to visit him anymore (and she knew this), would reprimand me instead!   I finally threw my hands up in the air, after 10 years, and said, "Let her have zits all over her face, if that's what she believes will help her gain more control."

I FINALLY UNDERSTOOD THE TICKET TO NOT GIVE A SHIT: If the legal guardians don't want me involved, then the heck with it!  I am not invited nor welcomed to care about her behavior problems.  If I offered to help her with homework, she tried everything possible to make me an ogre so she wouldnt have to study! MORAL: If someone rejects you, no matter who, it's their right to do so!  Just accept it, and forget about it!!!!!! All this time, I thought since I was responsible for her during joint custody, that I was suppose to help correct her bad manners....Babysitters have more authority and respect!!!!!! Let the parents hire one of those!  Let go and forget about it!!!! as long as their negligence doesn't infringe on others' rights.

What a relief, really. Seriously... So.. Either she will figure it out, or she won't!!! That's it! Two possibilities.  There are more important things in life than whether or not she washes her face or sits on the couch all day.  And the less I care, the less egocentric she will be.  See? I am actually helping her!!!!

In this time away, I am also understanding my husband.  He is another special case: fear of losing his daughter.  fear of being a bad father, fear of being a bad husband with a child from a previous, fear of losing his job, fear of being human in general....,fear fear f fear.... I am trying to encourage him and be more supportive of HIM.  Reality check:::::::...I won't make his daughter the center of attention ever again... I accept she has to be around.  I see it for what it really is: A COUPLE DAYS A WEEK to spend the night and take advantage of her dad choffering her around and use our WiFi.  Like I said, either she will become a better human, or she won't!  All I can do is support those who want my support. BUT No way can I demand she want that, even if I helped raise her.  And everything I have ever done for her is what I did to be a good human. The rest is history.  BUT she can't be the center of attention in my life anymore.... As long as she has it, she controls me, my marriage, my life...aside from the fact that her mother also controls her.... can of worms.....

 

IN SUM: MY ADVICE IS THINK ABOUT YOURSELF AND THE HAPPINESS YOU DESERVE.  I know it sounds antihuman, but, it's not.  It's pro-you and eventually it spreads to benefit other humans!  You deserve so much love, and people who thwart that--no matter what age or background--- should be ignored until they learn that love is not controlable (since we can't cut them out of our lives) 

 

caruisancho's picture

The day I left, which ironically was HALLOWEEN, her dad had been defending her lazy ass all day.... "oh, she doesn't know how to put a glass in the dishwasher..... oh, she doesn't know how to open a book.  If she wasn't to lay on the couch, that's okay!"

okay........   .... ... . ... ..... ........................

So then, after about 6 hours (and 10 years) of tolerating unequal cohabitation and domestic responsibilities, I auto piloted-packed my suitcase, auto piloted-grabbed the dog leash and dog food... auto piloted towards the door more or less ready to head out......... what?  Where is my puppy?

Miracle.....stepdaughter managed to get her ass off the couch..... and wrestle my puppy!!!!!!! At first I was confused.  naive as I am....

Then I realized she was trying to colonize puppy, too!  She said puppy's name was something else similar to her African country name and including her last names...( As an aside, this child has a serious problem ....seriously, will write in another post more examples of how her delusions caused me legal problems....And her parents encourage her fantasies.... so screwy.)

Anyway, she pouted and held my puppy in her arms for about 10 minutes, me standing around confused... until she let her go to grab the phone, turn off TikTok, to call the city police for me stealing "her dog"?????  

Okay, I admire that kids love dogs, it's cute.... a lot of people of all ages love dogs and I think it's great for dogs, too...., but the puppy was offered to me by a family friend...my decision to adopt her,,,,licensed in my name, PAID for on my card including all of the vet bills (vaccines, chips, medications, visits) her food, AND  100 % responsible for her walks, cleaning her poops, training her, putting up with her stealing my slippers.... When is she around to take care of puppy?  1 or 2 days a week!  When is she willing during those at-most two days to take care of puppy? Never!

Often, I would ask," do you feel like walking puppy???" and she would say, "NOOOOO.... I don't feel like it right now.....", laying on the sofa with TIKTOK while the day went tick tock.

So here she is calling the police. ???????  I couldn't believe it, but I did sort of expect it.  Entitled to everything,. always undermining other people's emotions, property, love, nothing.  ITS ALL ABOUT HER.  Here I was in a dire situation, catharsis, broken down human, auto piloting, trying to escape a toxic environment and she was calling the police because I had to take my puppy with me.   After years of sleeping between my husband and I, crying hysterically about not wanting for us to make a brother because that would mean she would have to share money, apartment, car, attention...

Anyway, she proceeded to call the police on the iPhone I had given her for Christmas.  "What seems to be the problem?" "Yeah, My stepmom who took care of my impossible ass for 10 years is finally going to live with her elderly parents for a while WITH HER DOG."  That went over really well.  After looking p the registration on her chip, I took my puppy.  And wasted valuable police time.

Then, to make things even worse, her dad accuses me the next day of stealing things from her.  Yeah...... it was sort of expected that he would defend her spoiled, greedy pink glitter princess ass, yet again.  Practically everything she owns was given to her BY ME (and I am using the passive voice). If I had really wanted, her room would have been half empty.

 

I love my puppy so much.  I adopted her to fill a nurturing void I wasn't allowed to have, and to have the exact person who thwarted that potential want to keep my puppy can kiss my ass.  My puppy would never do cruel shit like that. 

weightedworld's picture

Oh hell.. how I can relate. I just did this the other weekend. Took my bottle of black berry and was going to go find me a good place to park. Instead I decided I wasn't going to get obliviated over the ordeal or on her account and drove around and chain smoked for a good hour and a half. When I came home, I went up stairs, shutting all the doors behind me and I went to bed. Fuck you, fuck her, fuck you all, leave me the hell alone. 

Next time I won't be the one leaving... C'YAAA! 

LadyTremaineMeredithGrimhilde's picture

This thread is old but it resonates with me so much. My husband's kids were dumped here at the beginning of COVID last year because their school went entirely online, so their mom and my husband figured it would be great to just let them move here into our house for 6 months. I think I am losing my mind thinking about something like that happening again. It was about this time last year when they came for Spring Break and never left until September. Help please I want to run away. 

Exhaustedmomma26's picture

I wish I saw this thread before I entered into a blended family. Both my husband and I have children from previous marriages and we have one biological child together. My SKs are not all that bad. It's just that they have different values. Their mom does not discipline them and does not limit their social media and internet access. Because of this, they have picked up disgusting behavior and language that I just CANNOT tolerate in my house. Even worse, their mom does NOT care about their school work and does not do their homework. So when they stay at our house, we are stuck doing a week's worth of homework and needless to say there is a lot of crying and screaming. Even their school is complaining that their schoolwork is not being done. This creates a bigger problem because I do not want my children to be badly influenced by them. Some days when they are here I wish I could just disappear somewhere else. I have a one year old so she keeps me busy and gives me an excuse not to deal with them. But I know I cannot live like this. I feel like such a bad person. It is very suffocating. I am 10 years younger than my husband and I feel like I am wasting my life and happiness away. It sucks because I do love my husband but I feel trapped. UGH. I understand the feeling of running away, I really do. Every. Single. Time. Hang in there girl. 

Eva999's picture

Hey there, are you still experiencing this situation with your stepkids? I'm in a similar situation. We really have no idea what we're getting into sometimes until we're already in it. I wish there could be some universal rule about never dating men with children. I feel so unhappy, why the hell should we spend so much of our lives dealing with kids that we never even wanted. In my case my partner's ex got pregnant when they broke up and kept the baby a secret from him until she was 7 months pregnant, too late to have an abortion. He was only 19 years old. The whole situation really sickens me to my core. The worst part is that the situation was already hard for me but I was being the best partner, in law, and stepmom that I could be and I was still treated like crap by my partner , his ex and my in laws to the point where I'm actually dealing with trauma right now. I've been with my partner for five years and he was also my highschool sweetheart but I don't know if I can do this anymore. Our relationship has gotten really great now that he's not being influenced by his family and aside from the fact that he has kids. I resent them so much, it makes me think terrible things. I have realised that it would not be wise for me to marry him seeing as I have so much hate for this part of his life but at the same time leaving is also so painful for me.