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Expectations from step grandparents

Stepmum84's picture

Hi. I need some honest advice as I feel like this issue is tearing me and my husband apart. To fully understand the situation I feel like I need to give some background. Me and my hubby have been together for nearly 8 years. The way we got together was quite dramatic, I left another marriage after 6 weeks! I knew I’d made a mistake getting married and only did it to keep family happy and I knew I actually loved my current husband. He hadn’t long left his ex gf who he had 2 children with, he hadn’t been happy with her for a long time. So a while after splitting from previous partners we got together. Our families were angry and upset with us but here we are 8 years later and married, happy for the most part and with 4 kids between us. I have a 14 year old from a previous relationship (not ex husbands), my husband has a 12 year old boy and 9 year old girl and we have a 15 month old together. In July last year my husband adopted my 14 year old, (his dad is an alcoholic and not had anything to do with him since he was 4) The problem we are having is my husbands expectations when it comes to my family. Both sides of our families have accepted us and our children into each family which I’m so grateful for.  My husbands parents have 15 grandchildren and spend about £30 on each child for Xmas and birthdays (including my son who is now their adoptive grandchild) they take my husbands son to football every now and then as they all support the same team. My family on the other hand only had one grandchild (my eldest) when me and hubby got together and because of this They have always brought him quite big presents on birthdays and Xmas maybe spending £200-£300 on him. And they take him away on holiday every year with them. My mum and stepdad  have been great with my husbands children, buying big piles of presents at Xmas (maybe spending about £150 on each of them) and then my son will get a slightly bigger present but it is done as discreetly as possible. My mum and stepdad have taken all children to pantomime last year and have given them all same spending money to take on day trips we have had together over the years. My dad and stepmum buy presents for all kids aswell, my sister also and even my 90 year old nan buys my husbands children Xmas presents every year. My husbands children live with their mum and have a close relationship with all family members on that side. Our problem at the moment is that my husband expects my family to treat his children the same financially and doesn’t like that they take my eldest on holiday but not his children. If I was to brooch the subject with all my family they would probably tell him to get lost as they would feel that all they do for us and all children was being thrown back in their faces. My stepdad is about to pay for an extension on our house to make life more comfortable for us as a family including adding a bedroom for my husbands children. This rift is now causing my husband to resent my 14 year old because he feels the situation with presents is unfair on his children. I feel like he is very lucky that my family do what they do and to ask for anymore would be just plain rude and disrespectful and the bottom line is I don’t agree with what he expects and I wouldn’t disrespect my parents in that way by making them feel that what they do isn’t enough. . I feel he should be teaching his children to be thankful and grateful for what they get from anyone and not compare to what others get. The situation is now made more complicated by the fact we have a baby together. My husband is now saying that we may need to spend Xmas separately so his children don’t see what my 2 sons get from my family incase they get jealous and he’s also saying he doesn’t want my parents to take my youngest son on holiday or treat him any differently than his children (my stepchildren) I feel like this is heading for disaster as I feel like he is being so ungrateful towards my family. I’ve only scratched the surface on here when it comes to talking about what my family has done for us over the last 8 years, buying us a car, helping us to pay fir our wedding, child care so I have been able to go back to work!  the list is endless! Now he has openly admitted that he feels resentful towards my oldest son I know the situation needs to be sorted. My son has been through too much to be resented by his adoptive dad. I don’t think it’s fair to tell my parents to stop doing what they’ve always done, they love taking my son on holiday and they do have a special bond with him. My husbands parents have a special bond with my husbands son as he’s the only grandchild on hubbies side that supports the same football team but I’ve never said a word about it or expected them to take my son places etc my family are quite well off financially but I've always been very humble and thankful for everything they do for us. My husbands family aren't very well off financially but my husband seems to be being so ungrateful I just don't understand it. it’s causing a real problem between us so any advice or opinions on the situation would be helpful, I like to get other opinions incase I'm the one whose in the wrong. Sorry for the long message! 

tog redux's picture

I agree with you - stepgrandparents are NOT obligated to treat step-grandkids the same way they treat their own bio grandkids, at all. I would expect only that they be civil and not snub those stepkids entirely, but that's all.

Kids can understand if you sit down and talk to them - these are your grandparents, these are the other kids' grandparents, so things will not be equal.

Stepmum84's picture

Thank you. Hubby is making so much of it I'm starting to feel like I'm in the wrong for feeling the way I do 

tog redux's picture

My parents had two step-grandkids, my SS and my sister's SD. Her SD is older by 15+ years than any of their bio-grandkids, so they probably gave her more in time and attention than they did my SS21, who is around the same age as my youngest niece and nephew. My SS was also alienated and more of an issue than my sister's SD.  With my SS, they got him a gift if he was with us for Christmas, but otherwise no. They spent no time with him outside of family occasions that we were attending as well.

Delilah's picture

You need to point out the "special" relationship your ss has with his own grandparents and one which has excluded your son, how is that "fair"? Perhaps he should be addessing this inequality seeing as they are excluding their adopted grandkid and I would start by quietly pointing these disparities out to your dh everytime it happens- I would ask him if he would like it if you started to become resentful towards ss and also dh's family and told your PIL they needed to change to include ds? (I must admit I can be quite stubborn and spiteful if someone starts taking the p*ss out of my family and ESPECIALLY if they hurt them and my child).

 . Your dh adoped ds while YOU have not adopted dh's kids, therefore the circumstances are quite different, your skids are getting presents, quality time from your family (who sound *more than* generous towards them), dh's family AND bm's...so they get three loads of attention and gifts, while ds (and now your baby) have only dh's family and your own!

Can he not see your family do not *have* to be as generous as they are with ss? They are because they are good people. I regularly read stories where the disparity is huge, if that was happening then he would have a point but it isn't! Your family are also helping your entire unit and dh wants to throw that in their faces? Is he stupid? He is literally cutting his nose off to spite you all and only because the stack isn't in his kids favour? wow. Does he realise that he made a choice, a promise to ds and now because his kids aren't getting such a big piece of the pie he resents a boy abandoned by his alcoolic dad?!!

By trying to intercede between ds's realtionship and your parents while not addressing the differences shown from his side he is infact trying to favour his own kids ...You need to stop this now as where will it end? If your wealthy parents decide to assist in ds's and baby's college education will dh throw a fit, would he interefere in the advantages your kids would get? what about weddings? grandkids? Will he feel entitled, like he does now, to ensuring he piggybacks on your family's wealth and that his other kids profit from their stepparents extended family? I would suspect the answer would be yes sadly.

Stepmum84's picture

Absolutely to the last comment in your message. I have said to a friend that my parents absolutely will set up a trust fund for both my sons but won't for hubbies children and he will absolutely hate it. I already know these futures issues will be massive and although they are way in the future I am already anxious about it. My son received a birthday card in the post today with £10 in from my 90 year old nan and I don't want to tell hubby as my stepsons birthday is 3 days after my sons and I know it will be an issue. My Nan buys Xmas presents for all kids but not bday presents so now I feel anxious. It makes me dread bdays and Xmas now. 

Stepmum84's picture

To be honest my step kids are great. I love them and other than a few little niggles we get on great! I love and care about them so much and try and be a good stepmum to them. There's only been a couple of occasions where they have mentioned something or asked questions about my son getting a bigger or better present or more money on a voucher etc but it's never in a rude way really. It's my husband who has the issue but I guess it's an issue only he can deal with. I've told him he needs to sort his head out and just get over it because they only person it really bothers is him and it's ruining our relationship, his relationship with his adopted son (my eldest son) and could potentially affect his relationship with my family which will impact us all! My family are fantastic, not perfect but kind and generous and would be so hurt if they knew my husband felt like this. 

DHsfamilyfromhell's picture

I do agree with all of the above. 

However, My grandmas  solution to stop family bickering (she has nine children, 30 grandchildren, and many great grandchildren, with a couple of steps somewhere in that equation) 

is to buy each ‘family’ a present at Xmas. The only time someone has their own present is if they have just been born or sick!

ndc's picture

Your husband is wrong.  Your parents and your family have no obligation to his children, other than to be kind to them when they're with them.  His children are NOT your parents' grandchildren, and frankly, your parents are being quite generous to your stepchildren.

I have two SDs and one bio with DH.  My parents are well off and they're pretty generous with the SDs.  They've taken SDs to Disney World, invited them to their beach home and paid everything for them and entertained them while they were there.  My parents buy them birthday and Christmas gifts, buy them craft supplies and toys for when they're over at their house, and spend time with them.  However, they are even more generous with my bio, their actual grandchild.  They bought a lot of her baby equipment, they've funded a college account for her, they buy her generous gifts.  My DH would never DREAM of complaining that the SDs don't get the exact same treatment as DD.  To do so would be incredibly entitled and ungrateful.  In fact, BM and her family have thanked my parents for treating the SDs so well and doing things for them.  Anything my parents do for the SDs is viewed as gracious and generous and it is appreciated.  That's how it should be.

I'm not sure what your husband is thinking.  If his kids complain that your parents' ACTUAL grandchildren get more than they do, it needs to be explained to them that they have their own real grandparents, and that anything your family does for them is a bonus.  Kids need to be taught appreciation and gratitude.  Your husband acting entitled does not do that.  He doesn't get to dictate what gifts your parents give, or tell them gifts have to be equal.  He also doesn't get to dictate who they take on vacation with them.  As long as they're not being blatant about it (and it sounds like they're trying not to be), he needs to thank them for what they do for his kids and move on from this wrong way of thinking.

Rags's picture

IMHO, it depends on whether or not your parents have a GP relationship with your SKids.

My SS-28 is my parent's eldest GKid.  Not their first, but their eldest.  My mom and dad met my SS when his mom and I were dating when he was about 18mos old.  We married the week before he turned 2yo.  My niece was born about the time my parents met my SS.  They are the GPs he is closest with of all of his three GP branches.  

I pitty anyone who would tell my parents that he is not theirs.  

If Skids are older when they enter the multigernational family of their SP, then it is entirely the onus of the SGPs as to whether or not they are claimed as GSkids or treated on par with their BioGKs. 

The BP of the Skid really has no say in that.  THey can bitch and complain, invariably with feelings of how it isn't fair that their own SKids have a benefit that their own children do not have.

Meh.

They can all get over it and STFU. THe alternative is for everyone to be miserable. Sharing the pain is not something that I have ever considered a good idea.

IMHO of course.

Merry's picture

My Mom really WANTED my steps to be included like family. She tried. They ignored her. Hurt her feelings. I just told her they were adults and didn't really want me around anyway, so place your generosity somewhere else.

A few years later, SD sent my Mom a birth announcement for one of her kids. My Mom says, "Who is this from? Do you know this person?" Made me laugh. Mom didn't send a card or a gift. 

Anyway, I agree with everyone else that this is your DH's problem. I think I'd just tell him to knock it off, end of discussion. Your family is doing nothing wrong. It's not like they are ignoring the steps or harming them in any way. It's just the reality of step families.

shamds's picture

When your husband and exwife aren't. The reality in blended marriages/relationships is there cannot be equality.

for example, my husband is malaysian, i am australian i come from a financially better country and my kids have aussie citizenship & malaysian, my kids will get better access to quality education and university for free compared to skids. That isn't my fault. The reality is skids mum is from a poor village and refused to work but preferred to find any sucker to freeload off. I do not feel guilty in the slightest. 
 

skids are not entitled to anything from your estate or family, to insinuate they are by your husband is insane. If he complains again, then i would say "well maybe your exwife's family should get rich then !!