Good day to all...I just joined,I am a little behind the times and things are to the point where I need some independent advice. I have been in a relationship for nearly 2 years and the child had some pretty major things happen (Custody and Court, allegations of abuse by his mother)...BEFORE I even came into the equation. The custody issue and subsequent cases have been dismissed and settled, but there is still bitterness between the Bios. I would get to spend tons of time with the child, and just let him talk about what had happened and came to the conclusion that the mother was thrown under the proverbial bus. There used to be a different Step Mom, and she certainly had ulterior motives, and knew EXACTLY how to wreak havoc. Friday, 2 months ago,the child called and said he didn't want to come visit. It devastated "Bob". The following weekend we went to pick him up on Friday night and he hopped into the car like nothing had gone down the previous weekend. When we start talking to him to see what was wrong the previous weekend, he starts crying and says "Will" (Mommy's husband) forced him to call and say those things or he was going to "choke him out". Of course we were shocked, finding all of this stuff out in the middle of the grocery store...NOT the place. Long story short, I went to the Maternal Grandmother when she came to pick up the child on the following Sunday. She said that was most ABSURD thing she had ever heard. And I agreed that there was some serious problems and she came in and we talked to the boy, and he pretty much fessed up. The NEXT Friday, we go to pick him up, and we all have an Intervention with the boy. He was outed by everyone, and I had been telling BOB that if he is saying those things about his Mother, what do you think he's saying about you/us? I was shocked and furious when I was told that he said I was going to cut his head off and put it in the freezer and his Dad was going to run over him with the truck...!!!???!!! I looked him straight in the eye in front of everyone, and I said, "I will take FULL RESPONSIBILITY for cutting off the head of your LIE MONSTER, but I would never do anything to YOU. My goal is take make you into a strong and healthy man, and you will not be grateful for all of this for about 14 years...but when you are standing in a church and you look over to the Bride to your left, and KNOW you will never hurt her with lies and half-truths."

Now, he has been grounded with BOTH families. He was about to come off of restrictions 2 weeks ago (no TV, video games or buddies...had to read and do worksheets in a practice workbook) and we tested him by playing Battle Ship with him...he was caught cheating. And then Bob went into his bedroom and was going to hook up the TV and the child stated he hooked it all up but he couldn't get it off the channel it was on....???? RATTING HIMSELF OUT! Needless to say, the grounding restrictions were extended. Now, this past weekend, he is back to the old antics... I am beginning to have serious concerns about him being Bi-Polar, and the Maternal Bio and Step do not want to address the possibility. I am glad the families are finally coming together, but this kid is beginning to creep me out. WHERE DOES HE GET THESE IDEAS? One day he told me a "story" about a thunderstom at his mom's house and lightening hit the pond in the complex and he watched all of the ducks burned alive, and he poked them with sticks....???

Any advice?