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Really struggling with step daughter

Brodietas's picture

hi thanks for letting me join this forum I’m sure I will learn a lot from it. 

Well a bit about myself me and my partner have been together for 8 years now we have a son together who is 6 and my step daughter who is 14. We have had the typical step problems along the way but me and the step daughter get along really well most the time. But the biggest problem is her father is a real idiot to be blunt. We can’t talk to him much about her because he will just try to turn it into a argument or be immature about it. My partner has had restraint orders against him before. She lives with her dad and comes to us on the weekends and a night during the week.  So the last 2 years she has started to go down hill a lot things like she can’t have a mobile because she try’s to text any boy to have sex with her.  stealing from shops she hasn’t been caught but every time she comes her she has something new unopened and try’s to say her dad brought it for her without sounding nasty we know he can’t afford that all the time and why would he only buy her stuff when she comes here. We know there has been problems at her dads house with her taking things like make up cans of coke with out asking and being caught on camera and still denying it. But this weekend on Saturday I took them all to a country show for the day had a great time I still had $300 in my wallet I brought it inside and sat it on the bench. Yesterday Morning I want to put the money in my safe and noticed I was $50 short. On Saturday night me and my partner went to go outside for a smoke (I know bad habit) but as we was going out we noticed she kept hanging around the kitchen in a weird way we would walk in she would walk out happens about 3 times. My partner and I just looked at each other and thought that was weird but didn’t think much of it at the time. Turns out that’s when we think she took the money we asked her about it but she said she didn’t. I asked my son who is 5 and he said no. I believe him because he won’t touch nothing of mine without asking and even if he did he would be playing with it plus the wallet was out of his reach. I’m actually pretty gutted about this I work 6-7 days a week trying to give them all the best I can. The days I have if we have money to do fun family things. I guess what I’m stuck with is what do we do it’s really broken my trust with her. I think it scars me more because my dad has 2 stepkids that are drug addicts and have always stolen from him. How can I feel comfortable knowing I can’t even leave anything in my own house. The feeling I get from my partner is it’s only $50 and she’s not that interested in finding the money 

Rags's picture

All the emtion aside, you already know that you can't trust her. So, don't trust her.  She stole the money, you know she did it so you and your partner have to now lock up anything of value when she is visiting.  Make it overt, make it obvious and make sure she knows that it is being locked up because she is there.

Grabbing money out of a parent's wallet of purse is not a rare thing for teens to do. Even teens who are trustworthy for the most part.   But, since she is not trustworthy, treat her appropriately.

I have done it myself when I was a teen. But... I always left a note and only did it when mom or dad were not around to ask.  If either of them were available, I asked.  They kept a fund envelope of cash.  So when they were out (they always had their wallet or purse with them) and I needed cash that was where I went.  Otherwise I asked. They usually made sure we had enough pocket cash to have a burger with friends to to catch a movie once we hit our teens.

 

Brodietas's picture

Thanks for the reply 

with her still denying it and now her dad knows and is accusing me off setting her up... I’m at the point where i don’t think I will let her come here for a while to we can gain some trust back. She knows she can do wrong and have her dad carry on about it to her mum that’s always been her problem. 

Rags's picture

Web cams may become your BFF with this clepto kid in your home.  Set up or not, if she steals what is not hers she is a POS little thief and should be treated as one.

IMHO of course.

Harry's picture

If BF is accusing you of " Setting up his DD up."  That a major thing.  Hell with his rose colored glasses.  That is total disrespectful to you.  Show you what his real feelings about you are, You are supposed to number number 1. He is supposed to have your back. 
But he putting his POS DD above you.  You can not have a relationship like this.  It's not your fault.  BF is not ready.  He may never be ready 

Brodietas's picture

Sorry I might wrote this down confused. My step daughter is my wife’s kid I am her step father. Her father is the one saying I set her up 

SusieCue's picture

My SD used to steal from me all the time (I say "used to" not because she gained a conscience and stopped, but because she now lives elsewhere and I don't have to deal with her). 

What I can say about it is that once someone gets into the lying/stealing cycle, they don't just become a good person and stop. It will probably take her getting caught stealing in a store and actually getting into trouble to get her to even entertain the idea of stopping, but most places have such lax punishments for teens (or they think it's "cool" to go to juvie, etc) that this will likely continue into adulthood. I feel bad for having such a pessimistic outlook but in all reality that's what you have to look forward to, especially with little to no support from the bioparents.

I say lock your stuff up (DH and I ended up changing the doorknobs to our room with lock and key style knobs) and installing cameras in all communal living spaces (from reading your post it appears you have some up already which is good) and calling the little thief out on any lies or stealing that you notice, whether her parents like it or not. Also, stop taking her places and doing things for her. Let her mom handle that and if either of them wants to talk sh*t, tell them that you were going to take her, but the money you were going to use for it came up missing so you can't. Wink Petty, I know but if your wife is going to act like $50 isn't that big of a deal, you have every right to be petty. It shouldn't matter if she stole a quarter from you, the fact is that she is stealing.

I have a whole blog post written about SD15 being a thief... My SD is more than likely a sociopath and has zero remorse for anything she does. Yes, I get that teenagers are inherently selfish, but she takes it to a new level with her lies and manipulation. 

Brodietas's picture

Thank you I think she’s coming tomorrow for the weekend I’m really not looking forward to it if she those to be honest. Yes I agree about her missing out in some things to make her realise it’s her birthday in a week I normally give my partner $300 to get her presents. It’s never bother me doing this but this year I won’t be helping might be a harsh but good lesson for the step daughter. Since this me and my partner are still getting along really well I don’t blame my partner it’s not her fault it’s happend and she is in a harder position then me. She’s disappointed in her daughter. Also we have talked and the step daughter won’t be going on our Easter camping trip. Because that’s what we have been saving money for and that’s the money she took. I’m just worried how I’m going to feel if she comes. I couldn’t even talk to her last time I seen her because to be honest I feel like I would lose it. It’s so hard to deal with the stuff and I’m grateful for this site to let me get it of my chest. The other thing is this is going to sound bad but I’ll just say it.. when it’s just my partner our son and I every thing just runs so smoothly and happy as soon as the step daughter comes she just makes everybody feel depressed. It’s like no matter what we do she’s never thankful or nothing is ever good enough