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Rebelous teen, wants 1st step-mom to stay...Please help!!

the-next-step-mom's picture

My fiance and I have been together for 5 yrs. and I feel it has been a long battle for me. We've been engaged for two years but due to the stress and non acceptance, I can't find it in me to tie the knot. Okay..this is not a simple ordinary family, that I came into. My fiances parents took in his first wife when they got pregnant at teenagers,because she was an orphan teen, and ever since then, his first wife has been their Daughter!!They include her and her new family in all our family gatherings-holidays..whether were there or not, they even take in his first ex wife and her new husbands child(9yr old girl)as their own-real grandchild..in some cases over my daughter which is supposed to be the new step-grand baby, they don't realize they give separate treatment.Just an example of the UN-sighted treatment by his parents was at my daughter's 10yr old b.day party just a month ago..we invited my fiance's 9yr old(from his second marriage)and his ex wife's 9 yr old because due to grandma and grandpa's traditions the two girls have been together since birth,like sister's..totally different families though, so grandma came to our house to my daughter's b.day party and within minutes the two girls (my fiance's 9yr old and ex-wives 9yr old)cuddled up in grandma's lap, with excessive attention right in front of my 10 yr old daughter for so long, that when asked of them to go play they refused to get off grandma, during the party while my daughter the supposedly new step granddaughter just sits there..watching, no offer for love or cuddles or anything..this was at my 10yr old's b.day party..why did this treatment happen?? Okay so know you have an idea of the start of the stress, but I also want to express how loving and special my fiances parents are,but I believe there should be a fine line of boundaries between where my fiances ex wives and non grand-kids have a time and place and where my daughter and I come in...Which leads me to his second ex wife that he got married to when his first born was about 5 yrs old, which is where my fiances second child the 9yr old girl comes in.So know you see I am becoming a step-mom for two girls- 15yrs, and 9yrs...and there are two ex-wives to deal with. I have a child from my first marriage that is 10yrs, also a girl. My fiance and I have a 3yr old together...So all together...when we have them all, we have three girls and one boy. So here's the real problem for five years now I have tried everything to get his 15yr old to except me in the slightest way...a friend, caregiver.. I would supply money,clothes..everything(more than her own dad would)..and give the up-most respect, And actually I gave all these things to both his daughters. But all his 15yr old does is tell me and everyone...her first step-mom(my fiance's second wife)IS her step-mom. I have spoke with her about my feelings dozens of times, and that I respect their relationship and that it's okay if she wants to look at her that way as a mom or continue that route but also to know my place, that her dad and I are engaged and I will eventually be your step-mom and I would remind her that they are divorced, so technically she's not your step-mom anymore(Bear in mind his second ex wife is very vindictive and is still single- three years after divorce and returns their relationship items/pictures slowly,..holding on for a miracle, I think, and has tried and succeeded once(he went back to her for a month, in the beginning)to stir the pot with us..probably by using the 15yr old in more ways then one..But when the 15yr old gives in to his ex wife's game, my fiances ex wife is winning and knows she has already one, and that's the worst feeling for me) ...But I respect the 15yr old's wishes and feelings and I continuously tell her that..Since then she has sent me nasty cursing messages saying I will never be her step mom and the other woman will always be. My fiance thinks I am insecure and jealous about everything..that I am jealous of his parents relationship with his Ex's and his daughter's relationship with his Ex..and it's my problem..so I don't talk to him about it anymore..which makes me want to have a heart attack from the pain most of the time. She has taken me and her dad on and off over the years as FRIENDS on her Friends Facebook Page when through all the years she kept her first step mom as her step mom on her Family Facebook Page.I understand it's just social media but it really bothers me, with her knowing how I feel and she'll straight lie to me that we accidentally got erased as friends and then she will make a post for me to see that she knows will hurt me, I feel she has no respect for me..she has even put step-mom..I love you..poems to her alleged(my fiance's second ex wife)step-mom on Facebook for me to see, another thing is, is there are friends of her dad's on her page that have known him for a long time and knew him when he was with his second ex wife and know me..So when they see her listing his ex as her step-mom..what does that mean/ or say about me??.. There has been times when his 15yr old has coerced his 9yr old to start not liking me for things and has given her reasons to look for to not like me as well. There are times she'll brag about her "step-mom" just to get a rise out of me..and then she'll talk crap about her and say she doesn't like her just to trick me into saying something about her and anything I tell the 15yr old out of friendship about her first step-mom, she goes and tells her...I think the reason she's not letting go of her first step-mom is because my fiance's mom..won't let go of the 15yr old's mom..my fiance's first wife. It really hurts when your fiance's ex wives are at your family/holiday gatherings, and what's supposed to be your new family has two ex wives calling your fiances parents "mom and dad" and rubbing expensive gifts and things of that sort in our/my face..I feel like there are no boundaries..like this last Christmas his parents spent the day at his ex wives house and the day after at our house??On Facebook his mom calls his first ex-wife her daughter..but not me??She claims to me and the 15yr old, were all the same..she loves us all the same??I didn't know I was an ex too?? Then there's a twist..lately the 15yr old is getting ready for drivers ed and a sweet 16 and wants a car..Her mom wanted to work the arrangements out with me and not her dad..because I am better with agreeing and specifying dates?? So I agreed to work it out with the 15yr old and her mom and even though her dad didn't want to help at all..I made arrangements and agreed to pay half the drivers ed and give her my car on her sweet 16...Hmm is that nice or what..I know it's materialistic and I don't care about the money..but when is this teenager or someone around her going to explain the thoroughness of how much I try and care..After the arrangements with the car and monies is when I came across the knowledge that she's been tricking befriending me into saying things about my fiance's second ex wife then telling his ex wife everything I tell her about her, and the whole Facebook step-mom thing on her family page..and is not even friends with her dad or I on Facebook??My question is do I say something to her or not, that I feel betrayed?? Should I ask her why do you have her as your step-mom on Facebook, and not even friends with dad or I?? Or why am I paying and arranging all these things for her if she feels that my fiance's second ex wife is her step-mom..She is not respecting me, or accepting me still, after everything..I have even been letting her be a part in planning the wedding, as a bridesmaid..I am letting her pick out the dresses..or at least I was..I don't even really want her to be at or in the wedding, and I know that sounds immature and selfish?? but I just don't know what else to do anymore, I feel like I am going to die if I keep holding it in, not saying anything,or keep pretending like nothing is wrong when she's around me..Right now I feel like keeping her and any part of the hurtful drama of her...away..What I don't know won't hurt me right, but I also don't feel like I should bend over backwards for her, in the predicament I am in!!I am so tired of playing her, my fiance's mom and my fiances ex wife's games..I need to escape all this negative emotion, but how??Someone please help, on some leveled advice:-)Or just tell me I am crazy??

Lalena75's picture

Stop engaging with the 15 yr old stop buying her attention and affection she's using you and it's working. Disengage and think about the fact even once your married the dynamic of this family won't change your fdh has allowed it never drew boundries and his family us attached to 2 of his ex's they probably just expect you to become an ex as well there are reasons he's been divorced twice already. Disengage stop doing for the kid stop letting her use you and reevaluate your situation.

New second wife-step-mom's picture

Wow! I am afraid my advice would be to leave your fiance. Why put yourself through this?

You would have to deal with your fiance's crazy parents, the crazy Ex's and the spoiled, selfish 15 yo daughter the rest of your life. Really...

And your fiance doesn't even think anything is wrong with this picture!!! :jawdrop: He just tells you that you are jealous and insecure.

I know you have a child together but I would rather deal with him EOW then deal with all of the EX's and his spoiled entitled daughter that is just going to make your life hell on earth.

You will NEVER win in this situation.

Leave, go find yourself a normal man that doesn't have all that drama!!!

Disneyfan's picture

You can't buy love.

The 15 year old is making you look like a fool. She has told and shown you how she feels about you. No amount of begging or spending will change that.

MIL may never treat your daughter like the other girls. You can't control who she invites to her home, how she spends her money, or who she loves.
You can only control yourself.

You're lucky because you know what you are getting into before saying I do. You have to decide if you can live with this and If you're willing to have your daughter grow up being the outcast.

New second wife-step-mom's picture

Ok. I have been thinking about this and how about if you are determined to stay with this guy. :?

I think you are in for a lot of drama and heartache but here is some suggestions.

1) STOP engaging with the SD15. Just STOP. Stop buying her things, trying to be her BFF and buying her loyalty. It is not going to work so just STOP. Spend your money and effort on YOUR children.

Say and interact the least you possibly can with her. Let her father deal with her.

2) I have no advice on how to deal with the In-Laws. But I know me and there would be NO WAY that I would go to their house and interact with all of the EX's! And if my SO wanted to do that I would be furious!!! That is just too much CONFUSION and DRAMA!

I am sorry but your fiance and his parents have a version of "Sister Wives" going on there.

I am sure your SO likes all of this but I think he his a male chauvanist, extemely arrogant and egotistical and enjoys having all these women surround his life and his family. Oh and I would tell him that too the next time he called me jealous and insecure.

3) Don't expect the In-Laws to be a grandparent to your daughter. They seem to have accepted everyone else but can't accept yours! :? But you need to accept that if you stay with your fiance and don't make a big deal about it to your daughter.

4) Personally I would stop going to all of these family gatherings and I would invite people to my daughters parties and into my home that treated me and mine with love.

If your SO fights you on this I would let him know these people are not nice to you and your daughter so they are not invited to "our home". You cannot make someone like you or your daughter but you can isolate them and surround yourself with people that love you! He can like it or not!!!

5) Stop engaging in conversation with these Ex's! This is ridiculous! You and your SO buy what you want and stop engaging with the EX's. Ugggh.

6) You, your fiance and your immediate family should be FIRST! Live YOUR lives and stop including them (In Laws, EX's and Skids) in everything you do. Have your own parties and Holidays! Make your own family traditions! Have your own parties and your own LIFE! STart telling them NO! No, we cannot make it! No, we are going to take our family on vacation! No, we are going away for the Holidays! No, we are buying our own gifts! Etc, Etc,

You gripe about all of these people but you are constantly engaging with all of them and surrounding your life with all the drama!!!

Live your life and don't let the In-Laws, the EX'S, the EX's kids and the SD15 dictate when and how you do it!!!

If your fiance does not see a problem with the way all of this has been done in the past, doesn't want to make changes, and doesn't support you and your emotional needs then HE becomes your biggest PROBLEM!

Do NOT marry this guy until some changes are made and you see what your future will be like for you, your daughter and other children!

Good luck to you...

the-next-step-mom's picture

Thank you all for the input, it really meant a lot to me, to know I am not crazy..my fiance makes it sound like the ex's/and his mom situation/relationship is normal?? I don't know how to explain to him or his family that this is not a normal family dynamic...Especially not from the family I come from. In my family once the person divorces the family they have divorced them too in a sense, there is minimal continual contact if a child is connected,for the child's sake. Another thing I forgot to mention before is how fake his mom can be..like when his mom goes to visit his second ex wife or grandchild like 400 miles away..his mom claims to me and some other people that she doesn't like her and calls her..the b**ch. Then sometimes when I go on the drive with her to do the child exchange she'll bringing gifts/books to the ex and kisses and hugs her..is this fake or what??This behavior gets me thinking if she really hates me too..and has different feelings about me and is keeping the 15yr old at bay, as well..There has been times lately where she would talk to me about the second ex and/or ask me about things in my life, in general..and then she would just quit conversation all of a sudden or get up and leave the room during conversation...I have decided to not talk about the ex's at all, unless it's short, simple and nice. I see you all think I should leave him, I don't think I can do that..I love him and there's a deeper issue..he's an alcoholic..to top all this off..huh..but we have been through so many ups and down's..He just doesn't know what to say to his family without pushing them away...which is what I think we should do for a while. He is sort of starting to come around...This last new years(his birthday) he told his mom and dad that he wanted to celebrate new years and his birthday with just our family...His mom's response was..."Well you brought these women into my life and you can't just take them out"???? The 15yr old comes over every other weekend and she is coming this weekend and I don't know how to hold my head up high around her, without saying something..I feel like she's fake just like her grandma, playing a little game. And the 15yr old has told me more than once on Facebook..that she only comes over to see her little brother and no one else..I tried to figure out a way of telling her, if she couldn't respect me as his mother..then she doesn't respect him..but she threatened me that I will never keep her from her brother, I simply said..I am his mother first and you are his sister second..The one person I have to talk too..from high school(P.s.-I am 29yrs old, my fiance is 32yrs old)..called and talked to me today about it and said" Don't feed into any of it, she's trying to get a rise/reaction out of me..even if it's small" and she told me to respond with"I don't have time to talk about the second ex wife", when the 15yr old starts getting me going with it. I agree with everything she said but why allow the behavior, and that's what I have been hounding my fiance to take care of. But I think some of you are right that she's already made up her mind...not to like me..because I have sat down with her many times to tell her how I feel and it seems to make it worse for me..and better for her, she loves seeing my mad, sad and without a place. I agree that disengaging with the 15yr old is the only option, stop trying to be nice and cater to her, when she grows up she will see what I tried and how she ended it..hopefully. I almost want to tell her if your first step mom is your step-mom..then let her buy you a car and give you money..not me, or ask her what did she get you for Christmas or done for you lately..Or the fact that when your dad and her got divorced she moved 400 miles away..taking her sister far away, and must not of mind leaving you behind!! You are all right about the 15yr old being spoiled and self-entitled, she calls all the time right before she comes and asks..what are we doing this weekend, to see if she can make anything out of coming??..So here's the thing with my fiance..his family doesn't know him or understand him like I do...if we weren't together he would not do good..I believe his family would try to drowned him in "do better" and he would run and drink himself to death..We have a good balance here, with his drinking, work and all the things he feels he needs to do, but, even from a distance his parents want him to do better..So I don't see good things..and when he left me and went back to his second ex is when his mom drove him over for a visit with his daughter..he never came back, he stayed with her..I think this predicament would happen all over again..His mom's relationship with his second ex would set him up to have mixed feelings, especially when he would have to visit with her. This thought makes it very awkward to be around his second ex wife and there is a lot of resentment, me because I know if we don't work out, he will go back to her..and her because she thinks I took him from her and caused their divorce, when CPS was involved and everything, because they were both alcoholics, and that's why that were not or did not work out. But the fear is always there..that it's bound to happen if we break up, they will get back together?? Anyways that's why I have issues with the second ex wife, because she stays single, and keeps contact with his family..just waiting for her window of opportunity. Anyways I could care less, what happens is meant to happen and I am a firm believer of that..but I don't want to take the pain from the 15yr old, and not know if his mom is faking me out as well?? Any thoughts??

New second wife-step-mom's picture

Throw alcoholics into the mix.... :jawdrop:

I almost want to tell her if your first step mom is your step-mom..then let her buy you a car and give you money..not me,

^^^ Then tell her...

I can only hope for your sake that somebody has made this up and all of this is not real!

Disneyfan's picture

Forget MIL, the exs and SD. Instead think about your daughter. Why should she have to live with an alcoholic?

New second wife-step-mom's picture

Forget MIL, the exs and SD. Instead think about your daughter. Why should she have to live with an alcoholic?

^^^ TRUE.

Orange County Ca's picture

Really woman get out of this. You're not that desperate are you?

Just take your ring and give it to him and admit that you made a mistake. No blame on him, take it all on yourself, no long explanations "It was a mistake and I just cannot go through with this I'm really really sorry. Goodby".

Preferably have your things packed and gone when you say this to him personally. Perhaps when he returns from work. Your child is already gone, maybe staying with a relative or friend and your new, even if temporary, place is ready to receive you or maybe you can stay with the relative/friend for awhile with your stuff in storage.

Please don't put you and your child through all of this - a man is not worth it.

Block your phone, ask your provider for help if needed, block his email and social site such as Facebook if you have a page. Do not visit his to see any reaction. It's over and its as if they no longer exist. Take care of your child and work to keep your mind free.

nothinforya's picture

Please google "codependency". You are putting an addict's desires above your daughter's wellbeing. You need to understand why you would think it is okay to involve yourself with so many layers of crazy that are glaringly obvious in his family dynamics. It is bizarre to think of his "harem" assembled on these occasions that you describe.