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Need Opinions- Should BM and DH talk?

zerostepdrama's picture

I don't dislike BM because she has a past with DH. I dislike her because of the way she acts. Not only to her kids and people in general but the way she has treated my DH since him and I have been together. I know she treated him like crap when they were together but that is not my business.

When BM doesn't get her way or is mad at DH about something she will text/call him and be verbally abusive. She will say nasty things about DH and about me.

I feel that since she can't act like a normal person most of the time that we don't "owe" her anything when she does try to act normal.

She has stolen money from DH, manipulated him and the kids against him, is nasty and vile and all around not a good person who has shown us nothing but ugliness.

Thankfully we rarely have to deal with BM.

SS22 was living with his GF and they broke up beginning of November and he lived with us for 3 months. During that time we didn't charge him anything and he was supposed to get his act together and get his own place. At the end of the 3 months we gave him, he moved and moved in with BM. He continued to still blow money and not save.

OSD and her DH live in the same apartment complex as BM. OSD's hubby is a drug user. I guess some stuff of SS's came up missing at BMs- money and a laptop and some other things and SS thinks that his BIL stole them. I wouldn't be surprised.

I guess BM and OSD23 are taking the DH's side and there was some drama (when isn't there drama) at BMs and SS left all upset ready to beat up his BIL.

Well SS forgot his phone at BM's when we went to work (he works with DH) and BM called DH from SS's phone. Explaining what was going on and trying to talk to him and see if he would help SS.

DH said he let her talk for about a minute and then hung up on her. She tried calling back a few times and he sent it to voicemail. He was at work and wasn't dealing with it.

Well last night he is talking about it and he says to me "Maybe I should call her back and we can discuss what is going on."

I look at him like he has 2 heads. :? And I'm like Talk about what? It's not your business what happens at her house. If SS wants to tell you his side, fine but other then that it doesn't concern you one bit. It's nothing but trash over there. SS is an adult. What do you have to talk about? Someone stole SS's stuff, he's mad, he's wanting to move out of BM's and stay with us.

So DH and I get into this huge fight about it. He says "So what if SS went missing, I shouldn't talk to his mom about it?" I'm like that is different. If it's a REAL emergency then yes but this isn't an emergency.

I don't think DH really wants to talk to BM. I think he FEELS like he needs to, to be a good parent. Like that is what he needs to do. Work with BM to figure it out for SS. Not sure what there is to figure out.

So then DH starts on about me talking to my ex. I'm like well #1 BS is 10 so I do need to talk to Ex when we are making arrangements for visitations. Other then that we do not talk. Not even to discuss BS's school, sports, etc. Nothing.

But #2 and this is where it's different with BM- my Ex is respectful. He doesn't send verbally abusive texts. He doesn't act like BM. Ex and I can co-parent and not argue and degrade each other.

So am I wrong to think that DH doesn't need to talk about these things with BM? I feel that SS is an adult. They both have done a crappy job co parenting when the skids were minors, so what does he think will change?

Comments

NoWireCoatHangarsEVER's picture

No you aren't wrong. Why would he want to poke the bear? It's grown up time for SS23

zerostepdrama's picture

Why would he even want to engage her more then he has to? Ummm hello this is the woman who told you to put your wife on a chain and that I'm every cuss word in the book. But you want to have an unnecessary conversation with her?

zerostepdrama's picture

I guess I just don't understand how this warrants a conversation between them. They don't talk any other time. Don't parent any other time. What happened at BM's happened. It's over and now SS is going to stay with us for a bit. End of story.

But I dont want to be the wife screaming "You can't talk to her!" because I dont like it when he tries it with me speaking to my Ex.

zerostepdrama's picture

But... but... it works with his balls in my purse...

I guess I just dont understand why he wants to talk to her if he doesn't NEED to. But maybe I dont understand his need. I feel like she's so nasty to me... why even engage her in some "parenting" conversations and NOW?

Thanks for the advice. You are right.

WalkOnBy's picture

No, you are not wrong to think that DH and BM don't need to talk about an adult son - not wrong at all!!

IF SS went missing, or was sick, that would be a different story, but he isn't missing and he isn't sick.

SS is an adult and he needs to figure his own life all by himself.

Tuff Noogies's picture

i'm on both sides here. you can have whatever opinion you want to, and i agree with your opinion - ss is a grown man and should be able to handle his own $#!t. totally agree.

but when it comes down to action, let your dh do what he feels is needed, even if it doesnt coincide with our opinion of the situation. i'm sorry the evening was shot over that argument. that sucks. but dont interfere with him doing what he feels he should do so he can sleep well at night.

princessmofo's picture

I'm in the same camp as Tuff here. And just to reiterate, let him talk to her and try to solve ss's problems. Not your monkey, not your circus. When this all blows up in your dh's face, and it will, simply smile, nod and change the subject. Don't attempt to help dh lick his wounds. Some people, my dh included, only learn the hard way.

zerostepdrama's picture

I guess the less talking to BM the better. If he has this one conversation with her then it will turn into her calling DH over all the skids (4 of them) and all of there drama (plenty) and I like it the way it is. They don't talk. It's peaceful.

zerostepdrama's picture

He always learns the hard way.

Honestly I have some gratification that OSD and her DH are such hot messes because DH used to go on and on about how awesome they were doing and just smile and smile all proud and I'm thinking- uh huh they seem like a hot mess but what do I know??? He always learns the truth... in time...

DaizyDuke's picture

This is dumb. Ok, yes, if SS was in the hospital or shooting heroine at BMs or something of that nature? Then by all means, your DH should probably hash it out with BM. But who the fuck cares about what BM thinks or says or did or didn't do in this drama saga between OSD/BIL/SS. SS is 22, a grown freaking man. If he doesn't want to live with BM anymore than so be it. If he does want to live with BM then so be it. If he wants to beat the crap out of BIL then so be it. I don't understand what there is for your DH and BM to "discuss"? The only discussion should be between SS and DH... and you if DH's plan is to move SS back into your house.....(and you know how I feel about that! Sad blah!)

zerostepdrama's picture

He already stayed last night Sad and he came after I went to sleep... I was hoping to talk to him beforehand and get an action plan for his exit. ANNNNDDD the back door was unlocked.... I was so mad this morning...

Yeah I just dont get what there is to discuss anymore at this point.

zerostepdrama's picture

I'm not sure if he was hoping to get more information in regards to OSD and what is going on with her or what? I really don't know. And considering that BM is a big fat liar... can't trust anything that she says anyways.

DH and SS talked yesterday. They work together.

I just called him and he said he doesn't need to talk to her... I'm thinking he was just mad that I was trying to tell him what to do/not do... when it comes to his kids. I just told him I have a hard time understanding what they need to talk about and why he would want to even open that gate up considering he knows exactly how she is.

hereiam's picture

I don't think he needs to talk to BM, he should talk to SS, but it really is his call. It's probably one he will regret so let him do it and he will learn.

BM over here has always been a bitch to my DH and he told her he wouldn't ever need to talk to her again once CS and visitation was done.

After SD had been married a couple of years (her emancipation event), BM called DH, wanting his help to break up SD's marriage. We knew SD was having an issue but it was her issue and she didn't want to end her marriage. If SD wanted to talk to DH about it, he was there for SD, but he told BM that he had nothing to say to her. Ever. She hung up on him and has never called again.

I was surprised he even answered the phone, and really didn't want him to, but it turned out for the best because it showed BM that he was serious about not having anything to do with her unless it was a true emergency.

Don't fight with him about it, let him do what he thinks he needs to do and hopefully he will learn that exes like that don't change their horns or turn in their pitchforks.

zerostepdrama's picture

Its like why open the can of worms? She usually calls when she needs DH to help sort out some mess of the adult kids. But it's stuff that she is super involved in. She loves drama.

Cocoa's picture

Once he engages with BM he will unleash her crazy and it can continue for years. No need to start fighting his son's fight NOW that he's a grown man! This same issue is a major reason my DH and I are splitting up. His constant engaging with BM over the criminal activities of his adult son. DH has tried to control BM's house for years. you can't stop him from doing it but I'd sure let him know that if this crap happens again you'll be gone because believe me it's a hill to die on

zerostepdrama's picture

Yeah I dont understand why he feels now he needs to talk to BM about SS. SS isn't the (big) problem. Its OSD's husband and that really has nothing to do with DH. I dont want him unleashing any crazy that is for sure. It's better to ignore her.

Cadence's picture

I'm 100% on your side, and fear that someday my SO will fall for some reason that he needs to talk to BM when the kids are adults. She is a full-on anxious helicopter parent, so I'm sure she will not recognize their independence and will try to get my SO to join in. He does tend to see them as weak and helpless already, and they're teenagers.

Here's what I'd do. I'd tell him you're going to let him make the decision, but I'd tell him that first I wanted him to hear what I was thinking because you're feeling bothered by this. Then you'll shut up, let him decide, and support whichever route he chooses.

"DH, I understand that you feel like you need to speak with BM about this. We're experiencing some tension because you want to do that and I don't want you to do that. Here's the deal: I'll let you make that decision and won't argue about it. But the condition of that is that you hear me out, first. Ok?

First, BM is high-conflict, and her discussions about the kids are usually really discussions to meet her need for connection/attention. We have had to put up boundaries with her for a peaceful life, and those boundaries have generally worked, right? With a high-conflict person like her, the moment you create an exception to the boundary, the entire thing crumbles. They take the exception as license to do what they want. This is my main concern regarding speaking to BM. I fear that she will view a conversation with you about your adult child as a reason that everything needs to be discussed, and you will open a can of worms that needs to remain closed. We fought long and hard for boundaries with her, and I don't want to do anything that will have her trying to tear them down, again.

My second reason is that SS is an adult, and he doesn't need his parents talking to one another to solve his problems. As an adult, he's capable of resolving this himself. I understand that, as his parent, you'd want to help him out, and I fully support that. He has moved in with us and I think that any problem solving or discussion should happen directly with him. It's really easy to talk to him because he lives with us. As an adult, his relationships with you and with his BM are separate, and I don't see any need for you and BM to work together. I'd rather that you concentrate on your relationship with your adult son for listening to him or lending a hand if he's experiencing trouble, rather than involving BM.

Thanks for listening. I'll support whatever decision you make."

*BOOM* Rational argument. Men love those. They especially love it when you are succinct. Shorten it even more than this, if you can.

notasm3's picture

Right - there's no reason to listen to any raging ahole. But there is even LESS reason for you to have to listen to him bitch about it and to listen to him repeating the crap BM says about you.

Stepped in what momma's picture

This is an adult not some little kid, geez, ffs, he does not need to call his adult kids mommy. It is all such a drama filled story anyway, I can't stand crap like that so no wonder you don't want him involved.

My parents didn't speak after I turned 15 and there was certainly no reason for them to need to discuss me after I was 18. Plus I knew I was an adult when I turned 18, therefore I acted like one, and when I did stupid crap I didn't run to my parents. I FIXED it all by myself like a normal adult does.

DH's son is supposed to be a MAN by the age of 22, if he was a MAN indeed he wouldn't be living ay his mommies house. Tell DH to suck it.

WalkOnBy's picture

Right?

I didn't speak to Asshat for 10 years - we emailed. I didn't email him when Thing1 broke his collar bone. I didn't email him when DD25 made the state finals. I didn't email him when Thing2 needed stitches. I handled things at my house and he handled things at his house.

I didn't even speak or email him when planning DD25's wedding. I didn't speak to him at the rehearsal, the rehearsal dinner or the wedding.

It. Was. Awesome Smile

Glassslipper's picture

I'm with you and the 2 heads look!
The kids are over 18, there is no visitation, child support or co-parenting about school or after school activities to discuss.
Over 18, no need to discuss with BM anything. Ever.