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Cannot Deal

harderthaniimagined's picture

I have complained and vented enough for twelve people in the past few days and have gotten tremendously helpful support / feedback /advice, but can't help myself from venting yet again. Spent a tearful night with my husband again and feel so sad and frustrated (apart from issues around the kids, he and I have barely fought in the past almost ten years we've been together).

I need to find a way to stop being resentful and embrace his kids and their place in our lives but, if I'm being truly honest, I don't want them around. The youngest got impetigo early this week, so I took him to the doctor because his Mom was away with her boyfriend. Fine, but that created a ton of work and laundry cleaning everything he touched because it is highly contagious. He came back to us last night and got a stomach flu (poor guy, but more cleaning).

Cooked a meatloaf last night, which I hate but the husband and my stepson love and normally lasts us days. However, the 19 year-old who recently moved in got off early from work, had her boyfriend over and polished it all off and left me with a pile of dirty dishes.

I am still in a neck brace and in pain from my surgery and wound up arguing with my husband and crying (I know it sounds a little ridiculous, but this really never happens unless we are struggling with the kids). She has been using my car for two weeks now (not a single "thank you"), her boyfriend comes over every single day and they eat like they have been in a starvation camp, then she lounges around and or sleeps until her fiend or boyfriend come back to pick her up. My husband pays child support for her to his ex, while we now pay for her phone and (as of tomorrow) her insurance, have twice the food bill and more than twice the amount of cooking.

I love my husband more than words, but I can't do this. I am desperate to find a way that we can mange through this together that doesn't mean me being the only compromiser. HELP!!!!!!

lala-land's picture

It sounds like you are overwhelmed by the additional work your SD has created for you when she informed you and your DH that she was moving in. As a minimum, if DH wants her in the house, then he needs to deal with her, her friends and all the messes and chaos she brings into your household. Is there any reason, this 19 year old cannot clean up after herself? Is there any reason she cannot show up at dinner time and help prepare meals? Can she contribute to the household in any way, lifting the burden from someone who is recovering from surgery? And why is she using your car?

Your SD sounds like the house guest from hell. Is there any reason she cannot leave? Is there any reason you or DH cannot tell her to step up and help out or find some other living accommodations?

But the big question is, is there any reason that BM or DH cannot deal with their children? It seems like you are doing things for both of these kids that their parents should be dealing with and this is causing you a lot of stress and affecting your health and your marriage. You are going to be resentful, as long as your needs and wants are being ignored.

ldvilen's picture

This ↑↑. There is either responsibility with authority, or no responsibility with no authority. Unfortunately, like most SMs, you have been put in the place of having much responsibility, but with no authority. In other words, you wind up finding yourself in the role of a servant to the family vs. what your true role should be—DH’s wife or SO.

So, SM finds herself at the bottom of everyone else’s priority list, while everyone else is to be at the top, including BM. It’d be one thing, like you say, if you even got a thanks now and then or someone putting at least some effort into doing their share, such as SD and boyfriend cleaning up after themselves. But, no, instead you get blamed and punished for not making everyone happy.

You are getting a raw deal, and you know it, and that is why you are upset. But, again, like most SMs, I’m sure DH, SKs, BM are all acting like they are the ones getting screwed and you should be doing more. Yep, you should be doing more, so in the future, they can all treat you like DH’s sloppy seconds whenever they are all around vs. DH’s wife. That will be your “reward.”

Some would say it is DH’s fault for not putting his foot down and even your fault for not just saying “No,” and, in many ways, they are right. It is your and DH’s home, and I would strongly advise that you let him be 99.9% responsible for the care of his 19-year-old daughter. If you continue to cook and clean for her, that is sending her the message that: Yes, you are her servant, and all with DH’s blessing. Stop doing this. You are waiting on these ingratiates and not even getting paid. No one would ever, ever be expected to do that, except for a SM, of course.

Society has it all wrong, as your post proves. As a whole, SMs go to great lengths to try to keep everything together for themselves and “the family.” Her payment = anytime any little thing goes wrong she is to blame and if she dares to contest that, she is Evil SM. I say, fine, be evil SM all you want. At the end of the day, you’ll feel better about yourself and your marriage to DH will perhaps still be intact. You’d be surprised how quickly when SM says, NO, and means it, DH suddenly starts getting the balls to also start saying NO, as in telling DD that if she and her boyfriend can’t start cleaning up after themselves, then boyfriend isn’t welcome any more, BECAUSE now it will be DH cleaning up after them rather than you! And, don't hesitate to let their dirty dishes sit in the sink for weeks on end, even. They are the ones who need to get the message, not you.

Acratopotes's picture

I would simply take away my car keys, sorry SD you are on your own, maybe if you start cleaning after yourself you might borrow it again, but until then NOPE....

Get a lock on the fridge, sorry SD you do nothing the whole day but make a mess, thus no food for you anymore, we pay CS to mummy (DH should actually get this changed immediately) SD if you are hungry go to mum's, my house is not a hotel.

Aergia entertained a bunch of strangers last week and they raided the fridge, a whole months of meat got wasted and BBQ... SO is furious, there's nothing in the house to eat,I'm laughing my self silly, and refuse to help out, I live on my own and I simply eat at home... SO is welcome to come over for dinner... but not little princess...
She was not happy this week-end and I felt nothing.. every time she asked what's for lunch/dinner... I smiled and said, ask your friends dear...

Crazystepmomof3's picture

Oh I'm so sorry for what you're going through. I have no advice for you, I wish I did. But I wanted to tell you, you are not alone.I'm dealing with 3 step teens that take full advantage of the birth parents. Reading your post made me feel finally for once I'm not alone I how I am feeling. I love their father dearly but I'm afraid that his children will be the end of us. Hang in there and much love!!!