How often do you have the skids? If Dad wants to play video games and/or watch a movie with his kids, tell Dad to put a tv in the skids room. Rule is no skids in your bedroom, but why not let Dad go sit in the skids messy smelly bedroom?

I do understand to a certain extent, what Dad thinks. He watching a movie with one kid while the other kid is on video game and you're not home. He is thinking, cool, both skids entertained and all is well. He doesn't think of it as you do. He loves his kids and doesn't see a big deal. You , on the other hand have very valid reasons 1) not your kids and one smells. Hey buddy, we have sex in here 2) invasion of privacy and a sense of invading your personal space.

Dad could even consider a small tv in the kitchen/dining area. You can watch news or whatever while getting dinner ready ( I do) , and this would also give another tv (one for movie, one for video games) without leaving one single reason or excuse for the skids to be in your room.

Oh, and Dad pays for tv and any extra connection. His kids. His cost. That or he can lose his wife. Inform him that even in intact families kids aren't usually allowed to hang in the parents bedrooms.

But , just remembered something, are you the one who doesn't want the skid to come out in the kitchen when you're in there? I briefly read something like that someone very recently wrote. If it were you, then that leaves the skids bedroom.

Maybe it's time for a bigger house if you all need more room to be comfortable and maintain personal spaces.

I thought my DH's second wife was HORRIBLE to SS. UNTIL I discovered how horrible SS was. Second wife and DH took her children and their friends to multiple vacations excluding SS. But SS was a criminal who ended up incarcerated for almost 4 years prior to his release only because his offenses were as a minor
No wonder she wanted nothing to do with SS. I don't blame her at all.

Having a stepchild who is somewhat normal is totally different from having a stepchild who is a violent POS.

My SSs know they are not allowed in our bedroom. When I first met DH, his kids (9 almost 10 at the time) would always sleep in the same bed with him, not out of necessity (there were other beds), but out of choice. I told him if he ever wanted me to share a bed with him, he'd stop sharing with his kids. I got really mad at him once because I was away and he posted a picture of the kids sleeping in his bed. He told me he slept in another bed, but it's not about sharing the bed, it was about the kids in his bed.

Now they knock even if I'm just in our bedroom reading or watching tv. A couple of weeks ago, I think one then came in our room to get something while I was in the shower and I was so angry, but decided not to make a big deal of it. He was getting some clothes of his that were in our room, although he had other clothes.

If one of my SSs goes through my things, we will have a big problem.

Parents Bedroom is Off Limits!

No matter who's kids. I also wasn't allowed in parents room, my kids S&D , were not allowed in mine & BD later in mine & DH bedroom , never slept with me either, that was a habit I didn't want to have to break later. That one rule that would only be broken over my dead body!

My ss is constantly in my things. I would buy him personal hygiene products with the hopes of preserving mine but that didn't work. Now I only buy girly stuff. If he wants to smell like cucumber melon more power to him. The worse invention in history is facetime. we would be in bed and here here he comes videoing us for whoever the hell he is talking to. I would smack that phone out his hand each time.