Are there SMs out there who refuse to watch their skids when their DH is not around? How did you go about explaining this to your DH?

I've been benefiting silently from some of the posts here, so I thought I would chime in, finally. I'm in a #-year relationship with a father of # sufficiently pleasant teenagers. They appear well-adjusted to ongoing joint physical custody and are outwardly accepting of my role in their father's life. (Here it comes:) He is finalizing his divorce. The "end game" that he has insisted he's in has been dragging on past the point of the absurd. Needless to say this is a sour note in an otherwise lovely melody.

My step-son is 12 years old and lives with my husband and I along with my daughter who is 16. My step-son had extreme mood swings...this could be growing up but it is devistating...it breaks my heart...his mom lives in Illinois and we live in Maine and he was supposed to visit with her, she put it off so long that we could not make it happen...Now he will not speak to her or anyone else. I just dont know what to do about it...

My sd is GONE! she is an 11yr old NIGHTMARE and for the last nearly three years she has been VERY bad to the point of my husband and i almost splitting up! anyway she also has two younger siblings that she tried to corrupt but has failed..NOW her butt is in a treatment facility for the next six months and i have to say that i couldnt be happier!!!!!!

this place is the best. and everyone here is super helpful. I am so glad I found it.

I picked up "stepmonster". gonna read it tonight.

I want to say too I know my sense of humor is weird and I can e really blunt sometimes, and I really appreciate y'all dealing with it.

off to meet a friend for some thrift store action today!

FDH plans to start moving things back to the marital home this weekend. It also happens to be a FSD3 weekend AND his immediately family plans to be out of town at an event. It's almost like he planned to put himself in the worst possible moving situation: No free labor, stressed out 3-year-old, couples counseling with the FDW on Monday to cap it off.

I've offered what help I can -- packing boxes, keeping an eye on FSD3, getting them dinner or something. But each time I've offered, FDH has rejected. "This is my drama, I have to deal with it myself," he says.

I had to go to dr. for a check-up being as i'm 5 1/2 months pregnant. I left my BD/2 and SD 7 at my mothers house for about an hour and a half and when i get there my mom is pulling her hair out cause SD is so out of control the word my mom used was manipulative. If it wasn't think it was another. She takes toys from the little kids. (My mom has custody of my nephew who will be 3 in a couple of months)She is told not to do something so she tell BD & Nephew to do it right after she being told not to do it her self.

If you haven't seen the blog on the wedding and inviting a SD you are missing a great read. The OP is what makes us stepmoms look so bad to the outside world. Her views on whether a child of a previous relationship should be a priority for the next marriage, make us all look bad. Stuff like this makes us have to fight a pre-conceived notion about us as Stepmoms, before we even walk in the door.

As I sit in my office today I am thinking about the long day/evening/night ahead of me. You see, I have to work 2 jobs to support my household because after child support, my husband puts about $700 per month into our bills...yes, you heard correct...$700 per month..that doesn't even cover our rent. So, as I sit here and think about leaving my real job 10 minutes early so I can get to my second job on time...the BM, SD, SS and their siblings by their BM are all on a plane to sunny Florida for a fabulous 7 day vacation.

I really should learn to not say anything I just seem to jinx myself.

Long post - but i'll break it up.