My 10 year old SD has been going to very strange lengths to get attention. For the last two weekends she has been pretending to throw up. She will fill her mouth up and run to the bathroom and pretend to throw up. She hasn't realized yet that she might want to mash up the food because a whole french fry just doesn't cut it. LOL. She also has been screaming and crying in the water (pool) that her leg is cramping and she is drowning (she isn't). I am so surprised by this I don't even know what to say so I say nothing. Her father is at a loss as well. How would you handle this? Thanks

So when SD12 was here on the weekend she was sick (as usual). DH sent her to bed around 8pm but before she went to her bedroom she asked for a bowl of water. I was thinking, is she really that thirsty? LOL. DH said that she wasn't taking a bowl of water to her room because of the flooring and spilt water would ruin it. He asked why she wanted to do that and SD said that at BMs house if they are sick she fills a bowl of water and puts it in the middle of the room as it "cleans the air". WTF??

No, really! She did!
DH told her to set the table for dinner Saturday evening. He'd already set plates out, but she had to get silverware out, and napkins, and all that. DH coached her through it..."Okay, the napkin goes on the left, I think, and the fork on top of it. Knife and spoon on the right side. [yells into living room where I am] HONEY!!! Fork on the right with the napkin, other stuff on the left, correct???...see, SD! We got it right! Don't worry, I didn't know that either, 'til j-dog taught me...."

Just thought of one more thing that makes me excited to be the BM instead of the SM. Getting to have a say in Halloween costumes!

OK, I KNOW it's early but I generally like to get it done early.

I'll do the bulk of my Christmas shopping in October then all I have to do in December is decorate and pick up some little last minute things.

This year we have skids christmas eve and christmas morning.

I actually love, love, love christmas shopping, picking out things, wondering what someone will like, then finding it, wrapping it, etc.

Just wondering if anyone has tried this. I am thinking of a big bright poster size chart with rules of this home and consequences for breaking them! Seems 2 kids in this house know the rules but the SD10(other 2 are my D9 and his son 13)can't ever remember them...no let me say I know she knows them just chooses to break any or all of them. So with this big poster no more fighting with dad over what the punishment will be if such and such is done. Or for that matter not done
Example:

FDH has finally seen what I have been telling him about FSS8's emotional immaturity, and this weekend he really cracked down on it. I'm soooo proud of him.

I know this is a little minor compared to some of your problems but here we go.

Does anyone here live in the San Antonio area? I find it hard to believe there aren't any Step Mother Support Groups in this city or even its surrounding areas.

It would be great to have an actual support group of other women to share experiences and get adivce/support.

Anyone live in the San Antonio area?

So we told BM that she needed to meet halfway or pay for half the gas.. She tried to say that she would just drop SS off at our house and "inspect" it to make sure it is safe for "her son". Mind you this is after she previously broke into the house, and called the cops after being at the in laws. Now she is mad and making him drive all the way down there to pick him up at the daycare GRRRR. I'm so tired of everytime we have his son it turning into a huge fight between them, and a monster of problems with her. Something has to give she is very impossible to deal with.