I have a question. My husband lets his daughter (my stepdaughter who is 5) stay up really late when she is visitn every other weekend. I have talked to him about setting a schedule because she needs rest and we need quiet time. He agrees but never follows through. I think it is her manipulation. Is this typical behavior for a divorced father?

It was an endurance test. We rented a cabin on a lake for a week. Although I get along okay with my ssons this week really tested me. This is meant to be tongue and cheek.

Here’s what I learned:

1. When packing for the whole family it’s easy to forget your own stuff like a swimsuit and a hairbrush.

2. Let DH pick a fight with you every morning. He’ll feel better after and wonder why I’m so crabby the rest of the day.

BM refused to pay for her week of FSD7's summer camp, so that FDH and I could work on our days that FSD will be with us, and so that BM can work on her "classes." Now that she has disrupted the schedule FDH and BM decided to meet at the police station to exchange FSD. FDH wants me to be there, at least in the car, as her text messages have gotten nasty and the last time they were face to face she spit in his face and told him to hit her. So I feel I need to support FDH and be another adult there.

Like so many of you on here, I deal with an impossible, irrational, mentally unstable BM. This has made our blended family life quite a challenge for the last seven-plus years to say the least. Thankfully, DH has FINALLY opened his eyes, and TOGETHER, we have worked as a team to solve these challenges head on.

Life isn't always perfect with regard to her, but at least we are now on the same page when it comes to her craziness and THIS, I feel, is more than half the battle! And because of it, our marriage is stronger.

A couple weeks ago BM yelled and screamed in one of her usual fits. She said that SD11 told her that DH always takes MY side on things and never hers. My first reaction was to be really hurt that she would say something like that. We have great relationship (or so I thought) and she has never acted up. Then I started to think about it. DH doesn't take sides PERIOD.....so where is this coming from? The only thing I can think of is that when I sometimes tell her its time to take a shower or go brush her teeth and DH will say "yeah...what SHE said".

well, while my day started a bit shaky because i was caught off guard in regards to a situation with bf and his daughter and her mother, I feel okay now.... emotionally I was down today... BUT BECAUSE THROUGH some OF THE COMMENTS I REALIZE THAT I AM STRONGER THAN MANY WOMAN ON HERE THAT TRY TO KEEP someone that is sad, DOWN... THESE individuals are sad people, and I would NEVER WANT TO BE A NEGATIVE PERSON, TRYING TO ONLY HURT OTHERS. SHAME, SHAME...

Every holiday, BM (who is openly hostile and hateful to DH and me) gives DH photos of his kids enjoying their vacations with BM as a "gift." She also gives copies to DH's parents.

I hate these photos -- I feel so intruded upon when they arrive, wrapped up or in frames. We have our OWN life with the kids, filled with our own photos. DH hates it, too.

Any way to get her to stop? DH won't man up and tell her because he is scared of her.

So, I'm not due until mid-March. We're on a very tight income right now so I need to budget well when making purchases for baby. I was wondering what you think are things that are MUST HAVES as far as gadgets and things go?

This is my first kid, so I'm starting from scratch. We have a LOT of cousins and stuff in the family that have kids that are getting older, so I anticipate a lot of hand-me-down things, but just in case I want to get a good idea of things YOU couldn't live without.

Thank youuuuuuuuuu!

Maybe I'm just emotional due to the pregnancy hormones, but MAN I am increasingly annoyed with BM these days. Sorry for a long vent to come....

Regardless, of if I am a GF or a wife, I posted this situation trying to get sound and reasonable advice from any REAL WOMAN that can relate... As women, that come to this site for advice, we shouldnt judge other woman, because it really reflects a negative disposition about that person that is placing negative judgements.... Especially when the posts written are simply snapshots of that persons life / situation when they may be at a emotional downturn....