You are here

All out there, help.

Clueless914's picture

I married a great guy with 3 daughters. The beginning and up until recently have been great. Their dad isnt used to all the parenting. He was in the military and when he came back he was more worried about trying to save his marriage then parenting the girls simply because he didnt know how, they had/have no direction from BM. I came in we established rules. I enforced them because he wasnt home. I taught them hygiene, how to wash there hair, how often they need to shower and change their underwear. My relationship with them was great! There mother only pays attention to the oldest. And not really in the best way. Teaching her to wear padded bras, dark make up revealing clothes and multiple boyfriends is good. She makes the younger two leave her alone, hardly any reaction with them. The oldest has always had a darker more angry personality. I am trying to teach morals, self respect, how to listen and that actions have consequences. We do fun things all the time, mainevent, bowling, skating, out to dinner, arts and crafts. 

Christmas hits. The younger 1 throws a huge monumental fit about us taking her phone because of her attitude. She is hyper hyperventilating, about to through up on her self all because dad wants to talk to her about her actions. The oldest comes attacking dad, calling us names and saying we have no right to take their phones.(recurring problem, cause BM has told them we cant) oldest calls BM, she is cusing us out calling us morons, b****. We eventually end up taking the girls back to their moms because everyone is miserable. I mention that dad and I have talked about taking oldest to therapy to deal with her anger. She flips out. This girl has threated to cut the heads off her sister's and hang them from a tree. She assaulted their dad, has made animated videos of her killing her family, the youngest has had nightmare screaming to have the oldest leave her alone.

Them BM is messaging husband about how I am the problem, how I am horrible borderline abusive because I discipline the girls. Husband doesnt defend me, stick up for me. She has told them they dont need to listen or respect me. Now the youngest is coping the oldest because she does that. They dont look or listen to me when I speak to them. Purpously do the exact opposite of the rules that have been in place for 2 years. 

Everytime an event like this it gets worse and worse. I dont think I can handle it much longer. I dont have support from my husband. The arrangement on paper is every other full weekend. The current arrangement is every friday into half day Saturday and every other full weekend. Husband works most Saturdays. I told him I would like to start only taking them to dinner Fridays then either they go home to their moms or to his parents. And again I'm a horrible person. I just cant live in my own house the way I have been the last few weeks. Its breaking me. Idk how much more there is to break. 

Comments

StepUltimate's picture

Don't let this break you. You've come to the right place. Biggrin

Clueless914's picture

Thanks! I figure it is better to talk to yall about it rather then a husband that doesnt see it from my prospective 

Kes's picture

If your DH isn't enforcing any discipline or supporting you then you have no chance of turning this situation around, I'm afraid.  You need to get your DH to see that.  If you read widely on this site you will see that time and again, the advice given is that it is  a change of attitude in the bio parent that is needed, first and foremost, before you can tackle SKID behaviour. 

I was confused by your first paragraph. Where you say DH came back from the military wanting to save his marriage - did he mean to BM or to you?  It sounds like at the same time as this was going on, you were looking after the SKIDs.  I don't really understand.  

Clueless914's picture

He came back from the military to his ex wife. Sorry lol yes I know his behavior needs to change. I just dont know how to deal with them any more. Am I wrong to want them to go to their grandparents, the friday nights husband has to work Saturday's? I end up taking them home while he is at work. 

Winterglow's picture

OK, so who are they there to see? You or him? Easy question, right? So, if he isn't there, send them to their mother's. There's no reason for them to be there if he isn't there. I'm pretty sure they'd rather be at their mother's place anyway.

For what it's worth, your husband is a pathetic apology for a father and a spouse. He doesn't discipline his feral kids, he doesn't back you up when he absolutely should, he expects you to be at their beck and call but has removed all authority from you by undermining you. Why does he imagine that by brow-beating you about his kids that he can make you like them? Things don't work that way.

Do not feel guilty, he's the one who should be feeling guilty for not doing his job as a parent and expecting someone else (you or his parents) to do it for you. Either he stops working Saturdays or the kids go to their mother's.

Clueless914's picture

Since the most recent event, I have been doing exactly that. I have disengaged and kept comments to my self. If they want to do something and i think they shouldnt my answer is now ask your dad. They want to eat candy for breakfast as your dad. I will say that since i have told my husband this is going to stop or I am out conversation, he has stepped up as a father. He has done the parenting. But like most things it will take time. Next weekend is the first friday into Saturday we will have them I'm waiting to see what he does if he works. Or if he talks to the OSD 11 about getting because to where we once were. Or about her behavior. 

thinkthrice's picture

sadly we all read off the same script:

1.  "I'm

-married/with/dating an

-amazing/wonderful/great guy

-who happens to have a horrid ex and children who

-don't behave

-call their father names

-have no life or personal skills

-are destructive and violent

-are in trouble at school

-have no friends so they cling to their father

-co-sleep with their parents WELL beyond toddlerhood, yet

2. amazing/wonderful/great guy 

-doesn't discipline the kids

-doesn't create boundaries with his ex

-spoils and overspends on the kids

-acts as though I'm invisible when his kids are with us

-treats me as though it's all in my head

-says I'm mean to children and don't understand

-expects me to love, care and finance his kids as though they were my own

3.  this is because he is

-afraid of losing his kids to the BM with whom he is in a contest to see who can abdicate the most amount of parental authority and win the "My kid's best friend" title

- doesn't want to be an "ogre" by disciplining/training his kids in the short anount of time he has them.

-wanting me to be their new mommy with 100% responsibility yet with 0% authority

-wanting the kids to have 0% responsibility and 100% authority"

Ready to rethink that "amazing wonderful great" adjective?

"But I'm so in love and we only fight about his kids and the BM"

Analogy:  This car is so sleek and stylish but the frame is rotted out...I'll just spend twice what it would ever re--sell for to retro fit it with a used frame.  It will never run right but I LOVE the way it looks!

This house is wonderful but it has massive foundation issues and is sinking into the ground...I'll buy it anyway due to the brand new appliances that need to be shimmed to keep from rolling into the center of the kitchen.

Clueless914's picture

I understand that this is the norm, I just want to learn how to either except the situation or change it. And our situation would be so much easier if the BM kept her trap shut and gave a crap about the girls. She is manipulating them to hate us, they love her unconditionally, but 1 day will see how crappy of a mom she was

Harry's picture

You must disengage from SK.  First if DH is not home, he must make arrangements for SK care.  Now you , you are not a babysitter.  Remember babysitter have more control then you. Because babysitter would quit this job.  If DH has to work on Saturday, SK go back to BM.  Saturday you leave early and do someplace. 
no cooking, cleaning. Driving . Paying for SK.  DH will do all for his kids. 

Clueless914's picture

That is what I have been doing as of late. He has stepped up I will give him that. I am just afraid that the girls will grow up to be horrible people. He does the necessity, making food and they dont kill eachother. Hes still trying to figure out the cleaning situation, cleaning up after your self, hygiene type things. But they have no moral compass. There mom frankly is a whore who brings all this different men around. My husband is trying but he doesnt know how to deal with girls. How to talk to them in a way the will understand. I will always try and lead by example for them. Idk I'm stuck between not engaging at all or engaging so they will have some idea of how to act once they are on their own, and crushing my soul in the process 

Cover1W's picture

Good that he stepped up. My DH is better agter I disengaged but still has lots of issues. He's a great guy but a bad parent. They can be both. You just have to sort out for yourself how you continue to disengage. Because...

*You have zero ability to determine how they turn out*

You can get parenting books for your DH, if he'll read them (mine did not). If he cannot figure out how to make sure they take a shower, it's on him. Pay no attention to BM. It's hard, but ot will drive you crazy. You cannot control her, only YOUR reaction to her.

You also need to tell your DH where you stand for the future. Kids in school? Graduate from high school? Move out at 18? No babies in your house? No drugs? Boys? Draw your line now because if they continue coming to your home you're in for a rough ride if your DH continues to give in.

thinkthrice's picture

caring more than the bio parents do NEVER, EVER, EVER, EVER works out.