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Adult step-child who feels entitled and uses guilt

KathyB's picture

I am a 43 year old mother of 2 and I have two adult step children. One is 25 and supports herself. The other is 20 and has never supported himself. He has a criminal rap sheet since he was a juvenile. He lived with my husband and me from the age of 5 until he was around 12. His mother was mostly absent. But, at the age of 12, he decided that he didn't like "rules" anymore and went to live with his mother. He stayed in trouble with the law. Did poorly in school. He was in and out of boarding schools. My husband, his father, would send him and he would be doing well, and then his mother would "bail" him out. She never even gave him a chance. She let him get a tattoo when he was 16 because he said it made him "strong" in other's eyes when he's in juvenile detention or jail. He hung out with a gang while living with his mother. Had several DUI's. Assault. Arrested for drugs. Misc other things. Both of his parents continued to bail him out and never let him take the fall for anything. Always had excuses for him. As he has gotten older, he praises his mother for her support (she lets him sponge off of her and do whatever he wants) and disrespects his father every chance he gets. Usually in very public Facebook statuses. Just today, I deleted him from my account and took him off my children's too. I don't need them reading his poison. My husband went behind my back a few years ago to pay for his college, even though we both agreed we would not since we had spent his college money bailing him out of criminal cases and paying for lawyers. My husband did it anyway and I found out by accident. Of course, his son flunked out and wasted our money. I found out that time that he had also bought his adult daughter furniture for her apartment without talking to me about it first. He did is secretly and without respect for my part in this. We had words about it, but then he turned around again at the holidays and purchased a lap top, again without telling me, for his adult daughter. All the while telling me that we are "short on money." Personally, I think both this adult child's mother and father have failed him. His son constantly attacks his character as a father, and then my husband will go out and buy him a plane ticket or a suit. I just don't get it. I demand respect from my own children, and I did of his two when they lived with me. I am so tired of fighting his battles and givig up MY money to spend on a child who doesn't have the wherewithal to get a job. He is now living with his 25 year old sister and sponging off of her because his mother moved about an hour north and he didn't want to go and not be with "his friends." He doesn't go to school. He doesn't do anything. He has a car and insurance his mother pays for. She gives him a credit card to use. My husband bought his suit, etc. But, every time I turn around, this kid has a cell phone, cell plan, concert outings, etc. I am just fed up. I am tired of living under his kids' shadows and quite frankly I've just had enough of it with my husband. My husband decided a few months back it would be a good idea to add his non-working, adult son to our gym membership - of course us paying the fee. I don't want to pay for this man's gym membership. Why should he have the luxury of the gym when he can't even get a job? I told my husband today I would not be paying his gym membership any longer and he asked me to wait. For what?! I told him no - I would not wait. I called the gym and they told me that I can't take him off becaue of the contract and that I'm bound to pay for this adult man to use the gym on MY DIME. While I go to work everyday. While my husband goes to work everyday. He is the most self-centered, snot-nosed, self-entitled, indignant brat I have ever known. I am not an angry person and he is just bringing out the devil in me. I can't take it anymore. My husband begs him to have a relationship and he spits on him each and every time. M husband will text or e-mail him and he ignores it. I told my husband to just stop and let him come back to him, but he won't or can't. I am also nervous because my husband is repeating the same patterns with our two children together. It's so scary.

Comments

KathyB's picture

Thank you. Makes perfect sense. I know in my mind, but it always sounds better from someone else. Plus, I'm just so frustrated. Thanks again!

Eyes Wide Open's picture

I totally understand your frustration. It's almost like the dads feel this tremendous guilt for their kids' "sad little lives" (whatever!)and will do anything it takes to have any sort of relationship at all with them. It's crazy, but they will spend any amount of money and take any amount of abuse just for a scrap of a relationship with an ungrateful child. The kids are aware of this and continue to take advantage of it. I see it first hand, and it's sooooo sad. I've seen both of my skadults verbally abuse their father and insult him in public, yet he stands there and takes it like he deserves it. He wouldn't tolerate it from anyone else in the world, but allows it to happen with is own children.

...and they wonder why us SM's "disengage" after awhile!?

KathyB's picture

Thanks everyone. And yes, A. Deville, while my ss does not exhibit all of the criteria, he defintely falls into some. But, what if DH makes significantly a lot more money than I do? We pool our money, but I make 1/4 of what he makes, if that much. I think I would be spiting myself. The gym will not let me cancel ss gym membership because there's a contract. The only way to break it is if he moves 15 miles from the gym or has medical issues. So, I'm stuck paying for his ungrateful child's membership while I work and he sits around and contributes nothing. Really burns me. It does not end until May 2011. I did tell DH this morning that I do not agree to spend one more cent on this child. As long as he lives off of his sister, and his mother pays his way, there is no reason for him to work. SS attitude is very clear. DH never responded with an agreement, a fight, nothing. He just puts his head in the sand the hopes for it to go away. He has done this to me for 14 years. He has no communication or confrontation skills whatsover.