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SPOILED 16 YEAR OLD STEPDAUGHTER

Lesa B's picture

I have been married for 12 years, my husband has 3 children from a previous marriage.  The middle child has lived with us for 2 years now, husband has soul custody of her and she is 16 years old. I love all of them like my own, I carry heath and dental on all of them since my insurance is better than their biological parents, me not asking a dime. This is how much I love them like my own. 

With that being said, I need advice !!

Couple months ago my SD  turned 16, I was giving my first vehicle,  so I gave her my 2013 vehicle and I bought a new vehicle.  I did not get a thank you , but her father did. I asked my husband why I didn't recieve one and he said shes teenager,  so I just brushed it off.  since that day she has been on the go basically every night. Her duties where very simple like unloading the dishwasher,and vacuuming ,Somehow all of her chores has gone out the window, and I have been doing it all myself. I asked my husband what happened with her chores, he said  ahh shes a teenager she doesn't want to be home.. this evening I asked her to do her laundry,  mow the yard and clean her heat register in her room. When I came home from work, my stepdaughter was mowing and I greeted my husband with a hug and a kiss, and he said to me "why do you give her a list of chores to do on a Friday night......REALLY.... it was 3 small things, things that she is capable of doing, But again I'm in the wrong for asking her..

I just dont know what to do, I'm about ready to explode.  I'm brushing it all under the rug but I cant keep doing this every day.  She is building a bridge between my husband and myself and he doesn't see this. Please any advice you can give I would appreciate!! 

 

 

Comments

Rumplestiltskin's picture

Sounds like you are more of a parent to her than he is, and he is acting like a spoiled teenager. If he isn't willing to step up and be the parent he should stay out of your way. She was mowing when you got home, so it sounds like she was finally doing her chores. He should not undermine you. If he won't back you, he can do all the chores himself. 

ldvilen's picture

Getting off topic with this, but is your insurer OK with this? “ I carry health and dental on all of them since my insurance is better than their biological parents.”  Having worked for a health ins. carrier, at least for the org. I worked for, only legal parents (usually meaning either bio-dad or BM or adoptive/ foster parents) can carry health ins. on their children.  In my state, there was even a big to-do about this very deal—CODs having multiple or technically, if not illegally, inappropriate health coverage.  My DH, for instance, had to provide “proof,” which included a copy of the divorce decree pg. that stated he was to be the insurer of the kids.  If he didn’t provide it in such-n-such time, they were going to drop coverage on ‘em.  And, perhaps, recoup costs.  Just asking. . . .

Which brings me to the point that as much as we may love our SKs and want what is best for them, sad to say, we also have to be careful what we do for them.  It is not quite as severe as whenever you do anything for them, don’t expect anything in return, but almost.  We all like to think that kids will be kids and when they get older, they’ll appreciate us for what we do for them.  This does commonly occur in initial families.  However, this does not necessarily occur in the least in blended families.  There are just too many disseminating factors that can come into play for any SP to just assume that because they were nice to so-and-so and did this and that for them, that they’ll get any kind of appreciation in return.  Sometimes, as what may be happening here, our own DHs even (accidentally, on purpose, or accidentally on purpose) sabotage our efforts; if anything, by turning a blind eye to the subtle or not-so-subtle manipulation that is going on, whether that be by SKs themselves or BM or other family members.

So, for any SP, the best advice is to do what you may for your SKs, but take care that you don’t pay too high of a price for your efforts.  If you are the type of person who expects thanks in return for instance, and most people do, don’t overdo for them, esp. if your DH isn’t parent enough to teach his kids to show appreciation for what others do for them.  And, getting back to the ins. above, I’m not saying this is going to happen at all, but just think if your carrying ins. on them was illegal and the insurer went after you to recoup their costs!  Just an example of why you have to be very careful what you do for someone else’s children.  Unlike the bioparents, you have no legal leg on stand on whatsoever.

beebeel's picture

In my state, stepparents can carry their stepkids on insurance, no questions asked. It is not "illegal" to have multiple insurance policies. They just treat one as "secondary" in the event the primary insurance doesn't cover something.

As for OP's situation, tell your husband that if he wants you to butt out and stop treating his kids like you love and care for them: fine. No more chores. No more health coverage and cars, either. Since he believes teenagers don't have to show gratitude they don't need super nice things done for them, either.

 

 

lieutenant_dad's picture

I carry the boys on my health insurance. Had to bring in my marriage certificate and their birth certificates to show DH as the link amongst us all. BM also carries them on Medicaid as secondary insurance. My insurance explicitly states I can have stepkids on my policy.

Lesa B's picture

My employer and my insurance company are both on board with me covering all my SC. I did have to send in all documents in before it was approved  .

Your exactly right,  I do want the best for all of them, and love them like my one. I dont mind doing this for I have a great job with excellent benefits. I just hope they all truly know how I feel towards them !!

lieutenant_dad's picture

Sounds like you have given a lot without getting much of anything in return, including respect from either DH OR SD (and I blame DH for that one).

I think it's time you sit your DH down and lay it all out for him. That you've worked your arse off to get where you are, that you have shared the spoils of your labor with him and his kids, and in return you only ask for respect and some chores to help you out.

I'm assuming SD isn't working right now, and she's not in school right now, and there is a pandemic so she doesn't have a lot of places she should be going, so doing three choirs that will take less than 4 hours out of her 24 hour day seems pretty manageable. ESPECIALLY since she has a free car.

Your DH needs to understand that, while you care about him and his kids, they're crossing the line into using your niceties, and if it continues, the niceties will stop. And I'd put it squarely on HIS lack of parenting and HIM allowing her to use you.

Ask why it was acceptable for him for SD to receive a multi-thousand dollar gift without so much as a thank you to you.

Ask why he thinks it's acceptable that you pay for their health insurance but not ask them to contribute to chores, especially from the kid who got the multi-thousand dollar gift.

And, if I were you, from this moment forward, I'd no longer spend my time and energy on them. SD asks for cash, tell her to ask her dad. If your name is still on the title to the car, tell your DH to buy it off you for SD or she will have to start asking to BORROW your car. 

You don't get to have responsibility without authority, and she shouldn't get privilege without responsibility. You'll end up upsetting your DH, but his upset will not be because you're wrong. It'll be because you're no longer making him comfortable. Too bad. His kid, his responsibility. Your help is a privilege he has abused. Sucks to be him.

Trying to Stepmom's picture

I agree with Rumplestiltskin too. 

My stepdad bought me a car when I was 16. My mom and I moved into his house which was 45 minutes away from my school and mom's job. He and my mother also took the car away if I was super grounded (which only happened once). But if I needed gas money, you bet I did my chores. I really only got paid for mowing the lawn though. And my stepdad didn't care if it was 10pm and I hadn't taken the trash to the curb, I still had to do it. My mom backed him up too. 

I'd have a chat with your DH. Is the car still in your name? That's how my stepdad did it. Even though he "bought" it for me, it was still in his name. 

Dogmom1321's picture

Nope! I have already decided I will in no way, shape, or form, co-sign for SD for anything. Apartment, car, etc. Her "mom" can help her with that. She's the parent, right? DH has always had mediocre credit score, so I doubt he would even be able to swing it. She can also figure out car insurance. 

Then again, SD is so incredibly lazy, it wouldn't surprise me if she just "didn't feel like" taking driver's ed. *eyeroll* and sponge other people for rides. DH totally acknowledges how lazy like her mother she is.