Hi Steps-  I haven't come here in awhile, but found you again today and thought I would check in. Thanks to this group, being a stepmom causes me less daily angst and less stress than it used to. Disengaging was a life saver, and setting limits with DH and my horrible MIL has helped me a lot. DH and I are still together, now married 6 years, our kids together are 5 and 4. SD is 12 and still goes back and forth 50/50, we all get along for the most part.

DH has been giving me the cold-shoulder/silent treatment for almost a week. It's a pattern, and we're at a point where I really can't stand it. It feels a bit like emotional abuse/manipulation. He won't make eye contact and doesn't address me in the family- just communicates through the children. (we have DD3 and DS2 together, SD10 50/50.) When he's like this he barely acknowledges me in a room and won't say good morning or good night- goes to bed at 9pm right after SD.

Is there an order of who's served first in a family that makes proper sense?

Is there an age at which kids should definitely be served their food ahead of adults (babies)? If so is there an age at which this is no longer appropriate?

I'm the primary person buying the food for dinner time, meal planning, and 90% or more of the prep and cooking for most meals. DH helps a few days per week, but like most women this seems to fall mostly on me.

You guys were so helpful at making me see the humor in this situation and the fact that I've put up with this B*tch and her antics for too long... Thanks for the support and advice. I am really in it now, so I don't know what else I can do except count down the days until my in-laws leave.

But because this situation now resembles a bad sit-com, (My in-laws favorite thing!) I thought I'd update you, at least so that you can laugh (or rage) along with me.