Hi, I am new to this cite and I joined because I am having some really negative feelings associated with being a step-mother. I have always been crazy about my kids, 10 and 5 year old daughter, they really were the loves of my life, there father- not so much. After I divorced him, I met a new love and I consider him part of the love of my life catagory and he came with a little boy(5yrs). The kids took to each other very well and I thought I could really see myself loving him as my own. Shortly after the honeymoon phase with the kids wore off. I am an extremely protective mother, been guilty of being too protective, so when my now husband told me my kids were unruly and I needed to be more strict with them and he started yelling at them, I was more than put off. However, I really respected his opinion and could see that many of his points were valid. So, I asked myself, am I doing right by my girls. They loved him, they love his son, so that has to be a good thing. My husband kept trying to " get them in shape" when I started to notice that he had a double standard, the girls would do something and get yelled at for it but he ignored the same or similarly annoying behavior in his kid. My girls are so sweet and confident that they loved him and his son any way. Plus, my husband was trying to be better, he said he did not know what he was doing but he wants to do it right. I have tried to be patient but right now I feel so bitter towards my step- son. I want to love him like my own( I treat him like my own but it's an act, he can't tell because he treats me like his real mom) I have a new baby with my current husband and he is such a joy to us but I hate feeling bitter towards my step- son.