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Why I want to disengage

Anon9876's picture
Forums: 

I recently posted a topic about a blowout I had with my SO's 18 yr old daughter.

Alot of comments suggested I disengage. And I amiss in agreement that would be best.

First some backstoryx of all we'very dealt with:

I moved into the home when SO's daughter was 13. At first she would ignore me when I talked, pretend like I was there when speaking to her dad and just flat ignore my existemce. This went on for about a 1 1/2 years. It irked me but it was livable.

So at 14 we got news she was pregnant. We were floored. She didn't keep the baby. We later learned she was sneaking around often and smoking pot and drinking and sleeping around. She would often disrespect her dad, saying he was mean and a drunk and he did all that's bad things to her mom. She would talk to her mom about us and then try to get dad to talk bad about her mom.

So fastforward until she's 16. We find pot and cigarettes and pregnancy tests in her room. She is doing poorly in school and failed a grade. SO attempts to discipline her and she threatens him, saying 'get out of my face' and balling up her fists. We argue and she says 'I'm leaving _____' and keeps calling her dad by her name. This is all because he tried to ground her and take her phone. We called the cops, they brought her back before she even got down the road and she went to bed. Her mom refused to come get her that night even though she begged her to.

SD'a mom has not financially contributed and would see her about once a month or 2. She lived 5 minutes uses away.

So a couple months later I find a list of baby essentials and showed SO. We couldn't make anything of it except that seemed to be intentionally trying to get pregnant.

A few months later she is pregnantes and has a girl.

So we had postponed trying for a baby of our own at this time. We decided to get her a car I paid for at 18 so she could take baby to appointments. She had reenrolled back in school after having dropped out when pregnant. We were watching baby and working 2nd shift to help.

By the way she has lived with us the entire time.

So a few months later she drops out again. We convinced her to get GED and she does. But she still won't get her license.

So SO'a brother comes to visit from out of state. He's staying with us. While at work one night we get back and they're both drunk. SO talks to daughter about being more responsible and tells son not to buy her more alcohol *SO had provided her a few beers before but did not want her drinking with baby *. So son gets mad that SO is reprimand ingredients his sister and tries to physically fight him. We all start yelling and I try to break them up. He calls dad a pedophile and yada yada. SD comes in holding her baby and tries to hit dad.

She threatens to punch him in the face. I call their mother and tell her to come get them. Then I call the cops because SO's son keeps charging and trying to assault him. Cops get there after BM has picked up SD. SO didn't want son arrested because he was on provation. So we all lie and say SS didn't assault him.

Fast forward-SS goes back to his state and we start having more issues with SD not cleaning or working or going to school or anything. She just wanted to take her carms and go out. So she starts staying away from home because she got mad at SO for telling her she needed to be more responsible and stop taking her 1 year old out at all times of night.

So a couple months later she wrecks her car, her boyfriend was speeding. SO then takes it and says she can't have it back until she gets license. She stays with a friend a couple weeks asking for money and begging for her car and keeping baby from us because she was mad.

I have my baby and she finally comes for a short visit. Then next time she comes around she's beat up with bruises on ribs and face and scratches everywhere. She looks skinny and dirty. She says her exes girlfriend jumped her.

So SO tells her to stay home more because she was getting in trouble. She does and SO buys her a couple beers behind my back. So a few nights later she's drinking and flips when I go to take a nap. She always acts out when I'm not around and vies for attention and tries to get money from SO because she knows I don't want any of that happening.

Well she flips and I wake up to SO saying he needs help because she's threatening auicide. So we call her BM over here and we're all talking. She says she drains and smokes weed around baby but won't admit to anything else. I ask if she wants to see a therapist or be admitted. She wanted admitted. A few days later she gets out and seems different. Not so angry, more patient with baby, cleaning up. This last for all of a week. SO feels bad and let's her use her car a couple times.

Fastforward 2 weeks. I blow up on her, she goes to mom, we keep her phone. We got on her phone and saw she lied about being jumped-in fact it was a group fight and she was cheering and talking smack and her and the girl fought. SD got beat up. She's done this before with 3 friends-they jumped a girl at her house.

We find out she's popping xanax, roxies, mdma, and snorting coke. She's also drinking heavy and sleeping around. This is where her go Ernest check and child support was going. I guess that's why we were always having to buy diapers, food and clothes for her baby in addition to supporting ourselves and her and our newborn.

She told her mom I didn't feed my baby and only gave her medicine. Then she told her friends she hated me and my SO had lost his 1 sister, 3 kids and 2 grandkids because of me. She told people he is miserable because of me. Then said the baby was ugly and she couldn't stand me and all I wanted was to have her dad to myself.

We learned she was lying about baby daddy not wanting to see her daughter and that she was provoking physical fights with his girlfriend trying to get her to come to our house.

Anyway, that rounds up most things.

This is why I want to disengage. She is a miserable  emotionally manipulative leech.

We kicked her out. She won't talk to her dad and is keeping baby away from us. She told mom I hit her.

How do I go about disengaging completely now that the first step has been made?

 

fourbrats's picture

out of control and it sounds like there are some things dad needed to do differently and I hate to say it but not moving a teenager into his home when he had teenagers is one of those things. You were her peer, not her stepmom. I would not expect my youngest (15) to treat her dad's hypothetical 18 year old girlfriend (we are married) as a stepparent. She has siblings older than that. You are still her peer. 

Now she is wrong in her behavior and everything else. Why wasn't CPS called for any of these incidents? 

Anon9876's picture

I'm not 18 but we donot have a large age difference. I'm 23.

Dad could have managed things differently, true.

We didn't know this was happening at all. We have just found out about the extent of it. She seemed to be doing well when baby was first born.

I guess CPS should be involved. I hope her BM keeps her under lock and key. I'd hate to see her child taken because of this.

fourbrats's picture

in (or around there) based on your previous post and she was 13/14. That is a peer group. How is her mother going to keep an adult under lock and key? This child is an adult now. I also find it telling that you were the same age when you moved in with a much older man but expect this woman to keep an adult on lockdown. 

Anon9876's picture

A peer group with her-yes. Mentality wise-absolutely not, nor have I ever been with any 'peer'.

She's an adult in the legal sense that acts like a child with a complete disregard for her own.

I expect her mother to watch her actions specifically around her kid, why? Because she is putting her in harms way and her mother shouldn't be blind to that fact.

As far as controlling her actions, that's impossible, but it's not impossible to be aware and limit access to those things given we've informed her about everything.

I'm not pretending to be a 'step mom'. I'm entitled to talk and express my opinion in my own home though or anywhere for that matter.

I'm simply asking on the best possible way to disengage.

Does my age really matter in regards to her behavior?

 

fourbrats's picture

let me get this straight....YOUR HUSBAND failed to parent this child who lived with him and now that she is a fucked up 18 year old it's mom's responsibility to keep her in check. Dad messed up when he moved another teenager in the home to play stepmom to his child. Period. Dad failed to notice the child doing drugs, being sexually active, etc. Why? I have some assumptions on that and yes, your age plays a part. Dad allowed said child to drink then freaked out when she drank. 

Now it is all on mom to restrict an adult from doing things. 

And yes I realize that you believe, still with your own brain not fully developed, that you are the exception to the rule in terms of maturity. You made a poor decision at 18. SD is making poor decisions at 18. There is no difference. And I am saying this as the mom of two kids your age. If they came to me with a grand idea of moving in with a much older partner with teenage children they would quickly learn my opinion of this. 

You should have been disengaged all along because of your age. 

Anon9876's picture

My husband parented the child in every way he knew how. Her 'mother' has decided now that she's grown that she wants something to do with her. She believes everything we say is a lie.

So yes-you want to naively believe what you're daughter says and move her in- YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE.

Look, it's ridiculous to assume a parent is going to notice EVERYTHING that their child is doing. And to try to say it's the parents fault that the child made said decisions is ludicrous. Everyone makes their own decisions. When you are 18 years old you are most definitely old enough to know own right from wrong-so says the law. Dad didn't make those choices for her.

So because I mentioned my age you assume me to be immature and incapable of making responsible adult decsions. Wow. You know I'm well aware of the man I chose to be with. And he's a great one. My brain 'isn't mature'? Look I'm not a child. I was well aware what I was doing even at 18. Sure I e grown as a human being but I'm not incapable of making adult decisions. That's the problem of  today's society. We baby people so much that they really believe they're entitled to their parents takino care of them well into adulthood. It's ridiculous.

My decisions didn't include illicit drugs and having a kid with someone I barely knew. And if you consider my decision to be with a man who works, treats me well, is older than me and just so happens to have kids a poor one-then I beg to differ.

Many people search for a happy relationship their entire life, I just so happens to find a man young.

It's amazing your focal point is my age, relationship and maturity. I refuse to be blamed in any way for the way his daughter acts. First, I didn't raise her. Second, she makes her OWN decisions.

I hate to knowork your kids will never have an open minded parent by their side because God forbid their be an 'age difference' or worse still kids....*gasp.

You really need to learn to be a bit more understanding and sympathetic. Even if you can't empathize.

Meezer's picture

She was just stating a scientific fact... The human brain is not done developing until the age of 25, so considering you are only 23, your brain is immature. She wasn't judging you, it's just facts.

And there is something very predatory about a near 50 year old man dating an 18 year old girl who tries to get her pregnant ASAP. I think that's why you're getting these responses. Big red flags here. 

Anon9876's picture

Look I get it.

He was 34 when I was 18. We waited a while before I considered getting pregnant. I understand some people just don't 'get' my relationship.

Luckily it's not for anyone else to get as it only involves 2.

Rags's picture

While an age difference may not be a major issue from within a marriage it certainly can be a notable issue for those looking in from the outside.  I have never made a secret of the fact that I am 12 years the elder in my marriage.  My bride and I met when she was 18 and I was 29.  We married 8mos later when I was 30 and a month before she was 19.  She brought the Skid to the marriage. Currently I am 54 and she is 43.

Our situation was far less complex than yours.  We never lived nearer than 700 miles to my ILs or the SpermClan and were at thlat distance for less than a year. After we moved we never lived nearer than 2000+Miles from her family or my SS's BioPaternalClan.   We never lived near to my family other than my brother and his wife and kids either. At least  until we had been married for 5+ years.  When my parents retired from overseas they built a house a couple miles from our home as close to  half way between our home and brothers as you can get without actually measuring it.  5 years later we moved 1000+ miles away.

So our marriage and our life has pretty much been lived independently from major interference by either or our families or the shallow and polluted end of SS-26's gene pool.

You may want to give it a try.   Move.  Find a place and opportunity where  you and your DH can life your lives and marriage with minimal interference from either of your families.

 

Anon9876's picture

Distance may very literally be the answer, one I haven't thought to consider before.

I'm happy with our location but obviously proximity to certain family members is not always helpful.

Thank you for the comment, it's something to consider. Even if we don't physically relocate 'distance' may still be key in maintaining our sanity.

SteppedOut's picture

Seriously?! You would hate to see her child taken?! I HOPE THE CHILD IS TAKEN.

She drinks and smokes pot around her baby (and maybe, lets be honest, probably more). 

If things continue on like this, which, they will without serious intervention, that poor baby will not even have a chance at a good "normal" and productive life. 

The fact that none of the "adults" in this situation have not called CPS is HORRIBLE.

H.O.R.R.I.B.L.E

Anon9876's picture

I don't know own how to do this.

I have never had to call CPS before. I don't even know if they would believe me without proof. We are now lockedo out of the messages that everything incriminating was on-it was snap chat and she changed the password.

I'm not saying they shouldn't be involved. I've just never done this before.

SteppedOut's picture

Just call DFS and tell them you would like to speak with someone to report an unfit parent. 

Tell them what you know and they will do the rest.

2Tired4Drama's picture

Not me.  You posted all of this on the other forum now you've posted it here.

You were given lots of solid advice on your first post, based on the facts you presented.  Much of that advice identified the seriousness of the situation you are in, and the problems with your SO's actions which can negatively affect you and your daughter.

Instead of considering that advice and deciding you need to seriously discuss it with YOUR OWN family members, a counselor, clergy member, family support center, or other professional, etc. you've decided to come back on here and debate it some more.  

Good luck with that.  I'm not playing Whack-A-Mole and recommend that others not do so either. 

I hope God is watching out for these small children, as no one else in this situation appears to have the cognizance to do so.  

 

Anon9876's picture

I mentioned my backstoryx in both forums.

The previous forum was asking what I should do. Everyone seemed to think disengagement was the route take take.

I have not had to 'disengage' before so I posted this topic in the hopes of learning more about this process and how I should proceed.

I haven't completely negated anyone's advice, even yours.

You say SO can negatively impact my daughter? I agree. Which is why I want him to learn from this so he doesn't make the same mistakes.

I brought up his enabling and he responded 'I know that alot of this is my fault, I should have been harder on them and not spoilt them so much.' He is trying to take responsibility for his part. Is it all on him though? No, it's not.

I want him to be involved with my child as the best version of himself and we're working on getting him there-and getting me there.

As far as tgerapy-I have mentioned this sooooo many times! I can't make SD go, she wont.

I will continue to try to get SO to go, but I'm going about this in a delicate way. I want him to WANT to go for himself. So for now I simply suggest. Hell, even I would benefit from therapy and better understanding my role in this.

While I can't speak for SD's child, because she took her with her-my child is very well cared for. Thanks for the concern though.

MissTexas's picture

The level of dysfunctionality in this situation is mind blowing. It’s a shit-show parade on steroids and it’s tough to discern who the adults are!

Behavior patterns are difficult & sometimes impossible to change. If your SO (who should be your husband if you are creating people) respected and valued you, he would’ve married you .Anyone can pricreate; animals come in heat & do it all the time. Humans are supposed to be different. You are  the blueprint for SD, not marrying and having kids ,to bring into this hell hole of a household. And you’re plwying parent roulette with all the drugs and alcohol that is in the environment, not to mention going to blows with SD.

I’m with the other responder, you posted this previously & all of the experienced, older women (& men) who’ve lived life’s experiences attempted to impart their wisdom to you, and you were offended with many of them.

The truth hurts, buy a box of band-aids. This isn’t a bakery, we don’t sugarcoat anything. I’d you don’t really want to know then you shouldn’t ask for the opinions of others.

Anon9876's picture

I am trying to be more receptive. It's not always easy to here the truth.

It's been dysfunctional for awhile and I am striving to change that.

We are waiting to get married. That was my decision. It in no way reflects on his respect, save that he is respecting my wishes to wait.

2Tired4Drama's picture

TBH, Miss T, the more I read about this situation the more I am thinking it's bogus and is just meant to sh!t-stir and draw attention. 

Some of the language, vocabulary and phrasing used is not typical of someone who supposedly is in this kind of dysfunctional situation.  

For a newbie to be posting it all over the forums multiple times also seems to be attention-seeking, IMO. 

 

Anon9876's picture

I mean I am trying to bring attention to this subject or I would have never posted in the first place.

I'm curious to know how my language/phrasing/vocabulary suggest I am in any way making this up?

shamds's picture

They have both contributed to current behaviours. That said, parents do stuff up, realise their mistake and try to make amends even when its too late. That said, irrespective whether sd is immature for her age, she is defined legally as an adult and i don’t see why you or your husband should be caring for her child.

 

she felt responsible enough to get pregnant, she needs to accept responsibility and care for that child. I’m surprised why child services weren’t called ages ago when you all realised she was doing pot, taking this child to dangerous places with alcohol/drugs and fights taking place.

the more irresponsible thing is that no one in this family has reported her ass so she can get the help or wake up call she needs and this young child is taken out of a dangerous and poor environment.

my husband was 49 when i married him at age 30 and he had 3 kids then aged 17, 15 & 9. If any of them get married and expected free babysitting, their bio mum or dad can do it if they’re so irresponsible, they won’t get free anything from me when they’ve not acknowledged me or our kids from the start

 

you state despite your age you are way more mature but problem is to his kids with ex, you’re more of a big sister they never wanted, they won’t see you as their mummy figure and you trying to be the disciplinarian just won’t work

 

if parenting her was so important, the moment these issues popped up and she had provoked physical violence while you were pregnant or had a kid, you should have both reported her and the brother and not worried about him being on probation etc. Doing them favours has been irresponsible and the sd knows it and simply won’t accept any authoritative discipline from you, it must come from her dad firmly

 

my husband has told his son everything he does paying for university, school tuition is to give him a better life. So its upto him if he wants to be a bum, drop out and be a cleaner his whole life but how will he support his family. So if he makes intentional irresponsible and dumb choices, rich daddy isn’t bailing him out. You talk about this generation today of self entitlement but you both have contributed to it by initially bailing sd out of her parental responsibilities and trying to bribe her in a way with a car etc. Your intentions may have been that her kid would be easily taken to appointments etc but the se has continually proven how irresponsible she is, you’ve both simply enabled and prolonged the irresponsibility 

Anon9876's picture

I totally agree. The enabling has went on way too long.

We did not call child protective services at first because she said she wanted help, so she was admitted to get that help.

She seemed to think of it as a joke though because she didn't change her ways or her behavior and thought that everything was just going to go back her way.

It was extremely irresponsible of us to enable her though. We let her continue this outrageous behavior when things should have been done long ago.

SO should have been firm and punished her no matter how badly she showed out.

All we can do is learn from our mistakes now.

shamds's picture

playing nice and polite with him or trying to be civil doesn’t seem to be giving him the right message. I was in the same place many times and the truth does hurt. I got to a point when i just told hubby i can’t believe i got conned by you and your kids playing nice nice but the real behaviour and fmaily dynamics came to light after marrying him, moving overseas to live with him and having kids with him and i hate him for allowing this to continue and how selfish i was to bring kids into this mess that wasn’t mine to begin with and nothing changes.

i love my 2 kids with all my heart, i can’t imagine life without them but hubbies exwife and kids are pure toxic self entitled disrespective bratty beings who have milked dad for all he’s worth but he doesn’t see it completely. Because him admitting it is a stab to the heart because he helped procreate those 3 kids, he allowed that behaviour to develop and its a total reflection of him too. 

My inlaws see such a big difference in our 2 kids compared to the stepkids and the only difference in upbringing is that i actually nurtured my kids and make sure there is some degree of structure and discipline daily

its easy to say run, my husband has been in ex’s mess for almost 24 years dealing with their issues and his kids behaviour. Its not easy to change all that

his daughters try to play victim when they ran away on account of their mums bullshit stories painting dad negatively which they later found out was total rubbish and they expected they could walk right into dads life 6-7 yrs later and it would be just like before and tried to guilt dad by saying we know you have a new life and new family and kids and we don’t want to cause problems but we want to be a family again like before. Life before with his kids and ex was completely dysfunctional and he’s finally seen what a functional relationship and a stable home life is like with me in how i take care of home and how i raise our kids that there is a big difference and he is picking up on it and reminding ss who lives with us how he behaves affects everyone but ss has never given a shit and never will. 

I’ve accepted long ago he wouldn’t change but our kids love their dad, he is there nurturing them, bonding with them and doing the things he couldn’t do when with ex and its taken a long time to wake up my husband to these things. He can’t make the same mistakes he did before because he knew life with ex was a mess but enabled that behaviour to continue along and damage the kids along the way and now they feel everyone everywhere everyday must feel sorry for them and help them. They don’t understand independence, taking initiative and plenty tell me its too late to correct them

the easiest way to talk this with your partner is think like this: how your partner has behaved, his kids with ex, is that what you want your kids to turn into or be influenced/exposed to that behaviour? If answer is no, then tell that to your partner that this is just dangerous and you have been patient and quiet long enough and any genuine caring father would and should not risk the health and safety of his partner and children from these toxic idiots (even if they’re his kids), they can put you in serious danger. What happens if next time the 2 stepkids come over with weapons and injure you and your partner, who’s there to care for your young child?? You should never have been put in that situation in the first place

Anon9876's picture

I was very passive before when asking to him and he didn't seem to understand the seriousness of the situation when I brought it up. You're right-I was 'nice' for too long when what I really wanted to tell him is: "your kids are nightmares. The oldest is angry, emotionally inept and physically abusive to you! He's an inconsiderate, disrespectful jackass who can't even be bothered to knock when he barges in on us in OUR bedroom. Your daughter is the MOST SELFISH person I have ever met in my life. I have never known someone th at cares so little about her own family-even her kid! To the point that would jeopardize having the government intervene and take her!". 

I have sense told him these things. I told him NEVER again will I keep my mouth shut. I refuse to have his daughter influence my child in anybway. So if she continues the way she is, she will never have a relationship with my child. What she doesn't understand us that she put our child at risk too. If she would have been tested for drugs for any reason she would have FAILED. Then guess what? The government would have taken every child in the household. We don't get the luxury of saying 'oh but we didn't know'. The government doesn't care if you didn't know. They see a child in harms way, they intervene. That's why I told SO she was selfish. She did not ever consider losing or child or us losing outs. Her drugs were more important to her. Her partying was all that mattered. Boys were her foxus.

That's why I say never again....never again will she be in th is house, save for the occasional visit with her father. Which has yet to happen since she's moved out.

I totally agree. Blood or not. Toxic is toxic. I am so glad tgat he is on the same page as I now. We can't jeapordize an innocent baby because his selfish daughter wants to do whatever. It can't and won't happen.

I have been patient and quiet too long. I should have made myself clear before things eruoted. Now SO knows how I feel and where I stand. I made it clear-if for any reason you move her back into this house I am packing my bags and hitting the door. I will not live like this.

Thank you for your wisdom and message.