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Hand maiden to a princess

Stepbystep1969's picture

i have been reading over all these blogs and its nice to know I am not a wicked stepmother and sometimes kids do not always have to come first ( especially, when the kid is not yours ). 

My hubbys 16 year old daughter decided to move in with us because her mother finally put her foot down with her. Thanks BM for dropping the monster you created into my life. She has been catered to all her life, no discipline, not made to do a god damn thing , been turned into an entitled , selfish, useless, very unlikeable little person. I try so hard to find some quality in her to admire. The truth is. Im sad to say, I cannot name one :(..

She is very immature. She sits in her room and draws and colors, she watches cartoon, acts like a seven year old, cant even wash a dish because she doesnt know how, all her meals are cooked and catered into her, leaves her dishes for weeks in her bedroom ). she was shown how to do her laundry but would rather continue recycling and wearing dirty cloths she leaves on her floor. i dont know how many times she has left her dirty tampons and unwrapped pads in the trash bin in the bathroom we all share i wake up every morning to all the lights in the house on because she is afraid of the dark. She has no friends because they are fed up with her using them.

I feel very uncomfortable in my own home as she ignores me , when she does come out of the room she talks to my hubby and im not included in any of her conversations with him. I am ignored until she wants something..

I have not had sex with my hubby in over two months. How can someone be in the mood when everything revolves around his princess? Hes starting to neglect my needs to make sure all sd wants are fullfilled. if i want to go out for a burger he tells me its a waste of money but , its ok for sd to be gave money for take out for her lunch everyday, If I need clothes for work we dont have the money but, if sd wants cloths we have the money for that. thou.. my cell phone is old and the battery dies every hour ,,, we dont have the money for that but we have the money for sd 600 cell phone..

I really need to get this off my chest and I wonder should i just tell him how i feel. Im sure , if i did he would think i was just jealous of her. ( not the case at all ) I know , there really would be no point in talking to him because he would be in complete denial about the entire issue. It just likely lead to a fight. 

i cannot continue to have my entire life revolve his princess. I do believe she will be 28 years old ( shes 16 now )and he would be hobbling with a cane catering to her every whim. i cant even hold out until she moves out because I know she wont be employable. 

I really im at the point where i wonder what im i getting out of this relationship? I feel like im watching the man i love whine and dine another women. Maybe, i should just leave and he can be with the only love of his life .. it sure doesnt feel like i am Smile

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Comments

CLove's picture

Yes, I would start thinking about an exit strategy. If you feel like you cannot express how you feel, then you will likely explode with all these emotions - they will eat you alive.

If all your needs are being put off now - it will not get better as precious ages - it will get worse. She is a mini-wife and there is no room for anyone else. Currently you are the mistress - bed warmer - bringing money in so he can take care of his mini-wife.

Your man needs to realise that once his precious gets old enough, she WILL desert him. He will be left, old and  alone because he is no longer of any use to her.

Keep reading here and posting when you need to. The answers will happen. Hopefully you do not have children with this man - get out before you do!

Stepbystep1969's picture

I love this place because you all give honest advice. Sometimes, when there are emotions involved in a situation ( when you love someone) you tend to not see the obvious. I think its time I remove my love goggles ..:{

tog redux's picture

I don't get the whole "SHE decided to move in with us."  Why the hell is that HER decision? It should be you, DH and BM's decision (you because it's your house, too).  Children don't decide such important things, and they certainly don't get to move because they want a house with fewer rules.

Well, time to make clear to your DH where you stand with all of this.

marblefawn's picture

...if the parents had driven this decision instead of a child, the parents might have had the foresight to compose a list of expectations and rules BEFORE princess decided to move in with them.

The time to negotiate is when you have something the kid wants -- the kid wanted to move in, so that was when the talk about rules and expectations should have happened.

Regardless, it's not too late to do it now, but this poster has lost her leverage because the kid is already living there. Dad and daughter will be reluctant to negotiate anything at this point because SD already got what she wanted (to move in) a and now it will just look like stepmom being a meanie.

Imgaine if this poster had composed her list of rules and expectations for SD as soon as she heard about SD's big-girl decision to move in with them. SD might have thought twice about moving in if this poster had a clear set of rules and expectations to present to her.

notsobad's picture

If you need a new phone buy one. If you need new clothes, but them. If you want a burger go out and get one.

Do not do her laundry or her dishes or anything else for her. Remind your hubby, in your sweetest most non judmental voice that the trash needs to be taken out.

If you don't think that your DH will be receptive to your feelings then don't bring it up. Live your life, spend your money, take care of yourself and let him come to you. We think these men are dense but they do in fact see everything, they just don't want to deal with any of it. So take a page from his book and stop dealing with his daughter.

kaybee82's picture

This is the absolute best answer! You are an adult, you earn your own living. Why are you letting HIM dictate what happens to YOUR money, YOUR home, YOUR time? Whot notsobad said is exactly what you should do. Stop catering to her and, to some degree, him, too.

notsurehowtodeal's picture

Since you work, why are you letting DH tell you that you can't spend money on things that you need? (or want) Perhaps you should consider splitting finances so you can spend your money on yourself and he can spend his on his daughter.

Stepbystep1969's picture

Thank you for all the awesome advice. Smile

How does splitting expenses work. Because she takes a shower everyday and drains the hot water and has to have all the lights in the house on everynight ,,, the hydro bill has doubled since she has been here, She wont eat this or that so the grocery bill has doubled since she been here. Im not sure what is fair .. so i split the bills three ways then?

Not sure how other sd mothers who work decide how to split expenses :(  .....Ive been reading and taking advice from other step mothers here. I think the best way to deal with this is to disengage from the both of them. take my extra money and save it incase I need an exit plan. He will go without to provide sd with everything she wants. I just have to let him learn the hard way ( make him see how it feels like to do without  ) If in three months he doesnt snap out of it then its time for me to leave. Sad

 

susanm's picture

Exactly.  Is he going without the things he wants yet?  Or is it conveniently only you?  It is his choice if he wants to forego something but often these daaadddeeeess will sacrifice your things first.  So don't ask for what you need.  Just buy it and if he complains simply tell him that expenses have gone up since his daughter has moved in.  A new budget must be drawn up you suppose.  What does he propose to give up?  Women tend to be the hyper-responsible ones and they take advantage of it.  Don't fall into that trap.  Once it starts effecting him, he may not be as eager to let her leave the lights on and take hour long showers as you think. But just in case, stashing away some escape cash and having an exit plan is a good idea!

SteppedOut's picture

If you have joint accounts split them. Get your own. There are 3 people in the house - you owe 1/3 of the cost. Start saving for an exit plan. 

marblefawn's picture

Have you never discussed any of this with your husband? Why talk divorce when you haven't even tried to work through this with him? Georgetta is right -- buy yourself what you need.

I very much understand feeling like SD is the other woman -- the "first wife." And I know that feeling that my husband would eat dirt so SD can eat foie gras...and by association, it's also OK for me to eat dirt so princess can have foie gras.

But if you talk to him, try to agree on how SD's presence in the home will be handled, maybe you can get him to see the light...at least a little.

Figure out your strategy and give it a try. Here are some tips I learned:

Never make it about you. When you discuss this with him, make your entire argument about what's best for SD. So instead of saying, "You're spending too much money on clothes for SD," say to him, "We're spending a lot on SD's clothes when we know she wants to go to camp this summer. We should spend less on clothes so we can afford the camp tuition." This isn't about being mean or selfish; this is simple budgeting -- there's only so much money to go around.

Speaking of budgeting...

Set an annual budget in December to decide how much you'll spend on SD's clothes, lessons, school expenses, etc., for the entire upcoming year. Then when SD whines that she wants something, no one has to say "no." You (or your husband) can just say, "We don't have enough in the clothing budget to get that dress now, but we could get it for you for your birthday." See? You're not saying no -- you're saying to SD, "You already got what you're getting unless that dress is important enough to you to make it one of your birthday gifts." This shows SD that the grownups already made a decision about what to spend on her clothes so there's no point in arguing or begging and SHE is not part of the decision making -- that's for you and your husband.

I'm not sure who is cooking and delivering meals to SD's bedroom, but that's got to stop. You'll get cockroaches. If it's your husband, tell him that ain't happening. Start having dinner as a family. If she doesn't come to the table, she doesn't eat. If he doesn't want to make her come to the table, then YOU DON'T COOK. Remind him that dinners were not served to him in his room when he was growing up, so that is his proof that it won't kill the kid to sit at the table for a half hour. SD does not get to enjoy family resources (food, for example) without having to act like part of the family. That means sitting at dinner and completing chores.

You will still feel at times that SD is his mistress. That never goes away, even if she doesn't live with you. But you can minimize that feeling AND have more control over the situation than you do now. Step up. Engage your husband in a discussion about how things will be handled with SD. You can't expect him to read your mind, but you can expect him to always consult you about decisions regarding SD. You can't expect SD not to try to take more than her share. It's up to you to out maneuver her and take your place as one of the two grownups in the household and then you can be sure she doesn't get more than her share. Give your husband a chance to be guided into a more reasonable situation with her. If he still fails, THEN it might be time to think about getting out.

It really sounds like this kid was allowed to move in and no one discussed how things would be handled and decisions made. Time to set some boundaries and make some rules. Even complete strangers sign leases when they move in together so everyone knows what will happen. Why wouldn't you do the same when family are involved???

Stepbystep1969's picture

I have received great tips and advice here. ( again , thank you for providing it :) 

I dont bother discussing any of this with my family and friends. They dont understand because they never had to deal with skid issues , mini wifes , ex wifes, disney dads , guilty dads, and all the stress that comes with someone elses kids.

Most people who havent lived with all the bs think " the kid or kids come first" ...No its not selfish to put yourself first . The truth is , if i or anyone of us walked out the door and never came back, The kid wouldnt even miss us. Hell, mine ignores me unless she wants something and expects me and her dad to feel honoured to be gave the right to cater to her every whim. 

Question is ? why do us step moms cater to these ungrateful, entitled, lazy, step brats? I remember , when i was signal. I had self confident , wasnt spending my weekends off cooking, cleaning , picking up after others, feeling uncomfortable in my own home , and to be honest life was great and stress free. 

I get up early for a can have time to myself and just think, I look around this apartment and I think, ( daydream ) If he left with the kid how different it would be. My house would be clean, all the groceries in the fridge would be to my liking , wouldnt have to worry about the kid eating everything in the house including my lunch things, wouldnt have to lock up my personal belongings, wouldnt have to deal with someone just coming in and out of my room whenever they please, keeping no money in my purse because i dont trust her ,  and i have to be honest ,it is only then I feel a peace come over me Sad

Stepbystep1969's picture

Starting the list . Go or stay ...Thank you all for .making me open up my eyes . We have been together four years. I'm so glad I found this place . It's nice to know I'm not the only one going threw all this bs. We haven't been together intimately because I don't feel close to him I'm starting to resent him . Might be time for the come to Jesus talk pack my bags and visit my sister for a week....

Stepbystep1969's picture

To be honest ...I don't scream or yell.. I can see me losing my shit soon and doing the same thing you did .. I can feel it starting to build up ...I think both of them will be sorry when I reach my boiling point ): 

marblefawn's picture

Oh, I know that feeling!

I stopped seeing my adult SD -- partly because I didn't know if I could take one more dig from her without losing it. And when that happens, it will be so ugly and out of control, I know I should avoid anything that prompts that bad behavior from me!