Need some advice.
I was referred to this website by someone in another Step-parenting board. I just don't know what to do or what I can do about this. Thanks for all your advice!!
And sorry it's so long
Well, at first the problems I had with BM was that she would tell my SS to call me a border-jumper and stuff like that. He would come to me out of no where and say he's going to be sad when I have kids. I ask why and he says that he won't understand them because they will speak Spanish. He later tells me that his mother told him that. So right off the bat it upset me that she is teaching him to be racist. What happens when he goes to school saying things like that?? I stressed to him that that is not nice and we don't name call. He told his mom, "Mom, you can't call her a border jumper. That's not nice." Mind you he's 5 years old. And if I didn't say this before, my husband has custody and BM has visitations every other weekend. So when he acts up in school my husband and I are the ones who have to handle it. Not her.
Well, we have had a lot of problems when he comes home from her house. He is very aggressive and hits people in school. It's like clockwork, he comes home from his mom's on Mondays and when he gets out of school we get a call from the teacher and sometimes the principal. He has even struck teachers and the principal. It's really getting bad too. He bit a girl because she wouldn't listen to him. He threw a block at another girl and left a bump on her head. He doesn't listen. He's withdrawn from both my husband and I. (Usually he's really attached to me) He is whiny and cries at everything. He will ignore us and not talk at all. And if we even mention mommy he says, "We are not talking about mom!" (We'll ask if he had fun at mom's) When I put him to bed on those Mondays we cries a lot. And I just hold him while he cries. Sometimes he will get into stories with me. He'll tell me about how his mom and her husband gets into fights. He's told me, "Mom calls me a shit head." Which later my husband called her and she admitted that that's what she calls him. He's told me, "Mom said she's gonna kick your ass." And again she was called and she admitted it. She calls and talks to her mom about me and my hubby asked her to just not talk about us those 4 days a month he's over there. She said she won't do it. She'll say what she wants when she wants. SS also never comes home clean. He always has dirt caked (literally) under his armpits and under his neck. It looks like he hasn't bathed in weeks. ( I bathe him every other night unless he's sweaty, then it's every night.) He always has cuts and bruises. One time he had a two inch straight cut across his knee. She said he fell off his bike but it looked like glass or knife. Something sharp. I asked SS and he said he didn't know how it happens. Actually most questions when he gets back from her house, he answers, "I don't know." And looks down. He also complains about how she never plays with him. He plays down the road all the time with the neighborhood kids.
Then we paid for him to be in soccer this year. I copied all of the schedules and everything and gave her a copy. She yelled at my husband about how, "I didn't sleep with her to have him, she has no right talking to me." So I stopped talking to her at all. But we let her know about his soccer pictures and she said she would order pictures at the game (right before the game was the pictures) Well she didn't show up until the last 5 minutes of the game. Then two weeks later on her weekend with him, we were all at the game and me and my husband were wearing out buttons with his soccer picture. She said she wanted to buy pictures. I told her it was too late we had to prepay for them. She got pissed and said that she wants mine then. She said that, "that's how it should be." She said I'm not entitled to his pictures, but she is because she's his mother. When I am the one who takes him to every single practice and every single game. (not even my husband goes since he works all the time) But she things she deserves them over me. I told her no. (we honestly had none left.) So she calls my husband right in front of SS (in the car on the way home) and complains about how much of a bit** I am and how I need to get off my high horse. That this is her kid and I have no right to have anything of his. Just went on and on.
I also do daily lessons with him. When he started Kindergarten this year, he was way behind. So I am working hard to practice letters and numbers with him. And Fridays the teacher sends home papers to let me know what he is learning the next week, so I can prepare what to teach him. Well BM takes those papers (even though she never works with him at all) and refuses to give them to us. And there is a daily report on his behavior. I sign that every week for the teacher. Well BM decided to cross my signature off for the past 3 weeks and put hers right above it (how immature) But now I talked to the teacher about sending me home another sheet on Mondays so that I can still do my lessons.
Now I'm having the problem with headlocks. SS has been puting all the kids in the neighborhood and at school in headlocks. It drives me nuts because we don't show violence in my home. He tells me that mom's husband does it to him all the time. Again my husband doesn't say anything, like I ask him to.
Then it comes to his health. SS always comes home wheezing and everything. He tells me that his mom smokes in front of him. BM's mom and dad also smoke, drink, and smoke pot right in front of him. They always fight in front of him. (not only BM's mom and dad but BM and her husband) They always fight and he tells me the stories.
Now if this were my child and I had any legal rights, I would remove him from the situation or fight for supervised visitations only or something, but I can't do anything about it, because I am just the step mom. It drives me crazy. I love this kid to death but this woman is making it sooooo difficult to do my job. UGh...
well u seem like you are
well u seem like you are doing a pretty darn good job of dealing with her... I think it all boils down to her jealousy and her insecurities. Why else on earth would someone not want there child to be loved and appreciated.. I know it is very frustrating but there should be more SM out there like...Being the SM and new wife is a very unfair job...
You sound like a wonderful, caring SM!!!
You should give yourself one big hug!! Sounds as though you are a loving MOM!! Just because she gave birth to him, doesn't mean that she is deserving of the title of mom. You sound like you are doing a great job with the parenting and on how you are dealing with the BM. It's just too bad that dad won't get on board and help you out by standing up to BM!
Just keep teaching the child right from wrong, keep in close contact with the teachers, etc. Document everything that happens with the child and when he tells you that he has witnessed anyone smoking pot around him. I would then report it to the authorities.
Corie
just like me
I'm in the same boat with ya! Horrible BM but wants the world to think she's wonderful. My HB is just now getting on board with standing up to her. It's been three years. Three years of me b*tchin. I say just continue to do what you are doing. Your SS will remember the things you have done for him. You definately need to speak with your HB about his ex smoking pot around his son. He can have his son tested, cause if you're around pot, it's on you. Hang in there. You'll get satisfation one day, I am.
My biggest problem lately is
My biggest problem lately is that BM drills SS about me and what goes on in my life. But if I even mention "mom" he says, "We don't talk about mom." I honestly think she tells him that he is not to talk about her. But that makes me think that something happens she doesn't want us to know about. I don't care what she knows about me because I am good to SS and I am a good person. That's why I think something happens that we don't know about. I told SS today that he is always safe here. (I was reading about aggression in children and how it's linked to feeling unsafe or threatened.) And I told him that even if anything happens at mom's he can tell me and it will be our secret so he doesn't get in trouble over there. Then he starts spilling about how BM's hubby hits her when she's bad. He tells me that he doesn't think mom's bad though. And BM tells him that he's never coming home to me and dad again. I told him that we went to court and they said that he can live with me and dad until he's 18. I told him that he will always come home to us. But that worries me. It makes me wonder if she would take him. I know the courts won't give him to her. She's not fit to raise him that's how my husband got custody anyways. But why would she tell him he can never come back here with us?? SS also told me how he always gets yelled at and he doesn't do anything wrong. Now he does have his fits but he's a pretty good child. But I don't know how he behaves for BM. I can't imagine her having much control over a child she rarely sees. But I can't excuse her because it's still her job to teach him and care for him. I can say that not once has she given him a bath when he is over there in the past year. I have never seen him come home without dirt caked in his neck and armpits. It just bothers me. The thing is is that I love this child so much. But he has some problems showing his feelings. He will not tell anyone that he loves them and he HATES kisses. Is that normal for a 5 year old??
all you need is love
Your SS is so young. I believe she may say things to him that makes him feel threatened. But of course, that's his mom and you can't criticize his DNA. All I can say is lots of hugs and kisses he'll come around. You are definately on the right track telling him he's safe with you and dad. Lots of praise when he does good things and lots of encouragement. Maybe try creating a new family tradition with him and dad. Get dad involved for sure if SS is being threatened by BM. Maybe supervised visits are in order.
Maybe you should wear a
Maybe you should wear a shirt that says "I'm legal" on the front and "I make better salsa than you" on the back. I hope you don't get offended, I just find it entertaining to make fun of people like that.
Get Dad on Track
I don't mean to alarm you, but I'm just reading some things that would justify a review of the visitation and the BM's lifestyle choices that are directly affecting your son...I mean SS. Oh hell, let's call it like it is, he's your son now, too.
Based on what you're hearing from the SS, I would be concerned too. He's obviously acting out with this new aggresive behavior. And boys act out with anger and violence when they are depressed. My guess is your SS is living an unhealthy lifestyle when he's with his mom (her BF hits her, illegal drugs, etc.) and even at 5, he can become depressed. At the very least is parroting behavior he's witnessing from BM's BF, like hitting girls. Yikes! Statistically, boys are nearly 100% sure to take on abusive behavior when subjected to it as children; girls have about 50% chance to relive abusive behavior as adults.
I personally don't take things like that lightly. I would address it with your DH in a manner that encourages him to take some action. He really needs to sew his testicles back on, or get a third one put on, whatever it takes, and take this issue seriously.
What's the worst that can happen? She'll take him from you? Are you kidding? She can't handle the weekends and is probably relieved when he leaves. Doubt she'd take on full-time parenting. She's just playing the part, phoning it in, as they say, just enough to eliminate the guilt she has for subjecting her son to such a crappy environment..and to be honest, for being such a pathetic mom.
Take these actions of your son seriously and get your DH on the same page.
That boy is so lucky to have you.
...Can't say that enough.
That boy is so lucky to have you.
...Yep, one more time.
That boy is so lucky to have you.