Taking the walk - keeping yourself out of emotional nonsense you can't do a thing about
Hi,
Have been doing very well for a while keeping BM out of OUR HOUSE. We have a special BM. BM likes to poke the kids by planting ideas and her latest has been directed at my SD. She has been doing great. Now SS left because after a few years of being put in the middle the only escape route was to live with BM full-time. Now she can't engage in the dramas of phone calls and "oh - my baby how he suffers at your house cause you aren't as GOOD as me and my new family". That pretty much sums up her primitive maturity level of about age 11.
SD was told over a week ago that she won't be able to participate in something because Dad didn't pay for it. BM got her all worked up to hysteria and THEN she came to our house. She exploded on DH and DH was dumbfounded but knew what BM had done. She emotionally charged SD by making her fearful SD wasn't going to pay for something she loves and somehow prevent her from doing it. Mind this: it is because of SD and me that she is involved in the activities she is and he has paid for many things ALONE. So the ludicrousy of doing this is only for purpose of trying to make SD angry at DH by inventing a drama.
Yesterday BM made a big deal about how DH hung the phone up at dinner table. BM had called his phone and he answered as we had table full of people and said "can she call you back right after we finish eating" and she said "yes" and he hung up. He did it abruptly not because of BM but becuz were were serving cake. SOOOO, WINDOW of opportunity for BM. She told SD that she was still talking and dad was so rude. Then she went onto to say that because dad hasn't brought check to this particular show happening she would not be able to go. Mind everyone that he was headed to that place that night with SD with check already written. BM again trying to cause issues and create drama and negativity against DH.
SO, I took a long walk. And I breathed. And I thought to myself this BM will never ever stop. She is sick. She is intentionally doing this cause she knows SD loves our house and has been very unhappy at HER house lately. VERY UNHAPPY.
What a lot of people don't know is that BM or BD CAN intentionally and methodically poison a child and have little regard for their own child. These people love themselves more than any one else in the world. Even their kids.
So it does go on. It will never end. So I came home and poured a glass of wine and just said "F$@K it". I am going to smile and laugh and crack jokes. I am not going to talk about this anymore. She wants to leave like SS down the line - then there is the door. They are all going to move out at some point in time anyways. AND we can buy a smaller house and pay a smaller mortgage.
It takes time - but sometimes you just have to get to this point of doing only what you can. Clarifying only what you can. AND if you say to the kid "your mom is causing trouble intentionally" it will come back to bite you in the butt. Kids will always defend their parents. Only chance is if they come to you - and then you have to still just listen.
My day yesterday. Hope reading this helps some poor smuck in the same boat.
Thanks for the reminder about
Thanks for the reminder about disengaging!!!
Yes Scubed. Could not agree
Yes Scubed. Could not agree more. Love your list!!!! AMEN!
Yes Echo. I agree with what
Yes Echo. I agree with what he should have done. You can teach a chimp how to open mail and complete tasks but for some reason I can't get DH to make the right choices. This goes on and on the lack of thought and leaving himself WIDE open.
I should have married a chimp! THAT is my conclusion.
Yes. Simple solutions would have avoided all the drama.
Thanks
Maybe you can do something to
Maybe you can do something to help him remember (a.k.a. training him like a chimp). Like change her name in his contacts to "Don't answer if not a good time" Something shorter would be better.
ha ha ha And if he does it
ha ha ha
And if he does it right I can give him a banana?
DH is a good guy - but not everyone is cut out to outsmart manipulative low value people (BM)
After 13 years of being with
After 13 years of being with DH (10 married) I FINALLY had to tell him DO NOT ANSWER THE PHONE DURING DINNER! If he can't be considerate of my cooking, then I wouldn't cook anymore.
Both of our phones are placed elsewhere during dinnertime - no matter what time it is! It really pisses off his kids but so what - I don't care!
Damn phones!!!!! AGREE!!!
Damn phones!!!!!
AGREE!!!
I recently came to an
I recently came to an epiphany very similar to yours. Yesterday, in fact. I am so emotionally tired trying to "beat" BM by staying ahead of her insane and irrational power plays. I can not fix this for my DH or skids. She will never stop. She hates DH more than anything or anyone. But I have to stop trying because it is consuming me.
Focus on you. Focus on DH. The kids will be grown before you know it. I'm giving up as well.
Makes me question every single "Dead-Beat Dad" I have ever encountered. Some of them probably where just good Dads so ridiculously tired of BM manipulating them and then skids acting just like her.
I am sorry for you. And for all of our skids.
I love your name "so much
I love your name "so much drama".
I have learned over the last few years to do just what you said. Focus on my kids. I really had to let go of it all. I do a great big WHATEVER!!! and another big "Fk" it. These kids are chips off their parents blocks and not mine. They are different.
I think there should be classes for step parents teaching them all that. DH thinks his daughter will never move in with mom and I think she could. I just don't care anymore. My kids have their friends and own lives. It is sad that these kids have these siblings and in my case my kids love their step sister. STep brother they could care less about - he is gone and when he was there was a jerk Socially awkward and just not a friendly human being.
I think we are both at the same point of "who cares" and focus on ourself and our own kids.
So high five there!!!!!
I am sorry for your BM as well. Motherhood is a powerful emotion and a powerful control point an it is too bad these assumed powers are used negatively cause one day it will come back to bite the BM in the butt - but that's a day late and a dollar short for you and me.
We have to survive in the NOW.
Assumed powers - too bad
Assumed powers - too bad there are some mothers who see children as their servants or a means to more money through child support. It's always refreshing to see mothers who genuinely love their children, like you do. You need a license to drive a car. Any idiot can have a child.
That is sweet of you
That is sweet of you Aniki.
Appreciate the comment.