Content (Long rant---It might come off harsh b/c of other things going on)
Ok, so lately I have realized that I am content and basically happy. Strange thing is I guess I finally had a little ephinany. I figured if DH (or BM for that matter) is not going to actually fight for (not just argue) the multitude of complaints that they throw back and forth at each other in the four year old like banter about SD----THEN, why should I care about their rants and raves?
Why should I be suckered in every single time when DH gets all upset about things concerning SD. Like when he gets all bent out of shape that BM will not grant him more visitation time with SD but then when SD is over at our house for visitation DH chooses not to spend time with her. This past visitation period DH & I had talked about taking the kids to a movie that was showing on Sunday afternoon (only one showing). However when Sunday comes DH decides not to go with me and the kids. Why you ask??? TV and NASCAR were more important than him spending time with his family. When we got home, he was still watching the race in our bedroom. On the next day, which was a day off for all of us, he stayed in our bedroom most of the day playing online games with his work buddies. Then about an hour or so before SD was supposed to go to BM's home, DH tells this guy that "I better go spend time with my daughter before she leaves." Like it was important to DH. I guess I thought if it was important than he should have spent most, if not all, of the weekend/holiday with his family. It was this, among other things, that just made me realize that all this SD/family talk just something for him to blab about to other people. It seems to give his life 'meaning', ya know? Oh, just to let you know---I might be a little harsh on DH---he did spend most of Saturday with all of us. I guess I just feel like one day out of three just isn't good enough though. Maybe I'm crazy, who knows?
BTW, SD was a complete joy to be around this past visit. Sunday SD, my son and I all piled into the theatre together and had a blast. We also all went shopping after the movie. It was a really fun.
As for the BM, well I think she's all wishy-washy (like DH) when it comes to all those idle threats and comments about going back to court and what-have-you. Ya know? Honestly, I think BM knows that DH won't go back to court. DH is just as wishy washy about threats as the BM. Neither will back up what they say.
(((Personally, I think they are both control freaks in the situation but neither have the ability to be in control. Me, if I'm going 'threaten' (per se) than I am going to back it up 100%.)))
Plus with the BM, I guess I'm just sick of her. Not in a personal type of way, but just along the lines of the whole court order/contempt issues and such. Like for instance, their court order states that each parent is supposed to pay a certain percent for certain expenses for the SD. However, BM refuses to pay about 38 bucks for her part of SD's last major expense, which BTW we paid almost 95 bucks for our portion. We always pay for these type of SD's expenses faithfully, but BM is wailing and moaning over less than 40 bucks?!?!? Ok, lady, I think their are more important things in life to throw tantrums over---and this is not it!
Anywho, I guess I'm a little over the drama and I don't want to have anything to do with it anymore. BTW, I'm not talking about ceasing my personal relationship with DH or SD---or even my occasional 'H&Gs' to the BM. I'm talking about the crayon fighting and the situation that surrounds it. You know what I mean?
Thanks for lending an ear---or a computer screen in this case.
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Comments
I know EXACTLY how you feel...
just being over it. I've decided to let the two of them hash it out and contribute 0%. I will support my husband but as far as getting angry over anything they do.....nope. Not anymore.
I just posted a comment about a very similar situation to yours this past weekend. DH thought that a softball game superceded his sick 8 year old. I also wasn't going to be the one to take care of her....so he dropped her off at BMs. Personally, I think he should have stayed home with her BUT I wasn't going to argue about it anymore than the few seconds I voiced my opinion. And I wasn't going to partake in any guilt trip thrown my way. I took the other kids (his other two and my two) while he went to his oh so important softball game and BM took the sick one. If that's what he wants, then so be it. I'm tired of being resentful and what goes on between DH and BM and all their drama.....it's just not my problem anymore.
The two of them can cancel my subscription because I'm over their issues....
"Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass...It's about learning to dance in the rain."
Thank you.
Thank you so very much for letting me know that I am not the only one who deals with this type of thing. Especially the part about the NCP not wanting to deal with his/her kid(s) when it's their visitation time!
One great thing for me is when we got SD her own phone. BM doesn't have any way to contact DH personally except mail or email, especially since DH changed his phone number. That's lovely in and of itself.
"Sometimes you have to test the limits to show you're not a doormat."
How do you do that?
How do you "not get involved"?
I try. Then the next time BF is pissed off at BM, he rants to me about it....then I get upset and become his cheerleader, which is want he wants. Then two days later, BF and BM are all nice-nice on the phone and I have to stand by and listen to it. I CANT STAND IT. He'll call BM a "Selfish C*nt", then two days later he's giving in to her once again.
Every time...EVERY TIME this happens, I swear to myself that I won't get involved....but the next time comes and I hear him rant, and I feel sorry for him and the way she treats him...and I'm caught up in it once again.......
I'm now at the point where, when she does call...even when they're not arguing, I get instantly angry.
Help!! Give me some coping strategies....
It's a long, hard road...
and it takes more self rationalization and patience than you could ever imagine....
For me, I made the conscience decision to stop being a part of it. I started going to counseling and on the advice of my StepTalk "therapy" and my counselor, I disengaged. I made him promise to set boundaries. I no longer was going to be his earpiece everytime BM pissed him off. If there was some tragedy...sure, call me up. But not EVERY time...I just couldn't take it anymore.
I sat my husband down and told him I was going to stop talking to BM all together and that if she called and he wasn't there, I would not answer the phone....she can leave a message. I also encouraged him to let her leave a message on his cell phone as well. If it was important enough, only then would she get a phone call back. If she called and I was there, I simply walked out of the room. Since all these boundaries were set, she only calls him during the day AND a lot less often. I also made him promise to listen with an open mind if I ever felt "uncomfortable" about a situation....like recently, she was calling way too often to discuss her BF. I told DH that I didn't think it was appropriate and he agreed and relayed to BM that he was sorry about her situation, but that he really wasn't the shoulder she should be crying on. She agreed.
I think BM and I realized how much we BOTH appreciated that it was now left between the two of them. I promise, if you are taken out of the equation and DH learns to deal with her on his own....everyone will be all the much happier with the situation. But most important, you will feel a lot better not panicking everytime the phone rings.
"Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass...It's about learning to dance in the rain."
I guess I have learned the same thing.
I keep my nose out of things that I can't change. I make a few suggestions here and there which are often followed, but I leave it up to FH to implement them. If I get really annoyed or I feel like my presence is a distraction,(especially during homework time)I leave the room.
I can't imagine him slacking on what he does with his son when he has him though. I mean, 1st thing is, "Is your homework done?" Then it's about doing something fun.