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Irrationally unpleasant to my SKs

Oldrosie's picture

This is hard to explain.

But these kids one in particular annoy me so so much that I think I'm irrationally horrible to him and I feel a little bit better or a realease of frustration or anger by taking it out on them.

Just to give you an example:

if there is something they want to do - like watch TV or play a computer game I'll not allow it. When they want a snack - I won't let them - I'll say no. Obviously not all the time.

Some time for no reason at all - maybe just a control thing. But it doesn't feel healthy but I just can't stop! Had anyone else experienced this? Could you change it? Is it a normal SM trait? I just can't help it!

Its not a good environment for anyone and I've told my partner how much his kids piss me off but has asked me to stay around when I suggest I live part time in another house we rent out. One of them is so greedy, they are so needy, they put on baby voices (he's 9), they have no initiative, they are lazy and they lie. Maybe normal behavioir and if my BD had those traits I may be more forgiving but I just don't have the same level of patience for these kids.

They just irrationally annoy me sooo much But if I could let go maybe they wouldn't piss me off so much but then the cycle happens again. 

I hate living 24/7 with them. If they had a BM in the picture life would be much better but they don't so have to carry their insecurities and behaviour traits.

everyday there is something - every single day.

yesterday one of them stratched my car with his bike. I don't get angry at them - I just resent them and do little punishments over time they probably don't notice but I do. It's like a game with myself.

im stuck here. I count down the days when they may move out to go to college. Or when they might grow up and maybe I can like them.

 

Swim_Mom's picture

I can understand how you feel. I never see skids and sometimes just the thought of them can annoy me LOL. The same thing one of my kids could do that is mildly irritating would incite anger for me if it involves a skid. Which is why it is a good thing 3 are grown and the 15 year old SS never comes here. However lying and baby voice in a 9 year old (boy in particular) are not normal and could result in rage from any step-parent! As for no initiative - my SS15 is a lazy sack of $hit too which is a big part of why I cannot stand him.

So all good reasons for you to feel as you do. But I fear this situation is not sustainable for you. You cannot live like this and you don't get a break from these brats. Sounds like if you stay with your partner, you have at least another decade. I don't think this situation will change, unfortunately. Living elsewhere at least part time is a good thing to try - why does your partner not want to try that out? Unfortunately it may be you did not sign on for this and should move on with your life, preferably with someone without kids.

Oldrosie's picture

Thanks for this message! It made me feel so much better that I'm not completely mental and irrational! 

my partner wants to try some new techniques before this happens. Like for him to take them out the situation more, and keep on top of them. The only thing is it's like a prison camp when we parenting hard and keeping on top of it. As soon as we losing the strings a bit it's back to chaos and they piss me off again. It also feel like nothing they could do would make me happy anyway - but I haven't really told my DH this.

I don't want to leave my home either and I love my DH it's not really his fault. He's a good dad and he does take this on board and he definatley isn't taking back seat. He doesn't spoil them. If they do wrong he is good at discipline. 
 

did you stick around when they were smaller? And now they are older it's all ok? 

Swim_Mom's picture

I met DH in 2014 and did not meet his 3rd and 4th until around spring 2015 and the oldest until around Christmas 2015.  The oldest 2 had just graduated college. One I would say was an adult but the oldest was like an annoying 4 year old who was too pouty to say hello. I just have zero patience for that crap and that is the first impression she made with me. I won't even get started on his 3rd and 4th kids - they suck. I just want nothing to do with any of them except the second daughter when we see her which is not often.

Thefatherismyfamily's picture

I'm like that too. I don't want to be nice to them at all. I'll do stuff for them, this is rare, to please DH, but not because I want to do it for them. I also never act happy around them. I act like I'm tired and annoyed and indifferent. I don't make eye contact with them and look somewhere else like I'm busy whenever they are talking.  I act like I didn't hear them talk and they will ask again and  I'll say "huh oh I didn't hear you." I'll pretend to forget to do things for them and just say "oh I forgot". Or if I refuse to do something for them I'll just say something like "I didn't know you needed that". If SD leaves her stuff around the house I'll throw it in her room. They dont get invited on fun family outings. If we have to do something with them I'll tell DH I just want to walk around the park. I save fun outings for DD. I've had a long history with them and their bad attitude rudeness cruelty toward me and DD  so now I'm totally disengaged and I use the medium chill method. It's freeing. 

Oldrosie's picture

This is exactly what I do too!!! lol

reading this post has given me so much confidence that I'm not alone in this. I also pretend to not hear and also don't give them eye contact. We have the same techniques! 

are you with them all the time too? What are their ages? 
 

these kids are so desperate for my approval they latch on to me and suffocate me. So being indifferent doesn't always work because they then starting being more 'babyish' and 'cuddly' - which just makes me want to scream. 

Thefatherismyfamily's picture

DD and I moved in with them and could only tolerate 9 months with them. We would have moved out sooner but I still had to find a house and close on it before we could move out. Living with them was  a nightmare. Skids were disrespectful, mouthy, inconsiderate selfish every single day was a battle...  Now I only see them maybe once or twice a month for family dinners. They are with DH 50% of the time and he still has the divorce house so he goes over there on his custody days. They are 13 and 15.

Oldrosie's picture

Probably right but once you've been there you can start to see why the stereotype exsists. I do believe it's something natural with in our evolution that makes us feel this way. 

tog redux's picture

Seems like your partner must not be a very good parent to be allowing these behaviors. I'm sure he would love for you to stick around and continue to deal with his kids so he doesn't have to - but as you said, it's not healthy for you to keep living in a situation that gives you such negative feelings. This is how people develop chronic illnesses and sometimes just flat-out die, from being in miserable, stressful situations.

If living part-time in your rental home will give you peace, go do it. Stop letting his desire to be a lazy parent keep you in such misery.

Oldrosie's picture

You're right.

it will manifest in something much more worrying. That is my fear and definatley a wake up call for me. I've had such bad health over the years and this hasnt helped.

my partner doesn't want me to move to the other house because he loves me and love me at home. Of course I don't want to be without him too. He isn't taking a back seat at all though incase I explained it wrong. He is certainly taking this seriously and he doesn't tolorate this behaviour. He is a very good father like that - doesn't guilt parent and he keeps them in check. In fact they take up so much energy as soon as we take the eye off the ball for a second - we are back to where we started. 
 

i guess I need to break this cycle - and just stay away from them. Lockdown certainly isn't helping. I've been trapped in a tiny house with them for 2 months! 

tog redux's picture

"One of them is so greedy, they are so needy, they put on baby voices (he's 9), they have no initiative, they are lazy and they lie" - this is what made me feel he might not be a great parent.  If my SS did any of this, DH set limits and gave consequences.

Not that kids can't turn out poorly even with good parents - but if all of his kids are annoying, challenging kids, he might be the source of the problem.  Especially that young. My SS turned out poorly in the end (thanks, BM) - but at least DH did not allow him to be so awful in our home.

SteppedOut's picture

Why are you stuck there? Are you choosing to be stuck? 

Scratched your car with a bike? WTF. How does that even happen "accidentally"? Is your bf going to fix it? 

The stress of living with people you do not like and constantly annoy you is going to start wearing on your heath. Constant stress manifests emotionally AND physically. 

It is my opinion that you should reevaluate why you feel "stuck". 

Oldrosie's picture

I guess I am choosing to be stuck. I don't want to my relationship to fail. I love my DH so much and we've been through so much for the past few years. He's a very good father and does keep them in check and when I can't stand the kids he takes them somewhere to give me space. He really is wonderful! howver it does feel no matter what he does I'll always feel like this. 
 

yes the little shit tried to ride his bike in between our cars (800mm) gap and scratched my brand new BMW! We are going to make him contribute to it with his pocket money. It's just frustrating because its like we have to state the obvious with absolutely everything or they will not think for themselves! 
 

my BD who is 5 has more initiative and common sense in her little finger! 
 

also - I really appreciate what you're saying about mental and physical health. I really really will consider this! Lock down has not helped at all. We have spent two months in a tiny house with them and my DD is only here half the time as I co-parent her with her Dad.

ndc's picture

These kids are too young for you to live in misery until they're 18. I'd move out whether your partner wants you to or not, before you become someone you don't want to be.

Oldrosie's picture

I do know this but I need to try so hard to make it work. My DH really is trying to - taking them away from me when he can see it's too much. I don't want to leave this is my home now and I love my DH so much. I thought after 2.5 years we would of found a rhythm instead they've found new ways to piss me off. 

Wicked stepmo.'s picture

I find my biggest frustration is that if I redirect my kid,  he listens and if on the rare occasion he doesn't he gets a consequence.  With SKs, they dont listen,  they back talk and they are painfully disrespectful.  Even when you do something nice for them 5 minutes later the way they act they might as well just come out and say go F yourself.  So, no I dont want to interact with them, it's not an enjoyable experience.  I often put my headphones in, so they know I am not paying attention and just want to be left alone.  If SO isnt going to be here when they are here, I make sure neither am I.

Rags's picture

This is why I am behavior focused in how I deal with people.  It lets me focus on discrete incidents, confront and destroy the perpetrator of those incidents, and lets me move on. They learn quickly that it is extremely painful to perpetrate that crap with me or people I care about.

I do not retreat, I do not abandon my place in the blended or extended families and I do not abdicate my position and any authority or status that my position in the mix provides me.

This allows me to not let the deep seated drama invade my life at any level, and they learn to keep their behavior straight or suffer.

It also allows me to not let the daily irritating minutia to cause me to behave in a way that I do not like.  This also allows me to be aware and confront those behviors in myself.

Shit happens.  All kids are going to just be kids periodically with poor judgement that is not toxic or even a poor decision.  I returned from a business trip recently and scratched the crap out of the front fender of my car when I allowed one of my bags to rub on the side of the car. Something I had done countless times before with no issues.  On that trip a foot pad on one corner of my leather bag had broken off and a sharp pin was sticking out of bag where the foot had been and I ended up with  a 6inch long thin scratch on my fender. It irritates me every time I see it. I have used rubbing compound on it a few times and it is becomming less noticable.

My point is, shit happens.  It may be irritating, even infuriating, but it is not always toxic, manipultive or a conciouse decision. Some times it is just careless random shit.

Deep breaths. Don't let irritation turn you into someone you don't like being and do not respect.

So... stop that.

 

DPW's picture

You're not handling this effectively and I would suggest you get into therapy to sort this out in your head and find the right tools to help you manage. 

Oldrosie's picture

I know you're right - I have done therapy which did help in the short term but my feeling change a lot. It's been such a journey and I and they go through phases of behaviour and development. I guess the one consistent that has been is they bring me a lot of stress I didn't have before. 

DPW's picture

I'm just worried that you're coping skills will end up biting you in the butt in the long run. You really need to figure out if this is the life for you and whether or not you can manage this type of life. It's not for everyone. Good luck.