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SD is now uncomfortable to be around me. To which I say GOOD!

attempting_to_maintain_composure's picture

Yesterday, after much discussion about my disengagement as well as the entire visit SO told SD what the deal was going to be from here on out. He told her that since she has been nasty to me basically the entire time she has been here and has decided that she sees no problem with being nasty to me that I am done putting myself out there for her and I am done associating with her. He told her that, from now on, if she needs something that she can't do for herself, she has to ask him and, if it is something that he can't do and needs me to do then and only then will he ask me to do it.

He laid down the new law of the land very well with her. I was so impressed. He kept it short, he kept it firm and to the point. He didn't lecture her, he simply just said "SD, you did this, I refuse to let you do that in our home, so, here's what's happening as a result". Wow. He told her that he is extremely disappointed and aggravated with her choice to be disrespectful to not only another human being but someone who lives in this house. He told her that he expects her to be respectful of me, that I am not just "some girl" who lives here, and I am not just "dad's partner", but because I am a human being I therefore deserve respect. He told her that the disappointment is also because she decided that, even after being a snot to me (Yes, he called her out on being a snot), that she saw no reason to apologize to me which is just as bad as being disrespectful. He told her that it is now her job to figure out where she fits into our family out here and that if she can't figure it out, oh well. He asserted to her that he does not love her any less, but, he is horribly disappointed in her choice of actions/behaviors. He also asserted to her that he wants her to come visit us out here and spend time with us (I was so proud that he was being so specific with his language here because, right now, he's right. I DON'T want her to visit us because she acts like a horrible little troll to me, but, he's right in telling her that if she visits, it is visiting us, not him, but US).

He apologized to me for the hurt and the disrespect in front of her. He restated to her that he was disappointed and that she is never to be disrespectful to me or anyone else in this house (or in society in general). After he wrapped up he asked her if she had anything she wanted to say. She shook her head no and went off on her own merry little way. SO and I went to change so we could go to counseling and I told him that it was very telling that she still refused to apologize to me after every incident of being a rude little troll. I told him that I can only give her a smidgen of benefit of the doubt because, perhaps, she figured his apology covered it for her, but, that it still doesn't make it right. He surprised me when he said "No, she doesn't deserve that benefit because she has to start taking responsibility for her own actions which means apologizing for herself." *Swoon*.

This morning she's been rude to both of us. She said nothing to me (good because I intended to ignore her presence completely) and she said nothing to SO besides "I think we should go to camp now" at like, 8:30, way too early to leave. Hahahahaha. I'm making her uncomfortable. And she clearly does not even want to be in the same room as me, because, when SO told her "no, it's not time to leave yet, I have to walk the dog first" she didn't even wait for him to invite her along, she just followed him outside very quickly. So hahahahaha SD! I'm GLAD you are uncomfortable being in the room with me because it is a taste of your own damn medicine! You are not a perfect little ray of sunshine, you have been acting like a horrible little troll on a power trip. I guess she thought I was going to hide out in our bedroom or something? I was in there yesterday when she came home because I was watching a True Blood but, I didn't avoid being in the same room as her, just ignored her the rest of the evening - which was easy because we had counseling and she went to bed before we got home. But I will not be put out in my own house.

I told SO last night that she can continue being rude to me for as long as she likes as long as he keeps asserting to her that it is NOT acceptable and that he does all that he can to correct her horrible misconceptions that her getting in trouble is because I'm an "evil" "judgmental" person and is really because she acts like a troll. But, I told him that it will always bug me more when she's rude to him because he is her flesh and blood; no, that doesn't excuse her from being rude to others, but, she should at least be considerate, polite, and respectful of her own father. I told him this morning briefly, as they left, that I'm not thrilled with her new choice to be rude to him as well because it's just going to make the rest of her time here uncomfortable. For her!

Comments

stepmisery's picture

It will get worse before it gets better, that's true of any change. But it will get better. Sounds like your SO is doing some great parenting!

attempting_to_maintain_composure's picture

I was prepared for that, and I did my best to prepare SO for that, too. I am also prepared for her behavior to never change, as well, especially if she keeps living under the delusion that she's perfectly awesome and everyone else is a problem. But, as long as SO keeps up the good work parenting her, she'll either learn that she is the source of her problems here or, she will at least come to the realization that it's not just me that has expectations of her to behave like a decent human being.

All I can say for sure is what I told SO last night. I don't care if it gets better for or with her at this point because of how rude she has been to me without remorse. But, I know that it will at least get better for SO and I, which, it already has a little bit Smile

attempting_to_maintain_composure's picture

Indeed! It was so awesome watching him lay down the law with SD. I've never had the privilege of watching him scold her like that before. It rocked ^_^

And I am so glad that she's feeling uncomfortable. Might sound mean to some people, but, she deserves it. I've been stressed and uncomfortable around her for the entire visit so far, it's about time she starts feeling discomfort over her actions. Because, unlike me, her stress/discomfort isn't going to just disappear because I've disengaged from her. Of course, my stress has not all been because of her as I have my own stuff going on - medical issues - but, that should have been all I was stressing about while she was here. I shouldn't have had to stress about her, her behavior or her shitty treatment of me. Now? I don't have to stress about it and I told SO how excited I was to be able to do whatever the heck I want on the weekend without having to worry about being here for SD and having to be a target for her piss poor attitude.

Helena.Handbasket's picture

Its not mean. She needs to learn how to behave properly. If you can't behave, then you should be uncomfortable.
The freedom is great!

attempting_to_maintain_composure's picture

Now I just have to decide what I'm going to go do on Saturday because I am so not hanging around here all day with SD. Maybe a little pampering is in order ^_^

just tired's picture

So glad to hear your DH handled it all this way. And, yeah, it's probably going to get worse b4 it gets better.

The important thing is that your DH set some boundaries. And the important thing to remember about boundaries is this: they are NOT for the other person, they are for ourselves. We can't control anyone else, only ourselves. A boundary is all about giving up any attempt to control the other person. The boundary is about saying to the other person, "When you do X, it makes me uncomfortable (or angry, or whatever). So, from now on when you do X, my reaction will be ____."

Maybe your reaction will be to leave the room, or it might be to ask them to leave the room.

The other person will likely still do X. But, you have taken the power away from them to control your actions, your feelings, etc. You are taking back the power for yourself.

And when we change our behavior and no longer dance the dance the other person is used to....they get REALLY uncomfortable. But, that's their issue to deal with...not yours.

Hang in there!!!!

attempting_to_maintain_composure's picture

It's so funny that you say this, just tired, because this is almost exactly what the counselor told SO last night! And it's pretty similar to what I told him when I was explaining my need to disengage from SD.

Needless to say, the counselor totally supported and affirmed my idea to disengage from SD.

attempting_to_maintain_composure's picture

This development with SO almost makes all of the crap that I had to put up with for so long worth it. Almost haha. Sure, I would have loved SO to be this way from the start, but, he was still blinded by guilt and doing the Disney Dad thing. But, at least he learned something from the entire experience and can now acknowledge all of the times that SD was acting like a troll towards me. It definitely makes me feel more comfortable in my decision to partner up with him indefinitely. Because even if his kid is going to be an ass, at least I know I have SO in my corner.

I just wish everyone else on here had the same with their SOs/DHs/DWs.

attempting_to_maintain_composure's picture

It took all of my will power to just stand there with a complete air of stoicism while SO laid this all down for SD.