DH got the skids' grades yesterday....terrible. D's and F's from both of them, and let me tell you, DH was PISSED!!!! It also totally exposed which of the skids is BM's favorite, because all she did was make excuses for SS11, and called SS13 a manipulative liar (she's right, but she forgot about the part where SS11 is a manipulative liar, too, and in fact, is maybe even worse than SS13). DH has HAD it. SS13 is starting high school next year, and according to him, it's gonna be a whole lot different in our house when we have them. BM says she doesn't want the skids to go on any more weekend camping trips with DH's parents during the school year because SS13 is going to start having weekend homework a lot more (something tells me he already had weekend homework and just elected not to do it), which I completely agree with. Now, if she can just stick to it... DH's parents will act like that is a punishment to THEM to withhold their grandchildren from them, but these are also the people who would petition the courts for custody of these kids just because they want them if they didn't already know it would get laughed out of court.

The biggest problem with the skids is that, up until now, and probably continually, they have NEVER been held responsible for ANY of their actions. They either get away with crap because they have ADHD (BM uses this one all the time), the teachers are "after them" (another BM), or because they come from a "broken home," they're continually "going through hell" and should be pitied and indulged at every turn (in-laws). DH is prepared now to do whatever it takes for them to realize there is at least SOMEONE in this world who is NOT playing with them. Up until now, that person has been me, but hopefully DH will really get on board this time. So I hope the skids have a nice summer, because the SECOND the school year starts, everything with a screen is getting removed from the house for the duration of the weekends they're with us, INCLUDING their own personal cell phones, which will be my pleasure. This will continue until their grades show me they have improved. I'm sure major tantrums and meltdowns will ensue, but these kids have been on way too long of a leash for WAY too long, and now is the last attempt before they're adults to straighten them out so they MIGHT turn out okay as adults. MIGHT.