Hello, I have been a lurker here for a while now and have decided that I REALLY need a place to vent. I have to say that the few friends that I have are tired of hearing about it and they can’t really relate anyway, due to they are single or in first time marriages.

I have BD12, BD7 and SS6. I have been with DH for 4 ½ years, married 2 ½. We both have 50/50 custody.

I don’t want to go into a super long introduction post giving a ton of back history, so I will just say that my SS is a hellion, to say the least!! I’ve been in his life since he was 1 ½ and he’s been a handful ever since. DH had NO clue how to parent when I met him and SS was the boss to everyone, on both sides of the family. First grandchild to all, extremely spoiled and still to this day with pretty much everyone except DH. When I first met SS and seen how he behaved and was “parented” DH and I had THE TALK, and I said he needed to step up or I was leaving. I give DH credit because he has, he tries very hard for the most part, makes mistakes but we all do. But everyone else in SS’s life make it very difficult to make a lot of progress.

It’s just all so HARD!! I do not like SS due to the way he has treated me and my bio’s for the past 4 years. He’s loud, annoying, disrespectful, rude, mean, has very little manners, I could go on. I’ve read the disengagement article and have read the book “Step Monster”. I am currently working on disengaging as much as possible considering he’s only 6 and at my home half the time. I try to remember that if it doesn’t affect me or my bio’s, to keep my mouth shut! Again, very hard.

So, my most recent complaint…my DD12 is going through puberty. As anyone with girls knows, this means ATTITUDE!! She is naturally a pretty laid back and sweet girl, but her hormones are raging and I try to give her a little slack, but I do point out her attitude and rudeness to her at times. But now my DH feels the need to complain about her attitude, granted she does have one, but all I can think is, SERIOUSLY??? His child has given me attitude and been a disrespectful brat since I’ve known him and now that my child is going through puberty and having a hard time you want to complain?? I pointed this out to him and he just shut his mouth, but it really gets under my skin when he complains about my kids when his kid is 10x’s worse!! I understand him wanting to complain and I’d be fine IF his child wasn’t such a terror, in my mind that makes it like he doesn’t have a right, probably wrong but it’s how I feel.

Anyway, thanks for reading and I look forward to having a place to vent and maybe get some advice!!