Hi, I am pretty new to this so here goes. I have always had great maternal instincts and feel that I am very fair but firm when it comes to my parenting decisions. I have a stepdaughter who is 8 and a stepson who is 14. Both are great and loving but lately it is getting more difficult to be close with them. I don't know if it is something that changed with me or them. To start the 8 year old is an only child at her moms and is incredibly spoiled, I mean spoiled. Her mom expects that because we make good money that it is up to us to just buy things for her whenever she barks the order. Recently it was to buy another dresser for her house because she was acquiring too many clothes and it would not all fit in the existing one. We were not asked to help but told that we had to buy one. Her mom is constantly broke and whines about it but then buys the girl new shoes or takes her out to eat. I think this sends the wrong message in many different ways to her daughter. Also, the daughter has begun to manipulate the dual home situation. If she does not want to come over she will kick, scream and cry until her mom finally gives in. We just get told that she is being a B***H and that her mom is just going to keep her for the weekend. I know that legally this is unacceptable, but when we start to bring up the legalities of it we get lawyers and money thrown in our face. Last time we ended up not only paying more child support and her lawyer fees.

I am just fed-up and had to vent!!!