I have a 15 year old step-son that I have been with his mother for eleven years in February. I often question whether I feel in love with him or his mother first. I adopted him shortly after my daughter was born. Problems started about the time that my wife and I were having some problems when he was about twelve and he told her that he was leaving with me when we were having issues and I chose to leave for a few days to give us some space(my wife and I). She said no way he wasn't even my kid in front of him and he wasn't going anywhere.