As a steparent.....do you.....

1. Regret making the decision to marry DH, or
ir you are not yet married, are you re0-thinking the possibility?

No

2. Ever look forward to visitation with Skids, or if you have full custody, ever wish visitation with BM was much longer and more frequent?

Yes, it's been perfectly balanced since 50/50 custody was granted. I look forward to them coming AND leaving

3. Find things to do outside the house when skids come around?

Yes! This mom needs a break from kiddos sometimes and the girls need alone time with their dad.

4. Give gifts of equal value to skids as well as bios (birthday, Christmas, etc.)?

Yes

5. Bite your tongue when it comes to skid-related issues that affect your household just to avoid arguing?

Hmmm. Yes and No, but it's more BM-related issues. I'm trying to let him deal with her in his own right.

6. Communicate with BM at all?

Yes, but not about kid issues that are best left to the two people that created the children. Day to day stuff, like SD8 forgetting her jacket and needing to pick it up from her house when I'm dropping her off at school...

7. Take all family vacations with skids?

No, weekend schedules determine that... I took my own kiddos skiing last year while my husband took his girls to visit his mom in Florida

8. Contribute to weekly allowance for skids even though they don't live with you?

None of our kids get an allowance.

9. Work outside the home?

Yes

10. Buy things (clothes, shoes, etc) on a regular basis for skids as well as pay monthly CS?

Yep, otherwise they'd be naked.

1. Regret making the decision to marry DH, or
ir you are not yet married, are you re0-thinking the possibility?
-no. I love my dh!

2. Ever look forward to visitation with Skids, or if you have full custody, ever wish visitation with BM was much longer and more frequent?
- Nope, don't look forward to visits.

3. Find things to do outside the house when skids come around?
- Sometimes. But mostly dh finds things to get all the kids out of the house so I can get some quiet time. He does this when ss doesn't come too.

4. Give gifts of equal value to skids as well as bios (birthday, Christmas, etc.)?
- Nope.
5. Bite your tongue when it comes to skid-related issues that affect your household just to avoid
arguing?
- nope. If it affects my household then that means it affects my (our) kids too so I won't keep my mouth shut when it comes to them.

6. Communicate with BM at all?
- Nope. Makes life SO much easier!!

7. Take all family vacations with skids?
- Haven't taken a vacation WITH skid yet

8. Contribute to weekly allowance for skids even thought hey don't live with you?
- Nope. I'd be surprised to find out if ss even had to do chores at home or has to warm money.

9. Work outside the home?
- Nope

10. Buy things (clothes, shoes, etc) on a regular basis for skids as well as pay monthly CS?
- Nope

1. Regret making the decision to marry DH, or
ir you are not yet married, are you re0-thinking the possibility?

**** Nope, I would marry my beautiful bride again in a heartbeat. Raising my kid (SS) with my bride and being his dad is one of my proudest accomplishments.

2. Ever look forward to visitation with Skids, or if you have full custody, ever wish visitation with BM was much longer and more frequent?

***** Yes, I have enjoyed it when our son (my SS) is visiting the SpermClan. His visitation with them (5wks Summer, 1wk Winter, 1 wk Spring) has given my wife an I time to focus on each other without the usually kid associated distractions.

3. Find things to do outside the house when skids come around?

**** Yep, and we usually take the kid (my Skid) with us when he is not visiting the SpermClan or on our shit list. Hiking, camping, road trips, concerts, plays, etc......

4. Give gifts of equal value to skids as well as bios (birthday, Christmas, etc.)?

**** He is an only child in our home so this is not an issue. However, my parents have always gone to great pains to keep things equitable between my brothers and I when we were children and the grandkids currently. It is not necessary but it makes mom and dad feel good that they treat everyone similarly including my son (SS) who they consider fully their grandson no different than my bro's kids.

5. Bite your tongue when it comes to skid-related issues that affect your household just to avoid arguing?

**** Not a chance. I have always insisted on being an equity parent to our son (my SS) and if BioDad has had an issue with it ... he can kiss my ass.

6. Communicate with BM at all?

**** I have spoken with BioDad periodically but it has always been reasonably low key mainly because he does what he is told when he is told to do it. SpermGrandMa on the other hand is the hag from hell and we have to beat the snot out of her in court and financially periodically to keep her in line.

7. Take all family vacations with skids?

***** We took all family vacations with our son (my SS) up until about 5yrs go. At that time my wife and I agreed that we would no longer deprive ourselves because of the Skids visitation with the SpermClan. So, we give him the choice of coming with us or not if our vacation plans fall during the SpermIdiots court ordered visitation schedule. Since we implemented this policy the SS has never chosen to miss one of our family vacations and has notified the SpermClan when he will visit and how long he will stay with them.

8. Contribute to weekly allowance for skids even thought hey don't live with you?

**** The kid (my SKid) lives with us so this does not apply. BioDad nor the SpermClan has ever contributed to an allowance for the kid or given him any money directly. When he travels we give him money. They have put him on the plane back to us with ZERO $ on several occasions. In the event that he gets stuck mid trip we give him a debit card that we load with money before he travels. When he gets to SpermLand we pull all of the money off of the debit card. They have a habit of having him put gas in their cars and pay for dinners if he has money. We reload the card when he is traveling home. This really pisses them off but tough shit.

9. Work outside the home?

**** 5day a week every week except when I am on vacation. I am a dad and an husband. That is what I do.

So does my wife by the way. She was a SAHM until our son (my SS) started school. She was a full time student in the evenings but did not work outside of our home. She lasted for two weeks after he started school then "I am bored, I am getting a job!".

10. Buy things (clothes, shoes, etc) on a regular basis for skids as well as pay monthly CS?

**** We received CS from the SpermClan (SpermGrandMa and SpermGrandPa paid it because their worthless POS son is just that, a worthless POS) from when my SS was 1 until he turned 18. Not that the pittance in CS ever made a difference. We have spent several 100% more on clothes, shoes, lessons, tuition, etc .... than CS amounted to.

1. I dont regret it YET lol jk we've only been married for 4 months, but i hope i never regret it.

2. Ever look forward to visitation with Skids, or if you have full custody, ever wish visitation with BM was much longer and more frequent?
this is kinda hard, because im not living in my dh/sd's town right now cuz of school, but when I lived with dh, we only had her EOWE, so i always looked forward to it. He now has 50/50, but i still think I would look forward to it, I miss her alot!

3. Find things to do outside the house when skids come around?
Sometimes. Sometimes sd gets on my nerves so i would run to the store real quick.

4. Give gifts of equal value to skids as well as bios (birthday, Christmas, etc.)? well i dont have any bios, but i think i would give them equal gifts

5. Bite your tongue when it comes to skid-related issues that affect your household just to avoid arguing?
i do this sometimes. dh wants to move out of state for a job (or a possible job) and i am very upset with this because he just moved there to be with sd (so if he moves out of state, it will be further from me cuz i cant go with him for atleast 2 yrs)

6. Communicate with BM at all?
helllll no

7. Take all family vacations with skids?
havent yet

8. Contribute to weekly allowance for skids even thought hey don't live with you?
shes too young for that right now lol

9. Work outside the home?
i work outside the home

10. Buy things (clothes, shoes, etc) on a regular basis for skids as well as pay monthly CS?
I have bought things for sd, mostly clothes but not on a regular basis. I dont think I would feel comfortable paying the CS on a reg. basis or at all!

1. Regret making the decision to marry DH, or
ir you are not yet married, are you re0-thinking the possibility?

No, i LOVE dh....

2. Ever look forward to visitation with Skids, or if you have full custody, ever wish visitation with BM was much longer and more frequent?

NO, i HATE skid visitation.

3. Find things to do outside the house when skids come around?

not so much, feel the horrible need to make sure they stay the F out of my shit

4. Give gifts of equal value to skids as well as bios (birthday, Christmas, etc.)?

no bios, but if i had bios they would more than likely get more..

5. Bite your tongue when it comes to skid-related issues that affect your household just to avoid arguing?

sometimes.... i always try to, but it rarely works... but i do wait for skids to not be present before i lay into dh about whatever his skids/ex/mom/sister did to piss me off.

6. Communicate with BM at all?

rarely..... and neither does dh, unless she calls wanting/needing something.

7. Take all family vacations with skids?

NEVER if it were up to me.... took ss away for a mini-vacay w/e and he made me so mad as did dh for not parenting.. so, at this time, i will never plan a vacation involving either skid..

8. Contribute to weekly allowance for skids even though they don't live with you?

they don't do anything and they do not get an allowance

9. Work outside the home?

Not currently.

10. Buy things (clothes, shoes, etc) on a regular basis for skids as well as pay monthly CS?

i did a while back, but all the good stuff i bought ended up at bm's and they always showed up here in hand me downs (including underwear w/someone else's name in them).. so now ss wears whatever and sd carries butt loads of shit back and forth.

i have concluded from comments on this site that CS should cover clothes.

Strong

As a steparent.....do you.....

1. Regret making the decision to marry DH, or
ir you are not yet married, are you re0-thinking the possibility?

No, Not rethinking it, just delaying it until SS is in college

2. Ever look forward to visitation with Skids, or if you have full custody, ever wish visitation with BM was much longer and more frequent?

Look forward to when SD comes over, but not SS

3. Find things to do outside the house when skids come around? Depends on if SS is sticking around all day/night or not.

4. Give gifts of equal value to skids as well as bios (birthday, Christmas, etc.)? No...I spend more on my DD & DS than I do on skids. skids get a ton of stuff from FDH's entire family so I don't feel the need.

5. Bite your tongue when it comes to skid-related issues that affect your household just to avoid arguing? Sometimes.. it depends on the issue.

6. Communicate with BM at all? Occasionally, there are times that she will call and want to talk to me, because SD will make comments that I'm the only one that listens to her.

7. Take all family vacations with skids? No

8. Contribute to weekly allowance for skids even thought hey don't live with you? Nope, I don't give any money towards the skids.

9. Work outside the home? Yes

10. Buy things (clothes, shoes, etc) on a regular basis for skids as well as pay monthly CS? Nope

As a steparent.....do you.....

1. Regret making the decision to marry DH, or
ir you are not yet married, are you re0-thinking the possibility? I dont generally regret marrying my DH, and when I do it has nothing to do with his kids. The issues I have with DH are with him. I love and adore his girls and I think I would stay well past his usefulness because of them.

2. Ever look forward to visitation with Skids, or if you have full custody, ever wish visitation with BM was much longer and more frequent? I always look forward to their time with us. I get anxious and excited and I miss them terribly when they are at their other homes.

3. Find things to do outside the house when skids come around? No, I have no time for that. Our time is consumed with the kids when they are here, especially mine!

4. Give gifts of equal value to skids as well as bios (birthday, Christmas, etc.)? I dont have bio's so my SD's are lucky that way I guess.

5. Bite your tongue when it comes to skid-related issues that affect your household just to avoid arguing? Heck no! My husbands girls are my girls and when they are in my home and in my care I will have a say in everything that goes on.

6. Communicate with BM at all? I do most of the communication. I put forth a HUGE effort in my relationship with my SD's BM's for the benefit of the girls and my DH.

7. Take all family vacations with skids? I schedule things 1-2 years in advance and stay on top of our time with them. I always try to arrange things around when the girls are here. A family vacation is not a family vacation when half of the family (the girls) are elsewhere.

8. Contribute to weekly allowance for skids even thought hey don't live with you? SD13 has a report card incentive with us. She has no incentive or allowance of anykind from her BM. SD5 has a sticker chart incentive for chores and behavior with BM. She gets a "good girl prize" from us. When we pick her up we get a "progress report". If BM says she was overall well behaved, she has good feedback from her teachers, and then is behaved for us over the period we have her then we take her to pick out a good girl prize. She looks forward to this and it does help her make more positive choices.

9. Work outside the home? I don't work when the girls are here unless I absolutely have to. If they come for extra time I use PTO when I can to make sure I'm home with them. I also often rearrange my schedule to ensure that we don't miss out on school activities etc. I am lucky to have a pretty flexible job although its not always easy when BM doesn't give me as much notice as I would like.

10. Buy things (clothes, shoes, etc) on a regular basis for skids as well as pay monthly CS? My DH is unemployed and is behind on his CS. It is a very hard time for us and especially him. I cannot afford to maintain our household and pay his CS monthly. I make smaller payments for him monthly so that at least he is sending something and I go well above and beyond regarding the extra's. I buy their school clothes, supplies, shoes, I pay for anything and everything I am asked to. The BM's know that I am 100% willing and wanting to help support these children and be there for them. The BM's also know that DH has always paid CS before and that he actively seeks employment. We live in Michigan which is experiencing the most economic hardship. BM#1 herself is struggling with unemployment and BM#2's current husband is always in the same situation. We try to support each other and be empathetic.

As a steparent.....do you.....

1. Regret making the decision to marry DH, or
ir you are not yet married, are you re0-thinking the possibility?
At times,Ad that is just issues with the SDs

2. Ever look forward to visitation with Skids, or if you have full custody, ever wish visitation with BM was much longer and more frequent?
Not in issue kids do not live in our home
3. Find things to do outside the house when skids come around?
They do not come around anymore,dad has to go to them if he wants to see them
4. Give gifts of equal value to skids as well as bios (birthday, Christmas, etc.)?
Yes, we always treat bios and SD the same
5. Bite your tongue when it comes to skid-related issues that affect your household just to avoid arguing?
Yes!
6. Communicate with BM at all?
No
7. Take all family vacations with skids?
No
8. Contribute to weekly allowance for skids even thought hey don't live with you?
no
9. Work outside the home?
yes
10. Buy things (clothes, shoes, etc) on a regular basis for skids as well as pay monthly CS?
for all the grandkids

1. Regret making the decision to marry DH, or
ir you are not yet married, are you re0-thinking the possibility?My husband is awesome, he saves birds, he is so kind and gentle. I just wish he would see that there is something wrong with the kid and do something to help him.
2. Ever look forward to visitation with Skids, or if you have full custody, ever wish visitation with BM was much longer and more frequent? BM dumped the kid on us full in Feb. I HATE it, it was hard enough having him every weekend, then we got the bonus plan of 5-2-5…now this! She took him for a week in August and she won’t have the time to see him again until October. She doesn’t want to deal with her own kid…..what makes her think I do?
3. Find things to do outside the house when skids come around? Outside, inside..it doesn’t matter.
4. Give gifts of equal value to skids as well as bios (birthday, Christmas, etc.)? N/a
5. Bite your tongue when it comes to skid-related issues that affect your household just to avoid arguing? yes
6. Communicate with BM at all? HELL NO!
7. Take all family vacations with skids? Refuse to….the last one was miserable.
8. Contribute to weekly allowance for skids even thought hey don't live with you? The kid doesn’t have an allowance (or chore) he just gets whatever he wants whenever he wants it.
9. Work outside the home? No, I have to drive the kid to school…..the drive conflicts with having a normal job.
10. Buy things (clothes, shoes, etc) on a regular basis for skids as well as pay monthly CS? Yeah….she get full CS and never see the kid we have always paid for almost everything. She is the hero and pays for his cell phone….it’s her hotline to him. For a long time DH was paying for half of what she spent on him….if she took the kid to the movies and dinner…..DH would pay her back half. I got really sick of that and presented her with a bill…..it stopped.

1. Regret making the decision to marry DH, or
ir you are not yet married, are you re0-thinking the possibility?

As a stepparent, no. As a 22 year old college student do i wish i had waited a little, yes... not that living together, raising a child and sharing finances is much different from being married, raising a child and sharing finances.

2. Ever look forward to visitation with Skids, or if you have full custody, ever wish visitation with BM was much longer and more frequent?

If bm would parent kiddo, if she would be responsible, if she would not hurt him emotionally, if she would look out for his best interest, if she would not stand him up constantly, if she would be a constant and positive part of his life and not erratically spend time with him every few months, if she would provide SOMETHING for him... then yes, I think i might look forward to a break every once and a while. As it is, No. I dread kiddo going to spend time with bm. I dread the emotional turmoil and pain he comes home with.

3. Find things to do outside the house when skids come around?

Nope.

4. Give gifts of equal value to skids as well as bios (birthday, Christmas, etc.)?
I dont have bios.

5. Bite your tongue when it comes to skid-related issues that affect your household just to avoid arguing?
HAHAHA... nope. DH and I raise kiddo. DH and I coparent. DH and I provide for kiddo. I have a say, not the absent parent who disrupts the family.

6. Communicate with BM at all?

I have tried, but all attempts at communication on her part were a foil for some type of drama and all of my attempts at communication were met with silence. So no.

7. Take all family vacations with skids?

Most.

8. Contribute to weekly allowance for skids even thought hey don't live with you?

kiddo is five, and he does live with me. When he is old enough to have an allowance, we might give him one in exchange for his chores.

9. Work outside the home?
school.

10. Buy things (clothes, shoes, etc) on a regular basis for skids as well as pay monthly CS?

We have custody, so no to the child support, and we dont get anything from his "mom" either. Ya, on a regular basis I buy clothes, shoes, food, toys, movies, coloring stuff, books, write a check to the preschool, take him to the childrens museum, go to see childrens movies as a family.... ya. I dont mind doing any of it. I raise kiddo, I support kiddo, and occasionally his "mom" drops in for a few hour visit. What I mind is that she tries to control us, as a family and as individuals, and meanwhile she has nothing to do with her kid. That I mind. That i wish would stop. If you cant hack it then ok, but quit the arrogance, quit controlling, quit the entitlement, and just see it how it is, how everyone else knows how it is.

GREAT SURVEY!

As a steparent.....do you.....

1. Regret making the decision to marry DH, or
if you are not yet married, are you re0-thinking the possibility?
I don't regret marrying my DH. But if I could go back and redo the first five years or so, I would handle things differently. I've learned a lot in the 10+ years we've been together.

2. Ever look forward to visitation with Skids, or if you have full custody, ever wish visitation with BM was much longer and more frequent?
We are custodial. They only see their mother a couple of times a year. I hate when they are gone. They drive me insane. But I miss them and worry about them when they aren't here.

3. Find things to do outside the house when skids come around?
They are always here.

4. Give gifts of equal value to skids as well as bios (birthday, Christmas, etc.)?
I'm obssessed about making things equal. I calculate the amount of money spent as well as the number of gifts. I Spend hours making sure everything is perfectly even, especially at Christmas.

5. Bite your tongue when it comes to skid-related issues that affect your household just to avoid arguing?
Hell no! I am the mother in this house.

6. Communicate with BM at all?
Only if I absolutely have no choice. We are custodial. DH travels out of the state/country quite often, sometimes for weeks at a time. If one of the kids is hurt or sick, I'll send her an email. In an emergency, I'll call. But I try to let DH and his ex do most of the communicating.

7. Take all family vacations with skids?
Always

8. Contribute to weekly allowance for skids even thought hey don't live with you?
They live with us. And they don't really get allowance.

9. Work outside the home?
I am mostly at home. I work a couple of hours a week in our county's legal aid office just to stay connected.

10. Buy things (clothes, shoes, etc) on a regular basis for skids as well as pay monthly CS?
No more child support for us! We paid $2,700 a month for years...the kids moved in with us several years ago and now we pay a big fat 0 to the dreaded ex!

1. Regret making the decision to marry DH, or
ir you are not yet married, are you re0-thinking the possibility?

I've re-thought getting married to him, but I love him..

2. Ever look forward to visitation with Skids, or if you have full custody, ever wish visitation with BM was much longer and more frequent?

I often look forward to them visiting and get dissapointed and hurt when the SD doesn't come over especially when we planned to do something as a family. I hope one day we'll have full custody.

3. Find things to do outside the house when skids come around?

I've done this once or twice. I sometimes do it to give the skids time with their dad without me around.

4. Give gifts of equal value to skids as well as bios (birthday, Christmas, etc.)?

I have no bios myself, but I do spoil the skids, I get that from my BM though. She spoils them too.

5. Bite your tongue when it comes to skid-related issues that affect your household just to avoid arguing?

Sometimes, but I'm not good at it. BF says I like to argue so I guess I can't help myself.

6. Communicate with BM at all?

I'll talk to her at the skids events like baseball ect.. But my tongue does have a hole in it to avoid saying some things I'd like to say to her.

7. Take all family vacations with skids?

Yeah, we include them. And usually have a blast as long as we go somewhere with no phone service, so the drama (bm) stays at home.

8. Contribute to weekly allowance for skids even thought hey don't live with you?

We pay them for chores they do around our house. So my SS gets money when he mows the lawn and SD gets nothing cuz that's what she does. If they want an expensive gadget we don't pay them, we write the amount down and they contribute to their expensive gadget that way. ie ipods ect

9. Work outside the home?

yep

10. Buy things (clothes, shoes, etc) on a regular basis for skids as well as pay monthly CS?

All the time. The BM doesn't have the skids bring a bag over with clothes ect. Over half the time they come over in clothes that are to small and don't fit. I don't like sending them back in new clothes just to never see them again, but I don't want to stoop to her level and say you can't wear that to BM's house, that's our stuff. I don't think that's fair to the skids. If we are going somewhere nice, we have her send a nice outfit with, if we don't have one.

1. Regret making the decision to marry DH, or if you are not yet married, are you re-thinking the possibility?

I regret getting married most every day

2. Ever look forward to visitation with Skids, or if you have full custody, ever wish visitation with BM was much longer and more frequent?

I would love to have full custody and enjoy the skids visits

3. Find things to do outside the house when skids come around?

Nope, not unless we are doing something as a family

4. Give gifts of equal value to skids as well as bios (birthday, Christmas, etc.)?

Kind of. DH and I will agree to put our names on all the gifts but then he will feel compelled to give his kids "something from just dad"

5. Bite your tongue when it comes to skid-related issues that affect your household just to avoid arguing?

No. I say what I think. DH knows I am a better parent than him and BM combined! LOL

6. Communicate with BM at all?

NOOOOOOO!! You can't MAKE me!! Actually BM and I have talked maybe 5 times over the last 11 years and all of those times except when we were in the hospital, she was screaming or cursing at me so, no, I would NEVER want to talk to her if I can possibly avoid it.

7. Take all family vacations with skids?

Vacations? What vacations?

8. Contribute to weekly allowance for skids even thought hey don't live with you?

No but we do offer them odd jobs and pay them for doing them.

9. Work outside the home?

Yes. I am the "breadwinner" of the family - even if DH didn't pay CS!

10. Buy things (clothes, shoes, etc) on a regular basis for skids as well as pay monthly CS?

Not usually but we will buy them stuff. They never ask for extra stuff. BM's family is rich and pays for a lot of things for them as well as BM's lawyer fees.

1. Regret making the decision to marry DH, or
ir you are not yet married, are you re0-thinking the possibility?
~~ Don't regret marrying H, we'll be together long after Skids are moved on and out.

2. Ever look forward to visitation with Skids, or if you have full custody, ever wish visitation with BM was much longer and more frequent?
~~I never know when we will have Skids (no formal arrangement, so there is no "looking forward" to, they just show up when they feel like it or BM needs a babysitter.

3. Find things to do outside the house when skids come around?
~~ Yes, I try to do lunch with friends, get grocery's go visiting as much possible.

4. Give gifts of equal value to skids as well as bios (birthday, Christmas, etc.)?
~~Yes, all are treated equally

5. Bite your tongue when it comes to skid-related issues that affect your household just to avoid arguing?
~~ I leave all discipline etc. to hubby unless he actually asks for my opinion/help.

6. Communicate with BM at all?
~~ I'll say hi and provide answers to small talk conversation initiated by BM, but will not speak to her first, answer phone if I see it's her etc.

7. Take all family vacations with skids?
~~No, we go as a couple but may begin taking skids now that they are a little older

8. Contribute to weekly allowance for skids even thought hey don't live with you?
~~ No money that I earn goes to Skids, unless it is my choice, i.e. buy them a candy bar while at the store, get them easter baskets, etc. Their clothing, food etc. needs are hubby and BM's responsibility

9. Work outside the home?
~~ Yes, I work full-time

10. Buy things (clothes, shoes, etc) on a regular basis for skids as well as pay monthly CS?
~~ Hubby pays CS and will buy clothes, shoes for Skids as well if he feels there is a dire need i.e. SS showed up the day before school with ratty ass sneakers and said his mother did not buy him new ones for school so Hubby bought them..he was furious about it, but he did it.

As a steparent.....do you.....

1. Regret making the decision to marry DH, or
ir you are not yet married, are you re0-thinking the possibility?
****sometimes

2. Ever look forward to visitation with Skids, or if you have full custody, ever wish visitation with BM was much longer and more frequent?****have 50/50 w/ the BM , and no, I never look forward to it...I get a sick feeling in my stomache when it's our days/wknd.

3. Find things to do outside the house when skids come around?
*****sometimes I do.

4. Give gifts of equal value to skids as well as bios (birthday, Christmas, etc.)?
***yes

5. Bite your tongue when it comes to skid-related issues that affect your household just to avoid arguing?
***yes, always
6. Communicate with BM at all?
***no

7. Take all family vacations with skids?
***yes, but if we can afford it, DH and I will take a small vacation on our own
8. Contribute to weekly allowance for skids even thought hey don't live with you?
***no

9. Work outside the home?
***yes, 40 hrs a week

10. Buy things (clothes, shoes, etc) on a regular basis for skids as well as pay monthly CS?
****yes...have 50/50 AND pay a heafty amount of CS for the skids

As a steparent.....do you.....

1. Regret making the decision to marry DH, or
ir you are not yet married, are you re0-thinking the possibility?

Sometimes yes and it's because of the SKids often

2. Ever look forward to visitation with Skids, or if you have full custody, ever wish visitation with BM was much longer and more frequent?

Dread them coming, count the hours until they leave 

3. Find things to do outside the house when skids come around?

Yes as much as possible 

4. Give gifts of equal value to skids as well as bios (birthday, Christmas, etc.)?

No  I gift my kids; DH gifts his kids  

5. Bite your tongue when it comes to skid-related issues that affect your household just to avoid arguing?

Used to speak up but learnt the hard way better to stay quiet and have an easy life.

6. Communicate with BM at all?

Never.  Only met her twice for total of maybe 10 mins in 11 years  

7. Take all family vacations with skids?

No  once per year and it's once to many

8. Contribute to weekly allowance for skids even though they don't live with you?

None of our kids get an allowance.

9. Work outside the home?

Yes

10. Buy things (clothes, shoes, etc) on a regular basis for skids as well as pay monthly CS?

No. They are not my responsibility and I save my hard earned money for my own kids.