I have raised these girls for 13yrs. The oldest is 20. She is home from Collage for the holidays. She has left the car we bought her at school and is without transportation. I drove 30min to meet her and her father last night so she could go to a basketball game. On the way home she informed me that she would be going back to her fathers house the following morning. I was a little put out but it wasn't a big deal.
A little back story on the girls' father. He has been manipulative and confrontational since day one. He feels that he didn't need to support the kids financially because I have good job and provide for them. He loves being the fun dad and making my wife and out to be horrible and overly strict. There is never any support in the hard areas of parenting.
I feel like I have loved and cared for the girls I would my own. In fact I treat them the same as I do my son. There has always been a problem between my wife and I when it comes to teaching responsibility. My was abused by her stepfather and she is overly sensitive to everything I do. It has been 13yrs and she is still putting me in the roll of step dad.
The girls have learned to use this to their advantage.