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Frustrated by SS

Yummy mummy's picture

My partner has 2 sons with his ex, aged 9 & 22. 

For now I will talk about younger SS who is 9 turning 10 next month. 

The younger SS is frustrating to an extent i don't want him to visit anymore. Whenever he has to visit i wish i can just go away until he returns to his mom. 

My partner just can't say no to SS. He gets spoilt, gets away with bad manners, my partner doesn't say anything. He demands everything & anything, my partner always gives in, cause he fails to say no. He doesn't want to be bad in SS' eyes. SS lacks discipline & respect for other people's things.He lacks likes skills & values. Sometimes decisions are made without my knowledge, I get told. This weekend I created an excuse for them not to visit cause whenever they are here my wrekend gets spoilt, I end up moody & angry. SS has been nagging my partner to fetch him. I'm crossing my fingers her doesn't give in. They were here for the weekend 2 weeks back. Am I  being unreasonable for not wanting them again this weekend? SS is too demanding, from morning till midnight. I would be responding to his demands, until i get exhausted. He eats non-stop...every hour. It's a lot of things he does that leaves me angry. 

I don't want to seem like I have a problem with them cause my partner accepted my son but then again my son is well behaved & mannered. 

Comments

ESMOD's picture

1.  You should NOT discourage your partner from having a relationship with his 9 year old son.. 

2.  Your kid isn't perfect and I'm sure your partner deals with plenty from your son too... believe me.. your kid doesn't walk on water.. no kids do.

3.  You do have a say in how your household is run.. ground rules for the kids and you and your SO need to mutually agree on these.. but it is up to each of you to parent your children...  

4.  Your DH may not get much time with his kid.. so may not want to spend all that time fighting.. but maybe decide what are some things that are positive changes that he can start on.. it won't all happen at once.. work on one thing and then move to the next.

5.  If you cannot be around his kid.. you should think about doing other things on his weekend so you aren't around as much.. or maybe not be in the relationship.

6.  your SO will come to resent you if you keep this up.

Rumplestiltskin's picture

I agree with you that if the CO says EOWE, OP is wrong to prevent that. But, i can see OP being frustrated if there is no schedule and she is not consulted but notified last minute of visits. ETA i would want to know what the visitation really looks like before passing judgement. Some people's lives are a chaotic mess and they shuffle the kids based on their own selfish whims. 

Yummy mummy's picture

Thank you, I'll encourage DH to spend time with the 8 year old. 

I also realise I have to work on a lot of things to make this work. 

Rags's picture

What is the visitation schedule?

Paste the schedule on the wall and tolerate no additional visits.  If DH wants to decline a visitation, fine. But never tolerate extra visits.  If BM fails to deliver the Skid per the schedule, ask DH why he isn't nailing BM with a contempt motion for withholding SS per the schedule.

We were the CP side of the blended family equation in our world.  We never allowed deviation from the schedule.  If they chose to forgo a visitation, fine. But if they did not put him on the plane per the end of the visitation, it was game on.

As for responding to his demands.. NO! solves that problem.  Visiting kids immediately engage in the household following the rules, complying with the standards of behavior and standards of performance... or.... they learn abject misery inducing escalating consequences.

You are not rejecting his sons while DH accepted yours.  You are requiring compliance to the visitation schedule.

Do not demonize yourself and do not allow drop in unstructured Skid visits.  Of course the same should apply for your son as well.

IMHO of course.

Take care of you.

Yummy mummy's picture

I will definitely do that for a peaceful visit without any frustrations. I love kids & I want to enjoy them. 

NoWireCoatHangarsEVER's picture

She's a girl but is very easy going and independent.  She's always on her computer, reading books, playing with toys, playing with friends, painting, etc.  We do stuff together but she never comes to me cause she is bored or needs constant supervision.  That being said she has some fellow 9 year old friends who are not independent and it was very eye opening to me how blessed I am.  This friend of hers was constantly coming in my bedroom, "Can I have a snack?"  "Can we go to the park?"  "can you take us to the skating rink?"  We have a new $2000 bengal kitten and this friend is just oblivious.  I caught her leaving the back door wide open.  She would take out every single one of our board games and scatter all the pieces and not put anything away.  She will eat all the snacks and lunch box food I have budgeted for two weeks in a few hours if you aren't watching her like a hawk.  So I get it.  I had to sit down with the 9 year old best friend ( and her mom is my good friend) and say "look here.  You can't leave the back door open and let out my brand new kitten.  Absolutely not.  You won't be invited back.  You can't get all of Khloe's food for her lunches.  Here are my rules.  If you break my rules, you won't be back."  and I guess in your case your SO needs to get on the same page regarding ground rules.  I had to talk with my friend. I took them to the movies and her kid was up running around the theater and leaving the theater to roam the halls.  I said, "I"m not taking your kid to the movies anymore unless she knows the groundrules."  I don't know how my friend copes honestly.  If that were my kid and I couldn't escape.... OMG.  So I feel your frustration.  I just get a blast of an unruly 9 year old every once in awhile.  It's horrible.         

Rags's picture

Nothing a butt whupin and hours of standing in a corner holding the walls together with her nose wouldn't fix.

If I were you, that kid would not be back without her mommy who would be mandated to be at the ill behaved 9yos side every second.

Nea

Sounds like this friend should have taken advantage of the first part of your screen name.  THough I do understand the EVER sentiment.

Rags's picture

SA I believe.  It is always interesting how things in the StepLife blended family world are remarkably similar even between different countries.

Yummy mummy's picture

In the middle of the night while we are sleeping, SO either wakes us up wanting popcorns or goes to the kitchen & eat anything & everything available. By the time we wake up, whatever was saved for breakfast, we would find all gone...container empty. 

He would want ice cream, I would give him, when he is finished, he would go to the fridge & serve himself without asking this time. He wouldn't finish it & leave it to melt & wasted. 

There are just so many things that I have to put up with. However, I hear you, I will lay down the rules, just to ensure that we all live in harmony & I also get to enjoy having 9 year old home. I really don't want DH to recent me.

Yummy mummy's picture

In the middle of the night while we are sleeping, SO either wakes us up wanting popcorns or goes to the kitchen & eat anything & everything available. By the time we wake up, whatever was saved for breakfast, we would find all gone...container empty. 

He would want ice cream, I would give him, when he is finished, he would go to the fridge & serve himself without asking this time. He wouldn't finish it & leave it to melt & wasted. 

There are just so many things that I have to put up with. However, I hear you, I will lay down the rules, just to ensure that we all live in harmony & I also get to enjoy having 9 year old home. I really don't want DH to recent me.

alwayslast1978's picture

My wife was like this with our SS who is now 9. Maybe not quite as bad.  I was able to change things by making her see that indulging him is bad for him.  In 10 years, he is supposed to be an adult.  My SS is slowly getting there but would be 5 at home without me.   Your husband needs to discipline him.  His son needs a father not a buddy.  I teach middle school and so many teachers want to be their friends.  I am firm but fair and kids like my better than in my first couple of years when I was lenient.  Kids actually crave structure and discipline.  If you can get your husband to change his mindset, it will be better for all.  I would talk to him about a list if expectations before he arrives.  They should then be posted in clear sight.  If he tries to fight it, you step in.

Yummy mummy's picture

BM disciplines SS, but DH feels pain whenever he is told abour it. He just can't & I leave it to him, I won't do it for him. 

 

I told him the consequences of not disciplining & instilling certain values. At the same time, I fear being misunderstood. 

Aniki-Moderator's picture

SS is there to see his father. So his father needs to spend time with his son and take care of his needs. Can you get away for the weekend?

I'm am one of the few stepparents who is not a fan of telling the Non Custodial Parent (NCP) to adhere strictly to the visitation. Your partner obviously did not plan on being a part-time father. It would be terrible of you to discourage him from seeing his son even less. How awful. 

There is always a possibility that your partner will have SS 100% of the time. ALWAYS. BM could pass away or become mentally or physically incapacitated. Would you stay if that hsppened?

Yummy mummy's picture

I sometimes advise DH to spend time with him,  although he has to go pick him to go somewhere to spend the day. 

 

Is one sleepover visit enough? The rest be DH taking SS out to spend time with him?

Harry's picture

Cleaning him cleaning up after him.  If there is nothing for breakfast, DH is going out and getting food. DH Should make sure there's food for his DS. and food for the rest of the family.   If SS wast ice cream. DH Ggoes out and replace it.  When DH gets tired of going out   Things will change 

Yummy mummy's picture

I like that suggestion 

Yummy mummy's picture

Exactly & not leave it all to me.