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Hello, here is my story, I need some help

WMD's picture

Hello all.

I have just found this site and thought it may be a good place for me to seek some advice and help on my current situation.

Around 18 months ago I relocated and moved into a new home with my girlfriend and her 2 daughters (16 and 26).  I truly love my partner and want to spend the rest of my life with her but I am feeling so lonely, helpless and out of my depth right now.

There are so many different issues going around my head so this may seem a little erratic but I will give it a go to explain all.

I have a Son that I don't get to see very often now, he is 13 and we used to have an amazing relationship until about 1 year ago.  I was with his mother for around 13 years and we split up 10 years ago.

After the break up I moved to London to try and start a new life (the break up was not my choice and as far as I know there was no one else involved, certainly not on my side anyway).

While in London I met my partner and we became best friends for 6 years before the relationship started.  She has 2 daughters and she had split up with her husband around the same time as me.  Her daughters were not used to a man being around and so it took a while for them to accept our friendship, especially her youngest who would be be on the phone to her mom all the time we went out in the evenings.  Overtime things got a lot better with her daughters and our friendship was a turning point in our new lives.

I thought long and hard about us all moving together and was confident it would work but after the first few months it became very obvious that it was not going to be a smooth ride.  I can totally understand that it is a new start for us all and so full of compromises, learning to live with each other and also enjoying the new life.

There have been several times where my partner and I have fallen out and it usually revolves around her children.  She is very laid back with them, they have almost no responsibilities around the house and there is very, if no discipline at all.  It often feels more like a house share than a family unit (of sorts).

I very much feel like they have brought their life style into this house and I must adapt to it.  They don't want any form of rules (things like no showers after 10pm, showing respect for their mom, table manners, etc)  I am not a crazy rule maker but I feel like there should be some house rules.

My relationship can be so strong when it is just the 2 of us together and most of the time around all of us but I am sure her kids resent any attention I get and any changes it what they feel is their home and their life style.  Ironically my life has never been more different and I am being told I do everything wrong around the house.

My partner is Polish, she has lived here for over 20 years, her oldest was 6 when she moved here and her youngest was born here.  I mention the nationality as I am English and so we were brought up very differently.

Here are my main issues at the moment:

  • My partner and both daughters speak perfect English (I do not speak Polish) but her 26 year old speaks mainly Polish in the house whether I am in the room or not.  This means I feel very excluded from a lot of what is happening in the house.  Is this rude or am I over reacting?
  • Her daughters resent that I like to be able to sit in the lounge of an evening, there feel it isn't fair if they want to watch a film and that I should sit somewhere else, like my bedroom.  Again, am I being unreasonable for wanting to sit in a lounge, on a sofa that I have paid for after a hard days work?  (sorry about the bitterness in that last bit!)
  • One minute my partner is telling me the girls are upset because they think I am only there for their mom, not them, the next minute I am being told they don't want me involved in their lives and that I should stay out of things.  I am guessing I can't win on this one!
  • The girls have often bitched about me to their mom, about what I do or don't do to help around the house, about wanting to use the lounge, etc.  This them causes my partner to build up a lot of anger and then we get into a fight when it all comes out.  We have had a number of family sit downs to discuss this, telling them to talk to me directly about any issues but they still don't and then it becomes my problem.
  • My partner will bring up that I don't get on with her kids in every argument and that it is my fault for not adapting.  There seems to be no consideration that my hole life has changed!
  • I am told that I should be more vocal with the girls when I am not happy about something, such as how they talk to their mom or anything that I feel is wrong, when I have tried to do this, it gets thrown back in face at some point that I am to strong on rules and they don't like it.
  • I think my partner is too soft on her girls and they get away with murder.  She is more ofa friend than a Mom sometimes.  How the hell do I approach this one!!

Anyway, this has turned out so much longer that I expected.

I am currently going through the lockdown with my partner and I currently not talking, I feel totally lost and I just don't know if I can keep on trying to fight for this relationship.  I know I am not perfect in anyway but I am a kind person and I only ever want to do the right thing and make my love happy.  I Make mistakes, I forget to Vacuum, I forget to empty the dishwasher sometimes but I do try in other ways and I am always trying to show how much I love her.

Do you think this can work, am I over reacting, am I selfish and unreasonable?

 

 

Comments

WMD's picture

Yes, I am working from home at the moment because of the lockdown, well not this exact minute, it's 9pm here Smile

Her 26 year is not ready to move out yet.  She has a good job and an OK salary but both her and her mom thinks she needs more time to work on herself (I have no idea what that means).  If I ever mention that I think she needs to start her own life, I am told that I just want her gone!  They have a strong relationship and I know they went though crap with her EX so I understand their bond is strong.

I am not 100% sure why my relationship with my Son has changed, I know he found it hard to share me in this house, he had me all to himself as I was not really dating when I lived in London so it's a big change for him.  His mom is not one to push him to see me, so if he says he doesn't want to, I don't see him.  We cound only afford a 3 bed house so when my SOn stayed, I got a sofa bed so he used the lounge as a bedroom, not ideal I know, but in my last place, it was a 1 bed flat and we had to share a bedroom.

Monkeysee's picture

Are you renting right now, or did you purchase this home with your partner? I’m asking because living with her is making you miserable, and seems to also be costing you your relationship with your son. Your partner has an enmeshed, unhealthy relationship with her daughters. I wouldn’t call it ‘strong’, I’d call it detrimental to their (and your) wellbeing. You’re stuck for the moment, unless you’ve got somewhere else you can stay, but once the market has re-opened & you’re able to let a new flat I’d move out and continue to date your partner but not live together if you want to salvage the relationship. Not to mention your sanity. Your living situation sounds horrible. 

Rumplestiltskin's picture

There is a lot going on here that's wrong but i will address the language issue. When i was hanging out with my SO and his family, who moved from another country to where i live about 45 years ago, we were hosting a dinner at my SO's house. English is the language spoken at home by him and his kids. All the adults in the group, including me, were speaking in English and i was part of the conversation. Things were going well. Suddenly they switched to their native language for about 5 minutes straight. I was confused. I was part of the group and suddenly i wasn't. I just sat there staring at the wall while they talked and laughed, and eventually i just started clearing plates and washing dishes just to have something to do besides stare blankly. I felt suddenly like an outsider in my SO's home at a dinner we were hosting that i cooked. Afterwards, i asked my SO to "catch me up", since i missed a lot of the conversation. He said "oh, we were talking about lawn chairs." 
 

I explained how it made me feel and against my wishes, he told the family. They supposedly had no idea i would care. But, the member who switched first was very enmeshed with BM. My preference would have been in that situation, if he would just keep me in the loop, maybe explaining to me what the joke is if everyone laughs, etc, without trying to influence what his brothers/sisters/parents did. Now i felt like not just an outsider but a whiny one. 
 

So, yes, i believe that is rude. Some people will say you are rude for expecting people to speak English because if you are uncomfortable with other languages you must be some kind of bigot. That's the reactions i've heard. But, i've been there and that is how it felt to me. 
 

This is something your SO must address. It sounds like one of the least of your problems though. The 26-year-old should not have the opportunity to do this daily at your house because she needs to launch. And they all should respect you more. Maybe they treated your son in a disrespectful way, too, and that's why he doesn't come around as much? 

WMD's picture

Wow, thank you so much for the honesty, it is hard to hear but it is what I need I think.

My SO thinks I am wrong to say that they should speak English while I am around, that if they want to speak Polish it is their choice.  I know their heritage is important to them and I undersand they have has all the time before speaking Polish at home so it is a big change for them.  I too feel like the whiney, moaning person.

We are renting and the contract expires in July.  I have been thinking that I should look for my own place but I have no idea how that will leave the relationship and with the lockdown I can only hope that I am able to get out and look at other properties in time.

It is such a hard decision to make because I know my SO can't afford to stay here by herself, I am not sure she can afford anywhere nice around here and her youngest is starting college in September.

Reading all this over and over and I feel that I should grow spine and either put my foot down or just throw in the towel!

Rumplestiltskin's picture

Some things definitely need to change. You can't go on like this. Especially with the situation with your son. 

Monkeysee's picture

‘Some people will say you are rude for expecting people to speak English because if you are uncomfortable with other languages you must be some kind of bigot.’

One could argue that it’s rude to speak in a language others can’t understand while at a gathering because it’s exclusive and alienating, which is beyond rude. Anyone who calls someone a bigot because they felt uncomfortable when excluded in that way is gaslighting. I’m sorry you have to deal with that Rumple.

Rumplestiltskin's picture

Thanks. Just by typing all that i was afraid of a backlash. Still might come lol. I feel like the OP has a lot going on that's wrong and disrespectful, but i've experienced that one. A lot of people don't seem to understand so hopefully he will realize he isn't alone and will have the confidence to stand up for himself. 

WMD's picture

That is a really good point.

I have been told that I am lazt for not learning Polish, it is my problem, not theirs.

 

Rumplestiltskin's picture

On behalf of the Polish (my grandparents are from there and i don't speak it), i'm sorry they treat you that way! The people you live with and their rudeness don't represent everyone! 

Seriously, though, in my situation, i am trying to learn the language of my SO's family. When all you have is some cds and some get-togethers, it hasn't been easy.  They are from a small country in Asia, moved here in the 1970s, and it's very different from English. I've picked up a little, but it's slow going. I think the problem you have isn't a language barrier, it's a lack of respect and goodwill. These "girls" need to be out of the house. The 26-year-old needs to be on her own yesterday, and the 16-year-old should be looking to the future. And you and your wife should be a team who decides what goes on in the house. 

Sparkl3s's picture

I speak another language and when my family switches to the language my husband doesn't understand. I'm part of the conversation and interpreting for him at the same time.   My parent's English is very basic but they try. They can always practice when you aren't there. If she is speaking English until you walk into the room it's rude. 

If the 26yr old is making a salary and not paying rent she can help her mom afford the rental. 

Your SO should at least hear out your concerns if she truly cares about you and the relationship. If you try and she deflects at least you made an attempt to salvage the relationship. 

Rumplestiltskin's picture

What you do is what i wished my SO would do. Maybe not even word for word but catch me up enough to follow, or if everyone breaks out into laughter, tell me the joke or even "that was a joke about x." Idk.

WMD's picture

I am in total agreement with you.  I wished my SO would do that as well.  I never thought I would be made to feel like an outside in my own home.

WMD's picture

So another thing to take into account, my SO has had to work so hard, long hours and miss a lot of her kids growing up just to give them a house to live in and food on the table.  I know this is so true and she is so tired and finds it hard to not be in that frame of mind after all these years.

She had no help from her ex financially or in parenting.  Should I not take this into account as to why there are some issues with how the kids are and my SOs state of mind sometimes?

Felicity0224's picture

To me, the speaking Polish thing is such a big indicator of disrespect that I don't know how you could solve anything else until that is resolved. When the 26 year old (also, why is she still living with her mother at 26!?) switches to Polish, do your partner and her other daughter continue to converse in english? Does anyone translate for you to keep you in the conversation?

I only speak English and Spanish, but have so many friends who are multi-lingual. When we're in groups with mixed native languages, everyone makes an active effort to speak english or at least translate for anyone who didn't understand something that was said. It is considered very rude to intentionally speak a language that isn't understood by everyone present when there is a common language to everyone. I just don't understand how your partner thinks that's an acceptable behavior from her daughter? I wouldn't tolerate it.

SteppedOut's picture

This woman's behavior sounds nothing like the "best friend" that you seem to cherish so. 

This relationship and home life is straight up emotionally abusive. 

Definitely find your own place and consider therapy to understand why you have allowed yourself to be treated so shabby. 

Do NOT fall for sob stories on how she can't afford a place on her own. She did before you moved into this nightmare. 

Wicked stepmo.'s picture

Growing up in a traditional Polish home, in a Polish neighborhood where everyone spoke Plish.  What I can tell you, is that the mother is typically the matriarch.  So, the children do not listen to thier fathers. Typically the fathers worked so the mother was home dealing with the children, even when the mother worked, the children looked to her for where the boundaries lie and guidance. It wasnt wait til your father got home, it was wait until I tell your mother.  That being said I am surprised she allows her 26 year old daughter to live at home. Maybe she needs counseling as she must harbor guilt from her failed marriage.  That is not typical.  My mother and grandmothers ruled with an iron fist. My father and grandfathers were the kind fun ones. My mother has even told me although she was never punished she was pushed hard to be independent that is why she married at 18. I was on my own by 17. It has always been my experience Polish woman are very independent and strong willed. I still carry those values, they are so ingrained. One of my friends told me a story once, when her son got to be bigger than her, she had him bring her a step stool so she could be eye level with him to slap him across the face.