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Adult SS whom I've been a part of his life since 5 years old has told me I'm nothing to him and he has always hated me

Wallsfamily's picture

Need help navigating. My adult SS has two kids with 2 different women and not with either. One is 3 one is barely a month. After finding out he hates me from his lips and being devastated I'm trying to accept it. I need help navigating this. He doesn't come to our house. I will only see him here and there but he isn't going to acknowledge me to his children only my DH. This is very painful. Christmas was very hard at another family members house. I was left out of playing with kids and pictures. His GF posted a pic of my DH playing with grandchild and I'm in the background looking down. I seen the pic and thought oh gosh no. I can't let this do this to me!

The grandkids will not know me as grandma. I am sure i won't even be spoken about. I honestly feel if i died he wouldn't even attend my funeral...oh that's hurtful.

JRI's picture

Was there something that seemed to bring this on?  I agree, its hurtful.  To be honest, one or more of my adult SKs probably feels the same, deep down.  All you can do is disengage.  Be polite and civil.  What does your DH say?

CajunMom's picture

I'm in your shoes. Regardless of the reasons for his behavior, it is not easy being "shunned" from DHs grandkids. The grandkid issue is what pushed me over the cliff. DH's son chose to announce the first grandchild at DH's retirement party, where the majority of the guests were my friends and family brought to the marriage. All about DH being a grandpa while I sat there like the proverbial pink elephant in the room. DH's kids and boss/wife were there. Boss' wife almost fell out of her chair; sat their staring at me, jaw dropped with a shocked look. So much, it caught the attention of DH's oldest daughter, who then looks at me and says, "Its for you too!" While the son looked me square in the face and said nothing. That was it. 12 years of crap treatment by all of DHs kids and a crazy BM....stick a fork in me, I'm done.

I have completely disengaged from DHs kids. It's been 4 years. DH manages his relationships with them. I have my life with DH. We do not share holidays with them. DH visits other times. His pictures with his kids and grands are his. I have printed a few to frame/display in his man cave but that's the extent of my involvement. 

EDIT: I wanted to add....look for other places to share your love. While you can't give it to your husband's grandchildren, there are lots of other places that could use you. I'm surrogate grandmother to my niece's child, Aunt to two new babies in the neighborhood, I volunteer in dog rescue, make quilts for charity....you get the point. Don't let that wonderful love of yours go to waste. Someone really wants and needs you.

MissTexas's picture

"Don't let that wonderful love of yours go to waste. Someone really wants and needs you."

Beautifully stated, and oh, so true.

harmony98's picture

Thats beautiful.   i have so much love to give am going to find better places for it.

2Tired4Drama's picture

You may have raised him but he is not your son, has no (parental) love for you and has made it clear that he hates you. I'd say that you should pretty much shut the door permanently.  As JRI said, if you MUST see him then say the absolutely bare minimum and be polite, nothing more.

As you've already discovered, SS has no intention of including you in his children's lives. That's his right as a parent. Doesn't make it right but it is his call. Fine. Then you should consider these children nothing more than strangers to you, even though your DH is their grandfather. 

Speaking of who, it's time to sit down with your DH and have a serious talk about the way forward. I'd tell him that you will no longer be attending holiday gatherings with SS and his kids since you are purposely ignored and it's been made clear that you will NOT be able to have any relationship with any of them. Secondly, discuss finances. You should not have to support any significant gift giving nor financial assistance to SS and his kids. If DH wants to lavish gifts/money on them, and can't do it without your income supporting it, then it's a no-go.  You should not spend one penny of any money you earn on any person who has told you they hate you. Period. 

Last but not least, you need to disengage.  Stop asking DH about SS and his kids.  If DH starts talking about him change the subject or leave the room (go to the bathroom).  Begin to mentally change your thinking about SS - he is not the child you once knew, he is an adult who wants nothing to do with you. He is a stranger to you, so treat him that way. 

Finally, keep in mind that what goes around comes around. SS has two kids from two different women. I'd say that it won't be long before those young women move on to other men, and kick SS to the curb - including contact with his kids. Then he will know what it is like to be on the outside looking in.   

Exjuliemccoy's picture

Perfectly stated.

CajunMom's picture

What TooTired said. Time to have the "talk."

I refuse to attend ANY functions with DH's kids. I'm not playing into their "fantasy"  world that everything is okay ( in their circles of friends/family). I don't purchase gifts nor do I invest in those gifts. 

I do not ask anything about DHs kids or grands. It's a rare occasion he mentions them these days. When he does, it's a polite, "that's nice" or "ummhmmm." I've made it clear I do not want to hear anything about their whining especially. They created this mess; live with it.

And Karma is a beautiful thing. There are multiple grands now and his kids want him there as much as possible; he's been clear. Not happening as my wife is not included. He's made a yearly visit since (minus CoVid) and has told them it will probably be longer between times due to the expense he incurs. Their children do not have any of my hand-made quilts while others in the family do. And as I said in my comment, I give my love to those who want and deserve it.

PetSpoiler's picture

I know that had to hurt to hear that from someone who you raised and I assume loved.  I'm estranged from my adult SS.  I helped raise him, he came to live with us after BM decided she didn't want him living with her and she couldn't control him.  There are times that I wonder if maybe he's resented me for years because I was the one woman he couldn't run over.  He ran over BM, MIL, and SIL.  He'd cuss at them, smart off, yell, whatever.  He never tried that with me.  He knew better.  I thought we had a good relationship.  He even said he thought of me as his mother and wanted me to be a grandma to his child.  Yet he didn't treat me like a mother.  He bombarded my husband with texts, pictures and videos of the baby.  I never got even one.  Only got a text for Mothers Day while he drove right past me to pick up my MIL.  Think of me as mother?  Really?  Oooookay.  If you say so.  Then he took us out for Fathers Day.  He would've excluded me from that except he knew my husband wouldn't have come.  Had to make himself look good by including me and our bios.  He probably would have excluded my bios too, his half-siblings, but again, he's all about appearances.  That's probably why he never came out and told me he hated me.  His shunning me and ignoring me couldn't be made too obvious.  My husband didn't see it at first.  He did put things together though and confronted him.  All SS did was try to justify his behavior and try to lie his way out of it.  I gave him the space he seemed to want.  It wasn't a problem until we told him we had other plans for Thanksgiving.  Then he had a problem with me and my bios not coming to his baby's dedication.  He never asked about us the day of though.  I guess it made him look bad that we didn't come.  Or likely some people asked where we were, people like his MIL, who seemed like a nice lady.  

Had my husband continued contact with him and his wife, I would've had to deal with it of course but there would've been boundaries.  Your SS already doesn't come to your home.  That's good.  He shouldn't be allowed there under any circumstances.  I would refuse to be anywhere SS was going to be.  I would also refuse to allow my bios around him.  No respectful  relationship with both parents equals no relationship with the kids.  Sorry, SS.  Play stupid games, win stupid prizes. If he wants to keep seeing his son, fine, but outside your home, and not where it interferes with your marriage.  None of your money goes to him or his kids, and while your husband is free to spend his money on them, not to the detriment of your household  finances.  

I d have to say though, at least he was honest.  While it was hurtful,  I'd have more respect for him than I do my own SS.  I can't stand two faced people  who lie, and my SS and his wife are both two faced liars.  She brought out the liar in him, the liar created by BM.  She even managed to turn him against BM.  

I am so sorry!  Out of curiosity, is BM in the picture?  What is BM like if she is around? Is his girlfriend a decent person or is she fake?  In my case, BM had nothing to do with SS turning on me.  He turned on her and she passed away before our falling out.  It was SDIL and he allowed it so really it's his fault.  

shamds's picture

With either says he's got issues too and you dodged a bullet here.

i disengaged in late 2018 from all my skids after 4 yrs of marriage and about 4 months into meeting feral disrespectful miniwives sd's. I saw the downward trajectory of their behaviour when hubby shrugged it off

anytime hubby thinks after a year of no contact that i'd want to be at a family event with them present is met with a resounding nooooooo!!!

when hubby tries to guilt me with they apologised and why can't you give them another chance and lets be this 1 happy family, i remind hubby they did not apologise and simply the eldest sd claimed she was sorry if she did anything wrong to hubby, secondly they have been no contact with me or our kids together, thirdly- nobody wants to waste time building a relationship thats one sided, fourthly- they have had multiple times to behave and chosen not to and crossed the line every single time whilst my husband sat there in silence. Fifth- i remind hubby that this is his bloody fault for stupidly marrying a woman he already had warning signs up pre marriage and after the marriage but his desperate need for sex led to him having 3 failed kids with batshit crazy narc egg donor.

then hubby refused to address any issues and swept it under the rug. Then gets to know me and not address with these issues with his kids from exwife and has 2 kids with me. Whenever my hubby would say he shouldn't have married me or have 2 kids with me as it was selfish of him to when he didn't have the balls to address skid issues, i remind him he

shouldn't have married the exwife and have 3 kids with a woman incapable of raising them and did everything to sabotage a pregnancy and that he was simply using us as scapegoats. Also told him the fact his daughters who abandoned him for 5.5 yrs actually guilted him for marrying me and having 2 kids with me and hubby not waiting as a single man pining for them when bio mum was allowed to marry her affair married man guy just goes to show what a total shitshow of dysfunction his kids and ex are and they need to stay the hell away from me and our kids.

my kids are 4.5 & 5 and do not recognise skids as siblings or family. Thats on my husband!!

Wallsfamily's picture

Thank you for all your comments and sharing your struggles and hurts. Reading these are very helpful.

My husband is trying to remain hopeful but I'm not. I just expressed to him today that I'm not hopeful and that I'm not going to do that to myself by waiting and bearing myself up for him rejecting me. My SS is very messed up. The fact that he had two kids with two different women and not with either shows he is the common denominator aka problem. BIOM is severely narcicisstic. She has been married 3 times and 3 times divorced with a stream of men in between. She is a lying cheating manipulative person. The damage she has done to both of my SS's is sickening. One of my SS loves me and tells me all the time and he has two kids and I'm grandma to them by his words and him telling them I am. He's a sweetheart but he was ignored by BM. The SS that hates me was the high and lifted up child. Apparently people with NPD narcicisstic personality disorder do this with thier kids. Honestly I'm amazed I'm still here after all her garbage. Together for 22 years. 

As far as I'm concerned SS is dead to me but I'm grieving. I can not let him in. I have two kids with my DH. I worry for them. He actually hugged them both this Christmas. I thought to myself today. If I die he wouldn't attend my funeral. That felt horrible. If my husband goes before me NOTHING will be left to this child. All will go to my two and my other SS. 

As far as karma. We shall see but honestly I wouldn't wish this on anyone. How can someone so this to a person who helped raise them since 5? Also he doesn't speak to his TOXIC BIOM. I honestly think he hates females or can't have relationships with them. However he is with a very nice girl who actually accepts him and his two kids with two other women. Gosh I pray for her....

PetSpoiler's picture

I'll never let mine back in either.  We've been accused of holding a grudge over nothing by my husband's flying monkey relative.  I say no. I'm holding a boundary. They never apologized and saw nothing wrong with their behavior, therefore they will probably never change.  Why would I subject myself to more of that?  I haven't even mentioned to you what SDIL did but it's not important right now.  I'm not holding a grudge, I'm protecting myself and my bios.  

My SS would probably pretend to be all broken up about my death and try coming to my funeral.  I will be telling my kids to not let him near my funeral.  He's all about appearances so no doubt he would try if only to make himself look good.   Then again maybe not.  Either way I don't want him near my funeral nor my husband's if he goes before me.  And i don't give a rat's behind what his family has to say about it.  They can all stay away too if they don't like it.  Anything I have will go to my bios.  

The people who matter don't mind, and the people who mind don't matter.  

CajunMom's picture

The amount of "good" I invested in all of DH's kids....the list would go on and on...yet not one of those things mattered. The BM was a hateful bigot of a woman along with her adult kids. The oldest son and daughter worked with their mom and did everything in their power to divide us. When the BM died in a house fire, everything was lost. I remember DH having photos of her that I had packed away years ago and dug them out of the closet so he could give to his kids. This was after I was disengaged from them. You'd think that most priceless gift would have made some sort of impact. But no. DH begged them to wish me a happy birthday just 8 weeks later. Not a word. My husband was devastated....I laughed. I know them well. Continuing the work of BM.

Mourn the loss...it takes time. Took me three years of counseling and lots of other self work to get past this damage. My heart still sometimes hurts, knowing I cannot be a positive in DH's grandchildren's lives. BUT I didn't make that decision. And when I get down, I then remind myself of all THEY LOST by not having me in their lives. And then, just like that, I'm able to move on with my day. They can't use me anymore.

I don't take joy in anyone's Karma....but what you put out is what you get. 

Sending you a big hug.

Rags's picture

I have never lived it myself but a very good friend of mine has.  Her DH had a son with his first wife.  They divorced.  He and my friend met a few years later, married and have a daughter.  Both kids are adults.  
 

Her SS told her at a special event, I think that it was a graduation,  that she means nothing to him, though she and his dad put him through college and supported him for years.   
 

She once asked me what she should do with his pronouncement.  I told her to tell his dad that no more marital resources will go to the SS and he will not have access to any assets she participates in procuring.  
 

When SS was in his mid 20s she and her DH bought a beach house.  Guess who has never been to the beach house?  His wife and kids are invited but it has been clear to the SS that if she means nothing to him, he means nothing to she and his father.

The products of these polluted gene pool couplings need to know that they play nice or they don't get to play at all.  This toxic shit should have life long consequences.

 

Thumper's picture

Give adult SS what he wants. 

Something's ARE... that simple. 

Why do people try to stick a circle peg into a square hole and MAKE it fit.

Nothing to navigate.

Live your life  joyfully and abundantly. Believe it or not it is OK to be happy.

 

 

CLove's picture

Your SS is being an aSS. And you will grieve the relationship that you THOUGHT you had with him. And move forward with your bios and the other SS, who does love you.

You mentioned the dynamic of the Bio mother and your two SS. Its called Narcissistic Triangulation. The Golden Child (who doesnt even need to do anything to be "lifted up") and the Scapegoat. Both battling each other for the parents love and approval. Narc supply is what its called. And battles are encouraged.

Its a very toxic dynamic. Im dealing with grieving over SD15 whom I though we had a decent relationship, last April she activated her mother Toxic Troll against me. Long story. I stuck my neck out for her and got my head chopped off. So this Christmas and this years bday will be the last I stick my neck out. Shes on her own. On her own for rides anywhere, on her own for college (I have no bios so I was going to try to help her out) on her own for driving (I was going to give her my car when I get a new one) on her own and she can get her father and mother to do everything...

Shes the Golden Child and her sister SD22 Feral Forger is the self-designated scapegoat. She even likes to tell her parents "you are just the egg donor/sperm donor you dont love me you love SD15!"

So - you have an assortment of great advice. Get yourself through the grief process and move forward with your bios and nice ss. Block block block toxic SS.

Stepdrama2020's picture

The worst betrayal for me was that my ex DH continued to swoon over exSD and BM (thats a whole nother story). Yes I got that SD was his DD . Except a wife expects their DH to always stand beside them. If someone hurts you the one you love would stand beside you, not leave you to be with people who are so cold and calculating towards you. Thats the flucked up part of step life. If this is the case the marriage will always have unsaid, untouched parts that takes away from the couple.

It aint for the faint of heart.

Blessings lady