I got a call yesterday from my ex wanting to talk about Holiday Visitation. He and I get along for the most part. But it annoys me that he wants to talk about "visitation" for my 21 year old college kid. Hello...he is no longer a child. We also have a 17 year old together, so I get that he wants to coordinate schedules. But he drives me crazy with "when are the kids off again" type questions. I have sent him the link to the high school at least three times this year alone.

Then...not an hour later, BM calls wanting to know when "she can get the kids" for the Holidays. She is non-custodial and lives about 600 miles away. She sees the kids maybe twice a year. She'll get them for about a week during the summer and then for a few days at Christmas. Her statement "when can I get the kids" translates into "when are you buying the airline tickets". She pays zero child support and is supposed to be responsible for at least the travel costs. Yet she plays poor and tells the kids that if we don't buy them tickets, she won't be able to see them. And of course, her next question is "when are they off". I've sent her the link to the high school website as well.

I swear, it's like I have to hold their hands and guide them through everything. They complain that we don't provide them information about the kids' schools. But then when I do, they don't even look at it.

To me, the hardest thing about blending families is dealing with the logistical nightmares during the Holidays. Every year I make a promise to myself that I will not get stressed out. And every year I fail.

....It's only October and I'm already stressed about it.