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Comments on Other Step Parenting Websites - FUNNY!

iloveit's picture

Sooo...I was curious yesterday and went onto a couple of other step parenting websites just to see how they are set up etc and if there were sites like this one. So just for fun I cut and paste a comment they made about us...I was actually surprised about what I read and I suppose I could be mad but I actually find it quite humorous that they are so concerned with what we post here:

"I have posted that I actually love my stepchildren and enjoy their visits, that I miss them when they are gone and love having them in my home, and was rewarded with a barrage of hateful, venomous replies. Positive, hopeful messages are no longer welcome on StepTalk, and that's when I left. I had hoped that StepTalk Admin would take charge and stamp down the hatespeak, but they have not and I just cannot read one more post from one more stepmother who hates her stepchildren. It makes me sick."

I love that they make step parenting sound like a walk in the park...that's right lady, you know better than an entire website full of people in similar situations...you're a champ! Blum 3

Butterflykissesandlicks's picture

OMG! I did the exact same thing too and know exactly where you saw that!

We have a certain celebrity on this site as well. Wink " Her" name was brought up...heh heh

iloveit's picture

You know what's crazy is that I chose this one over a few others that I would love to have posted! There was one where they were calling out people on here by name, like Crayon...there was one where a step mother went on to complain about her SD who was young (maybe 4 or so) and the other posters practically lit her on fire for complaining about a "child" I couldn't believe it! No support at all, they kept saying...you are a terrible SM and you should not be having these thoughts about children etc. Oh and the dreaded "you knew what you were getting into." Come on! Yeah...I'm confident that I chose the right site, I see no need to go to others for any advice! Quite comfortable here Smile

Butterflykissesandlicks's picture

I have recieved awesome advise on this site in many situations. From my DH to taxes, you can get some great advice here.

I then use what I have learned to turn around and try to help others that are trying to learn themselves. Sometimes they like it, sometimes they do not.

overit2's picture

Well, thing is there are stepparents that like their skids and enjoy positive messages-they just don't come to this site-or else they don't admit to it and just use it only when a vent is coming but otherwise don't speak of it. Or at least they TRY to have a better/positive outlook on their lives and choices.

They may struggle and not like certain aspects of their skids but hold some care in there....some are in impossible situations no matter how hard they try. Some dont try at all or actually initiate the tension.

A good part of this site seems to not like anything positive at all-i agree. Anyone that admist to having a decent step life is crucified or criticize for not being miserable and hating their skids.
Anyone that is being succesful or is going good you would think has more room to encourage others then those who have failed (failure comign from ALL sides of the equation) but they are looked down on and blasted for being happy or for TRYING to be happy and love their lives-or for trying to do better w/skids and their marriages.

Misery begets misery.

skylarksms's picture

Overit2 - I guess I am an exception. I think my skids (or at least SS) are GREAT kids who deserved better parents (yes, that's plural).

I do agree that negative posts get more attention than positive ones. Same way that the nightly local news will focus more on a house fire and less on a teen volunteering at a senior center!

Butterflykissesandlicks's picture

I don't hate anybody actually. Hate is a strong word and used much more actually than love, which is a more natural emotion in my book. Think about it, if we only loved and never knew what hate was- what a world we would live in.

I care deeply for my SD7, can't help it, I am a mom and have a maternal side to me. The problem is, SD7 does not "like" me- no matter how hard I try.

I normally bitch about DH or the outlaws anyways. I tried ONCE to blog about my own mom but had zero comments.

SusiQ's picture

I was a member of another site for a really long time that I loved but when folks started getting all political - I got booted. I was friends who folks in both crowds and that was frowned upon. There was a pretty huge celebrity over there

I love this site - I don't have a ton of complain or ask about for step parent advice anymore - I just have my experiences to share.

aggravated1's picture

I actually have a very happy marriage, but my relationship with my stepkids is non-existent at this point, due to their behavior.
I know at one time I felt a lot of bitterness and dislike for the situation, and for how my DH would behave, and as the kids got older they had to take some responsbility for their actions too.
I don't think I can say that I have ever hated my SK's. Their mom is another story, though.

I was in the same shoes as a lot of these posters not so long ago. I honestly don't put a lot out there about how good my marriage and my step-parent situation is right now, because I figure there are a lot of people with worse problems that need their issues to be read.

iloveit's picture

"I honestly don't put a lot out there about how good my marriage and my step-parent situation is right now, because I figure there are a lot of people with worse problems that need their issues to be read"

That says a LOT about the kind of person you are aggravated. However, I hope you post things when you need to and if it's good news that's even better! I understand what the other posters are saying about only reading about the bad news but I think personally it would give me hope to hear about someone getting their degree or getting awards etc...sometimes you need to be praised too and I think that's important.

I have the same situation with my SO, we love each other and are generally happy together. It's the first relationship I have been in where someone is always honest and forthcoming and I feel lucky for that. However...the issues we have pretty much revolve around his kids. The SD's have strained our relationship in many ways but he is slowly starting to treat them like the adults they are at 20 and 23 instead of caving in and giving them everything they want because he is a guilty daddy. It's a brand new revelation that they are young women now and not kids...it's taken awhile but he's there. I don't want to say I HATE the kids and like you I do not have a relationship with them but they have caused tons of issues for us so I can't help but be a little resentful. I imagine that will go away in time or at least I hope so. In the meantime, I have to vent as needed and I've take a lot of advice from here and I honestly feel stronger since I've come here too.

purpledaisies's picture

I too have a good relationship with my skids. they are normal kids for the most part. It has always been the bm that I complain about the most. I do have a wonderful husband that does back me up and sees he has to be a dad. Do I love my skids? Um not near as much as I do my own kids. However I never would do anything to make them feel less than while here. I do understand what some sm's go through and why they feel the way they do.

I also have a grip with society as always labeling the sm as the evil sm. From my experiences most sm try harder with their step kids then their own kids. Which to me very sad b/c her kids will always get the back burner and if she would just focus on her kids then her skids do have a mom and dad and their own family that focus on them. I just feel that a lot of the times sm's kids are the ones that get the short end of the stick not the skids.

somerg's picture

i am on the fence on this ball park, although it saddens me to see so many hatful posts about skids and cursing, it's still only human and human can only take so much including all step parents. yes i agree, negative ANYTHING gets more attention than postitive's but that's just how it is.

i would be just fine seeing posts about venting about the adults, but even bio parents have to vent about their kids sometimes they just don't do it as much or as openly.

and this is a VENTING post, we all have our ups and downs, but i agree sparenting has more down's than ups (but not always).

i'll admit in MY personal sparenting experience, i try very hard to make sure kids arn't the one's to lose in the long run in every senario i'm handed, but in any divorce the KIDS are ALWAYS the loser's for something they didn't do....simply cause mom or dad or BOTH can't grow up and set aside their difference's

it's easier for sparents to "see" because we're on the "outside looking in" because we are not the parents.....and that's what makes us so evil, we can see more truth than the parents can and unconditionally loving a child who is always hateful to you because of problems mom and dad cannot set aside and grow up from, it gets old and a person can only take so much before the top blows.

there are times i hate my skids from all sides of my being for the way they treat their dad...but there are times i love them with all i have, they are my STEP kids, so i will STEP aside and let mom and dad (more mom) handle them they are her problem...not mine

helena_brass's picture

Ah, I know that website, and I remember another post that highlighted similar passages. I don't think what I saw on that site was overly critical, but many responses did lack depth and the response times were very slow. I like this site, but sometimes it can be a bit negative (it is for venting, after all). It would be nice if there were a site, or part of this site, that separated the venting from the more constructive advice. It's all so subjective though, so I don't know how that would be possible. I know sometimes I feel silly posting my little vents or issues because they seem so trivial compared to the big issues that some of the posters have to deal with; on the other hand, it really puts things in perspective.

I value this website and all the posters here. It has helped me enormously to read about other people's experiences, and to be able to share those stories and my reflections with BF. My relationship with BF is very open and loving, and my relationship with the kids has (so far) been amazingly smooth. BM doesn't really cause us problems, and BF has no in-laws for me to deal with. So my complaints are pretty minimal. This site had made me ever-grateful to BF, the kids, and even BM. I still have so many, many questions though, and they are not getting any easier as time goes on. I can't guarantee that things will always be so simple, especially if BF and I got married and had children together. Anyway, despite the negativity that is sometimes infectious, I find the wealth of knowledge and experience shared by this community of posters to be one of a kind.

iloveit's picture

Oh really? How do you even remove them? I didn't think you could do that! How come people's posts are removed but those annoying ads are still there? Those are stupid...can you remove those?

unbelieveable's picture

I find this so funny - Seriously - how many of us have criticized people on this site and ridiculed because some of us love our steps? And some dont? isnt this what this site is about? If you love your steps and things are easy and great but you have some flaws you need help with - comehere. if you want to swear up a storm and vent about how much you can't stand your steps, mother in law, father in law, BM, or how your DH is sucking and how poor you are from CS...come here. We're open to everything. I love it. And if you feel like a nutcase...you're now bipolar, and crazy from all of this and you want to feel sane - COME HERE!! haha! I don't think I've EVER seen anyone ridicule someone on HERE for liking steps...I have seen alot of uh.."I feel soooo sorry for the kids....and who cares about you - its about the kids"on here...but I just call them haters...and they probably arent really step parents who are being manipulated by little gremlin children who know what they are doing!! People who havent been in our shoes, should not comment. Yeah...that was a rant. whatev. I LOVE STEPTALK!

sherbear01's picture

I love love love this site Smile I hadn't been on any other sites but after reading this post I decided to try and find some other sites just to see. Anyway found some interesting articles on ivillage I believe they were called 16 things every biomom wants to say to stepmom and 16 things every stepmom wishes she could say to biomom... Pretty funny and I feel largely inaccurate but that's just my opinion.

I also love hearing about stepmoms that have great relationships with skids, it gives me hope. But it's also nice to know you aren't the only one not inlove with them:)

stpmom2b's picture

I love my skids. I come here to get advice and read about experiences of others. I would like to try to avoid my skids hating me in the future. They are only 5 so they like everyone. I am also realizing how great my DH really is! I have unexpressed thoughts in my head about BM and the skids sometimes. It's nice to know that I'm not alone in being unsure and sometimes relishing the times they are with BM.

panda's picture

I was so happy to find this site! DH and I have full custody of SS10. BM lives 2 hours away and DH works second shift. Since I am a college student and usually home - everything was falling on me (cooking, laundry, responsibility of care etc.) It doesn't help that I do all the "work" of mothering, but BM gets to waive the "Mother" title around - if it's convenient for her that is. I was/am starting to feel very resentful to all involved - including DH and SS. When I started reading posts here, I realized that I wasn't the only one in this position and that it's OK for me to disengage and not bust my butt trying to please someone who looks at me as a servant. I often can't share these feelings with my DH, who is my best friend and my BKs are tired of hearing it, so who's left? You lucky people!

iloveit's picture

You know that's exactly how I felt when I came here...I was like where has this been the last 1.5 years of my life! I do take comfort in knowing that if I need advice I can ask and if I need to vent I can also do that. I have also learned that you won't always get the answer you expect and as such I have developed a filter for the days I just don't want to deal with negativity. It's really nice when people can relate to each other...no one should feel alone. I don't tell my SO EVERYTHING on my mind because somehow I feel like "I hate your kids" just would not go over well! He knows full well that I resent them but he is also aware that he helped create the tension there too so it's not all on me.

You're absolutely right...you are not the kid's mother and I think at first it seems ok to be doing some of the caretaking because you are the one home and you are attempting to work together as a family but you are correct, the burden should not fall solely on you. It's not fair that you get no appreciation and I am sure you have read on here that it's a commom trend with so many sm's and it really is too bad. In my case...the kids are not kids but adults and they refuse to even MEET me! I used to dream of having a relationship with them but now after all they have said and done have decided a relationship is not what I want and I can choose that. I disengaged from those ideas, thus my SO has a life with them in it and a life without them. They don't come to our house and we don't go anywhere with them. I just decided I don't need them, I have my SO and he's all I care about anyway...they made it easy for me to be perfectly honest! But they made it thougher to have a relationship with their dad because he has to meet them out places and they are getting tired of that.

I think you will find freedom in disengaging...I know I did!!!

jojo68's picture

We have full custody too...it is hard to be the one who "does" the mothering and the egg donor is the one who gets all the credit...Mommy is the best....nobody better say a cruel word about Mommy....Reality is that Mommy practically abandoned you and you never want to go see Mommy because she doesn't drop a ton of money on you and give into your every whim. But she is the best mommy in the world!!!!

iloveit's picture

Nah, no one is antagonizing people...it was just a post for perspective is all...who cares what they think, I don't take it to heart just thought it was interesting.

Flutterby's picture

I found another site and subscribed ($5 per month).

www.stepmommag.com

It's an online magazine for stepmoms! Recipes, craft and of course lots of different articles on all different aspects of stepmotherdom.

Check it out.

Helpless0987's picture

I love this site. I don't hate my skids, but i do hate how they behave theres a big difference and I don't care who you are EVERY parent is going to experience frustration like this weave they admit it or not the difference is we are real and honest about it. B4 I found this site I used to sit here in a ball of frustration wishing someone understood and feeling terrible about the way that i felt sometimes after coming here I know I can vent it out someone will listen make me feel a ton better and after all that with a clear head I can get thru the weekend and I'm so thankful for that. I do love my skids but I don't love how they act and the guilty dad parenting they receive and the advice I get on here helps so much I don't know what I'd do w/out u guys just sayin... Smile

rancherswife's picture

I agree with sourgirl and helpless-there are times I REALLY need to vent! And yes, there are many times I can't stand (even hate) the things my SD, 24 does to me-I didn't give birth to this wench, and I resent people saying I should have maternal insticts to love her. I have a BS-love him dearly-SD-NOT! I married DH, not his daughter.
P.s. I love the feedback I have gotten on this site-it keeps me from going insane!

joanie's picture

I don't like kids in general. I have no interest in actual parenting. I think the Kid is ok as kids go.

this is about the only site I've found that doesn't think im some kind of she demon. }:) and tell me to make the mister available to date some "understanding single mom" instead of me, this horrid childfree witch. lol