Facetime with BM so everyone can hear
How do you handle it when your stepkids Facetime with BM (or any personal conversations with their friends for that matter) in living room in front of everyone...causing frustration when you are trying to have conversations with others in person or watch TV? My boyfriend has made a house rule at my request that the kids go to another room to do this but sometimes they forget and I find it very irritating to be forced to listen to their conversations. Of course if I say something you know I will come out looking bad when it's their mom. I understand they need that communication since they live fulltime with their Dad. Is it normal to find this kind of stuff inconsiderate and annoying? I do not have kids of my own so maybe I just don't get it but I think it is rude. By the way, I always go into another room to have private conversations away from everyone else.
I guess I see it different.
I guess I see it different. I think it's rude to carry on a conversation via phone, face time whatever in middle of the shared living space. Now everyone else has to mute their conversations and other actions. My parents didn't allow me to gab on the phone with my friends in the middle of the living room while they were relaxing after a long day at work. I took it to another room. And personally, I won't want to have to listen to BM's voice while relaxing in my home. Skids can take it to their bedrooms.
It's beyond disruptive.
It's beyond disruptive. Having loud Facetime/phone conversations (even if I can hear only one side of the conversation) means those in the room cannot even carry on a conversation or hear the TV! Everyone is trying to talk over everyone else and it's ridiculous and frustrating. So everyone else is "held hostage" for the long conversations that should be in private.
Kids = Lazy and
Kids = Lazy and Forgetful
Every time they don't follow the rule, they get a reminder of the rule. Also, you should talk to your DH about consequences. Breaking rules have consequences.
We say, "I'm sure your mom
We say, "I'm sure your mom would like to talk to you in private, take it to your room."
Tell them to take it to their
Tell them to take it to their room. Our skids aren't allowed to video chat outside of their rooms and without our prior knowledge ahead of time.
Who wants to walk through the living room in their pajamas to find out turd head is on video chat? Not in my house.
My kids and skids facetime
My kids and skids facetime with friends/BM/ExH in there bedroom.
HOWEVER! When SD tries to facetime DH in her bedroom, alone, BM comes raging in every 2-4 minutes to tell her to say good bye for dinner or to help in the kitchen or whatever, but she still thinks its some "competition" for favorite parent, she hasn't a clue yet.
Our BM wants to invade our
Our BM wants to invade our house as often as possible with her video chats, I am sure she is scoping out our place. When it is time for FDH to video chat with skids at their house you can damn bet that isn't an option. ALWAYS a double standard when dealing with a control freak who hasn't moved on.
Here is the weirdest part...
Here is the weirdest part... Can she seriously not go 3 days without talking to her kids!? My husbands ex (bm) calls constantly and my SD (from hell) constantly has to text her details about everything we do!!
You could always passive
You could always passive aggressively turn the volume up louder then the kid would have to 1. Go to another room or 2. Ask you to turn it down so he can hear to which you respond "how about you go to your room". That way you can avoid being the bad guy as you say.
LOL-yes, I thought of that!
LOL-yes, I thought of that! Based on everyones advice here (seeing they are probably forgetful kids with a father that can tune them out), I will subtley remind him with a nudge to reinforce the rule or ask them to take their private conversation to their room. If that doesn't work, up goes the volume of the TV or I will start my own loud phone conversation, or maybe start vaccumming-LOL. Sometimes only when the shoe is on the other foot do other people understand :). I feel better knowing I'm not the only one that thinks it's rude and better manners never hurt anyone ;).
That is what their own
That is what their own bedrooms are for, for these private conversations. We are not interested in having to listen to psycho's garbage. "Oh I am Soooooo sorry you have to be there this weekend, sniff, sniff" treating SS13 like a two year old who has gone to a POW camp. No thanks. Its our home and we provide each child with their own bedroom for this reason. Anyhow, it IS rude to carry on a conversation if its disrupting everyone else. Remember the old days when the family phone was in the hallway? It was there for a reason.