I am a stepmom to a 5 and 8 year old. The 8 year old is definitely my husbands favorite. He looks like my husband, acts like my husband and was the first born. They bonded. It makes me feel sorry for the 5 year old at times whom I believe gets left out a lot of the time and has been acting out a lot lately probably because of this. Anyways not to get off topic the 8 year old has already missed over 10 days of school this school year (over 5 since winter break started back). I'm not thrilled about this because I believe he's not really sick when he says he's sick. He always complains he has a headache or feels nauseas and hubby keeps him home. This past week he did have a cold and cough though. The last blow up we have was because I caught him lying (twice) about his fever. It was 98.1 not 99.6 like he said. After being off from school for 3 days in a row I told my husband in front of the child that he needs to go to the doctor today if he plans on missing anymore school. After an argument he agreed to take him and I went with them. The doctor said he had a minor cold but not the flu. Doc said his lungs and everything else looked great and he did not have a fever. Doc said it was up to us to keep him off school but didnt think it was necessary since he seemed to be doing well and was not contagious. My husband again allows him to stay off another day. I think he thought since I was off work I would watch him and hang around the house with him. It was my only day off work that week. I decided to leave the house and run errands all day and got a pedicure. My husband blew up at me and went off. "He's sick and I don't feel well and all you think about is yourself." He yelled at me. A big part of the problems is I believe he should be in school and he misses way too much school to begin with. He also lies about being sick on many occasions. I also find my SS manipulates and lies when Im around and I dont like being around it. Ive caught him sitting on the dogs head more than once, pulling the dogs tail, then he lies that the dog bit him when she growled at him. What dog wouldn't growl? Ive told him to stop laying on the dogs head, pulling her tail etc. Its cruel to do that to a dog. SS also cries about everything until he gets his way. He loves nothing more than to sit in front of the couch all day or in our bed when Im not there, watch tv, and play video games while missing school. My husband allows him to take several very long showers when he doesnt feel well many of them over 20 minutes long multiple times a day and Im supposed to contribute to the water bill? What 8 year old takes 20 minute showers several times a day? SS is always pushing what he can get away with. More days off school, more tv time, more video games, how much he can torment his little sister and get away with it, how he can be cruel to the dog and turn it into the dogs fault and play victim. Im growing tired of my husband turning on me and not addressing his sons behavior because at the end of the day its my husbands fault completely, not the kids. Parenting is to blame. :?