It can and sometimes does happen. Isn't it wonderful how the BM's ugliness can contaminate your household via their child? In our case SS used to be really rude and we still have to remind him to watch his tone when speaking to BS. My BS would copy things big brother has said and I have to remind him that SS was not raised the same way that he has been raised, (you know with discipline and manners)After a while I flat out let him know that it was not ok to copy or do/say things that SS does/says. It's sad b/c in my case BS idolizes his half brother. SS has gotten better and does not talk back like he used to, he knows what is expected of him behaviorwise while in our home. Took long enough though!!! Just keep up with the consistent discipline w/ SD's-they are at a very bratty age, eventually they will have to learn to correct their own behavior without having to constantly be reminded. You may be able to find these books at the library : Touchpoints: Your Child's Emotional and Behavioral Development-by T.Berry Brazelton and Parenting: Guide to Positive Discipline by Paula Spencer. Check out this link for a list of books that SD's can read- http://webserver.mcl.org/ys/bibbehav.html. Hope this helps!!!

"All that we are is a result of what we have thought."- Buddha

With my BD, I am very consistant and I am very strict with my BD when it comes to rudeness, backtalking and disrespect. I have ZERO tolerance for a little wiseass. Well, I can't even LOOK at my BF's dtr without her asking me what i am staring at. He lets her toss her attitude (which is kinda crappy alot) around like a vollyball. Also, this child of his is VERY sheltered. She is 10 and WONT ride a bike, wont go on rides, hates the dark...(will literally have a FIT), wont climb around at the park......I mean we go to parks alot that have playgrounds.....you know the kind with obstacle courses? Well my babe is a little monkey and ENJOYS being a kid. His dtr on the other hand will act like she is making this dramatic attempt on crossing the monkey bars....I mean she looks like she is moving the rock of Gilbralter......she will give up and start crying and have a rotten attitude for the rest of the day at the park. My BF tries to encourage her to do more things and its hard on him, too. Well, I am afraid that my kid is going to pick up these habits and fears. I mean, overall, my BF's dtr is a pretty good kid. He mother (who she only sees every other weekend) Is a master manipulator, liar, hypercondriac, and from what I can gather...a helluva drama queen and a bipolar biotch. SD seeing all of this in her mother...well.....what is that going to lead to for her? I am worried about how this is going to pan out. I love my BF very much and I even love his kid......He is very good to mine and my BD LOVES him. But yeah, I am worried about behavior changes.

of mine. My DH and I are trying to have a baby. SS is a complete ass. I have made it crystal freakin' clear to DH that if SS continues with the behavior and our child even remotely tries to emulate him, SS will no longer come into my home. I am a serious stickler regarding dicipline and respect and I'll be damed if that inconsiderate brat "rubs" off on my child and untimately causes me problems. This is hateful and mean I know, but my first priority will be what is best for my child. Period

My daughter all of a sudden TRIED to become a picky eater because SS doesn't like any of the food I cook. So my daughter has tried pulling the "I don't like those" crap. I put an end to it right away. And his whining has rubbed off on her too. Now that he's with his mom fulltime my daughter's behavior has gotten ALOT better.

SD14 comes home from her weekends with BM, walks into the house, ignores everyone (including BD4, who runs up and tries to hug her and tell her she loves her). I worry BD will determine that this is how to treat people.

Over Christmas, SD14 said, "I hate Christmas" in front of BD4. A couple of days after Christmas, when BD4 was in time out, she told me "I hate Christmas." Would have never thought to say something like that on her own...

Don't know what else we can do but model proper behavior and minimize skids' negative influences.

Unfortunately, it does happen. I have watched my bd change in ways that I can't say I am extremely thrilled about. My bd is not perfect by ANY means but she has definately picked up a few things.

However, on the flipside, my bd and sd seem to be getting along better.

DD starts questioning me about why Precious doesn't have to do anything around the house or his homework but she does. She recently tried to threaten me with moving out of the house because she's heard him threaten it so much. Only difference is, I told her to get her crap and get a move on and she knew I was serious unlike Precious who knows when he threatens, DH only gives him more and more of what he wants. I guarantee she won't be pulling that maneuver in the future.

I've noticed my DS5 copy right after SS9, my DS then gets reprimanded and dealt with appropriately while SS gets away with little to no consequence. My DD11 does not mimic SD10 or SS. My fiancé actually expressed hope that his kids would take on some of my DDs positive attributes. This is not the case. My DS has picked up pretty quickly that he is responsible for his own actions and not to copy bad behavior, still slips sometimes but it's gotten much better. We have caught my SS in lies that my DS "starts it" however I purchased a home security camera (purchased partially due to SD thieving) and one is in our living room, he was shown the truth and STILL continued to lie. 

Hopefully your DDs will learn that it's not ok to copy bad behavior, in the meantime just stay consistent with expectations I guess.

Yes. It does rub off. It's harder when the stepkid lives with you full time.

I make a point of it, in front of my wife, and the stepkid, that when the stepkid is being rabid, to audibly tell my daughter that "THAT is not he we act". Granted, my daughter is only 1, but even she's starting to be able to tell that 90% of what SD is nonsense.

My wife says it causes a "divide", but that's totally fine with me. I would consider myself a failure as a parent if my child somehow turned out to be as rabid as the skid. The skid's father's mental health record would be a novel's length, and you can really tell that the kid is inheriting several of the traits. Even if it takes my children not thinking of the skid as a half sibling, that's fine.