Does anyone else have to cope with a BF who wants to be a friend instead?! It's been like this the whole time I've known him. We've been living together 8yrs, married 5. All this time I've had to put up with his parenting style, which of course as a step-parent I can't comment on (although I do when I can't hold my tongue any longer).

It was bad enough when SS was a child but he'll be 16 next week and needs a firmer hand. All those years of pandering to him have made him lazy, ungrateful and disobedient. I know you always get trouble with teens, that's life. But now DH has so little respect that he doesn't do what he's told. SS is just like 'I know my dad won't say anything, he's a pushover!'

We had a house rabbit who was very sick (sadly had him PTS last week ). I came home one day to find his litter tray all tipped up, litter all over, crisps mixed in with his food as well as a bag of flower bulbs that had been knocked off the table. Even if he was well he could've died if he ate them! He was all hunched up under the table, his eyes weeping from stress, I was fuming!! Added to that there were food wrappers lying about, my DVD's and empty beer bottles!! I couldn't believe he'd had his mates round and helped himself to beer, he's 15!

Not only that, he's in the middle of his exams, he'd come back with his mates BETWEEN exams and been drinking. I was furious! Unfortunately I didn't get to see him again for days as they were going away for the weekend. I asked DH what he'd said and basically all he'd done was say he shouldn't of been drinking before an exam and SS said how it didn't matter, there were people smoking outside school while they waited. Like that makes a difference!! No reference to the fact he shouldn't have been helping himself to beer anyway! :O No punishment either!

I said to him he was NOT allowed his friends in our house if neither of us was at home. Now his demented BM has kicked him out and he's living with us full time. I'm so stressed worrying all the time what he's getting up to being left on his own all day. Once his exams are over in 2 weeks he doesn't have to go back to college until September!!! He's going to be on his own in MY home every day, I just can't cope and DH won't say anything to him. He thinks I'm over reacting and just being a fussy woman.

The other week he went out to an all night party where they were all drinking. Then the following weekend he told us he was going back to his mums and he'd told her he was staying at a friends where really he went to another all-nighter! I decided someone had to say something but he just sat there smirking and saying 'oh bugger off' when I said I was being serious. I can only see things getting worse and worse - HELP!!