Hello - I am new to this forum and have joined becasue I don't know who to turn to regarding my step-son. He is 15 years old and I have been his full-time mother since he was 3 or 4. His bio mother chooses to not be in his life and she only calls on his bday each year. It seems like he should be my child just like a bio child since I have been raising him for so long. But - we have never bonded and I do not have the feelings for him that I do for my bio children. I do love him and care about him, I just don't like him. I think a lot of the reason we never really bonded was becasue he was a very, very difficult child. He got in trouble in school every single day in elementary. Mostly temper tantrums for not getting his way. Soon after my husband and I married, I started to dread picking him up from school becasue I was ALWAYS pulled aside by the teacher regarding his behavior for the day, if not the principal. He never hurt or hit anyone, just had lots of bratty tantrums. He is not a bad kid - I just simply am sick and tired of the drama that constantly surrounds him and school. He is an excellent student grade wise, 4.0, honor roll, but can not get along with other kids to save his life. He is very immature.

Now that he is a teen, he has become such a liar. He lies about everything. It's to the point that I dread even speaking to him becasue I know he will lie about "whatever" and I will catch him in it becasue he is also a horrible liar. I see it from a mile away. My husband is a great father and I think is just as frustrated as I am. He does discipline in a fair way as far as I am concerned.

The problem is - I just want to be able to learn to let go of his lies, of his behavior, of the fact that we will never be close. I HAVE to live with him. How can I just take him for what he is and start enjoying family life again?

Any helpful advice is welcome.