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Vacation is definitely not my own

Reb86's picture

There have been many days I've felt like my life is not my own. I look forward to the days it is just me and my SO. I have resentment and probably jealousy about the amount of affection and doting my SD gets. She is a beautiful, sweet, kind and loveable 6 year old. She is also sassy and rude and gross and 100000000% spoiled. She is sooooo spoiled by her bio mom and my SO doesn't seem to see how he is also contributing to that.

We just took a beach vacation where every single thing we did we at the wish of miss priss. It did not matter that she had just spent a week at the beach with her bio mom, it was her vacation....again.

Don't get me wrong I had a lovely time. This child is so much though. She nonstop needs attention. We can't have a conversation without her interrupting and vying for attention. Dad,dad,dad!!! She asks where something is in an effort to have someone get it for her. This doesn't work for me. I literally say "you have two feet, use them". Where she can say "dad have you seen my water bottle" and he jumps up and goes and gets it for her. This is one small example that kills me. It's intensified on vacation for sure. My annoyance with it made clear as at one point I said "you need to go look yourself where you left it last or you know ask your dad because he will obviously jump up and get it for you". This just made him mad. There is a difference between loving a child and spoiling one and this kid is doted on every step of the way. 

I was thankful for her older brother being with us and her nasty eating habits aggravating him because without me having to go down that road as I've not been prepared to do that yet, he told her to stop smacking and chewing with her mouth open because it's disgusting and I looked right at him, and I said we haven't breached the topic of manners with her yet and then looked at her father who somewhat rolled his eyes, but also realizes when his own son is saying it's gross that it's gross ...sooooo one step in the right direction...woohoo

Anyway I am trying to remain patient and I am trying to not let is all so apparent that it aggravates me but the entire vacation there were so many moments that I looked at the ocean and thought...my life is no longer my own.

My favorite time this vacation was sitting in a chair looking at the ocean and chatting with my 16 yr old SS. 

Aside from approximately 20 minutes of that peace and the amount of time that we were all sleeping, the vacation was nonstop entertaining little Miss priss. 
 

At what point do you teach a child that the world does not revolve around them? At what point does my SO realize that he is adding to the problem? I fear he has this anxiety and potential Disneyland dad situation because he doesn't want to be the bad guy when bio mom constantly pampers and spoils this child.
 

My SD even told her brother at one point "I am way more spoiled at my moms than with dad".  

I feel like I am expected to jump in and be all the things a parent is without having any say in the ways she is raised and desire i get annoyed and frustrated, made to feel shame for feeling that way. 

I have 3 nights without SD and I need them... 
 

 

Comments

ESMOD's picture

When you vacation with very young kids.. unfortunately.. it does set the tone for the trip.. it's tough to do "adult" things with smaller kids that don't have the patience or the interest and ability to self regulate.

I think it's somewhat positive that hte older boy is also your SOs child... perhaps over time he does teach his kids manners?  

The fact that the boy pointed it out should be making it more apparent to your husband.

I usually suggest approaching issues like that from a POV to help his child.  Oh.. honey.. remember when SS said that SD was being gross when eating.. this is exactly what I have been worrying about for her.. she will end up ridiculed or embarassed if no one teaches her.. you really need to start helping her because I would hate for her to feel picked on because she doesn' know any better.

I would also suggest you and your SO try to do some small get aways on your own.. with no kids.. he doesn't have them full time.. that should be possible.

Reb86's picture

Thank you! I like that approach and will try and see how that conversation goes. 

I definitely understand that young kids on vacation means kid things- it was just non stop. I don't even need adult things just a breath... a moment or two of relaxation. Literally we left the beach and she wants to go to the pool then back to the beach. After being on the beach for hours the last thing i want to do is sit in the pool where there are filthy kids likely peeing in it. My SO as tired as me and wanting a nap just as badly doesn't nap...doesn't tell her it's time for a break...the whole world revolves around her and what she wants 24/7 

I think at one point I must have made some sort of comment and my SO said "we're only here for a few days (it was 6) we need to make the most of it with her" and i said "she just spent a week at the beach with her mom getting everything her little heart desires"   
 

 

la_dulce_vida's picture

I would encourage you to consider doing an adults only vacation and then let him vacation with his kids on his own. Without you there, he will likely grow more irritated with miss prissy. Right now, you are the buffer and a reason he can pretend that she's not an annoying PITA. I mean, how is it even a vacation for you if everything is centered around a 6 year old?

No bueno. I have 3 bio kids and it's exhausting having clingy kids.

When they got older, we sometimes let them bring a friend on vacation just to keep them entertained.

Reb86's picture

Thankfully after getting back my SO was exhausted and has agreed we need our own get away! 
 

I dont know that I'll ever want to skip it and have them vacation without me. I do enjoy it still, but you're right that I am the buffer. I'm the buffer at home also. Before me, my understanding was that the schedule with my SD was extremely inconsistent. 

Winterglow's picture

I'd encourage ss to have a voice in the choice of activities (among other things). He sounds like a good un'. Maybe he's sick of witnessing his sister being fussed over. If your husband objects, simply tell him that you thought he was too busy with The Baby to notice or care.

CLove's picture

This doesnt get better with time, it gets worse. If you are experiencing SO anger towards you when you point things out, he will just assume you are "attacking" and hating on his kid, and that will intensify also. Do you want to always have to walk on eggshells and "couch" things..."SO I only want the BEST for SD, but can you please blah blah blah."

Yeah. Im 10 years in. SD25 Feral Forger is not contact and SD18 Princess Powersulk Do Nada, well lets just say her name sais is all. They are still cute at 8, but past 12 its not cute anymore. Spoiled rotten is spoiled rotten and soooooo uncute.

Things will not change because your SO doesnt want them to change. Pretty soon it will devolve into a they vs you game, except when Princess Fetch Daddy isnt there. Things will be good then and you will resent her.

Read around on here. The only solution is to disengage and let your SO be her stepnfetchit b!th or engage and have arguments. SO doesnt seem like he wants anything to change.

Reb86's picture

I hope some of this can be taken care of while she is still young. When I initially broached the topic of her sleeping in her own bed, he immediately dismissed it but she now sleeps in her own bed when she is with us (she sleeps with her bio mom). I'd say he is open to change and influence if handled gently. We will see... my SS said how spoiled my SD is out loud a few times on this trip and hearing that has to resonate with my SO a bit. I do think my SO contributes a lot to her age. I can tell you if it's still like this at 10 ...I'm out. 

Rags's picture

I would remind SO that his son sees SO being a ball-less spine-less wonder heeping his nose up the butt of the little princess who clearly has SO's balls in her sticky little whiney hands.

He owes his bride and his son far more than that IMHO.

Do not waste the next four years to see if he fixes it. Put your foot up his ass now and let him kow that it is immediately fixed or he is done as your partner.

Nea

Never sacrifice  yourself on the altar of SParental martyrdom to a mates failed family baggage. They owe you the duty of being your mate and you and the marriage being their priority including parenting to your standards if they do not have the spine to establish effective standards.

Lillywy00's picture

There have been many days I've felt like my life is not my own. I look forward to the days it is just me and my SO
 

Yeah good luck getting a Disneyland Dad to understand the world doesn't revolve around their kids 24/7

I had a similar situation where I (after multiple conversations with a willfully obtuse Disneyland dad) had to resort to some underhanded tactics to get my needs met .... cause best believe these Disneyland parents are going to get their kids needs met at all costs (including destroying their current relationship/marriage/family in the process)

Eventually it was so draining having to compete with pushy needy clingy demanding skids and conniving ex wife that I left

Reb86's picture

Now I want details on what "underhanded tactics" you used. Also how long were you in the relationship before leaving?

Lillywy00's picture

One instance comes to mind was  when me and the Disneyland Dad went on a couples date after dropping his spawns off with their breeder for the conclusion of their every weekend visits. 
 

Now you would think those kids would be satisfied to have frequent visits and phone calls but because they were codependent mini spouses nothing was ever enough and they'd blow him up (on his mobile B*tch Beck n call 24/7 hotline) right after their visit (always asking random a$$ questions like "dad where is my shirt that I left in my moms living room?" Or "dad where is the peanut butter in moms pantry?" ... like how tf is he supposed to know where stuff is in your moms house?!?)

Well I'd had enough of all of them but I was committed to this date/time ALONE without his meddling exwife using her footsoldiers to secure her agenda (aka use her unruly spawns to run me off so she could have him at her beck n call not mine) and as were pulling out the driveway (glad I elected to drive) he realize "oh sh*t I forgot my phone" 

Girl I backed out that driveway and sped off like the cartel was chasing me down the 385

I knew good and damn well those kids were going to blow him up constantly to try to interrupt our date for their selfish purposes and he was going to allow it (because what Disneyland parent has good boundaries with their kids?)

He started tweaking and going into mild anxiety and I quietly in my mind laughed at the dopamine hits I was getting from indirectly rendering his exwife's mobile ping service inoperable 

We were gone on a nice date where we could finally focus on each other without his exwife and spawns interjecting 

Let me tell you his narcissistic tendency failed former family cannot handle not being the center of attention for 4 hours. 
 

His manipulative (I only say this because she learned the behavior from her conniving breeder) mini spouse daughter blew his phone UP for 4 hours sending non stop texts, calls, and voicemails. She even sent images of herself fake crying looking like she'd been kidnapped into someone's basement as a way to guilt trip him to respond instantly to her. When that didn't work she called again claiming she thinks he's deceased. 
 

When he finally got back to his phone his a$$ was of course going into guilt riddled Disney dad syndrome like "oh my precious kid though I was unalived" 

I called them all out and said

First of all unless you're in a g@ng / someone actively put a hit out on your life normal sane people aren't going to assume you're in heaven after 4 hours of the day not hearing from you. 24 hrs and you don't hear from someone? Perhaps. 4 hours?!? Absolutely not. Your daughter is a preteen and old enough to know better. 
 

Secondly it's totally inappropriate to not set boundaries with your kids and tell them there are times you will be busy and unless it's an emergency then you will talk to them when you are available.  

And finally if your exwife heard her daughter crying (we all know it was fake but for the benefit of the doubt let's say she really was crying) then what kind of mother would sit there and let her kids have full blown panic attacks without doing anything to comfort them?!? WTF is wrong with your trifling ex wife that she act like she can't be bothered with her kids during her parenting time?!! And why the h3ll your daughter with a cellphone couldn't call her aunts, uncles, or whoever to confirm (if she really thought you were unalived) instead of stew in fake anxiety?!? 
 

Pissed me off to see the dumbfounded look on his face as I not only refused to be emotionally blackmailed like he had been but also debunked every one of his theories his manipulative failed former family used to leverage guilt to keep him in check 

 

Anyways after over two years of dealing with his Disneyland antics, his gaslighting after I confront him about his unmanly behavior, and his manipulative conniving exwife and spawns who didn't fall to far from the tree .... I left  because I got tired of expending energy on those peoples dysfunction 

 

Harry's picture

SK vacation for a few days doing kid things.  Then a adult only vacation doing adult things. Eating drinking having fun