Adult SD with Autism is treated by father like a queen - just want to vent
Just needed to vent and this is the best place to do it withou being reprimanded by my spouse for "hating his children, etc. etc.", so here goes.
* My 24 year old SD with autism does absolutely nothing all day when she's with my husband as well as with her mom and step dad. I tried many times to engage in conversation with both my husband and her mom on ways to get her involved in something that would get her out of the house during the day so as to prepare her for being somewhat of a functional member of society but it has always been met with excuses on how and why it's not possible. She graduated from high school and from a career school and has had two temporary jobs with a shadow of which she had no problems with. I feel strongly that they're being irresponsible parents for not preparing her for the time when they're not around (Father is 62 & Mother is 58) to care for her and it bothers me that she will be unable to take care of herself or have someone to do it for her. Additionally, when she's at our home I'm expected to do all of the inside household chores when I get home from my full time job and get no help from her at all.
These issues have been ongoing for several years and I've struggled with accepting them..but what happened last night is the reason for my post. After spending 9 hours at my job, I came home and cooked supper. The SD and my husband had been home all day (note: He's a Fedx Pilot and as such works a rotational schedule leaving him off typically for 2 weeks at a time). They had what I could tell just hung out for most of the day. When the meal was ready, I distributed the portions out (she doesn't like spices on her meat so I have to cook and ensure that she doesn't get ours or it becomes a huge issue) and her and my husband take their plates to the dining room. He returns to the kitchen and fixes himself something to drink and asks her what she wants of which she responds, he poors hers and takes both of theirs to the table. I'm standing in the kitchen and hear it all. At no time does he ask if I need something to drink. I get to the dining room and she's taken one of the two head of the table chairs (I think this very disrespectful to her father and I as I was raised that those positions at the table are meant for the head of the household) and seat myself and ask him where my drink was. He responds "I thought you already had something". After the meal he cleans the dishes. She lifts her fingers to do NOTHING and he doesn't expect her to. It really hurt my feelings that he completely ignored the fact that I was even in the room. She's very capable of fixing her own drink, own plate and assisting with cleaning but if I make any comment to that, I get reprimanded by him and he throws the "you hate my children" out to me. I fully believe if she were my own biological child, I would expect her to to all of the above.
Maybe it's me being petty but I just can't get this hurt out of my head.
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Comments
"I'm expected to do all of
"I'm expected to do all of the inside household chores"
No, just no. Your husband should also be pulling his weight. Taking care of the home is NOT a job for the little woman - you both live there, therefore you should both be doing your fair share.
Besides that, as nearly always, it's your partner who is the problem. Your SD is the way she is because of the way she was brought up.
I have SS21 who is Autistic
I have SS21 who is Autistic and lives with us full time. I am grateful that I don't have to deal with another parent, his mom has been out of the picture for most of his life.
There are a lot of important studies that have shown that routine and structure and purpose are very important to Autistic adults.
My SS drives me crazy most of the time, but I love him and will do anything for him.
Important things I have established:
SS has to work and pay rent. He has a job with a job coach through the DARS program and works 3 days a week. The rent goes into a savings account that he doesn't know about. He has about 10K in there now from over the last 2 years. Pretty cool stuff if you ask me!
SS has chores:
I will not tolerate disrespect and SS21 knows it. His father backs me up 100%. We have threatened to throw him out over his attitude. He is reminded that he lives in our home by our grace and nothing else. He is 21. He is an adult. He is not required to live in our home. That usually sends him into "I'm so sorry" mode real fast.
If my husband did not have my back with my expectations of SS21, I could not do this. I know he won't ever live on his own (or at least it is unlikely) and he isn't my kid. I don't have that from birth bond with him and this is hard stuff. It is really frustrating to have to fuss at a grownass man who can't remember to shower or shave or let the dog out.
You and your husband need to have joint expectations for her. You have to be on the same team. It isn't about you hating her, but it is about her having proper life skills. Mommy and Daddy won't be around forever and she needs to be able to survive with the basics. Parents have to teach that and if she is high functioning, which she sounds like she is- able to graduate, verbal, can work with assistance- she needs to have those expectations and purpose to her own life.
Thanks for the advice
You're very lucky that you have the support in your home that you do! I wish I could place expectations on my SD and it be backed by my husband. Unfortunately, I've tried that route and come home to find that he actually did most for her while she stood around and half heartedly assisted. This completely negates the purpose, IMO. And yes, she's what the text books consider on the higher end of functioning Autism as she is completely verbal, healthy and capable of understanding basic directions. She's very immature (equal to that of a 8 or 9 year old) but I attribute that to the lack of discipline from her parents before and after their divorce. (She does the baby talk thing when she wants attention or her way)
For the most part, I direct all of my hurt feelings, resentment and anger towards her father for not having my back when it came to her unwillingness to do everyday things such as helping with the dishes, etc. Each time I've tried to discuss it with him, it turns into a heated conversation and as mentioned above, he throws the "you hate my children" in my face. While I don't have the natural love for her that he and her mother have, I don't hate her either. I also went into the relationship and marriage with the understanding from him that she was being prepped to have, at a minimum, some daily responsiblities or commitments outside of hanging out in the house all day. She sleeps most of the afternoon, plays on her computer and stays up all hours of the night - so she's not on any type of routine either.. So if/when we're not able eto care for her, she'll be in for a very rude awakening that real life isn't what she's being taught now.
But I guess my biggest dissapointment is that when she's there I feel like the maid or a second class citizen in my own home and get my feelings hurts regularly by his constant attention to her every need while ignoring quite of few of mine.
One Question
I forgot to ask in my earlier post - is there any advice you can give me as to how you got your husband to back you in having expectations from your Autistic SS? As well, can you give me any links or books that I can read that describes the benefits of routine in Autistic adults that you referenced ?
My husband and I are both on
My husband and I are both on our 3rd marriage. SS21 by BM when he was 18 they divorced within 1 year and DH had sole custody. Then SS16 with BM2- married for 9 years. BM 2 had 2 kids from 2 previous marriages (DH was her 3rd, she is now on her 4th). - Sorry, it's confusing but important.
When DH was married to BM she was very controlling. EVERYTHING SS21 did was wrong, her kids were angels and DH wasn't allowed to say a word. She would want DH to spank the crap out of SS but when her kids did things like color on the walls or pour hot wax into the carpet- no punishment was allowed. BM's oldest daughter would get mad at DH, call her grandparents and then they would call DH yelling at him for hurting her feelings. BM would come home yelling at him in front of the kids, totally emasculating him.
So when DH and I started dating this was deal breaker territory for both of us. I have always believed in a structured house and parents always back each other up and never talk down to each other in front of the kids. So we have always worked well together.
I am going to respond back shortly with some books and articles that have been helpful!
So your DH has been a SP
So your DH has been a SP before. It's interesting to me how the DH's who have experienced it first hand (yours and Tog's, for example) act compared to those who haven't.
Why are you cooking dinner when you worked all day
Why are you cooking dinner when you worked all day and your DH was home doing nothing? He should be cooking you dinner! In any case, he is treating his daughter like a wife and you like a servant. It is time for a "come to Jesus" on who is playing what role in the household dynamics. He needs to understand that you are his wife and that comes with certain expectations - like sitting at the end of the table.
Why are you cooking dinner when you worked all day
Why are you cooking dinner when you worked all day and your DH was home doing nothing? He should be cooking you dinner! In any case, he is treating his daughter like a wife and you like a servant. It is time for a "come to Jesus" on who is playing what role in the household dynamics. He needs to understand that you are his wife and that comes with certain expectations - like sitting at the end of the table. And common courtesy would dictate that he should ask you if you want something to drink - it was the least he could do!
As other's have said above
As other's have said above you have a DH problem, I'm sure you know this, but the question is what do you want to do about it? Do you want to try and get counseling for you and DH so that you can learn to work together as partners and address how he needs to help SD24 learn to function on her own as best she can? Do you think your DH would even be on board to do anything like counseling? Do you think giving your DH ultimatums (SD24 gets a job or I'm out) would work? Ultimately you have to look at your own life and where you want it to be 20-30 years from now.
We tried counseling before COVID
Yes, we started counseling before COVID but only got a few sessions of which those were just us giving the details of our problem without getting feedback as to how to deal with them. I'm on a waiting list to get in to start it back up, but living in Alaska it makes it tought as there are so few available.
I’m sorry your husband sucks
He's an awful partner to you and he's a bad dad not preparing his daughter for real life without him. How very sad. She sounds like she has so much potential.
This is no way to live. You deserve so much better ! Put your foot down and demand real change. I'd divorce if this did not happen.
You deserve happiness and someone to make you dinner and treat You like the queen you are.
I just read your first blog
I just read your first blog and am really wondering why you are still with this guy. Nothing is going to change, he is going to cater to this girl for the rest of his life.
I know
I think deep down I know that nothing is going to change.. unfortunately my personality is that of a fixer and stay in the relationship hoping I'll find some way to solve the problem. One day I'll get to the end of my rope and move on.
This is their dysfunction to
This is their dysfunction to deal with. You can't fix this. You are wasting precious time.
What you do when you are at work and him and sd are
Being bums at home, is send him a list of chores to be done. If you get home and say laundry not done, dinner not made, house vacuumed and mopped etc, you make YOURSELF and YOURSELF ONLY some dinner and go to bed.
when hubby chucks a hissy fit you tell him off you worked a full time job and he and his daughter sat around all day and did nothing practical. That you are not a maid and its time he showed respect anf appreciation for all you do. Get ready for the sob stories from him and "cough cough i think i'm getting sick bs" to try coax you into line, my hubby does it and this is always met with "convenient isn't it that you always get sick when i need to address skid and home environment issues with you as a means for you to get out if addressing them.
stand your ground or it won't get better!! i hate lazy parents that use cop outs for almost everything
I have Aspergers. I was
I have Aspergers. I was diagnosed in adulthood so I went through my childhood being treated as if it wasn't there. Sometimes I do wish I'd been diagnosed as a young child because all the struggles I had growing up make so much sense now. In some ways I think slipping through the cracks has helped by forcing me to push myself to the point where I can effectively mask and pass as normal. I guess the point I'm trying to make is that being on the autism spectrum shouldn't be the crutch or excuse to be absolutely useless at life. Autistic people can be self sufficient - we're just wired a bit different. And that learned helplessness has nothing to do with autism and more to do with poor parenting.
Wonderfully Put
Thanks for the input and I totally agree with you.
The way i see it, there is no
The way i see it, there is no excuse for not teaching your kid(s) as much as possible and helping them to grow up to be as self-sufficient as possible. No matter what their abilities are. Part of parenting is helping your kids to be their best. Something tells me that even if SD didn't have a disability, he still wouldn't make her pull her weight.