19 y/o stepdaughter estranged, but wants to come on our vacation
My 19 y/o stepdaughter used to come over with her 2 younger siblings since she was 10, when her dad and I started living together.
She was always distant, flinched when I tried to hug her, started fights with her sisters on purpose, lied to get cell phone account number and then let her mom have the credit from the phone we bought her, etc. After an incident when she was 17 and she made motions like she was going to hit me, she went to live with her mom. She was always like an angry time bomb, sulking but not answering us when we asked what was wrong. She would just say - "I don't know, or nothing". A year ago my dh said was talking with her again. He finally told me that shortly after she went to live with her mom, she gave him an ultimatum "leave her and get back together with biomom, or I will not speak to again." He chose me. He explained that he'd rather have all his teeth pulled than ever go back to his ex wife. She hadn't spoken to him in 2 years. Now she is coming around, calling him and saying she wants to "stop by for this or that" or "come over for dinner" etc. He asked me and I told him that he can have a relationship with her, but I am not comfortable being around her or having her in my home. So now she is working on the other skids, her younger sisters, 17 and 15. They have been asking relentlessly for her to come over and asking why its such a big deal. DH and I say no, and he says he has has a long talk with them to explain why their older sister is not welcome here. Meanwhile older sister was asked to call me directly and apologize. She has not done this. She has, instead, lied and told her sisters that she left because their dad raised his hand like he was going to hit her 2 years ago, and told an alternate reality version of what happened between us - when I asked her to close the freezer door 3 times, and she raised her hand and came at me like she was going to punch me, In her version, I "closed the freezer door on her head." Nope, never happened. But guess what, she can tell her little sisters anything, and they will believe her. So, I am again defending myself against her lies and manipulations.
We are going on vacation soon, and taking her 2 younger sisters, who live with us part time, The 17 year old sister is repeatedly asking us for the address of the home we are staying in, She repeatedly asks her dad if their older sister can come, or stop by, I said no, and he backed me up. But my concern is, I am afraid older sister will show up unannounced, uninvited, and try to guilt her dad into letting her stay. I have brought this up with him, but he doesn't believe it will happen. I bought a small hidden camera to wear and keep in my purse for whenever I have to deal with older sister - or if she should show up. That way I have documentation of what actually happens, so she can't twist it for her own use later. I told DH about this and he understands, but thinks I am over reacting. This girl almost ruined my life once, I don't want to give her another chance, But i also don't want to risk my relationship with my other stepdaughters, whom I love. Everytime I think about seeing the oldest stepdaughter again, I have a panic attack. Her and biomom, who are both narcissists, will manipulate anyone to get what they want. I have lived through it, and won't go back to that hell again. What do you think?
She does not participate in
She does not participate in your family vacation. Document, record, video every thing. When she lies, put it on youtube and tag her. Send it to her friends, cc all of her extended family on her crap.
She can lie all she wants but the facts and technology should be used to bare her ass every time. Even show her sisters so they know she is a lying manipulative POS.
Lather................ rinse................. repeat.
If daddy won't get his failed family nasty breeding experiment and his X under control, you do it. In a way that will destroy their reputation, destroy them socially, etc....
When they choose the behavior, they choose the consequences. Make them live every misery inducing fraction of those consequences. Learn to enjoy implementing the consequences. It makes a difference in keeping your perpsective positive through all of their crap.
Trip would be hard no for me
I am sad to read this. When it gets to the point that you need to wear a secret camera - you've gone too far. Sounds like the younger steps are a hair's breath away from flipping on you. You shouldn't have to work so hard for such fragile relationships. The 19 yo is a psycho - but she's "family" to your husband and the sds. I am so sorry you are experiencing this - very stressful. I can only see it getting more tense.
Oh Hell no!! I'm 100% with
Oh Hell no!! I'm 100% with you on this. That trouble-maker can stay far away - no way would she be coming with us on vacation. As for her younger sisters - if they keep asking after you've repeatedly said no, well, they can feel free to stay at home or go spend time with her at their BM's.
If she DOES show up (and knowing skids - she would), then your DH can just re-direct her back home. Her sisters can go with her, if they are the ones who give her the address - failure to do this would result in ME packing my shit and leaving them all to it.
Definitely a hard no. She
Definitely a hard no. She only wants to come so she can make sure to ruin your good time. She doesn't genuinely want to see any of you or bond with DH.
I would probably have a sit
I would probably have a sit down with the other 2 and say that if OSD shows up because they gave her info the vacation will end right then and they will not go on another one, period. I would also that that disclosing your address to someone who has tried to tear your family apart will result in total loss of trust of them, which means their lives will dramatically change at your house.
That is the only way that I can think of to protect yourself.
This.
This.
Also, it is probably illegal for you to record her without her knowledge:
http://www.dmlp.org/legal-guide/washington/washington-recording-law
That depends on the State.
In Texas any party to a conversation can record the conversation without notifying any other party to the conversation.
Under Texas Law, it is a
Under Texas Law, it is a crime to intercept or record any wire, oral or electronic communication without the consent of at least one party. The good news is that you count as one party and if you're recording then you have probably given yourself consent to record the conversation.Jan 11, 2021
We used this liberally during the 16+ years we lived under a SpermLand CO. SInce we were recording in Texas, we had no legal obligation to inform them they were being recorded. They would rant on, and on, and on... during periodic telephone calls. That just added to the Voice Messages they left on our answering machine which they claimed we lied about and ... voila, there is a time and date stamped message that they left knowing full well they were being recorded.
The fireworks in court were epic when we would testify as to their lies, etc... they would claim it never happened, we would pull out our conversartion log, then play the call recording for that time and date... and POOF!... purjury! No judge ever put their asses in jail for it but they got their asses chewed for it several times. It got to where their idiot attorney of the moment would fire them once we played their attorney the recordings. The did not ever want to deal with trying to get the recordings excluded from a hearing because they knew we would call them liars, reference our call logs, and when they called us liars ... "lets see what Mr. Micro Recorder says.".
One of a number of reasons why I love Texas.
ABSOLUTELY NOT! She is only in it for herself. If she cringes
when you hug her, then why would she even want to be seen with you or go on a trip with you.
Think about it. Does ANY OF THIS MAKE SENSE?
You are the WIFE. Let that sink in for a minute.
Under no circumstances should you even consider allowing this. If you do so, you are enbaling and complicit in your own misery.