You are here

Unexpected Overnight Guest

EasierSaidThanDone's picture

Hello! I am a first time blogger, but long time reader on this site. A little background, I have been married to my DH for 8 years, we have been together for 10. We each brought children into the marriage, DH has 3 daughters and I have 1. The girls now range from ages 14-22. DH and I have no bio children together. He has an extremely high conflict ex, more on her later. Lol.

DH and I are similar to many who post on here, we only fight when it comes to the kids. Which brings me to our latest issue. SD14 texts DH and says, "cousin is bringing me to your house". They do not show up that night, but show up the next afternoon at our door without any prior notice. DH finds nothing wrong with this, where I think she should let us know at least when she is on the way, it is an hour drive over here. I feel that is common courtesy and I am one of those that doesn't like surprises. Lol. DH never says anything to skids when this happens. SD14 comes in and says "cousin is spending the night". DH says nothing. I say "Oh, I didn't know that". SD14 says, "I talked to dad about it yesterday". DH still says nothing. Later I tell DH in a nice, calm voice (I have a feeling this will be a trigger), "In the future, I would like a heads-up when we are going to have an 'extra' overnight guest". He immediately gets attitude and says, "I didn't know she was spending the night and really who cares, what is the big deal?" I feel that SD14 should ask permission rather than tell her dad what is happening. He sees no issues. Drives me crazy! Also just to add, I have no problem with the cousin spending the night, not the issue at all, she is a kind and respectful teenager. It is the lack of respect from SD14 I have a problem with and DH not parenting her.

To add, DH and his ex do have a court order, but they do not follow it. His kids dictate which house they want to be at and for how long. I tell DH I need to know in advance for food purposes (knowing how many to cook for), goes in one ear and out the other. DH normally tells me as he is picking them up or I get surprised when he walks in the door with them. I like to plan in advance and know what to expect. DH just doesn't get it. I always let DH know when DD is going to her dad's and when she will return, even though it has no impact on him. DH just does not give me the same respect!

Extra note, we come from polar opposite childhoods. I was raised by a strict, narcissistic, single mother that taught me to always ask permission, be respectful to adults, etc. DH bounced from various family members homes, had no parental control. I think our backgrounds are part of why we clash on parenting. 

Thanks for the vent! Happy Monday Everyone!

Comments

JRI's picture

Sounds like what it was like at our house back in the day....

Your DH is probably like mine was, always glad to have the SKs, whatever the situation. Oh, and whatever friends, too.

 

EasierSaidThanDone's picture

Exactly! DH wants them here all the time and since they dictate their own visitation, has to make them happy so they will keep coming back! I am always the bad guy in these situations. I either have to go with the flow or expect a blow up argument if I voice my concerns!

Stepdrama2020's picture

I would find all of this annoying AF.

Your DH is not showing you respect, SD sees this knows this, so why should she respect you and DH? She can lie, DH will confirm the lie and then downplay it. That is a huge concern. It may be the cousin today, but what about tomorro? Boyfriends staying over etc etc etc.

Id hash this out with your DH. Start the convo with how you feel disrespected by him and SD. Common courtesy should be a no brainer, except with people who dont care or have little respect. That and I am sure DH is afraid to ever challenge or put guidelines on SD. She creates her own visitation? HELL NO. A spoiled brat in the making.

Blessings

EasierSaidThanDone's picture

You are right, DH does not show me respect when it comes to his kids. I have voiced this many times, it never changes. Not only do they create their own visitation, SD14 comes over the most and uses that as leverage. Even says, "I must be dad's favorite since I come over more than the others". Of course she wants to be over here because DH does not parent her! When I correct her she says, "Well dad didn't say anything about me doing x, so it must be fine". I am so glad I got the courage to start posting on this site. I have so many stories that will have you shaking your head!

Stepdrama2020's picture

share away. Best therapy !

 

ESMOD's picture

TBH... she may well have mentioned it to him and he just zoned over it.  I know my DH does sometimes.  

But, I am someone who just likes to be prepared mentally and otherwise for things.  So, a last minute overnight visitor?  I mean.. it may end up that I hadn't grocery shopped and only had enough to make it till tomorrow.. but not basically 2 extra people!

Or may have been looking forward to a nice glass of wine, a book and a bath.. not teens uprisings.

I would definitely make 100% of any extra work or sacrifice fall on your DH.  short one porkchop for dinner?  he can eat a balogna sandwich.. sorry honey.. gave your chop to your daughter's guest.

They make a mess.. he cleans etc...

CLove's picture

So from reading on here, youve noticed that we all have similar issues! 

It would seem that your DH has a one-sided mentality, whereby he doesnt know how to be on the same page as you as regards your children. Blended families have the toughest model to create cohesivley, and the highest rate of divorce from what Ive read.

From what Ive noticed, with some men, you really have to have a short sweet script that you repeat over and over again.

With SD14 - she lied, If I am to understand your description of this incident, and its an example of how things "normally run"?

Well, thats a place to begin. Tell your husband that it matters to you, and schedules need to be followed, you need a break, and SD14 lied to you about things. Part of parenting is that you provide repercussions to this kind of thing, so you can approach it as a parenting issue.

As to planning - you rely on the schedule because you are a planner. One thing that we always recomend is disengagement. There are differing levels, you can start at the lower forms. STOP cooking and planning your shopping around SD14. When asked about why you plan for YOUR kiddo, just mention the lack of scheduled visitation as being the cause. When you are lied to and "misinformed" about visitation, well thats an invitation for you to make other plans that do not accomodate unscheduled visits. Drop ins. Wheres the privacy and adult time? You need adult time, and surprise dropins do not allow for that.

You can see where I am going with things. If SD14 doesnt feel like you are to be respected, then stop doing for her, period. Do not clean up after her, cook for her, look after things for her, whatever you do for her, STOP. Thats a more extreme level of disengagement. Make plans for just you and your kiddo, and be gone. If DH doesnt want to plan things on his own, then they will start noticing that, you, the Planner, has no Plans for them...lol.

I can relate because I am a planner type. And I had to hit DH over the head with this. When we first started our relationship, I spent most of my time there. He had two minors, I have no bios, and they did not have an established parenting plan/visitation schedule, so it was 2 days on/off. Drove the kids NUTS. Because they were always in transition. Then it was 5 days on/off. Drove me crazy because Im a planner and SD15 and I were always confused and had to count (good thing I have five fingers per hand!).

Just within the past 6 months the visitation schedule has been week on/off. SO MUCH BETTER. And DH understands about needing adult time. Shes work, even when she just stays in her room most of the time. She is work to feed and she needs attention. So with drop ins I can figure its extra work for you. So make plans to be gone so your husband gets to do all the work of meals etc...lol. Ill bet they pay better attention to schedule.

hereiam's picture

So, you have talked to your DH about this, and he still disrespects you and your reasonable request. You guys have lived together long enough for him to remember that it is your home, too, and these things affect you. It IS a big deal.

I tell DH I need to know in advance for food purposes (knowing how many to cook for), goes in one ear and out the other.

Since you have let him know this ^^^ and he still disrespects your wishes, tell him that you will cook for how many you know will be there, DH can take care of SD and any guest she brings. He will think you are bluffing until there is the awkward situation when there is not enough of a meal for his daughter.

I know that that does not sound like a reasonable thing to do (and it will be awkward), but sometimes it takes unreasonable action to get through. No consequences, no reason to change. If it doesn't affect him, he doesn't think it through, and he doesn't care.

Since talking to him doesn't work (in one ear, out the other), you have to come up with an action that will. Maybe it's something other than the cooking, you know him best.

My SD tried to bring a friend over one weekend, with no notice, friend just jumped in the car when DH went to get SD. Had DH lived alone, he would have been fine with it. He knew I would NOT be fine with it. He told the friend to get out of the car.

Oh, and sometimes, a nice, calm voice just doesn't do the trick.

 

CLove's picture

Has to be let out sometimes you mean? LOL, yes, I agree - sometimes you need to use the "outside voice".

So many times we bend ourselves into pretzels so that we are not percieved to be the "evil stepmonster", and so many times we end up being the "stepdoormat-ster"

EasierSaidThanDone's picture

I really try to pick my battles with DH, otherwise it would be a constant, ongoing fight. There is always something going on with 4 daughters, one aged 22 (still living with her mother) and the other 3 aged from 14-17 years old.  I did put my foot down when SD14 wanted to bring a dozen baby chickens over during her visitation time. Back then she was staying 1-2 weeks at a time. We do not have a fenced in backyard and have 2 large, high energy indoor dogs.  I threw an absolute fit, if I hadn't, I really think he would have let her bring them over. SMH

caninelover's picture

I agree that is annoying.  Bratty McBratFace (SD24) still tries to do this LOL but nowadays its a hell to the no.  We stick to the following rules:  reasonable notice, stick to the schedule and SO is responsible for hosting her.  Bratty 'doesn't feel comfortable' with these rules but will try to sneak in again after some time passes (she is clueless and thinks things will blow over).

At 14 I would be more flexible with SD changing up her schedule - but not with showing up with the cousin too.  That being said I don't think you're request to have SD's days known to you in advance to be unreasonable.  Your DH is being unreasonable.  You can keep talking to him about it but he should be willing to make minor accomodations like this.

Harry's picture

Have a shopping list ready for DH.  For him to go food shopping, because there not enough food..  lol.  Make sure there thing you like. Shrimp, steak, some fish.  Or better a take out list for your favorite restaurant.  Have your DH get and pay for the take out. 
Just say, if I had notice, I would have food. But I was not expecting this, You need to get food.  

SeeYouNever's picture

Sounds like my situation in that SD and DHs other family members have more of a say in visits than he does. He and BM don't follow their court order either. 

I get that it's nice to have your kids stop by but I'm a planner too and I don't like unexpected guests. I've gotten over this though, the unexpected guests end up sleeping on dirty sheets, and my DH ends up ordering pizza. If I'm not made aware of who will be at my house then I opt out of entertaining and feeding them. I have two small kids and I make a point to keep them in their routine no matter who is at our house. 

It's really hard to not let this bother you so I suggest you leave all the work to your DH! If he doesn't mind the unexpected visit surely he won't mind taking care of them.

shellpell's picture

Your DH has no respect for you. It's awfully rude and disrespectful to expect your partner to be ok with surprise guests when they've said they would rather a heads-up.

EasierSaidThanDone's picture

DH does not have any respect for me. In his defense, he claims he did not know that SD14 was planning on her cousin staying overnight. My issue with DH is that he never parents SD14. If my DD had done this, I would have told her that she must always ask permission before having a sleepover and to let me know in advance when to expect you to be here. Of course my DD follows these rules, but that is how I expect him to parent SD14 and these issues are always "no big deal" to him.

tog redux's picture

I lol'd at her wanting to bring over a dozen chicks for visitation. I think that's a StepTalk first (for me anyway). 
 

Your DH fears his daughter more than he fears you. You could probably change that , but it was take you leaving your comfort zone.