This is my first ever blog. I guess first, I'd like to say I'm grateful that you're all here and that this site exists; I think it's just what I needed. For starters, my son (8 yo) and I live with my BF, have been for about a year and a half. The relationship itself has passed the three year mark this past October. My BF has two daughters, ages five and eleven, both with different women (Whole different story). They are over every other weekend. We've been through the usual blending problems, i.e. boundaries, authority, etc. So for the most part, everything was fine (there is always going to be something). Then my BF got his opportunity of his lifetime...

Now BF makes double what he was, which is great. However, now he has to work weekends indefinitely (senority thing). And I'm at home alone with the three of them. And I hate it. Neither girl does their chores like they did when BF was home, if I tell them to do something, I am blatently ignored. A prime example: this past weekend, the older girl, who has a b.o. problem, wore this huge sweatshirt over (probably one of BM's boyfriends, again another story), and to put it plainly, it stank. It was nasty, not just kinda smelly; it was so bad I could smell it in the next room. Anyway, I told her to put that shirt in the laundry. I know she heard me. She comes, picks it up, and puts it on the floor in her bedroom; I can see all this from where I was. HELLO!?!? That's just one example, there are plenty more. Both girls are like that, but the younger one will just stare at me if I tell her anything and then goes back to playing. They just do whatever they want to, and I'm fed up.

I try to talk to BF about this, and he knows I'm not listened to, but what can he do? Talking, yelling (I know, I know), time-outs, etc. don't work. The girls are not there enough (they both live in different towns, different directions), and with the way I'm feeling right now, I'm glad. I don't look forward to weekends anymore if they're going to be there. I know I didn't go into depth about the incidents from the weekend, but this one was the worst yet. BF and I got into it about it, too, and basically, I was told live with it or leave. I am so on the fence right now, I love him, but I'm practically miserable. Basically, I'm a babysitter who doesn't get anything put grief in return, and that's how the girls act towards me too. I want to ask him if I wasn't there, who would watch them, but I'm 97% sure he'd just say (in that way that makes me feel guilty) that he'd never get to see them.

Oh, and now the younger one lies to BM about me, telling her that she had to make her own lunch. Actually, it's not a complete lie, but she's obviously trying to cause problems. What happened was I fixed the kids' lunch, and she didn't want what I fixed. Now, I refuse to make more than one meal, doesn't matter. What is fixed is what we're having; BF and I both agree on this subject. Well sd5 doesn't want what was fixed, she wants a sandwich. I'm frustrated and angry from other incidents already, so I told her fine, but she's making it herself. Which she does ALL THE TIME; she wants to do things herself. But BM e-mails BF complaining that sd5 had to get her own lunch. Luckily, BF believes in me enough that I don't even get questioned about it. Now, I know you're thinking, she's only five, but she KNOWS what she's doing.

Anyway, I guess I'm done venting for now. If anyone reads this, and has anything to say (advice, whatever), I appreciate it.