That would be me. I can't come up with a good reason why. Maybe because mine are adults now and I'm on to grandchildren. I'm older thought I was done and to start the teenage crap all over again, sickens me, literally. I thought since they had a Mom and Dad I wouldn't have too much responsibility. Wrong. BM is such a loser, and when ss comes in and says "did SHE cook" the hair on the back of my neck stands up - I'm not allowed to discipline and I don't want to really. I just want them to go away, which they never ever will, I know.

In our situation-we got "surprise" full custody of a teen and as above, I too thought I was done with the teenage crap (after raising two Charlies (out of two and a half men!). DH's teen, Zippy-is a "different" teen-he is odd to say the least as he lived week on week off between two dysfunctional households since he was born-so NO concept of traditional family life and thinks he is an equal household member without having to contribute in any way.

I am sure Zippy dislikes the fact that I have brought rules, boundaries and limitations to his life and into the relationship between him and I-DH on the other hand his "style" (if you can call it that) is MAYBE yelling or lecturing but no consequences for poor behaviour.

I COULD like Zippy-but the way he has been raised and continues to be raised is the barrier between our relationship.

Step Parenting – you might need to step back before you step in something!

Hey,
I have a soon to be step-son and things will go fine for a while and then when he comes over he wants nothing to do with me its really frusturating and I try to do what I can for this child. I have a busy work sched and I work evenings but when I can I take some time off and go to his school functions and his Dad can't go to all of them because he works out on a boat and is gone for 5 to 6 days of the week. I might as well be invisible when I go to these school functions, but I keep hoping that someday deep down inside me it might just make a difference to this child. Maybe not Maybe so. I do try though.

I think ours is a case of Dh loves my son but doesn't really "like" him. I don't like or love sd11. She has her good qualities but there's something about her I simply can't embrace just yet...

It's not all peaches and cream.

~Always forgive your enemies...nothing annoys them so much~ Oscar Wilde

I have two stepkids, 18 and 24 been in there lives for 6 years. I also have two kids that are mine, 13 and 10. I have had many battles with my stepkids/husband over the years, and until recently his kids were allowed to treat me any way they wanted, call me things that just are unacceptable.. It took me a long time to get fed up with how things were. And I can tell you there were many times I just couldn't look at his kids.. I am not sure how it is in your family with your kids and your wife, or what has happended to make it that way.
In mine though the many years of the disrespect and the many years of my husband not hearing me instead defending there actions that made me resent his kids. My husband and I almost divorced over all this and since have made a huge effort to make our marriage #1, and work on our relationship, communications, and let the kids know that no more will be tolerated. His daughter has since moved out, due to she had to since she didn't want to live by any rules set forth. She called 3 weeks after moving wanting to come home, she was told no, and since all this things with my family are improving. Now that is not to say with all families it will. just with mine it has. I love my stepkids, bonus kids, whatever you would like to call them, I really do, I am always there no matter what when they call and need me.. But in order for the relationship with them to get better I know for one my husband and I had to fix ours.
Don't know that any of that helped ya.

Happy
"live life to its fullest everyday"