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SS3 held blanket over 3 month old BS head while DH sleeps on couch. Not so excited for weekend getaway anymore.

tootie25's picture

OK. So DH and I scheduled a getaway that ended up conflicting with his visitation with SS3 for Labor Day. To my surprise he told BM he would make up the time later in the week but that he had other plans for Labor Day. She wasn't happy but we knew that would happen. ANYWAYS, SS3 was at our house today and I've recently eased up with SS3 being around my 3 month old because he seemed to start to understand you have to be gentle with babies. DH actually worked out his schedule with SS3 because I wasn't comfortable with DH having both at the same time. I don't know how many of you have a hard time trusting DH with keeping a good eye on the kids, but today he proved me right in being worried.

I was doing laundry and the baby was sleeping in his crib. When I went downstairs DH was playing with SS3 in his room. And I come upstairs after finishing ironing, and DH is sleeping on the couch watching ESPN and SS3 is in the babys room with a blanket over the babys head pulled really tight laughing because my baby was screaming and kicking. I screamed at DH and he yelled at SS3 that he's not allowed in the babys room. Thats it. Sooo I grab the baby-his face is purple. I calm him down and start to feed him and SS comes around and starts talking like nothing happenedand wheres DH? upstairs in the office.

Seriously why get SS3 if he's not going to pay attention to him. Visitation is only 4 hours on wednesday and every other weekend. SO DH comes downstairs and asks me whats wrong. lol seriously? I just told him to get SS3 out of here. DH flipped. Started yelling at me that this is why our marriage will never work and that I deceived him whenever we got married because he thought I was a nice person and he can't stand me. Blah blah blah. I stopped listening. Regardless he's saying this in front of SS3 and HELLO did he forget already what happened with the baby? Guess so.

I dont know how to remedy the situation here. He acts as if SS3 is such a priority but when he's here I have to say something to DH to get him to pay attention to him. When we first got together this kid was never around he DH lost shared parenting bc he literally never utilized his visitation. I seriously am starting to reconsider this relationship. When we got married, I meant forever. But I can't keep dealing with him constantly flipping out on me and not being able to take my eye off SS3 when he's here. This isn't what i bargained for and I'm not looking forward to having to spend the WHOLE weekend away with him.

Oi Vey's picture

Yikes. Oh, yikes. That's awful...I'm glad your baby is ok!
This is a problem with supervision. A 3 year old doesn't have the good sense to know how to treat a baby. Was DH aware he was in charge? I know that sounds stupid, but sometimes these men need to be VERY aware of what's expected of them.
Please, don't get angry with SS. He's just being a dumb toddler. DH needs to get a new asshole ripped, though!

purpledaisies's picture

my brother picked up a hammer when he real little about 2 maybe if that and almost hit our mom. She caught him before he did it. But I think that kids that little don't truly get that it can hurt. I don't think he was doing to really hurt the baby but more that he thought he was playing. Your dh on the other hand needs a new asshole ripped. He needs to understand that when he has his kid he needs to watch him and remind him of what he did to the baby, he might not get that he REALLY hurt the baby. I know that he SHOULD have gotten it but men are stupid. He truly might not understand that what his kid did was that bad and he has to be told.

doll faced sm's picture

I dunno. I'm thinking at 3 the SS should know better. Even if it's just basic "if what you're doing is making the baby cry, stop it and leave the baby alone." I think even a 3 y.o. would understand that a baby kicking and screaming is *hurting.* And DH? What an a$$hole buffoon. I'm sorry, I've said it before and will probably say it again many, many times; the safety of the child is priority #1. If DH cannot be trusted to supervise SS, and SS cannot be trusted not to hurt DS3mo., then you need to do whatever is necessary to see to it that DS3mo. is never out of your site when you SS3 visits. It may be a sad thing to say, but I honestly think an issue like this in my marriage would end it.

DaniellaR's picture

I agree with this. I had a 3 year age gap between two of my kiddos, the older one absolutely knew that screaming baby = something  was bothering her. She was conerned about her sister when she cried. She knew things like hitting would harm the baby. I don't think the thought process went as deep as a blanket over her head would make her suffocate but she was told (and constantly reminded) what things would harm the baby and so she wouldn't do them because she didn't want to hurt her little sister. Of course a 3 year old should never be left unsupervised with a baby. I know my little one always wanted to carry her sister and would try it every now and then when she thought she could get away with it. Yep, a 3 year old carrying an infant = disaster. She would try it but we were always there to stop it.

lucky2bme87's picture

I agree with DollfacedSM. This is a huge issue. It's DH's child to look after, not your responsibility. You have enough on your plate with a new baby. Geez. I feel like I have to do the same with my DH. Hello, YOUR daughter is talking to YOU not me; get your lazy ass up and take some responsibility for her! GRRRR!!

But I can't believe your DH's rant. HIS son was putting YOUR baby in danger! WHAT A JACKASS!! He sounds very immature to me. He's talking about your marriage not surviving because you're not a nice person? How long have y'all been married?

Auteur's picture

"I deceived him whenever we got married because he thought I was a nice person and he can't stand me."

Yep, although I'm not married to GG (thank GOD) he has said the same thing to me since I"ve stopped being a doormat.

And don't get me started with the supervision thing. I don't know HOW many times he has conked out on the sofa at 8 pm (yes he works hard) when his hellions were coming to visitation, who, btw had NO bedtime at home and are allowed to stay up to all hours of the night per the Behemoth (BM).

I've pulled up in the driveway to see them getting ready to spray paint the vehicles and the house neon orange, swinging hammers, playing with power tools.

Men don't tend to supervise children as closely as women do generally speaking. I'll bet dollars to donuts if you asked guilty DH if he thought that SS3 was "just playing" with bioson, he'd say "yes."

It seems that these biodads won't do a thing until something seriously happens (i.e. biochild gets injured by skid). And then sometimes does nothing as well despite a serious event happening.

And I think I mentioned in your earlier blog that the desire to spend "alone" time with biodad will diminish after you lose all respect with his "totying" to skid(s). I know b/c I experienced this myself!!

It's gonna be an uphill battle but you must protect bioson from SS3 with all your might as this kid sounds like he would seriously hurt bioson if he gets the chance.

Auteur's picture

**like**

I notice that modern day parents think that children are babbling idiots that "don't know any better" until the age of, oh, let's say 35.

Auteur's picture

Three year olds climb a lot. Fairly obvious here.

I think the BIGGER question is why the (not so) underlying theme of BMs with toddler to school age children on this forum try exceedingly hard to pick apart SM's story so as to discredit it. . .

confusedsm03's picture

Sounds like my DH. I also "deceived" him when in reality, I think it was the opposite! I LOVE how the whole "this relationship isn't going to work" bit comes out whenever THEIR kids do something wrong. SS4 is the priority and all of us need to work around his EVERYTHING. I understand it to an extent bc he isn't here full time and DH has a custody order to follow but it's annoying. SS4 pushed DS1 down outside and he fell and smacked his head on the sidewalk. DH put SS in timeout but didn't seem extremely bothered by what had happened. If my DD had done that, she would have been in BIG trouble with DH. DS could have been seriously hurt! SS and DS share a room. I waited until DS was almost a year before he left our room and I have made it VERY clear to SS not to mess with DS while he is in there. I haven't had any problems with that (thank goodness) but SS and DD do put things in the crib that would be choking hazards. So I have to make sure to inspect the crib every time I put DS in there. DH didn't think it was a big deal until he found a choking hazard which of course, was DD's fault. I'm so glad your baby is ok. I would put a lock high up on the baby's door so only adults can get in there!

tootie25's picture

thats exactly my problem! He's screaming at me because I said get SS out of here and not a few hours ago he was dogging on SS because he cant put his pants on by himself. Like really mean stuff and SS almost cried until I said something along the lines of "thats okay daddy has a hard time getting dressed too" which is the only thing that saved SS from crying. Uh seems pretty normal that SS has a hard time putting the legs in the right holes and what not? And he says it to SS face... whos THREE YEARS OLD! and i say get him out of here and I'm the B*tch? Whatever. I wouldn't have any problems with having a SS if DH would pick or choose and quit with the half a**.

newbiemommy's picture

I completely understand where you are coming from. I have no suggestions being that my situation is scary similar. I just wanted you to know I share your frustration you are not alone and it hurts when you know deep down that the sk come first before you and your child.

littlemommy's picture

That is my worst nightmare. My son is only a month younger than yours and our SD Monster is also 3. That is exactly why SD has not seen or been around my baby. My DH sounds similar to you in dealing with SD too,I put my foot down and told him if he wanted to see her that HE needed to supervise her when she's here, not so surprisingly since I told him that she hasn't been here once. I think you handled the situation well, I think I would have drop kicked SD if she had tried to suffocate my baby.

qtpie568's picture

When my niece was three she picked up a bat and hit my nephew in the head with it. He was 3. She seemed really confused when he started crying and said "I want to play" over and over again. Well she may not have known better until then, but after she got her butt whopped and on time out she never hit anyone with anything ever again. That's exactly what youre DH should have done.
If you can't trust him to watch his 3 year old then you can't trust him to watch your baby. Tell him flat out that you WILL not have your child endangered. He needs to step up or step out.

giveitago's picture

That's horrendous! I agree that maybe a three year old might not know better, depending on level of maturity, but it's a parental responsibility to INFORM a three year old that it's wrong to do what he did, by whatever means works! DH really does need to be 'informed' that for the duration he is to supervise his son, you could keep baby with you in a baby carraige but that's extreme. I like the idea of putting a lock at adult height, I'd still be concious that SS might get a chair though, if he falls and hurts himself then he might think twice? DH is in denial, it happens. Yes, you are a good person, the same good person he married and I am reading that the situation changed and brought out reality and it seriously does need to be calmly addressed in my opinion...some ground rules about who is supervising and who is responsible for what happens and what are the consequences. I'd be telling DH that I do NOT want the death of our baby to be a 'consequence' that everyone would have to live on with.
I get that it's all too easy for any of us to say what we'd do in a situation, believe me I have not always had the courage of my convictions at times too. Sucking up something as dire as that is setting the scene for much worse, I have sucked up a lot and it got worse and worse the more you do not stand up for yourself. Now EVERYONE here knows exactly where I stand. It's really up to them what they do though, I am seeing changes for the better as I 'obliged' DH to see a lot of stuff for himself. I am so evil, what can I say?

notarelative's picture

...When we first got together this kid was never around he DH lost shared parenting bc he literally never utilized his visitation...

Maya Angelou was right when she said: “When someone shows you who they are believe them; the first time.” From the very beginning he showed you the type of parent he is. 

 

 

sunshinex's picture

3 years old is plenty old enough to understand that holding a blanket over a baby's head is NOT ok. 3 years old is plenty old enough to understand "baby is sleeping. do not go in baby's room please." Your husband is insane if he doesn't see what's wrong with what his child did. It wasn't a minor situation. SS could have killed your baby. I would be LIVID. My husband knows he's gotta be ON when he's watching both kids. I expect him to monitor everything that happens between SD6 and DS5 months right down to ensuring she's not touching his face/toys when she's sick. I take my baby's health seriously and so does my husband... that's how it NEEDS to be. Baby's safety and health come first. Simple. 

What's really upsetting here is he wasn't paying attention when you needed him to. I understand being a mom to an infant is hard. When they nap, that's moms time to get EVERYTHING done, whether you're just trying to eat something and grab a hot coffee or you're tidying up or whatever, you try and get it all done during that short nap. YOU shouldn't be responsible for watching SS during this time. You've gotta do what YOU need to get done and your husband has to watch his child and be diligent enough to ensure his child doesn't harm yours. 

I'm sorry you're dealing with this.