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Newbie venting

frustrated_1's picture

Hi everybody.

My dw blames me for how my ss25 and ss21 have turned out. ss25 is in debt, he a judgment against him for repo-ed car, doesn't make payment on student loans, and has credit card debt. He plays video games in his spare time and works at a movie theater. So basically does not have a plan for life definitely cant move out on his own. SS21 doesnt have debt but also no plan. Niether ss has an education or a marketable skill. DW parents them like a guilty mom. She let them have a dog without consulting me. WE never had a dog. I never owned a dog. The dog was a disaster, more than normal. So much so that the dog was sent to a no kill shelter after 6 months. What happens next you guessed it wife buys two smaller dogs a year later out of guilt. DW does not discuss this with me of course, just says I am sorry.

Now I have two ss's who are no help around the house of course, two dogs that are not being taken care of, and a son14 and daughter 12 with DW. Ready for it, wait..... here we go. I work fulltime, do the shopping, the laundry, pick up drop off of two kids, half the cooking, all the homework duty, serve the kids dinner, all the orthodonist appointments for both kids, doctor appointments, all the yard work, snow shoveling, I coached the kids for 9 years of sports. My DW works fulltime pays bills, cooks twice a week cleans ocassionally. but she complains all the time. Here we go...we dont go any where except for Ecuador where she is from a bunch of times, we are in New jersey so Toronto is big deal, so Orlando this year, Outer banks North Carolina, Virginia Beach, Washington D.C., Punta Cana Domincan Republic, Atantica City, Wildwood NJ, plus many other smaller trips in 13 years. woo..I wasted step kids youth but they never listened to me. SS 's always had bad report cards and progress reports. Still I helped them with buying a car and student loans. I am currently ruining my own son because I let him play video games, and help him too much with his homework. And our house is too small to have guests over.

Turns out early in our marriage to cope I started drinking more and more in 2011 I stopped . I go to AA 3 to 5 times a week for an hour or two. She thinks I am talking to women. I assure you I am not. of course intamcy is out beacuse she doent like how I treat the kids. wow I feel better hope somene can relate

frustrated_1's picture

Oh and I forgot that she complains about our son because she knows that will bother me. He is growing fine despite her dysfunction. :sick:

Annoyed2626's picture

Whenever I hear of someone in their 20's with no plan/structure, I immediately think they should get into shape and join the military. They'd learn a skill, earn legitimate money, and get structure. Of course, that would take motivation on their part, which sounds like it's lacking.

I can't imagine how you're feeling with 4 kids, dogs, and a lot on your plate. Getting the SS's to become independent adults sounds like the key to everything, yet I have no experience in actually solving that problem. It's got to be very common these days though, so someone must have some ideas. Good luck.

strugglingSM's picture

Sounds like your DW is just projecting all her insecurities about being a bad parent on to you. Have the two of you been to couples counseling? Unless she just enjoys picking fights, there is something more going on with her.

SugarSpice's picture

this is my thought exactly.

she is a bad parent who has raised failures.

you must start making boundaries. You have enough on your plate.

this means starting to make plans for the steps to launch. when the children are out of the house initiate a private serious talk with her. do not allow her to escape or defer this meeting.

frustrated_1's picture

Good stuff,

I went to the counselor yesterday. I told counselor how I became resentful because my good advice and help was received by ss and dw as me being a mean and hateful person. She told me I need to stop taking responsibility for the adult ss. Support my dw but let her take responsibility. Put all decisions on her relating to ss's. Have a discussion at a coffee shop away from craziness at home and tell dw that I am there to support her. Couneslor also said to show my nicer side to ss's and let dw be disciplinarian. take ss's and son on outings