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SD tells BM she wants to live with DH full time.

TheBrightSide's picture

BM is, at the very least, a narcissist. So many times I've googled: "Bi-polar vs. Narcisism" and wondered "Is she? Or is she just plain selfish".

Regardless, DH and BM have had shared 50/50 custody, but since its inception when SD was 5, DH has had SD at least over 60%...sometimes 70%. BM has, for so long, not made her daughter a priority. NOt spent any real "time" with her. Oh sure, SD was at her house, but it was rare occassions that she spent just one on one time with her.

It started a couple of years ago when SD was old enough to voice her opinion. "I don't want to go there. I don't understand WHY I have to go there". The past 6 months, however, have been complete hell. SD has gotten to the point where she would cry and beg not to go there. It got to the point where we considered therapy for her. SD, about 5 months ago, just said. "I hate her. There it is Dad, I said it."

So for the past 6 months we've been trying to encourage her. "Your issues are with your mom. You have to tell her how you feel. If you don't like your relationship with her, you have to tell her so that you can make it better". "The custody order is what it is...we can't change it".

Honestly, it has been extremely stressful.

It finally came to a head yesterday. BM has been threatening to take DH back to court for "more alimony" for the past 6 years. Everytime she doesn't like it if we enforce her custody (i.e.: she has 'plans' doesnt want to take SD but doesn't want to make up the time)..or many other things. Always her rages always include the threat to take DH back to "court".

The latest rage came about because DH, after 6 years of paying BM exorbitant CS and BM completely hiding her income and declaring herself to be unemployed, we advised her that we would be seeking a modification to the CS based on "real" income. This sent her off the deep end. The rants, the e-mails, the voicemails did not stop.

All of which included language like "How can you do this "to your daughter!". You should be ashamed of yourself. SD knows the "truth". The bond between me and SD is "epic". After all I have done for you both. No more "favors". I will not grant you "extra" time. (remember..all the extra time we have had SD is because of BM not wanting to take SD on her own time...or SDs desire to come to our house afterschool on her baseball days (DH takes SD to all her competative baseball practices and games...5 days/week).

Anyway, DH had enough. He admitted to BM yesterday that SD didn't want to live with her anymore. That SD was scared of her. So, DH picks up SD afterschool and they go to BM's and SD11 tells BM the truth. DH said it was heartrenching.

So. Now what. I'm freaked out. We have SD most of the time anyway...i get that. But now? If we take her full time (more like when), how will it affect my marriage? I'm scared. DH and I will have barely ANY one on one time.

I used to think when this time came, our marriage wouldn't survive. I do feel more confident about our chances now...but i'm still scared.

I have no one to talk to....because people, who don't REALLY know our situation like we do (who think that BM's are nurturing and loving and really the only "true" parent) will think that we PAS'd SD into wanting this.

uuuughh...

janeyc's picture

Poor little girl, what an awful mother, try not to be scared, you will get used to it, do you have any family that can baby sit for you? Communication is the key, work as a team and try to make time for yourselves, bio parents need time to themselves as well, you havn't mentioned what your sd's behaviour is like, I expect that whatever her behaviour is like now, she will settle down now, without the stress of having to see her mother, maybe this will be the kick up the arse that bm needs? Im sure that if you talk to each other and work together this will work for you, thank god your sd has you and her father in her life to take proper care of her.

TheBrightSide's picture

All good advice. Thanks. SD11's behavior is generally very good.

BM is completely off her rocker though. Today BM threatened to call the police if SD didn't go to her today. She said: "I'm her mother! I birthed her!". DH told her: "Go ahead, call the police. SD is scared to go to you today because she doesn't want to be pressured by you, your BF and his kids to talk about "why" she doesn't want to live with you anymore". He then suggested BM come by our house, pick up SD, take her for a milkshake and talk, one on one, about what's happening". Instead BM said..."I'm calling the police". Then she said..."SD needs counselling because she must have been pressured by you to say these things". DH said "absolutely, counselling is a great idea, I'll pay for it". Of course, BM had no response.

Anyway, I lined up a psychologist 6 months ago for SD. I'm following up today to get an appointment time for SD.

All i see is a huge court battle ahead.....or maybe not.. remember BM is lazy and just full of threats..never any follow up to the threats.

ugh.

Orange County Ca's picture

It's only 7 years until she's out of high school and presumably on to college or career flipping burgers.

Meanwhile you quietly disengage - especially since she is entering adolescense which will bring on rebellion against authority figures. Since you won't be one - if you disengage - you might actually end up being her only adult friend for a few years. Either friend or neutral 'roommate' your marriage should not suffer. You see when you're disengaged you don't join the fight over obedience and discipline you simply back up what Daddy says without actively participating in the discussion or rules, discipline or reporting of infractions.

I wrote this a long time ago and I hope this helps with your problem. It may not reflect your exact situation but you'll get the idea:
The situation with my step-kids finally got to the point where I decided that my efforts to raise them was futile.
First I told my wife in private what I was going to do and why.
Then I stopped investing myself, time and money in their upbringing. I realized that by conscious choice I could cease being responsible for them or their actions. Neither would I take credit for how they turned out, good or bad. I simply stopped interfering in their lives. This is not to say if they would start a fire on the living room floor I would not intervene. But if they did not do the laundry as scheduled I ignored it. Nor did I do any of their chores. If the trash overflowed in the kitchen - well tough. Mom dealt with it when she got home.
You will be absolutely amazed at the look on a kids face when s/he realizes you don't care enough to even tell their bio-parent they did something wrong. And you'll be amazed at their future behavoir and attitude towards you.
I stayed friendly enough and taught one how to drive when she was old enough. But they could no longer blame me for the consequences of misbehaving just because I saw the misbehavoir. I never told. If they were caught in a infraction it was not my fault. They began to realize that they were responsible for their actions because of what they did not because I caught them.
I would talk to my wife in private if I had issues, but once she made the decision I backed her up 100%.
Once the kids realized I was no longer the ogre they thought I was their attitude changed. I was not their friend, but neither was I the enemy. They came to realize that I had not done those things to irritate them. They in fact missed the things that they had come to depend on me doing. Permission to go to the mall when their Mom was not home? "Sorry, can't do that".
Their mother slowly came to realize that I wasn't overreacting to their actions. In fact I wasn't reacting at all. She came to understand that she would have to control the situation and she did.
With that things got much easier around the house.
Billions of kids grew up in the world without help from me and turned out just fine.