Helpless
I need help I have a 7 year old stepson whom I love very much. But as he gets older its starting to get harder. His mother is no longer in the picture there's a long story there but cut short she was unfit and more or less didn't care, she hasn't seen him since his 4 th birthday nor try's to contact us. Basically his grandmother brought him up while my partner worked and in saying that he was very spoilt. Being the only child at the time he got what ever he wanted and was never in the wrong. Since living with me for the last 3 years he is a changed boy as I have rules and boundaries I do not let him cross, I have a 3 year old myself and I don't treat them any different. Discipline is becoming a big thing between me and his father. When his father growls him he is silent but when I do he screams and crys and sulks. This is starting to really FUSTRATE me. His father and I always end up fighting while he walks around with a big smerc on his face and is happy when his father steps in. I love my partner but is it wrong of me to want some kind of acknowledgement?? I never say it but I'm not his mum and this isn't easy! I just feel like I talk to him about it cause I don't want him getting upset like I don't care about his son. I recommended counselling but he thinks its just my attitude. I'm really stuck as I don't want ether me or my step son resenting each other.
You need to be backed up 100%
You need to be backed up 100% in public, in front of the kid, if necessary the situation can be discussed later behind closed doors. Discussed not argued.
Tell him if you're not allowed to discipline without being countermanded then you're through babysitting. Read the article I've linked below. Print it out and give it to your husband and tell him you're implementing a program of disengagement if he can't change. It's not up for discussion - you are either given parental powers without which you cannot parent or you quit. His choice.
Listen - you're in charge here. Without you your husband is helpless. He's at work every day. How is he going to get his kid off to school? Wash his clothes? Feed him? Watch he doesn't do something stupid? All of this falls on you and make sure he understand that all of this will fall on him should he not acquiesce. Now yes the rules are open for discussion but you two have to agree on this and you've got plenty of power you're not using. Put it to work.
http://steptogether.org/disengaging.html