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Lola75
Lola75 | September 2007

Step Parent Disciplining

I am a single mother of a 12 year old (M). My daughter's father is now re-married and his wife (young) seems to be the one discilpining my daughter..

I do not feel this is a job for a step parent..Considering the verbal and physical abuse from the step-mom.. 

2 summers ago...

M was with her father and step-mom one weekend and they got into fight in front of her. M's dad hit his wife.. The wife told M not to tell anyone what happend.. went to visit my mom one day and told her what had happend.. After that things were edgy for a while..

A couple of weeks later M was not having such a good day up and I guess got a little mouthy.. they told her she had to eat before coming home to me. She wasn't hungry and they kept pushing The Grandmother, the stepmom and the dad all at to eat.. M said "I'm not hungry stop"  The step- mother  Decided to hit M fo  being mouthy.. This cause a HUGH fight .. M's dad told her to get out of his house... ALL of them ganged up on her.. ALL OF THEM Granda mom, dad and step mom... M did not want to go back after that and I was sued for keeping her from him.. M said that is was all her not me I wasn't keeping her from him... But he didn't believe her... we tried going back on day a few months later and it was just too much pressure on her .. So I stoped it all to gether got a lawyer and up'd the child support.. I had her every day at that point I needed more money for clothes and to keep more food in the house for her.. we settled out of court and now he has joint custody..

 I filed a report with Social services  after her step mom hit her...but there was not bruse so there was nothing thay could do... The step mom talks about her and make remarks.. when she thinks M's  not listening.... or maybe she knows M can hear her...??   The step mom makes such nasty comments.. such as " No I dont have that and if you think your getting it your wrong.." and the conversation was about a  type of cell phone.. She tells M how dissapointed that side of the family is in her that she not playing sport until she is physically upset by the pressure..

I don't ask M's father to pay for anything other then child support ..HA which is really nothing... The wife made a comment infount of my daughter.. like " well it's good she's not playing a sport... oneless thing I have to pay for.." Not sure what that means but.. I know it doesn't belong being saifd infront of M ..... M is not respected nor does she feel comfortable in their home.. and that's how it is talked about "THEIR HOME"... her father won't listen to her when she goes to him with a problem.. It is dismissed as fast at it is brought up.. I have called local Pediatricians in the area to get a idea of where they stand on step parent discipling but half of them said it's up to theBio- parent and the step spouce... this person has NO right in disciplining my child.. I don't know where to go from here...

 



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Jessgore
September 2007 | Jessgore
Re: Step Parent Disciplining
As a step mum myself I say yes it is ok depending on the situation... Once my step daughter said to me.....
"But my  mum lets me do it."  I can't remember exactly what it was but I think it had something to do with watching a telly show that  myself and the hubby thought was to old for her...   Anyway her dad had to go out for the night and I was the only one there.   I said " I understand that your mother lets you watch it and that is fine because you are at her house, but when you are living with us we would rather that you don't watch it.. "
She actually looked at me and said "OK." I believe it was because of the way I said it...

As long as step mums don't cross the try to be mum line I think it is ok, but it helps that I have the backing of the husband and knowing full well that if he disagreed with me at any point he will tell me so. I have always been honest with my step daughter and she knows we run this house a lot different to the way her mum runs their place... My step daughter also knows that this is as much her house as it is ours... So while here she lives by our rules.   I am grateful though that when I say something she will listen and will not question it, well like a normal 11 year old anyway...  But as her fathers word is final on things so is mine. 

As I don't know exactly what it is that your ex's wife is doing, I can't say whether or not I agree completely... But if she has the backing of your husband and is not doing out of spite then I would think it was ok... On the other hand if she is just being nasty about it then I would say something...


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      Lola75
September 2007 | Lola75
Re: Step Parent Disciplining

Thank you for your email : )

My daughters step mother is very..... selfish in a way young , gets what she wants, would rather my daughter not be with them, she wants to be in the spot light.. My daughter is in no way pain or difficult to deal with.. But this women belittles her and hurts her feelings.. almost any chance she gets, She talks about me in front her, she argues with my daughtes father in front of her,

This women is the disciplinarian and there is nothing i can say.. Her father is i guess lazy and doesn't want to be bothered of this women just wears the pants in the family...



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           Jessgore
September 2007 | Jessgore
Re: Step Parent Disciplining
I would then say in this case the answer would be no.. If there was a real need for telling her what she can and can't do, or should do then sure.. But from what you describe sounds like the woman is competing with your daughter...   What better way then to make it look like she is always doing wrong..

Sorry to say but you may need to talk to your ex about this.. How old is your daughter???


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                Lola75
September 2007 | Lola75
Re: Step Parent Disciplining

She is 12..  This women is 26,27 I think.... Ther  is nothing I can say... She is the decision maker in the home..  He wouldn't listen when I told him that back to school night should just be he and I.. We have NEVER had a civil relationship.. He is too hard nosed and swtubbern to listen to reason..  He started pestering her about college when she was 10... he told her she HAD TO GO.. No questions asked..  I never went.. and now I have the job I have always wanted.... No one can get thru to these people Dad & family)

......UGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!



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kharma99
September 2007 | kharma99
Re: Step Parent Disciplining

Im in the exact same situation as you- my ex has remarried- younger (25yo) & he's 44!  She dictates the relationship also.

I had been taken to court several weeks ago now only to find myself almost in a shared care situation.

My advice- get a lawyer, make an application to the courts & get a family report done!  An application to the courts will be submitted (costs around $800 + lawyer $1000) & you will both need to go to court & have the magistrate arrange a family report done.  It will MAKE all of you be on tender hooks & this will go for about 6-12 months long- dont worry as the issues will come out!  Also, get your daughter to file a report at the police station- if this is done, then the courts & family mediation will need to take action against this.  Your daughter being 12yo is at your advantage.  Pls remember thou- it needs to actually be your daughter that needs to make the application to the police and not yourself!

Good luck- hope this helps

 



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kharma99
September 2007 | kharma99
Re: Step Parent Disciplining

Im in the exact same situation as you- my ex has remarried- younger (25yo) & he's 44!  She dictates the relationship also.

I had been taken to court several weeks ago now only to find myself almost in a shared care situation.

My advice- get a lawyer, make an application to the courts & get a family report done!  An application to the courts will be submitted (costs around $800 + lawyer $1000) & you will both need to go to court & have the magistrate arrange a family report done.  It will MAKE all of you be on tender hooks & this will go for about 6-12 months long- dont worry as the issues will come out!  Also, get your daughter to file a report at the police station- if this is done, then the courts & family mediation will need to take action against this.  Your daughter being 12yo is at your advantage.  Pls remember thou- it needs to actually be your daughter that needs to make the application to the police and not yourself!

Good luck- hope this helps

 



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LisaPetrarca
September 2007 | LisaPetrarca
Re: Step Parent Disciplining

I have been a step-parent for seven years.  I chose to have my husband discipline his children because as a step parent, you are already at a disadvantage.  The children feel that you do not love them as much as your own. Over the years, the children have grown close to me because I was not the MEAN step mom.  I can now discipline them the same as I do my own children and they know that it is done out of love.  A bond needs to be established before you can discipline.  My husband was always very supportive in making sure that his kids never disrespected me also.  I wrote an article regarding step-parenting, check it out on my homepage advice written. 

This is a very hard situation, especially if the step mother is being very demeaning to your child.  You might want to talk to your ex and let him know that things would be better for your child if he was the disciplinarian.  The ultimate goal is to raise healthy, well adjusted kids.  I hope you can reason with your ex husband, for your child's sake.



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