Yahoo Answers is shutting down on May 4th, 2021 (Eastern Time) and beginning April 20th, 2021 (Eastern Time) the Yahoo Answers website will be in read-only mode. There will be no changes to other Yahoo properties or services, or your Yahoo account. You can find more information about the Yahoo Answers shutdown and how to download your data on this help page.

Step parenting struggle, I am carrying guilt and sense of failure; any one else here in same shoes? ?

we do not have any mutual respect here between my stepson and myself. Is this statement correct? I don't know. I think it is not true, but that is what my SS saying. I have never called him names or lessen his achievements, in my eyes I do respect him, all this h...he has to go thru with living in two houses. I point how smart he is and "good job" he is doing at school, and in sports. There is always tension between us, I don't know why. I want him to participate in family life by doing some not -time -consuming -chores, he gets so mad and raises his voice at me, that I do not have any idea how his life is hard and tense and he doesn't have 15 minutes to do simple things like to shovel a driveway. He says, I do it by my mom, I have to take care of her! Meaning: Do it yourself here. He is mentioning to me I do not care of his mom, who is a single parent. I said, listen, why should I care about snow on your mom's driveway? really why? maybe I should be wiser and say, hey I do care about your mom's driveway and your mom...? I get easily irritated by him lately. Hello, Love, where are you?? The way he is talking to me since he was 9 is unacceptable, like he is an adult and I am a child who needs to be tought what to do and how. I don't know what kind of respect he wants from me. I do respect him very much, and give a huge credit to him for many things. I think he is a cool kid! And I tell everyone so, I have a very nice stepson. But I am a human being too! anyone else here struggling with similar problems?

No suggestions please, how I have to be a friend, and how i have to treat him as my own, and all these other pictures of perfect stepfamily.

thank you for listening.

1 Answer

Relevance
  • 1 decade ago
    Favorite Answer

    I don`t see why you`re struggling with guilt and failure!..

    Having this kind of situations isn`t easy but is quite normal. I don`t have any relationship with my husband`s children and I don`t feel like I have to. We have our own kids and they`re my joy!..So we are merely cold no cool !... It helps we live in different states, but when they come over for maybe one night I just say good night and that`s all..No guilt no pushing into anything..When they were younger I never tried to be the a loving and caring step mom..I didn`t and don`t have to.. But I ask for respect in my own house and now they are adults and is all they can give, respect. I absolutely know (so you should) that they would never "love" me as they love their mom, and they would like their parents get together still after 20 years, and they still think I`m the b.. who stole dad away...hmm,,,So whatever I`d do to please them, it won`t change much..My commitment is my family, my husband and our children and I wouldn`t waste time in others affairs.

    But that`s me...I chose no to struggle I chose to be happy..that`s something I can control.

    Asking for respect is something we can all do and get. If they don`t accept the agreement... sorry but this is my territory.

    But I say you`re so okay!...congrats...

Still have questions? Get your answers by asking now.