I started this blog as a journal, if you will, to release some of my stress of a blended or step family. I was on facebook and myspace but so was my husband...I had no place to vent. I want this blog to be a place where other parents who are re-married with step children can discuss some of their coping strategies; possibly help me cope with my own stress & frustrations.
our family dynamics: my husband & I were both previously married, had children from the previous relationship (s); and are now remarried to each other. I have 2 biological children (1 father). He has 3 biological children & a step son from his previous marriage, whom he's still a father to (there are 2 different mothers). We were both single parents, raising our children with no financial support from the other parent (s); we fell in love and married 7 months later. We've come a long way. We were previously paying child support to his first baby mama for his 1st son who lives with us; yes I said lives with us. The other 3 children moved back to their mom & new step dad before I was in the picture (their mom has been married 3 times, I'm sure they have a lot of trust/security issues). My kids' father rarely pays any child support but has been buying back to school clothes to help out & according to my husband his 1st son's mom will start making more effort including buying back to school clothes.
Just recently we purchase plane tickets for the kids to come down for 6 weeks. I want to add that when my husband was a single father the kids never visited their mother/step dad (s). Their divorce decree stipulates they have the children 5 years at a time. Anyway, his step son tried to get out of coming on the trip; gave some bogus exceed & my husband ate it up. But they're all here now. He has this attitude that appears he doesn't want to be here. I expressed my feelings to my daughter. She told she knows he doesn't want to be here because he said he couldn't wait for these six weeks to be over with so he could go back home. Of course I can't relay that to my husband, that will break his heart; but I can't help to be angry at how ungrateful the boy is. His mother has been married to 3 men, none of which was a biological father, my husband was the only step dad to continue the relationship; and this is gratitude he gets in return. The boy's biological father isn't and hasn't been in the picture for very long time. I'm angry & frustrated; I've build a wall up and don't want to bond or get attached to my husband's step-son. Where do I go from here?