Home >
< GoodTherapy Blog >
Should Step-Relationships Be Maintained After Divorce?

Should Step-Relationships Be Maintained After Divorce?

October 22, 2012 • By John Smith

What was once considered a rarity—step-siblings, step-parents, and step-in-laws—has become more common than not. When couples marry, there is a very good chance that one of them brings an extended family that branches by halves and steps. And if that couple winds up divorcing, the tree splinters even further. Because there is no biological bond that obligates a step-family member to stay in contact with other steps, the rules of engagement can be confusing and tense. In a recent article, marriage experts explain how to navigate the rocky road of step-relationships after divorce.

Take, for example, the case of an ex-wife who spent decades raising her step-children. Should she continue the relationship with these nonbiological children, even though she has no legal claim to them? Mary T. Kelly, a marriage therapist from Colorado, notes that often step-children can be a contributing factor to divorce. Many blended-family parents disagree over how to raise his, hers, and their children. Tension that exists between step-children and step-parents seems like normal childhood rebellion, but in many cases may actually run deeper.

Paul Hokemeyer, a New York therapist, says couples and children need to determine if they want those relationships to continue after divorce. Many children may not be permitted to make contact with their ex-step-parents while they are minors, but can make the choice whether to have a relationship with that significant person when they reach adulthood. Even step-grandparents get caught in the mix when step-families divorce. Grandparents who become attached to step-grandchildren, only to have them taken away, may not be willing to invest as much into future step-family members.

One Massachusetts psychologist, Patricia Papemow, recommends that clients try to initiate contact through letters rather than personal visits or phone calls. It is important for step-children to be allowed to have time to process the shift in the relationship on their own terms. Letting them know a step-parent is there through cards and letters is a noninvasive and subtle way to continue contact and keep the door open for future communication. Regardless of how an individual chooses to stay in contact with their step-children, Hokemeyer insists that they review their motives so that all parties will be receptive. “Make sure that you are acting out of genuine love and concern for the other person, and not out of anger and attempts to manipulate,” Hokemeyer says. Following these tips could help step-exes maintain important family ties in a world of ever-changing family dynamics.

Reference:
Gootman, Elissa. When branches tangle in a stepfamily tree. (n.d.): n. pag. The New York Times. 3 Oct. 2012. Web. 8 Oct. 2012. http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/04/fashion/-step-family-trees-with-tangled-branches.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

Find a therapist

The preceding article was solely written by the author named above. Any views and opinions expressed are not necessarily shared by GoodTherapy.org. Questions or concerns about the preceding article can be directed to the author or posted as a comment below.

Creating Divorce Rituals with Your Children

Blended Families & Father's Day: How Should Step-Fathers Celebrate?

Blending Families: Five Strategies for the New Stepparent

Return to Blog

154 comments
Leave a Comment

Isabelle
October 22nd, 2012 at 10:48 AM
I think that a large part of whether or not this happens is exactly how close the relatiosnhip was with the steps.

If this is something that really meant nothing when two adults with adult children marry and then divorce, and you have not really created a close relationship with those kids, then I would not expect you to stay in touch after there is a divorce. But if it is a case like it is with me and my step dad, who raised me and I think of as my father, if he and my mom were to ever divorce I would in no way ever stop seeing him and I know that he feels that way about me. So just like with anything else this is going to be very individualized and will come down to how each person feels about the step relationships that they have created and how they play out in their lives.

Reply
David
October 9th, 2016 at 3:08 PM
I’m getting ready to leave my relationship with a lady I don’t get along with anymore but two of her grandchildren where born with me here from day one. They are,four for my granddaughter and three for my grandson. They are not my blood and their grandma and I were never married. They LOVE me and I LOVE them. They moved out atleast six months ago. I changed them,bathed them,fed them and most importantly LOVE. We hung out,laughed,cried and done everything you could do. The park,talk,walk,anything a grandparents would do. I also have seven grandchildren of my own bloodline.

Reply
Mark
January 17th, 2017 at 9:33 AM
How did this make you feel. What did you do? I have a similar situation with my girlfriend and it’s very hard. With her son when I met him at 1 and now he is 3. Did everything with him and love him and see him as my own.
kiwichump
October 17th, 2016 at 5:42 PM
Interesting posts from different perspectives. It makes me wonder how far we carry on with step relationships and how we all expect children to cope with this new lifestyle of multiple marriages and relationships, serial monogamy. How many ex ‘step parents’ are kids expected to cope with and stay in touch with? I get a headache trying to think of it. Just because we adults go through all these relationships and breakups, what are we doing to all these kids and what will this do to the next generation? Unless we all end up living in some sort of commune, I don’t see how it could work when we get into the 3rd or 4th “marriage”. Playing happy families is harder than it sounds. As for paying for an ex’s son who is not related to him, I can understand the attachment and wanting to do the right thing by the child who is completely innocent of the complexities of the situation, but why would the new wife take on that burden? I think it’s a huge issue that needs to be resolved before getting married to this man, and I am suspicious that he has unresolved feelings for his ex too. I wouldn’t get married with him in these circumstances or at least I would have an iron-clad pre-nup and keep finances completely separate, and keep your job!! Be careful is all I am trying to say.

Reply
Melissa
February 17th, 2017 at 5:04 PM
What about the step grandchild that has a close relationship with his grandfather then remarrys someone else a third marriage how is that person suppose to cope with this I already have to deal with the first ex wife and there child together and I’m suppose to deal with the second ex who’s kid had a child that my husband now had raised with her the first 3 years of his life they had a close bond did everything together I’m having such a hard time dealing with this issue I have 5 grandchildren of my own and he has 2 grandkids by his daughter from the first marriage so now we have one step-grandchild because of there bond when little that gets all his attention not my grandchildren or his biological grandchildren get the same attention from him as the one step grandchild gets

Reply
mason
October 22nd, 2012 at 11:31 AM
Look at it the same way you viewed the marriage- if it made a positive impact on your life, then by all means try to save it/ if not then toss it to the curb

Reply
Danielle
October 22nd, 2012 at 4:39 PM
When my dad and step mom got divorced I couldn’t have been happier to see her go unless it had been sooner.

No these are not always happy relationships, no are they always healthy, and I don’t think that they always have to be maintained.

the desire to have that happen must be mutual and if it isn’t then what is the need to even try?

Reply
Stan
October 22nd, 2012 at 7:29 PM
I think this depends on the relationship shared by the two individuals.If they have been close enough then why not.On the other hand,each person must respect the other’s decision if the latter does not want to stay in touch with the former.It can happen,you know,things do change in a family after divorce.

Reply
DARIUS
October 22nd, 2012 at 11:31 PM
I would never want to stay in touch with my step brothers and sisters because frankly they have been everything that siblings aren’t. There should be no compulsion in any relationship and step relations are no different. Its a mutual thing and I prefer it remains that way.

Alert – Do not put yourself under any kind of obligation if you do not want to stay in touch with someone!

Reply
Layla
October 23rd, 2012 at 4:03 AM
So hard, especially if the relationship has been fraught with a lot of tension in the past

Reply
ruth
October 23rd, 2012 at 7:35 AM
I have maintained a very good relationship with my step sons even after their father and I have separated.Its never been anything but smooth for all of us because the separation did not involve any conflict either and I hope it stays that way.They are really nice kids and they like me too.

Reply
V.X
October 23rd, 2012 at 2:05 PM
I think its best to bury such relationships. Mainly because the divorce happening means there was bitterness between the two sides and it is best not to have any connection with members of the family your folks have some conflict with.It could lead to even bitter things in the future.

Reply
stressmom
October 23rd, 2012 at 5:52 PM
@ VX just because there was bitterness or animosity between the parents that doesn’t mean that that existed between the parents and the kids.
What if this was a very important relationship to one or the other?
Should they be forced to give that up just because the marriage falls apart?
I think that it takes a little more than this to force the severing of any relationship, and you have to make the choices that feel like they will be in the best interest for you and your family.

Reply
Chris
October 23rd, 2012 at 8:36 PM
My ex and I divorced after 18 years of marriage. I met his children, who lived with their mother, when they were 9 (boy) and 11 (girl). They spent every other weekend with us until they could drive. The 4 of us also took an annual vacation together. Since the divorce I have remained close with the girl who is now 42 and the executer of my will. In support of his father, the boy chooses to have no contact with me. Family is who you choose to be your family.

Reply
Caring
February 19th, 2018 at 8:56 AM
I hurt because I raised my stepchildren for 13 years and after the divorce, still they called, visited, etc. My now husband doesn’t want be involving my “ex” stepchildren in our life…. I hurts so bad but I don’t know what to say or do. My husband doesn’t want the “extra” connection with my ex-husband as we do have two birth children together.

Reply
R
October 15th, 2019 at 11:29 AM
Me and my wife split after 17 years I have a step daughter who I go visit a stepson here with a step grandaughter if I remarry and the woman tells me not to have relations with them I will be divorced again. I dont use the word step. My grandaughter is my best buddy and vise versa !
Robin
October 24th, 2012 at 10:13 AM
i would love to be in touch with someone who was a part of family.I love having family members in touch and even if there has been a divorce i think I would stick with my step brothers and sisters. Just because your friend does not like a particular person does not mean you should stop being friends with the person,isn’t it!

Reply
Vicki
January 31st, 2013 at 9:51 AM
My son and wife have divorced. She had 4 children from previous relationships.They had 1 child together.My dilema: Her “previous” children have never been close to my husband and I. We have always send BD cards with cash to each, with no acknoligement or thank you in return. Do I continue with BD cards? I do not want to be disrespectful.
HELP

Reply
Cathie
February 19th, 2018 at 6:44 AM
I wouldn’t consider continuing the gifts, especially since you never knew if they recd the cash.

Reply
Sarah
January 31st, 2013 at 11:05 AM
I think you should still send BD cards but instead of giving money why not open savings accounts or buy children’s premium bonds from the post office and then you can give them lump sums when they reach such an appropriate age, this could mean the difference between getting driving lessons or not, paying for a smart suit for a job interview or not, or generally having a blast on that 18th or 21st birthday. I have 2 step children and I’m no longer with thier Fathers, I still send them BD cards, but both of an age where they earn but I stick £20 in for them as it buys a couple of pints or bottles of wine. But I also have god sons and I told the parents not to expect BD presents or xmas presents as I had set up an account and money goes into them, once they are of age then they can have it. xxx Good luck with your decision

Reply
Vicki
January 31st, 2013 at 2:45 PM
Thank you so much, what good advise.

Reply
Heartbroken
February 22nd, 2013 at 5:09 AM
My ex and I divorced 4 years ago. We have a 7 year old daughter and I have an 11 year old son that has always called his stepfather Dad. The relationship has been difficult at times because my son is quiet and a bit socially awkward. The children have visited my ex together over the last 4 years. Now my ex has decided he doesn’t want to see my son anymore. I feel like he is misinterpreting my son’s “anti-social” behavior when he visits to mean he doesn’t want to be there. I have spoken to my son about this extensively to see if he does in fact enjoy visiting and he does. I think this would be catastrophic to my son and he would feel unwanted and rejected. It is not a clean break since my daughter would still visit and speak to my ex regularly. HELP! Does anyone have any advice?

Reply
zozo
April 15th, 2013 at 9:04 PM
My BF of almost a year was married for just about a year and was step dad to her son. They dated for two years prior to getting married and so formed a bond with her now 6yr old son. He still saw his dad weekends and still continues to do so. My question is my Bf wants to still see her son and still have a relationship with him – bearing in mind its been a year since he last saw him as she didn’t want him around him or me. She has she has since moved on and become engaged. What i need help with is knowing if this will be healthy for the boy as he will be torn between 3 ‘father’ figures and will it be healthy for my bf as she has a tendency of always making arrangement’s only when it suites her and has also cancelled the visits because she feels like it. She has made demands for what she thinks he needs has gifts over Christmas, almost like she is still trying to control my bf. please help

Reply
Trina
May 24th, 2013 at 11:23 AM
I was happy to find this discussion, and surprised to see another ex-step mother after 18 of marriage to the kids dad.

I have no children of my own. My step daughter was 11 and my step son 9 when their dad and I got together in 1993. They were living 1000 miles away from us, but we had them in the summer each year and every time we could visit or afford to fly them down. I helped pay child support to their mother each month until they were each 18 and also any extra that we had to work together to afford like braces and senior trips prom dresses and cars. My step daughter came to our state to get her college degree and she lived with us for several years. My point being that I love them with all my heart and now love their children (each has a child now one 6 and one 2) Their father divorced me last year and has remarried a younger woman who was a mutual friend of ours before the divorce. . I was heartbroken and am making every effort to make a new life for myself without the family I love so much in my life anymore. That’s all I am going to say about that. He and his new wife have asked the rest of the family not to invite me to family events ( My nephews HS Graduation to be specific that just happened this month, I have known him and loved him since he was born) Dad flew both kids and grandkids down for the weekend and I didn’t get to see them. However in a moth I am flying up to see my two step children and my step-grandchildren for 10 days. I am very excited and they are looking forward to our time together too.

When I decided to enter this family relationship I did so with every intention of getting along with The kids mother. Even though there was still a lot of animosity between her and my husband, I tried at every turn to encourage healing and a positive attitude toward her with my husband and the kids. I feel any step mother owes that to the children. Eventually we became a well-adjusted family that could share holidays as ex-partners should with respect and mutual concern for the children. Their mother introduced me to her mother as the kids “Other Mother” it was very graceful of her to do so and we have a cordial relationship to this day. My relationship with their father has ended and we vowed not to be negative about the other to anyone I the family. It is easy to slip into a blame game when you are in pain, but believe me it is worth the restraint when it comes to keeping friendships and respect for yourself. He and I divorced with respect for each other. It was extremely painful and I don’t know if I will ever be able to fall in love again, nor do I see myself wanting to, but time can change things I know. The children (who are both now 30ish) discussed it between themselves and have told their father that they want to continue a relationship with me. I am so happy that they are willing to work through the complexities of crafting a new kind of relationship with me outside of the rest of his large family and my ex-husband. I am still not sure that this will solidify into a permanent situation, they still live very far away, and now when they come here to visit family I am not included in any family get together, but I am going to make every effort to maintain our relationship because these are my children were my heart is concerned.

I believe being a successful step-parent comes down to a few important guidelines. First know that this is not a simple commitment and you will have to work very hard, forgive much, and understand your place in the family. You are not a “New bride” who has your man’s undivided attention when he has children! You must treat everyone concerned with respect. Even if the parent does not respect the ex, you cannot allow yourself to be involved in negativity toward the other parent, you will hurt your relationship with the children if you do. You must be selfless as a step parent. You are not allowed the same selfishness you can display in a simple marriage. Just as a good parent must sacrifice that selfish part of their nature when they become a parent, for the good of the helpless baby they have brought into the world, you must not allow yourself to feel jealousy or animosity toward the children or the parent because you will not come first in anyone’s life. That is just a fact, because you are the outsider entering an established family dynamic even though the parents are divorced. If you marry someone who has children you should be prepared to love them as your own, if you do not you will never make this work.

There is nothing like the amazing feeling of a child loving you, trusting you, looking to you for happiness and love. Even though the road has been painful I would travel it again to feel the way I do about my step-children, and the love I get from them.

Reply
Cat
March 10th, 2019 at 10:00 AM
I too was in a relationship with a man who had 2 daughters aged 3 and 6 when I met him. We divorced after 36 years and it was an act of domestic violence on my husband’s part, so I had a restraining order for a year and the court put another year on it. I have never heard from my stepdaughters who lived with us during their teenage years and went back with their mother. My relationship with my younger stepdaughter was always amicable until, on my 65th birthday, she informed my husband that his daughters would not be celebrating it. I have not heard from them since and I will be 69 this year. I was instrumental in caring for them, getting braces for them over their parents objections (too much money). Paid for their health insurance for 10 years, took them to drs appts. Was a good mother to them.

Reply
Troy
January 31st, 2014 at 9:33 PM
when I was 9 my mom remarried and it was a big adjustment after 4 years of being the man of the house. At first I hated my step Father but by the end of their 3 year mairrage I loved him. After the divorce my brother and I visited him a few times..Then we stoped when my mom re-married. Its been nearly 9 years and I still think of him often. The dilima Do I try to contact Him after all this time and put it all out there ? And druge up the past. Is it selfish of me to want to ? I know my mom broke his heart and hes never re-married or moved or anything. So Thoughts on a complicated situation ???

Reply
Cathie
February 19th, 2018 at 6:49 AM
You are not your mother and you didn’t break his heart. I think you should send him a letter saying how you feel. If he does not respond, that would be your answer. If he does, respond kindly you go with that.

Reply
Crystal
February 11th, 2014 at 8:06 PM
I am also glad this discuss is on here. Troy no you are not selfish at all for wanting to contact him! He was a part of your life and you are entitled to have contact with who ever you want! I am sure he would love to hear from you.

I know divorce all to well. My mom divorced 3 times and I went through all of them with her. She was married to the man I consider my stepdad for 12 years. They got married when I was 10 and divorced when I just turned 22. My mom was so caught up in herself that she forgot to even ask if I was okay. My biological father past away just a year before and it was like loosing a dad all over again for me. I was very hurt and no one bothered to console me. My mom wanted to cut all ties and she would talk for hours about how horrible my stepdad was for doing this to her (even though they had been having problems for years). I was just out of college starting my career and then met my husband and married. It was a big time in my life. Due to the divorce my mom wanting nothing to do with my happiness and practically emotionally abandoned me. I went through several years of depression not knowing why I felt this empty hole in my life. I had a son and things got worse between my mom and me and we eventually stopped talking. After slipping into a deeper depression I got the courage to look up my former stepdad and contact him. He was so happy to hear from me and immediately wanted to meetup. He had remarried and I was very nervous about meeting his new wife and having her not only except me, but my husband and child. We met up with them and they were so loving and welcoming and have sense kind of adopted me into their family. I could not ask for more support and love from them.

So my advise to anyone thinking about reconnecting with a stepparent, I say go for it, Remember they did not divorce you, they divorced your parent. If they did not keep in touch with you if was probably due to them thinking they could not because of your parent, not because of you! I am sure they will be delighted to hear from you and though it might take baby steps to get to where I am at, e-mailing is the first and easiest step! Just tell them you are thinking of them and miss them.

Reply
Deborah
October 4th, 2019 at 3:04 PM
Hello here is my dilemma I met my husband I had no kids and he had 3 ages 1, 6, and 8 and now they are 11, 16 and 19 I also have my kids from my husband so we have total 5 kids 2 which are mine and 3 that I have raised for 10 years now he wants a divorce bc I dont give him the attention he feels he needs but I have raised these kids for years and what do I do i have loved them as my own and now they feel it and of course side with thier dad. I am at a loss bc I love these kids as if they were my own so I now cant see them or insert myself its all very sad. The saddest part is my husband feel like I dont give him attention bc I have spent 10 years taking care of all of our 5 kids 2 of mine 3 of his and it is heartbreaking any advice please share I am at a loss we were both marries before and we were both cheated on this is not the case in our divorce it is my husband feels I dont put him first very upsetting and frustrating.

Reply
Lillian
March 14th, 2014 at 6:13 PM
I was in a 10 year Relationship.I’m not sure what is the right thing to do for my daughter. My ex raised her Throughout the years he has been so good to her. He doesn’t have children of his own. He considered her his own. So it has been a year and 3 months that we broke up. During the break-up we both agreed to co parent my daughter and be civil. But through the break up we were still seeing each other. At times I would stay at our house to take care of our dog when he supposedly was on a fishing trip with his bff. So at times I’ll find birthday cards to him from this women. And pics. He always had a explanation for everything that I found and heard. So during those times my daughter and I asked if he had a girlfriend. He insisted that he didn’t have one he always said he has friends not girlfriends. So I was naive and wanting to believe him. But finally I found out the truth and he finally confess to us he indeed has a girlfriend. I was out rage because we were having unprotected sex. And told me he didn’t care how I felt and he didn’t need to explain anything to me. During this time my daughter was still living in the house she grew up in. I stay at my sisters. Later I found out that the women and her 5 yrs daughter are moving in. While my daughter didn’t know anything about that. He finally broke the news to her. My daughter couldn’t believe this was happening because he supposedly been only seeing this woman a few months. And my daughter decided to move out and didn’t want anything to do with him. Because of his lies and selfishness. Until this day he blames me for my daughter not seeing him. It has been hell with this man he keeps hurting us being with his new family and wants my daughter to be part of it. So what’s the moral thing to do. Does she continued to see him and except his new life. Or does she leave him alone . So we all can go on with are lives. She’s 16 yrs.old and confused what to do.

Reply
L
August 16th, 2014 at 8:27 PM
Maybe have her talk to a counselor, or a “cool” auntie about it? I feel she’s old enough to make her own decision as to how she wants to handle her dad but is naturally feeling conflicted. I think she just needs someone to help her understand and sort out her own feelings and then whatever she decides, you can be supportive.

Reply
tammy
March 17th, 2014 at 3:26 AM
Guess you could say my situation is a little different.. I have a step daughter who I raised for 8yrs(7-15) Her father and I have been apart for a few years but my daughter and I still keep in touch some. My current boyfriend wants me to cuts all ties pointing out she is not my child. She is though. Her and my other children get along great. How do I get him to understand that.

Reply
NeedAdviceNow
November 8th, 2016 at 7:41 AM
How did you make out with this situation? I am in the EXACT same boat right now and its very difficult to know what to do.

Reply
Ron
July 3rd, 2017 at 2:52 PM
I am curious how this worked out. My wife has the same situation with her ex-husband and his two kids from a previous marriage. While I don’t mind her having a relationship at all with them, I DO NOT like them coming to my home during the holidays, etc. and asking to stay at our house for days on end, now with their own kids, etc. It’s just too much for me to handle. We have our own kids, so am I being bad by not wanting my wife ex-step kids to take over our house for 3-5 days a few times a year?

Reply
Cathie
February 19th, 2018 at 6:51 AM
Sounds like your new man has jealousy issues. Tread softly. If he doesn’t come around, he’s not worth getting into a relationship with.

Reply
Devastated
March 31st, 2014 at 4:04 PM
I’ve recently seperated from my husband and desperately in need of some advice!! I have two children from a previous relationship and two with my husband. He also has a son from previous who I’ve bought up from the age of 3 and he’s now 8. I have step parental responsibilty for him and now my husband says I’m not his biological mother and wants to take him to live with him he has a residency order for him before he married me and I got step parental responsibility after we got married. Can I not stop him from doing this, I love my step son and have been the main carer for 5 years am scared how this change will affect him as he’s got other siblings he’s been around and am the only mother figure he knows. What are my rights?

Reply
Wildflower
May 12th, 2014 at 9:01 PM
I have been raising my bf daughter for 4.5 yrs. since she was 3.
Him and his ex have 50/50 custody.
When I moved in with him I immediately became a full time mom
28 days a month for the first 2.5 yrs.
I love this child as if I gave birth to her myself.
I consider her my daughter. And she considers me her mom.
We are so incredibly close and do everything together.
If her dad and i were to break up. I know she would be greatly affected. As well as myself.
I would definately seek counsil if I were you.
It would be traumatizing to a child to have someone they love as a parent to just leave. And the children, animals they grew up with and know as thier family to just disappear.
That would feel like abandonment.
And would scar a child for life.
In the state of CO the courts do acknowledge the child’s emotional welfare. If the child really truly considers you a mother to him.
You are considered a mother to that child and if it is determined so….
You can have rights to that child.
I dont know about other states.
Its not about the biological parents.
Its your Love and Relationship with that child that matters.
I would fight for that.
If that fails. I would write letters. Send bday- holiday gifts. Try to visit and make sure that child knows I will always be there and love him.
If that’s all you can do.
When he gets older hebwill know you fought for him and always will love him. And be there for him.

God Bless

Reply
I don't knw
June 13th, 2014 at 9:01 AM
I’ve been dating this man for 7 months but being knowing for 25 years. He just came out of a relationship of 15 years. I would get angry with some of his confusing actions on how he feels he must take care of grown adults (21-24) and a 9 years old grandchild – no biological kids. Plus he warned me not to bring the discussion up again.
Sofie
August 30th, 2014 at 4:57 AM
Don’t stay unless you can’t live without him :( If you can’t even talk to him about concerns you have with his adult kids there isn’t any hope though…
Tiara
September 9th, 2014 at 12:52 AM
My fiancé has three ex step kids (18-22) I don’t understand why he feels responsible for taking care of three adult ex step kids. He did a great job stepping in when the real father died. They are adults now. And he’s marrying me. Am I being selfish or realistic
Elizabeth
June 8th, 2014 at 12:01 AM
On my way to a divorce we have two together and he has one before marriage. My step son is unhappy and misses his mom, but also wants to stay here with his siblings. His dad is going over seas and his mom lives up north. I’m not sure how he is going to take being away from both of them and with me. My stepsons dad wants him to stay here but I don’t know if it’s best…thoughts anyone I’m confused he is only 9 and has already switched schools 5 times another concern I have

Reply
Alana
June 23rd, 2014 at 10:51 PM
I urge you if you can find it in you to salvage the marriage, do it for your children, try and make things work.

Reply
Cathie
February 19th, 2018 at 6:42 AM
Sometimes, the decision to stay together for the children can be worse on them than divorce
Denise
June 8th, 2014 at 8:49 AM
I have a stepdaughter who I helped raise for 9 years while her father and I were married. Her bio mom and I get along well. After the divorce I was allowed to see her until my ex husbands girlfriend came into the picture. Now he don’t want me seeing my stepdaughter and has threatened me with restraining orders. Because her mom and I are friends now he has now forbid me from taking our son to see his sister. He says it’s best for the kids to see one another only at his house. I don’t get it. A year after our divorce he let me pick up my SD at his house. She is now 15 and doesn’t want to see her dad. But because it’s court ordered, he makes her go.

Reply
scared4kids
June 22nd, 2014 at 3:51 PM
Hi. Long story short. I married a man 2 years ago knowing he had kids. I have two grown up children, he has three aged 10, 12 and 15. We married quickly when we were both on the rebound, having both been previously married over 17 years. His children moved in with us after six months. They took to me really well and showed me love and respect. I treat them as my own. Their father is currently still fighting for custody of them after their mother abused them. The children do not want to see their mother. I left my first husband due to repeated infidelity. Now my current husband is cheating also and I want out. My main concern is for the children as I will be moving over a hundred miles away. I am currently the only reason they are not in care. But for very personal and justifiably reasons I can not continue my marriage with their father. I fear for the children and desperately need some guidance. Any help and support would be greatly received on how I should handle this. The children living with me will not be an option at this time, even though this would probably be the best solution. I fully intend to stay in close contact with them but fear my distance will not be enough to stop them going into care. Their father and I are splitting amicably and will remain friends. Please help. Many thanks

Reply
Alana
June 23rd, 2014 at 10:47 PM
My dad and my ex step-mom married when I was about six years old. My dad had me, my older brother, and my older half-sister at the time while my step-mom brought two sisters to the pcture.

Emily and I were only a few months apart so we instantly became inseparable, best friends. Sutton, she was 3 years youger than me and I really enjoyed being able to finally be a big sister (seeing as before I was the baby including my cousins who were all in college when I was born) Ian my older brother was 9 (3 years older than me) and Ridley 12 (6 years older than me)

I never had the best of relationships with my mom. She was verbally abusive, my former step-father physically and sexually which I always blamed her for because even though I never told her I felt like she should magically know

When I was with my father and step-mom and my siblings I felt like I was part of a normal family for once especially after they had my baby brother Julian when I was 13

At age 16, ten years after they were married, they set us down and told us they were getting a divorce. It tore us apart, it put my father into depression, Emily became suicidal, it killed us all in its own ways. My family that I had so desperately needed and wanted was being ripped away from me. I had already been through this 2 previous times but this time it was the worst thing imaginable. It’s been a year (I’m now 17) and I still find myself mourning the loss of my family. Sometimes I think it would be easier if they were dead as horrible as that sounds.

They told us we would all still keep in touch, my step-mother told me she would always be like a mother to me but that was a load of crap. Even if she wanted to mean it, everything changed

For any adults reading this that are contemplating a divorce, know these things
1) it affects everyone in a family not just a couple
2) marriage shouldn’t be something you just give up on
3) divorce changes everything
4) your children are fragile, through remarriage you had finally given them what they always dreamt of, a family with a mom and a dad. If you rip that away from them, it’ll break them, crush them, suffocate them. I know this from experience and I also know that your children will resent you for it. All of us, minus Julian seeing as he is only four, resent our parents and will never forgive them for hurting us this badly

So PLEASE fight for your family. If you can’t fight for your marriage or for your spouse, do it for your children. If all else fails and you get a divorce, don’t lie and tell your kids nothing will change, be honest because even if it hurts them at the time maybe they will eventually forgive you

Reply
Lara
August 6th, 2014 at 3:53 PM
Alana I hope you read this. I just came back from my former step son’s wedding. And the whole group, exes and kids, have gotten together for holidays. His father and I have been divorced for 20 years, but this has only happened recently. Because the kids are grown the events center around them, and we parents have to behave. And mostly we do! But it took this long to get here. Don’t give up, and don’t let the negative get to you.

Reply
Cindy
September 11th, 2016 at 6:33 PM
Your advice summed up for me the truth. Divorce, even in the 21st century, is a serious, serious, decision. I go over my choices every day. I hate being divorced. It’s worse than the marriage. Because of family ties. The silver thread became knotted with age, if not tears and neither of us ever remarried. He sadly took control of the kids and I missed decades of family time. I agree with everything you say. At the time, divorce seemed the only way out. It was at first, perhaps for a decade, but I miss being married, and you could say, if I had a chance, I would have worked things out for the children. For me, I sacrificed independence for family life. I am still hurting after 16 years. My kids are grown, one just died at 42. I feel tremendous loss.

Reply
Sara
June 26th, 2014 at 11:48 PM
I strongly agree that it should be maintained if you had a good enough relationship.

I’m 15 years old and about a month ago my father called me and told me that him and my step-mom were getting a divorce. (After they were together for almost 4 years and had a son together.) It of course was really sad news but was good in a way since my father verbally (and I guess mentally) abused her. In the beginning he told me that I’d still be able to see her. (which it wouldn’t have matter if he told me I couldn’t since my mom has full custody over me.) Soon after he had problems with her and told me that she is no longer a part of the family and that I should stop seeing her. I told him that she will always be my step-mom despite them getting a divorce, she also has my 2 year old half brother (whom I really love.) A month and half later I’m sleeping over at her new house and hanging out with her no matter what he says. (He’s “fine” with it now but we’ll see.) Short story short I believe that you should maintain a relationship with a step-parent despite a divorce. Because hey it’s not you it’s happening too so it shouldn’t have to effect your ability to see/speak to them.

Reply
Monica
July 26th, 2014 at 10:24 AM
I just want to commend you for being so mature!

Reply
L
August 16th, 2014 at 8:17 PM
Wow, I have to say I’m impressed. You’re quite mature and seem to have a very clearheaded view of it all. I should take some lessons. :)

Reply
devistated
July 26th, 2014 at 9:56 AM
So long story short my now ex boyfriend had a 15 month old son when we met. The little boy was abused by his biological mother and has no contact and I have been his mother for the last almost 4 years. I’m the only mother he has but I have no legal rights to him since dad and I split up. We also have a one year old son together too. My heart is absolutely broken to have my family split and I have no idea how to explain to him (hes almost 5) that I can’t be his mommy. He is and always will be my son and I don’t know how I’m going to be able to cope with not having him. Any words of advice would be greatly appreciated!

Reply
Misty
September 1st, 2014 at 11:01 AM
I’m in the same boat. My boyfriend says its over but there’s a 7 year old boy that I’ve raised like my own since he was one. I’m devastated and don’t know what to do.

Reply
Judi
August 2nd, 2014 at 5:10 PM
I left a 30 yr marriage 5 yrs ago
we did not have children together but I had 2 and he had 2. I helped raise his kids since they were 7 and 10. The step kids do not bother with me anymore…Christmas,Thanksgiving, Easter, birthdays. I don’t have any family just my kids. no parents aunts uncles
I’m devastated. They do invite my children which is great.
I cant let it go.

Reply
Judi
August 2nd, 2014 at 5:22 PM
#2 comment
after reading a few of your letters I decided to add that I am friends with my step kids Mom
And I never called them my step kids only here.
30 years! They are respectful but do not invite me to anything and do not come to my house even after repeated invitations. I realize it is akward for them to decide to invite me or their Dad but he doesnt go to most of the activities and made it clear he does not want to share the same space with me. I love those kids like my own and miss them very much. Im at a loss to find a solution.

Reply
priya
September 6th, 2014 at 1:38 PM
Me too in same situation.can anyone tell the suggestion for this

Reply
L
August 16th, 2014 at 8:14 PM
Was dating a man with sole custody of his two kids and bonded week with them. Although it was probably too early to meet them. And I suppose they weren’t that close to me, I was like a fun new person in their lives. As it turned out my then boyfriend was a real piece of work and the relationship didn’t work out.

The entire situation has made me reconsider my ideas of taking on a step parent. If I ever try it again, I’d definitely make sure my relationship with the man was on solid foundations before meeting the kids. Not only did I find it difficult separating from them, but my attachment made it easy for their father to manipulate me.

Reply
Sadden Situation
August 31st, 2014 at 11:01 AM
I’ve been with my husband for 20 years and he had children previously and the mother is always working out of town, so I’ve helped my husband with my children we had his

Reply
Tiara
September 9th, 2014 at 12:45 AM
I’m getting married next year in March. I’m 24 and my fiancé is 35. He has a previous biological daughter (15) from his first marriage whom I love and she’s sweet to me.
He also has three step children(well step adults) 18 year old ex step daughter and 20, and 22 year old ex step sons. Even though his biological daughter loves me…. His ex step adults aren’t too keen on me marrying their ex-step father.
Should I care that they don’t like me… Should they even be considered a problem. he’s not with their mom any more and they are adults. The ex step kids have a problem with me only being 2 years older than the oldest ex step son. But my husband was a young step dad too. He was 17 when he became a stepdad to 3 kids. (There mom is 8 years older than my fiancé)

How do u deal with EX step kids

Reply
Mel
September 12th, 2014 at 5:49 AM
I have a same situation my husband and I have been marriage for 15 years it’s my husband 3 times marriage and it’s my first time no kids between us but he has 3 growing up girls and I have 1 daughter she is 24yrs old. He is a soft nature man he loves my daughter very much as well as my daughter toward him she call him dad.We have different background the way I bought up in my country we look after our parents till they die kids do not answer back to their parent or anyone older than them. We teach n training up our kids from young age how to mop, vacuuming, mow the lawn and etc but hubby culture the parent spoil kids with pocket money n etc. it take long time before the girls like me but I don’t care. When I marriage him he has a lot of deb and no job I was a single mum of 1 full time job my daughter at private school. I have 5 stepsgrand kids I love them dearly and the girls except me cause without me helping there dad looking for a job and help him to be a deb free. My big problem is his step son from the first wife he only rings up when he wants something and he always give him money but he alway smoke, drinking , jail stealing and raping and he is not his son. He raised him when he was 6 months old and when he was 5 his mum ran away with another man and left her four kids from my hubby as well as her son from another man to him. He help him all his life and now his 34 just out of the jail from raping someone he has 3 kids 1 from the ex partner n two from the wife still together and now he wants to move closed to us I am not comfortable with and I don’t want to have anything to do with him

Reply
inquestion
September 15th, 2014 at 2:44 AM
I have been married for 2 years. I have grown children out of the house and my husband never had children, but he had troubled step kids from a previous marriage that are also adults. Every time there is any type of issue, the ex-wife is contacting my husband. That bothers me, because I feel she should be crying on her husband’s shoulder, not my husband’s (the one she chose to divorce). And her contact with him is not always limited to “her having an issue”. After witnessing her manipulation of my husband on several occasions, I get the feeling that she is doing it just to show me that she can … am I totally off the mark here? How do I handle this tactfully with my husband, and not make him feel like I distrust him.

Reply
Tammy
September 25th, 2014 at 9:06 PM
I am recently divorced from an almost 5 year marriage where I had 2 stepsons that I treated as my own. I do not have any biological children. In fact, the youngest was 3 when we got together and he kind of became my baby. I have a wonderful relationship with their mom. In fact, I consider her a friend. Since my divorce, I have moved back home with my parents and I am dating again. My parents and family have made it clear that the do not think I should see the kids or their mom. Unfortunately, I have listened and I have not seen them in almost 5 months. It bothers me because I spent a lot of time with them and now I feel like they were just ripped out from under me. Their mom has invited me several times to come see them and that they miss me. I just don’t know what to do…..

Reply
Brook
October 19th, 2014 at 1:36 PM
I’m like you. My wife had 5 kids nd I helped her raise three of them over the last 4 years. We have really bonded. Their mother surprised me with a divorce announcement and, even though I will live nearby and can visit the kids, they will move to another state at the end of the school year… And that will be it. I don’t have biological children and I will miss not helping them through school, sports, life. Heartbroken.

Reply
Rose
November 8th, 2014 at 8:07 AM
I think you should see them. There is a good relationship and love that you have for the children, what difference does it make to anybody else that you see them. Children can never have too many people to love them.

Reply
Rachel
September 28th, 2014 at 3:38 PM
I married a man with three stepdaughters, the youngest was 17 when he and her mother divorced, she was around five when they got together. Her mother left her with him and he accepted to take care of her financially until she turned 18. When he and her mother divorced, however, his stepdaughter moved out of the house to his parents house not giving a reason why.

When I met him and heard the situation my broke for her. Her mother abandoned her, cheated on my now husband and got mixed up with drugs.

I wanted my now husband and his former stepdaughter to continue to have a relationship. I did what I could such as give her gifts and money. I also felt tension with her, feeling she couldn’t accept me. I was even told she was jealous of our relationship. I admit I was a little standoffish with her because of the tension. But as time went on my husband suddenly dropped his relationship with her citing because he was no longer financially obligated to her, she was still having contact with her mom (which she denied) and that he was entitled to move on. This ended up putting me in the middle and me blamed for him ending their relationship. His family continues to have a relationship with her and even threw a wedding reception for her, which he and I didn’t attend as well as her wedding (the wedding was four hours away to keep certain people from attending). Neither of us attending her reception a week after her wedding caused a conflict within the family, but resulted in some air being cleared about what has been going on.

I later learned that my husband was upset that she didn’t ask him to give her away at her wedding, she told him it was because he quit having contact with her but we also heard it would be a conflict with her biological father, who she has very little to do with. My husband’s father and brother in law walked her down the aisle.

I have felt conflicted because my husband doesn’t want to have anything to do with her and his family does. I understand that his divorce from his ex was very bitter and I think he kind of blames his former stepdaughter for not telling him of the affair that she was aware of. I was told that she and him had a very close relationship and the few times she texted him since he and I been together she would go back and forth in calling him her dad and her stepdad. She also halfway ignored him and I when his family had gatherings and we were all together. She later said I kept him from her. She has done very little to attempt to continue a relationship with him and I feel she hasn’t treated him much like a dad. I lost my dad when I was twenty and I felt we weren’t on good terms when he died and it kills me to think that she has given up on her “dad”. If my husband wants a relationship with her I’ll 100% support it. But right now she’s hot and cold with both of us and I don’t know what to do.

Reply
YVETTE R
September 30th, 2014 at 9:33 PM
I married young to a man who had 2 children from his first wife. My step daughter was 3 and step son was 6(who wasn’t biologically his). Soon after there seperation he had another son from a different woman. We married and a year later we had our own son. From the beginning I fell in love with my 2 first stepkids. The other mother wanted nothing to do with my husband. My husband was in the military and gone a lot. So eventually called the first wife to ask to see my stepkids. She had remarried and had another son as well. We al went to hang out and realized that since my Husband didnt care much to be a father and have his kids grow up together, the first wife and I became very close. My husband was very abusive towards us and after 10 years I divorced him. I maintained a relationship with my stepkids and there mother. And in fact there mother and I became best friends. eventually she too left her husband. And since my ex husband doesnt care much to have his kids around, her and I have been raising our kids together. even my son and her son from her second marriage. We vacation together and Co parent our children. Some people tell me I need to cut all ties with them. But we are mature enough that it is not our kids fault for ur mistakes and that regardless they are siblings. SO I feel that for your children you can put aside certain differences.

Reply
Joanne
October 10th, 2014 at 1:18 AM
If the relationship with the steps was ‘forced’ or not so good before a divorce, it sure as heck isn’t going to magically improve later. Can’t help but wonder if some souls are meant to get along and other not. No sense trying to make a not so good thing workout if it isn’t meant to be in the long term view.
But having said there is some consolation in knowing that if you tried as well as gave of your time and efforts during the period of time you had the step children then: be content with that. Sometimes you aren’t meant to be a long term influence in a young person’s life. Doesn’t mean you are a bad person. Just means it wasn’t a long-term involvement. Be at peace with that and then let it go. Move on. There are many other people awaiting your help, time, and love out there in the big ol world.

Reply
Sam
October 11th, 2014 at 1:29 AM
My friend collects stepchildren. She married one guy who had a kid in diapers. The kid is almost an adult and has not seen her in YEARS! She moved on to marry another guy with a family and still calls Bobby her son. Judge Judy says once you divorce the kid(s) is/are nothing to the step parent. I believe this too, even if he kids are raised by someone who is not a real parent.

Reply
Jen
October 13th, 2014 at 7:03 AM
While I was not particularly close to my step children, I have a son with their dad, who has now passed away. I am not keen to maintain a close relationship with the step kids (all adults now) as we did not always have a great relationship, but remain in cordial contact for my son’s sake so that he has the option to see them once he’s an adult. It’s not my favourite situation, but I realise I have an obligation to my husband and son to maintain the relationship until he’s old enough to make his own decision.

Reply
Dan
October 21st, 2014 at 4:13 AM
I lost a beautiful step granddaughter because of a divorce. I have not seen her for 3 years. I had to walk away from her. It still hurts. life can be very cruel.

Reply
Paula Mari P
June 21st, 2016 at 5:41 AM
I know exactly how you feel Dan… I have lost five grandchildren through divorce, and it’s been four years since I’ve seen them. Heartbreaking indeed. :/ I’ve had to accept this, but am now thinking of how I can let them know that I still love them…. I’m just ‘in the way’ now and have been told I’ll just confuse the kids, yet it was their grandfather who left me!

Reply
Tim
October 22nd, 2014 at 8:23 PM
An amicable divorce should always be the primary goal for any couple whose relationship is coming to an end. It is always in the best interest of the children involved (and indeed other family members involved such as in Dan’s case) to have a functional relationship at some level afterwards

Reply
Megan
October 25th, 2014 at 1:00 PM
It really depends on the individual relationship between the child and the parent. I have remained in contact with my step-father after his and my mother’s divorce. I met him when I was 7, they had my sister when I was 9 and when he left I was 15 and just as upset as my sister was. My own father died when I was a baby,my step-father was the only father I knew. He had three children from a previous marriage and I remained in contact with them and their mother after the divorce. Only recently have I lost touch a little because we all live in different states but we all catch up from time to time. I would have been very hurt if everyone had cut off contact with me because of the divorce. If the relationship between the kids and parent were good, why break that bond?

Reply
Rachel
October 28th, 2014 at 2:51 PM
My dad just passed away a few days ago. He never left a will behind so the rights went automatically to my little sister as he was her biological child. My dad raised me since I was 6 months old and even after him and my mom split he was still my dad. I had a closer relationship with my dad then my little sister did and she is going through all of his things alone. This is killing me because now that he is gone it was as if he was never my dad. My biological father was a rapist and child molester and I never new him. I met him once in life for 2 hours and when he passed I could’ve cared less. To us children who’s first memory of a dad as a child was a step-parent, there is no difference. I never looked at him any different. NEVER!

Reply
Brittany
April 24th, 2015 at 12:21 AM
The law is firm. If your step dad didn’t adopt you legal and your bio mom and him divorced, you are not I titled to anything. Even if you knew him as a daddy. The law sees it as him being your mentor. Did he re marry? If so, what did his wife at the time of his death have to say about you trying to get any of his assests ?

Reply
Marlene
November 6th, 2014 at 4:30 AM
I have been married 25 years one stepson and one stepdaughter. Treated them with love and respect. My husband did not have a close relationship with children. Mother married and live with second husband for five years. I have consistently been listening cing supportive even though they didn’t even send me a card when I had a second bout of breast cancer 9years ago. One year ago I told stepdaughter to stop bringing up stepfather to my husband as we know they treat him like their real father. She told me never to talk to her in life. How do I cope because it’s hurt my husband and me as well

Reply
Julie
November 7th, 2014 at 11:48 AM
I was married for 11 years had 2 children and then divorced. When we married I became a step mother to a wonderful 5 years old little boy who I still love today! He no longer speaks to my EX but, he does keep in touch with me and my two children. I am happy to say that I’m on my way out of town with my kids to attend his wedding!!! He’s now 29! I think it all depends upon the relationship as to if it should continue or not.

Reply
Elle
November 14th, 2014 at 9:51 AM
I have a close relationship with my ex-stepson but don’t know how to introduce him now that I divorced his dad. Any suggestions?

Reply
Shay
November 16th, 2014 at 8:43 PM
Currently breaking up with a man who had treated my daughter like his own for6 years. She has asked to continue to be a part of his life. I’m ok for whatever makes this less messy. They love each other and he was her stepdad so, why not!

Reply
Marilyn
April 25th, 2015 at 1:15 PM
What if it brings him trouble in a future relationship of his own?

Reply
Jen
November 25th, 2014 at 10:01 PM
My ex-husband and I dated for 5 years and were only married for a year before he moved out suddenly while I was at work one day. For 6 years(50/50 shared custody) I was a M.O.M. (‘my other mother’), the term my stepson and step daughter came up with even before I was legally their stepmom. The divorce happened so suddenly and so shockingly that I am still at odds with my place in this world. Those wonderful kids that I love dearly, the ones I cared for daily, the ones who made me feel complete are gone now. I’m not a MOM anymore and it hurts beyond what words can express. Though I was only a step mom for a year, I cared for them for 6 and those six years were the best years of my adult life, years that included family vacations, road trips, learning to read, learning to ride bikes, caring for a home together, learning life lessons and counseling one another.
If you are considering divorce, or excluding a stepparent from your adult life or making the decision as a biological parent for your young child to remove a caretaker from their life abruptly; PLEASE, take your time and consider the options and possibilities of maintaining and fostering positive relationships throughout and beyond divorce. There may be more than one broken heart you can save with a little extra caution and courtesy taken into consideration.

Reply
katy
November 29th, 2014 at 1:53 PM
I need help. ..how do i stop my stepdaughter’s adult sister from showing up at our house for special occasions or holidays. My stepdaughter is 12 and I’ve been raising her since she was 6. We have her in private school, sports activities. But when her 22 year old sister with her 2 minor kids show up uninvited, my daughter acts out for about 2 or 3 months. Then she gets good and sweet again until the next show up. My husband and I would like to stop the visits. How do we do this. This woman is immature and relentless. She demands her basketball schedule and showed up a couple of times and then quit coming and our daughter was sad. I just don’t look forward to my daughter’s acting out. Can we get a civil restraining order on basis of unwanted contact. By the way, their mother is a meth addict, who stopped showing up to supervised visits 2 years ago. We had our daughter in therapy for about 3 years, until the therapist told us we had a very happy kid, and well she adjusted kid. This was about 2 years ago. Thanks

Reply
Amber
December 11th, 2014 at 10:17 PM
I am currently on the outs with my husband who had been the only father my two children have ever know. Within the last 2 months he has gone from my best friend and man I love to someone I don’t even recognize. We have 1 daughter together. He left last week to start a trial seperation, since then he has seen his biological daughter but hasn’t spent much time with my older two. They are feeling his absence and tonight my daughter cried herself to sleep begging Santa or god to trade christmas for her daddy back. This situation is not an easy one, and I am at a loss. If he comes back, they will be upset with him, but I am sure things will go back to normal…but if we don’t reconcile then our divorce will surely mess them up. My husband has even made comments of “weening” them from him just in case we divorce, obviously not intending to stay in contact with them. don’t know what to do? They are young but not young enough to where this will not seriously affect them. What do I do?

Reply
Tyson
June 10th, 2015 at 10:05 AM
Hey Amber. I have to reply because I need to shed light on a different perspective.

I was with my ex for 5 years before we split. She had a 3 year old son from a different father, and we ended up having a little girl of our own. Our daughter loves her brother and so do I. With all my heart and soul.

About 6 months ago I caught her cheating on me. Then suddenly out of the woodwork people came forward and said she had been cheating for a long time with multiple people (night shift at a casino is a party lifestyle). So we split, then I was posed with this exact question, take care of my step son or not. She was indifferent.

The reasons to take care of him: he is as close to being family as my own blood. I’m invested very deeply. He is my daughter’s brother. Keeping them at arms length from each other would be taking away from their lives more than having seperated parents. My parents love him. He has a healthy family with me.

Reasons not to: It will be very difficult for me to find a loving relationship. Long term my children will leave and I will be alone. The idea of this is terrifying for me. I am taking care of him 7 days a week because his mother works a graveyard shift and always will, I have no free time to even meet new people.

It wasn’t hard to decide to keep him in our lives, but it isn’t easy to do it. Most guys look at it as an unnecessary sacrifice of freedom, and it becomes incredibly hard to find a good woman.

Reply
Guy
February 23rd, 2015 at 9:42 PM
I believe that this topic hinges on the type of relationship shared between the step and the children/grandchildren. In my situation, I would simply part ways and start life over alone which is what I completely expect to be a mutual agreement between all parties. Mom and Dad of the grandchildren will have to bear the part of explaining to the grandchildren but I perceive that this won’t hurt as bad as it would seem. I believe that I am easily separable from their lives without much if any sense of loss.

Reply
cross road
March 13th, 2015 at 6:49 AM
My husband and I have been married for 8 years now, I have a son 14 from a previous marriage and he has two children from a previous relationship 13 and 12. For the past 8 years we have financially struggled where we are living now. I recently recieved a job offer 3 hours away and decided to take the offer. Before I did we talked about relocating many times. Now that it is getting close to the moving day, he is going thru alot of emotions regarding his children, as he should be. From my point of view he has not really been a connected father. They just know he is there, the mother does not inforce visitation days or keep in contact with what is going on with them. He always finds out third party, he has tried to correct the situation many times and has tried to grasp a hold of doing his role as a dad. It only seems convienant for her to call when she cant handle and issue. On top of that he pays his child support and I also support her when she cannot afford things for the children, We together have been supporting our household and hers. I dont mind helping out but i feel if that is what we have to do, Id rather not go broke doing it. At this time I feel like I am making him choose which I am not. I know we love eachother but at the same time finacially we are suffering! Between his layoffs and me working two jobs just to make ends meet, im tired of the cycle. He says he wants to move but is scared that the children will hate him, I have tried to reassure him that everything will work out and summer is coming up soon and we will have them for visitation like always. Summer is when we have them the most. During school is when we hardley see them. His grandparents are involved with the kids also, as well as his dad. Im not sure what to do at this point I told him if he does not feel comfortable moving that he should not. I have told him I am replaceable but his children are not. I understand. Im not sure what else to tell him? Can anyone help?

Reply
Lynn
March 21st, 2015 at 9:06 AM
I have been with my husband 4 years, second marriage for both. I left him 10 months ago for 6 weeks, but came home because he asked me to everyday. He has a 12 yr old son and 10 yr old daughter. My daughter from my ex is 9. All of them live with us now. My marriage has been suffering for over two years and is very unhealthy in many ways. My husband was in the military and has emotional issues as a result. He drinks heavily in the evening. He is a control freak: makes all decisions, controls most of the money, all decisions with the kids, even my own daughter. He is the “man of the house”, if you know what I mean. He is resentful and angry if I question him about his decisions. This anger me because he stays home and has his military retirement to live off of while I work full time. He is a good father, but curses, yells, and is emotionally abusive to his kids and to me often. He won’t go to church, and loves to argue. I can’t have a conversation about anything he may be doing wrong without him yelling and screaming. He has punched holes in walls, pushed me, called me names. He is angry and bitter, and I don’t believe he sees himself the way the rest of us do. I feel we are not growing together and that our marriage is very unhealthy. Despite our constant “talks” which of more like “his lectures to me”, we continue to grow apart. I haven’t divorced because of the kids. They are crazy about each other, soooo very close. What should I do if I can’t fix this? I don’t want to hurt my babies. I love them all so much. I just don’t even feel comfortable around my husband anymore. Everything is dependent on his mood. That’s how it is everyday.

Please any advice is appreciated.

Reply
The GoodTherapy.org Team
March 21st, 2015 at 2:35 PM
Thank you for your comment, Lynn. We wanted to provide links to some resources that may be relevant to you here. We have more information about domestic violence at https://www.goodtherapy.org/therapy-for-domestic-violence.html and additional information about what to do in a crisis at https://www.goodtherapy.org/in-crisis.html

Warm regards,
The GoodTherapy.org Team

Reply
HW
August 23rd, 2015 at 10:17 AM
I am going through a very similar situation. No my husband hasn’t been violent at this point, he has similar problems from the military and other stuff. I always felt a little flippant when everyone suggested counseling. But in the end, after he refused to go, I went alone. I’ve learned about attachment styles and it make perfect sense to me now. I will be losing my step daughter as well, but you can’t save everyone. Reach out as much as you can. Look inward and if I were you, I would stand up to him and request that he and u separate for a while. It’s really ok to let this go and allow life to take its course. You’ll find inner strength and some healing. Just take it one day at a time. Start standing up and demanding respect. Take the kids to the park…walk away. Don’t get drawn in. Be firm. Unleash your inner wonder woman and take no bs from him. Marriage counseling helps!!

Reply
wilson h.
March 23rd, 2015 at 12:09 PM
hi! my name is wilson and I have a “step” brother That will turn 5 soon . My mother recently passed away and since then my step father has been refusing ne and my older brother to see him . We love him like his my brother and there’s no “step” to us. I really want to know if there is anyway that he will have too let us see him legally! thank you very much .

Reply
Dimple Lemon
March 24th, 2015 at 2:45 PM
I was married for 5 years. My husband and I got a divoce 4 years ago. We had a daughter together. And I have a son from a previous relationship. My ex husband like to hang out with my oldest son(20) more then his own daughter. He is in a new relationship and they just built a house together. Maybe getting married soon.(Not sure). So why do he still like hanging around my son? And he finds his way to my house everytime.they are hanging out.Also his new lady has older kids. So why is he not hanging with them? Please help me to understand this!

Reply
Barbara
April 5th, 2015 at 7:03 AM
I met my ex at 16, he 25, he had a 6 yr old girl, now 30. We married in 2000 and divorced in ’09, our own daughter born in ’02. My step daughter and I have been close all along. My ex passed in ’14. My step daughter is getting married next week, my 12 yr old is in the party. Shortly after their Dad passed I paid a great amount for her wedding dress and her wedding shoes. She has been a bit of a bridezilla and the wedding is 800 miles away. I have been dictated to by her and her fiancé about the dress, shoes, and hair for myself and my daughter. I am required to wear “mother of the bride” color scheme like her bio mom who is walking her down the aisle. Other than that, I’m unsure of my role. She has a mediocre, almost nonexistent, relationship with her sister considering she moved to the west coast/Midwest when her sister was 2 1/2. I have spent over 2k on wedding dresses and travel. Frankly, after the wedding, I don’t think we will hear much from her again. My question is, am I required to gift the wedding couple?

Reply
sarah
June 16th, 2015 at 7:11 PM
I ache to have a relationship with my step dad granted I was 18 when the divorce happened and he chose to cease communication because my mom hurt him so bad. I’m sorry for what you’re going through

Reply
heith
April 26th, 2015 at 10:13 PM
I met a girl just over 4 years ago, After I came home from the Navy. she had two boys I fell in love with almost instantly. One was 2 the other 4. The first 3 years were great. I got them a nice house and out of their cramped apartment and we were engaged.All was well until she decided to go back to school and then she went buck wild all while I was home taking care of the kids. She left a year ago but we stayed on good terms. The kids would come over and stay with me .They eventually moved back in 6 months ago as the mom and I reconciled…Of course she just does the same thing again..Theyve been gone now for 2 months exactly and Im heart broken.She let me talk to them on the phone last week and the youngest one cried and told me he loved me and missed me.Its hard.I think shes a pretty awful human being

Reply
Alyce
April 27th, 2015 at 7:06 PM
My mom married my Step Dad when I was three. They have to adorable little boys together whom I love to death now 9 & 5. I am 16 and my mom and step dad are getting divorced, which is excellent and Mom is happier than I’ve seen her in ages, but the boys are taking it harder. They are happy because their mommy is happy,but they miss their daddy. How can I support my mom and be happy bout the divorce while still protecting my little brothers emotions?

Reply
Leigh
May 14th, 2015 at 8:17 AM
Dealing with divorce now. My husband and I met when his daughter was 4 months old, she is now 3. Her mother is in the picture and shares custody, but I have been a constant in her life since we met. About a month ago, my husband asked me for a divorce. I was obviously devistated. Now that we have seperated, and living in separate places, my heart wants what is best for my step daughter. What should I do? At this point, i know that i dont have any leagal right, and that is not my issue. She loves me and I her, but if i leave now and “cut ties” will that be better for her in the long run. If i stay, and continue a relationship with her, eventually she will have to explain who i am to her dad’s future girlfriend/ wife. this is a really tough decision and i only want whats best for her. any thoughts?

Reply
Adrianna R.
May 27th, 2015 at 7:03 AM
Can any help me PLEASE …. It’s been over a year since I have seen my daughter (my exes child) I was engaged and with my ex for 7yrs from the time her child was 3yrs old I was in her life… After 7yrs her mom and I decided things between us just wasn’t working out she packed up and left and promised to never put our child in the middle of anything that it wasn’t her fault the second she gets a jealous girlfriend she starts making lies and excuses that I am saying bad things about her and turning her daughter against her and kept my daughter away from me my heart is broken as well as my baby girl I was all she knew for 7yrs and then bam we are forced to stay away from one another … Yes I was a stay home mom with this child every hour of everyday for 7yrs except when she was in school I depended on her mom and took care of the home and child well she would leave to work from 7am – 12am I went from mom to my ex telling me “you are nothing and didn’t nothing for me I gave birth to her not you so leave my daughter alone!” I have been trying to contact my daughter but because it has my name and picture she is not allowed to respond so my friends daughter said send her a message thru my profile I made for my brother so I did and she got it after a year of trying my daughter finally responds saying … “Adrianna?” And I said,”yes Pumpkin it’s me Mom Adrianna” then she said, ” they won’t let me talk to you but I miss you So Much!” Then that was the last I heard from my daughter just recently my ex has threatened to press charges against me because I messaged our daughter from a profile that was not mine … She may not be my biological child but I raised her and my daughter and I deserve to be together ! We are both hurting and her mother is only thinking of herself by keeping her daughter away from me when I have never given her any reason too… I have proof in the schools that I am her other mother I was always the one enrolling her in school and in my daughters school enrollment a my ex put where it said father she crossed it out and put other mother I know I have some kind of visitation rights and contact rights to my daughter I make minimum wage and don’t know how to go about or know what to do to get legal visitations rights by the judge so no one can ever take my daughter and I away from one another ever again … Can anyone help me please ? My daughter just turned 12yrs old and everyday without her in my life just hurts so much … 💔 can anyone help me reunite my daughter and I ?

Reply
Amanda
June 19th, 2015 at 2:20 AM
I’ve been divorced for over two years now. My ex has two children, a boy and girl. I was with my ex long enough to see his children grow and become young adults. I maintain a relationship with my ex-step-daughter, but my ex-step-son wants nothing to do with me. I explained to him after the divorce that I was sorry to put him through this and wanted nothing but the best for him. I told him I’d always be here for him if he ever needed me. I felt that leaving the ball in his court was the appropriate thing to do. Its been two years since I’ve spoken with him and miss him terribly. I feel as though I’ve lost a child. I want to respect his space and feel it’s inappropriate to make contact again. I just want to know how to work though my feelings. How do I move on?

Reply
Super frustrated
June 21st, 2015 at 2:15 PM
My step children refuse to be on their own. One has a house and a child and the other is divorced with a child in another state it they refuse to have their own lives and demand my husband’s attention daily. He also has a 16 year old girl that his ex wife had after they were divorced by another man and she calls my husband dad. None of the kids and I get along and I don’t want the exs kid in our lives. My husband even gives her money all the time and she lives in another state. How do I handle this

Reply
Camille
July 1st, 2015 at 9:30 PM
My dad and mom divorced when I was younger, both were quick to remarry, my sister and brother and I stayed with our mom for a while and she moved out of state with her new husband. we stayed behind with my dad and step mom (and her daughter who i was close with and then my biological sister and her got close and she didn’t want anything to do with me) about a year and half later we moved out of state to be with my mom and her husband. my step father had it out for me he treated me much more harsher than his own and my own brother and sister, i would complain to my mom and she really never did anything. After years of going back and forth from state to state for the holidays and summer I couldn’t wait to move back. I had gotten very close with my older step sister and had fantastic relationship she had two boys who i absolutely adored. I am a godmother to one. I moved back about a year ago. I was able to spend a lot of time with my step sister and my nephews. My dad and step mom are in the process of divorce. I had a good relationship with my step mom she has cut all ties with me. the thing is i want to maintain a relationship with my step sister and nephews. for about 2 months after my dad and step mom parted ways I remained in contact with my step sister and I was on my way to see her and my nephews and my dad called asking me not see them. So I respected his wishes. I was honest and told her the reason as well. That was the last time I hear from her (almost 5 months ago now). My step mom was living with her and her husband and their two sons, i think that was the reasoning behind my dad’s request. my step sisters husband was kind enough to bring the boys over to visit. but it has been 3 months since i have seen them. I miss them so much, I feel like something in my life is missing. prior to the divorce my step sister assured me nothing will change. She has now de friended me on Facebook. I have tried to call her, wish her happy mothers day etc… She never responds back… I am so sad, i recently messaged my step sisters husband asking if I could see the boys he said it is hard because now that my step mom is no longer living with them he doesn’t want to have her back staying with them…. am I being selfish for wanting to see my soon to be ex step nephews (I called them and their mom my nephews and sister because we were so close)? I am at a loss of what to do. I would appreciate any suggestions I apologize for being so lengthly .

Reply
TerriblyConfused
July 2nd, 2015 at 10:22 AM
When I met my soon to be ex-wife my son was 2 years old and they became very tight, it was one of the main reasons I decided to get married to her. We had a child together and 7 years later we’re divorcing. I finally told my oldest that we were getting divorced and of course it hurt him and I had to explain to him that it wasn’t because of him and that his step-mother still loves him. My son at a young age has lost a lot of siblings, a younger brother and older cousin, and he didn’t take either of their passings well, in fact he still cries somedays. He has numerous sessions with Psychologist due to these passing. Being that I know my son is a very emotional person, I don’t feel like it’s in his best interest to continue a relationship with his step mother at this moment. I have never pushed my son away from her in fact I have always made sure that they at least speak. I just don’t feel as though right now since we have just recently separated and everything thing is still fresh that they should be in each other’s company. I think it kind of prolongs the inevitable, since this is someone that will no longer be a constant presence as it was once before. Suggestions anyone because my ex-wife thinks I’m being selfish and petty but I don’t see it as such.

Reply
jon doe
August 11th, 2015 at 6:08 PM
My father has been married three times. I was also a emotional kid. I didn’t live with my father and step mother but I was close with her. She married my father when I was a little older then your son and divorced when I was around 12 or 13. I can sympathize with how your son feels. I couldn’t imagine not having her in my life back then or now even in my late thirties. You didn’t say if the sibling your son lost was the child you had with your soon to be ex. If so, I’m terribly sorry for your loss. If not it seems pretty ridiculous to imagine your son not having a relationship with the mother of his half sibling. If your son is attached to his step mother and is emotional to begin with then in my opinion being separated from her would be more damaging then anything else. You wanted there to be a close loving relationship when you married this woman. Now that there is one to split that up would be cruel to both your son and your wife.

A child can never have too many people in their life that loves them. Especially when it’s unconditional.

Reply
Bree
September 20th, 2015 at 2:25 AM
Reading some of these has helped, though our situation is not quite the same. For two years, we’ve welcomed our son’s fiancee’s little children (from a failed marriage) who were 1 yr old twins and almost 2 yrs old at the time we met them. We’ve come to love them and they call us by ‘grandparent’ names. But our son and his fiancee’s relationship has never been smooth; in fact, as time went on we could see how toxic it was. He has bipolar illness/ADHD and isn’t easy to live with, BUT he’s been a ‘daddy’ to the three little children; he was their daily caregiver while unemployed for a period, and his fiancee worked, for ex. We’ve watched him with the children and, though he’s not ‘sensitive’ or ‘mushy’ with them, he is caring and they adore him. BUT his fiancee is vindictive with our son if he refuses her anything–if he’s cared for the kids while she works, then wants to see a friend or whatever when she gets home, she treats him badly (now I can say ‘treated’ him badly as they have ended the relationship, sigh). After our son lost three jobs, one to a serious injury, she threw him out and broke up with him. He’s at home with us again now, almost 30 and has lost everything; so NOW he is serious about getting mental help. (and we have been struggling with having him suddenly back home)
The thing is…they had a baby together 5 months ago. She wants us to keep “having access” to him, BUT also wants us to keep up a Poppa-Grandma thing with her other little ones. We just feel like we can’t. They are very young, and in time, sadly, will forget us. But we feel it’s best for everyone to move on. We can have our baby grandson visit, but not the other children. It has broken our hearts. Our son is still trying to work out his pain, how to deal with her demands that he see and keep a relationship with “all” of the kids plus his baby, so he is confused. The ex-fiancee has already signed up on a dating site, too, which affirmed to us that she isn’t quite what we thought she was.
So do you think we’re wrong to tell her that we can’t continue a relationship with the (almost) 2 y-old twins and 3 yr-old along with our blood-related grandson? We are hurt and confused, too…whew. This SUCKS.

Reply
Valencia
December 2nd, 2015 at 6:33 AM
Bree,
I read you post and I know we don’t have the same situation. However think of your son and his mental state. He was with these children when she was not. And he has one with her. She is wanting you all to be involved in these 4 precious children’s lives. Don’t slam the door to them it’s not there fault their mother is they way she is. Plus think about this where is the father to those other children. If your son was being there for them. Do you want to take the risk of not seeing your grandson. “Just I thought “Please look at the post I just did on here. I had to leave my stepson at age 2 1/2 and his dad passed away when the child was 5 and the biological mother also passed away. And his God parents would not let me see him. I won’t go in to it all you can read my post. I feel God put you in those babies life’s for a reason!
Think of this (It’s a frustrating situation. Your son may have been there for the children first steps, first words, first loose tooth – and suddenly they have been ripped away from you and him. You’ll likely feel angry, no matter what happens, take comfort in the fact that the values you nurtured, the talents you helped cultivate, the lessons you taught – they will all remain with that child forever.
Remember God only know his plan. We sometime don’t lesson to what he is trying to tell us. We seem to do what we think is best rather it is selfishness on our part or anger. But what would God want you to do? I would think unconditional love for all children especially the ones hurting! Hope this helped ! Sincerely Valencia

Reply
Amy Cerreto
October 16th, 2015 at 4:51 AM
I have been divorced for 2 years and have two stepchildren from my former marriage. I found the article very helpful, especially advice on how to approach step children in a non-obtrusive way..

Question: Is it appropriate to still call them my stepchildren?

Reply
Kate
November 9th, 2015 at 1:24 AM
I have been separated for two years because of step kids no longer wanting me in there lives problem is I have 3 kids to there father now his kids only see our kids when it suits them and it is hard to explain why they don’t see each other on a regular basis(his kids just can’t be bothered) am I better off leaving it and my kids see them here and there or just stop contact as my kids get hurt by them

Reply
Valencia
December 2nd, 2015 at 5:58 AM
I am unable to have children of my own and my X and I were friends prior to getting married. He got his girlfriend pregnant and the state took the baby from both of them. When he asked me to get married to him it was like this. ” They won’t give me custody unless I’m married and I know you want a family and a baby real bad.” So stupid me did because of my stepson!
I got my stepson when he was 10 months old and when he turned 2 1/2 his father and I was divorce. I wanted to take my stepson with me but by law I could not. His dad passed away in 2004 and I heard is biological mother also passed away before his father. However his God parents that took him would not let me contact him at all! I have been on this search since July 2004. Here is a message I sent to my X sister In-law back in 2013. November of 2013 his aunt my x sister- in law sent me this message ”

To X sister in-law
I just seen where you all lost J. back in 2004. I am so sorry. I did love him, I miss my stepson could you tell me what happened and where he is now? He is 14 now! I hope and pray nothing has happened to Him
Sincerely, Valencia
Sep 25, 2013

Hi, Valencia~ Sorry I didn’t answer sooner, but I just found your message filed under “other” on Facebook. It was quite a shock for all of us when John died. He had a massive heart attack at home. Stepson is living with his guardians in Okla. He has some rather severe emotional issues & is in & out of therapy & hospitals. He does attend regular school when he is home, but still deals with his cerebral palsy. I’m not sure if emotionally Stepson could deal with seeing you or if he even remembers you as he was quite young when you left. But I will let his guardians know you contacted me & see what they say. Stepson really needs our prayers, so that would be something you could do for sure! -D
Nov 3, 2013 · Sent from Web
Here it is November 2015. He will be turning 17 on March 1. He excepted my friend request so I can really connect with him. I love him so very much as if he was my own!! Then I went on to a group page he created and found this “The out casts is a group were people that think they have no purpose in life can talk to some one about there problems in life also for people that self harm ,think negative about there self’s ,or just need some one to talk to . love c r” This breaks my heart what can I do? I fear that when his older half sister finds out I found him .She will discourage him from talking to me Or his God Parents ! Please anyone with advice or encouragement .

Reply
Rebeve
December 10th, 2015 at 3:10 PM
My husbands brother has married 3 times. His first marriage produced 4 children. His second marriage his 2nd wife brought 2 children to the relationship, they remained married for 10 years. His 3rd marriage his 3rd wife brought one grown up daughter and grandchild to the relationship. This is very confusing to my children as they were close to his step children from his 2nd marriage. His mother refuses to have any aknowledgement of his 2nd wife’s children as they were not biologically connected but welcomes his 3rd wife’s daughter and grandchild as her grandchildren. My question is when counting her grandchildren should my mother in law count her son’s step children from his second marriage if she counts his wife’s daughter and grandchild as her grandchildren?
His step children refer to my children as cousins. Can someone please untangle this mess created by someone else. Thank you.

Reply
Eric
December 20th, 2015 at 6:50 PM
All these stories are heartbreaking to read as I am going through trying to see my step boys too on an any kind of basis. Bio-dad doesn’t want them to see me anymore, but ex wife is ok with it yet torn with bio dads wishes, the boys and mine. There is an incredible amount of love between the boys and I. I am trying to maintain that but it’s been difficult. I can only plea to my exes sympathy, not bother so much and jump in the opportunities that come up. I get a day with them next week :). I have also resigned to the fact that it will never be regular. That letters, emails, phone calls and texts direct to them are an option and rest in the fact that one day they will turn 18 and be able to decide when, where and how often they want to see me. I just need to have the faith strong enough to wait that long and believe that what we had/have now will endure the test of time. Love will prevail!

Reply
Karen
December 22nd, 2015 at 6:41 PM
So I’m now 21 and my husband is 24, we got married 2 years ago because he was in the army and we wanted to be together so we did. We dated 1.5 years, he just had a daughter when we first met and from the beginning I was helping out ALOT with the little girl . But our marriage Ended (we legally married still but separated)March 2014. So after I moved back home I haven’t really been in contact with my mom in law to even see the little girl and she about to be 4 years old now. So I know the relationship has drifted away but I’m still confused on how to go about this , she is only 3 so i think I just leave the situation alone but in my heart I feel like it’s not really what I’m supposed to do . Someone please help

Reply
E
December 23rd, 2015 at 10:18 PM
From what I’ve read and know there isn’t much legally you can do. Hopefully you are on good terms with the ex to be able to request a little time with the child now and then, however with the child being so young be careful as they may get confused growing up trying to figure out who is who especially if your ex marries again. Such a tough position for all, but in the end it’s about what’s best for the children and if staying away is best so that your bond between them is not constantly being torn apart then maybe it’s best to stay distant. :(

Reply
Jesse
December 23rd, 2015 at 5:46 PM
This will be the first Christmas without my stepson. I’ve raised him since he was born, and he gladly called me Daddy! He’s one of the sweetest smartest little red headed boys ever. I’m not sure if his daddy is out of prison, but when he was he didn’t have a lot to do with him. I’m pretty much the only father he’s ever known. I’ve spent this Christmas buying gifts for my little buddy that I’m not even going to be able
to watch him open. It breaks my heart to think of him not being in my life, but there’s nothing I can do about it. If you read this and you have children that have step parents, please consider the child’s feelings as well as the person that was the step parent. If the step parent was good to your child, think hard about just ripping them out of a persons life. It’s really devastating and horrible to deal with.

Reply
E
December 23rd, 2015 at 10:06 PM
Well said Jesse, keep believing!

Reply
Sherrie
December 29th, 2015 at 11:07 AM
My daughter is going through a very difficult time. She was with her ex since his daughter was 6 months old. She is now 3. She raised her as her own and had her 24 hrs a day 7 days a week. She became part of our family. The father did not take an active roll in her care and the bio mother was not in the picture. He broke off the relationship and totally cut of all communication (he was cheating and now has someone else living in the household). He will not allow my daughter to see the little girl. She is devastated and worries about the little girl and if she is being cared for. We know she has no legal rights. What can I do to help her through this? She is grieving the loss of this little girl!

Reply
The GoodTherapy.org Team
December 29th, 2015 at 12:13 PM
Dear Sherrie,

Thank you for your comment. This situation sounds as if it must be very difficult for you daughter. The GoodTherapy.org Team is not qualified to offer professional advice, but it may be helpful for your daughter to reach out to a mental health professional. When working through grief, the support of a therapist or counselor can often be of great benefit.

Your daughter can use our website to search for a therapist or counselor. You can obtain a list of health care professionals in your area by entering your ZIP code here:
https://www.goodtherapy.org/find-therapist.html

Help is available, and we wish you both the best of luck.

Kind regards,
The GoodTherapy.org Team

Reply
Valencia
December 29th, 2015 at 5:50 PM
Dear Sherrie,
I do understand because my step-son had just turned 3 when my ex cut off my contact with him. And like your daughter I was with him 24/7 and loved him as my own. I can not have children so it hurt me real bad too say goodbye! His dad past away and his bio-mother also past away. The guardians would not let me see him or contact him. I had been looking for him for years. Well this November I found him on Facebook! He friended me and I’m hoping we can grow together. He will be 17 on March 1. I prayed every year for him to be safe and feel loved! Your daughter needs to do this is helped me.
Write a Journal….put in there your thoughts, write down what you would tell her if she was still there. Through all the holidays and birthdays and pray that God helps you find each other again. And when that day comes you will have the Journal to show her you never forgot her and your love has always been there!
I hope this helps!!

Reply
Patty
January 2nd, 2016 at 1:08 PM
Can anyone help me figure out why grown kids that where raised by a mean step mother would continue to have a not just a relationship with. But become closer to that step mother over the years following divorce from their real father. This deeply hurts the father and he has no idea what to do about it. The step mother did change the way she treated the kids after the divorce with becoming much more caring and making sure she pushed her way into their lives. But these kids are now in their late 20’s and 30’s so why can’t they see how much they hurt their only real living parent. They hated her when they were young and now she comes first even at the birth of grandchildren. It makes no sense to me. Thanks for reading I just want to help my husband understand his the their feelings.

Reply
Sue
January 6th, 2016 at 1:51 PM
I need some input, I’ve been married for 3yrs I have been with my husband for 5yrs. He has two grown boys 23 and 25 they live with mom. My husband has never had a good relationship with his boys I know this because the older son told me, I on the other hand have a great relationship with my two grown children as well as my grandkids. I’m so sick of going over to my father in laws house because all he ever does is intentionally call me by her name, just the other day he started talking about her again, and lately she has been going over to his house. I explained to my husband that his father offends me by that my husband yelled at me and said I’m jealous, I am not jealous I feel that his father is very rude. My marriage is suffering but my husband says I need to go with the flow. I don’t understand why he defends his dad and his ex.

Reply
Brian
March 5th, 2016 at 4:08 AM
Up until about 1 month ago, I was with who I thought was “The One”. We knew eachother in high school and met again later on Facebook. We started dating New Years Eve 2011/12. Her daughter was 10 months old at the time. I invited both of them to live with me shortly after and immediately fell in love with both of them. Her daughter’s father was a drug addict that was violent and never paid child support but I didn’t care. I lovedon’t them so much. I paid all bills, rent, everything for the next almost 5 years. I even bought her daughter 2 pairs of eyeglasses when we found out she needed them. I think of her as my daughter and she know me as Daddy. I’m the only father she’s ever known. I even made a letter from the tooth fairy with glitter and every thing for her loosing her first tooth when her mom just went to bed and didn’t want anything to do with it and recently started teaching her to pray for people she loves b4 bed. I miss her so much it hurts. My ex won’t even let me see her to give her her birthday present. She just turned 5 on the 21st. There should be some sort of law to where we can at least have supervised visits or something. Especially if there’s no history of violence, drug use or anything. Her mom and I never even argued. She left to go live her parents because she said she’s “not happy” but didn’t tell me why (which from my experience with women, usually means they’re cheating). But I don’t even care about that. I just miss her running into my arms when I get home and seeing that huge smile all the time. It’s not fair that I can’t do anything about this when I had an equal, if not greater, part in raising a beautiful, healthy little girl.

Reply
Brian
March 5th, 2016 at 4:18 AM
I was never even able to say goodbye. She took her and left one day when I was at work.

Reply
abby
May 19th, 2016 at 9:33 AM
i live with my mom but i want to leave to go live with my dads ex. am i allowed to do that?

Reply
E
May 19th, 2016 at 9:14 PM
Hi Abby, if you are under 18, there’s not much you can do. Your bio parents have legal rights to you and sounds like the courts granted custody to your mom. Depending on your age, you can request that you live with your bio father. My ex step son who is 16 is going through this exact thing and he doesn’t want to live with his father anymore and is requesting to live with his mom, he actually wants to live with me but he has a great relationship with his mom so that is what’s logically going to happen. I fortunately have a good relationship with my ex and I get to see him whenever I want. My only advice would be is to try and work it out with your mom. I’m sure there is still love in there somewhere.

Reply
J
June 4th, 2016 at 6:02 PM
I have a family member that lost her husband almost a year ago. They have a 3 year old child together. She started dating a guy 4 months after her husband died. The child is now being force to call the new guy daddy and his decease dad by daddy and his first name. I think its awful that she is forcing this on the child. I think its disrespectful to his true daddy and his family. However I do believe that if the child was old enough to call the new guy daddy on his own without being forced that is fine because the child is making the decision. How do you confront someone about this?

Reply
Nt
July 3rd, 2016 at 8:29 AM
Me and my partner split up about a month ago and for a couple of weeks he said I could have contact with his daughter. His daughter doesnt have a mum as she was taken away by social services as a baby. This poor little girl calls me mummy as ive been there from the day she came to live with her dad.
Two weeks ago he forgot to collect her from nursery so they contacted myself and I rang him to ask why he hadnt. This he said is my fault as i didnt remind him. (I text him to remind him that morning as i was at work, he chose not to read it) because he is angry and currently blaming me he has now stopped me seeing the little girl. Myself and my whole family are gutted. Everyone took her on as their own. Ive lost a child and my parents have lost a grandchild. I feel like this is my fault.
Im just stuck atm i know the best thing to do is inform social services that im no longer involved and cut ties. But im struggling. I feel like if i do im giving up on her. Ill cause more hurt to my family. Its going to far now, im struggling to sleep. If i do i have nightmares about losing someone.
I know i need to get out of this cycle. One minute being strong and the next breaking down and doubting my whole exsistance. Ive tried talking to my ex he really doesnt care. Ive tried talking to my family but its difficult as we arent a family that discuss feelings.
Does anyone have any advice on how losing a stepchild got easier?
Many thanks x

Reply
kiwichump
July 9th, 2016 at 8:21 PM
I was with my ex partner for 9 years. He was recently separated from his 2nd wife and they had a 2 and 1/2 year old son. He also has 3 older sons from his first marriage. For 9 year, the youngest boy spent every weekend with us and half of the school holidays. I taught him to swim and ride a bike, treated him like my son, drove 100 miles each week to pick him up, bought his clothes, etc. 18 months ago my partner announced that he wanted to have a menage a trois with his second wife. I refused, he threatened to leave me. I said we needed to go to counselling. He tricked me into staying at home looking after his son, claimed he was going away for 2 days to visit his older boys. He only spent one day there, then ended up in the OW’s bed. I was stuck at home with their son. I found out when one of the older boys phoned me looking for his dad who was supposed to be with him… We went to counselling for 9 months but he continued the affair behind my back, talking to her on our phone, from our home while I was away picking up their son every week, other times while I was looking after his 3rd oldest boy during school holidays too. He has now left me for the OW and I haven’t seen my youngest stepson for 10 weeks. He claims the boy doesn’t want to see me or come out here. He used to love this place. We raised him with the expectation that he would one day farm here. He wanted to be a farmer. Now I am left wondering if anything was ever real. How to maintain a relationship with this boy. I hate his mother for what she has done to me and to us. I have since found out that she broke up my ex-partner’s first marriage. He met her while he was studying away from his pregnant wife and 2 sons. He was boarding at her grandmother’s. I must admit I loathe that woman, her grandmother and her family for the way they supported my ex leaving his first wife and kids, and for what they have done to me. So I feel maintaining a relationship with the little boy is almost impossible, and maybe he feels that way too. My heart is broken by all these betrayals, maybe I am just a broken person now anyway. I have lost the love of my life and my family. I have no kids, we had 6 miscarriages together and I’ve had 9 in total. Maybe that’s why the boy doesn’t want to see me, I’m too broken. Or maybe he is being fed a lot of lies, just like I was.
I would like to hear what step children think of such a situation and if they feel I should try harder to stay in touch with the youngest boy. The 2 oldest are adults and I have a good relationship with them. The 3rd is 17, since his dad left me he doesn’t want to talk to me, although he was fine with me teaching him to drive and buying him a car this Christmas before the split.

Reply
RonniBee
August 22nd, 2016 at 12:58 PM
I’ve been with my husband 7 years. (Dated 2 years, married 5 years) He has grown stepchildren from a previous marriage. They were 8 and 10 years old when he married their mother and now they are 21 and 25. The oldest one is married now. The 21 year old is his “baby girl” and he states that he loves these kids more than his own life. More than anyone or anything in this world. They are his “babies”. My problem is he has refused to ever introduce them to me. (Side note: I have two children also. A boy and girl. They are the same age as his former step children. He refers to them as “your kids”.) About six months ago the former stepson showed up at the house because had just enrolled at a school 2 hours away. He was just getting back to the east coast from San Diego, just got out of the military, and his divorce had just gone through. My husband wanted to meet him at his school but the son insisted to come to our house because he wanted to get away from his new roommate for a while. This was the first time I’d seen, met or had a conversation with him. My husband immediately took him out to eat without inviting me and he took him to see his side of the family. When they got back I made sure he had snacks and drinks and I invited him to spend the night because it was storming and he did. I didnt see him the next morning. My husband said goodbye to him without letting me know he was leaving and I havent heard from him since. I’ve always had a problem with his relationship with the “his babies” only because I was excluded and they always come before me. He basically has a side family and it breaks my heart. He sends money occasionally, and communicates only through texts or facebook. His excuse for not including me has always been they live too far, never had the chance, “you resent them, why would I introduce them to someone who hates them”. He uses any excuse he can think of to keep me out of the loop. I keep this hurt and pain inside until I have an outburst every now and then. We’ve been to the pastor and he told my husband to immediately introduce me to these people. Husband tried to make an excuse but pastor told him BY ANY MEANS NECESSARY do it by phone, text, face time, letter, take a road trip, etc. but IMMEDIATELY. He couldn’t believe he had not done it already. (He’d told him before) My husband promised he would and that was 3 years ago. The pain I carry from day to day is unexplainable.

Reply
kiwichump
August 23rd, 2016 at 12:17 PM
Dear RonnieBee, I am sorry you are being treated this way. Frankly, it makes me very suspicious that your husband is hiding something very important from you. The question is whether you want to find out what is really going on or not. Is your husband secretive in other aspects of his life? I can’t believe that he knows this is hurting you, your pastor has told him more than once to introduce them and include you and he still won’t do it. It is disrespectful, unloving and cruel. I would brace myself for some even more painful discoveries about this husband, and start doing some serious investigation of the family’s finances, without telling him. My gut feel is you need to protect yourself. I sincerely hope I am wrong about this, but I also sincerely doubt it. Again I am sorry you are treated like this and I hope you have someone close you can confide in and who supports you. Take care, Kiwichump

Reply
Val
September 26th, 2016 at 6:31 AM
My fiancé of 16 years and I are about to get married in six weeks and he still wants his ex to be involved in his seven-year-old sons life she is not the biological mother she’s the stepmother. I am uncomfortable with this because It is starting confusion between us. I’ve noticed that each time she has him on the weekend he come back disrespectful to his dad. His Son is seven years old. This is not because of him and I this is been going on for quite a while.

Reply
Amelie
October 4th, 2016 at 8:36 AM
I’m glad I came across this website, reading peoples comments and seeing that some of you are in the same situation as me, makes me feel a lot less guilty! Basically, cut a long story short, I met my fiancé in September last year, he told me he had one little boy from a previous relationship. Then 3 months into our relationship, told me that he also pays for/sees his ex’s son who is 8 years old, who calls my partner daddy and has never been told that he isn’t in fact his biological father. I thought it was weird anyway, and then started to question why we should be £££’s worse off each month to pay for a child that is neither of ours. Me and my partner had already booked our wedding for 2018, however, I don’t think I can deal with the fact that he still sees a kid that is actually nothing at all to do with him. My partner knows exactly how I feel about the whole situation, and that I have no interest whatsoever in playing happy families with a kid that is neither of ours. I just don’t know what to do anymore. I understand it isn’t the child’s fault but I don’t understand why my partner feels that he has to provide and be there for his ex’s son.

Reply
jackie
October 4th, 2016 at 10:43 PM
I am the mom of a 15 year old girl. Her Dad and I divorced when she was three. Her Dad remarried when she was about 11 and then divorced her three years later. My daughter grew attached to her. Her Dad does everything she wants and essentially rekindled bonds. Now I hear she is sleeping over again. My daughter hated their divorce (she says she does not remember ours because she was three). I can’t believe these two people are doing this around my daughter – as if she hasn’t been through enough. I feel powerless. He does not listen to me and won’t change. Help.

Reply
ananimis
October 21st, 2016 at 1:37 PM
I have a family member who’s been married 5 times. She’s newly married, a little over a year. She tries to keep in touch with her old stepson, last marriage. I think it’s disgusting. She left the child’s father high and dry after he found out he had a life altering illness. I think she should steer clear of this child and let them eventually forget her. They weren’t married long. I’d say less than 5 years. Her new man should put a stop to it or kick her to the curb. She only marries them, when she thinks they have lots of money. When that runs out, she’s on to the next. I wish thase guys would steer clear of her. She always plays the victim card like it’s their fault. The first she married cause she was pregnant. Second one she cheated on the first one with. Third one was gay. Fourth she thought was rich and left him when the money ran out and he became sick and she left. The fifth is a drunk. Well she is too, so I guess they are a perfect fit! To make a long story short she should stay away from the ex’s family. They have enough to deal with. They are good people, quit using them. If you’re not happy with the fifth, stop getting married!

Reply
Leo
October 23rd, 2016 at 12:09 AM
My current situation is a little diffrent from some I’ve been reading but I need some advice. I got married at 19 had a child at 21 and we divorced at 22. We were young and should have waited. He had no contact with our daughter for the almost 5 years we were apart and I told her that he wasn’t ready to be a dad because I didn’t want to talk bad about him and ruin any chance of a relationship later. The whole time we were apart his mother and I remained friends she visited us every year at her own expense(she lived 1400 miles away) for a week. For just shy of three years he dated a women with children and ended up having a child with her. She(the women) freaked out and threatened to kill her children and ended up in the physic ward and losing her 4 children. He and I decided to work things out after 5 years and a lot of growing up our daughter was super happy. We moved up with him and his other daughter. Most figure I’d have a problem with her but I don’t she is an amazing child that I adore. The now ex and his youngests mother got help and visitation with her children back so the baby has regular contact with her other 3 siblings and mother. Our problem starts with his mother she has decided that she won’t see my daughter(her biological granddaughter) unless the other 3 children are there. I am not ok with this because the first time my daughter meet these children they told her that this was their family and she needed to leave because she does not belong there. They were mean and hateful and it broke my 6 year olds heart. My daughter didn’t even know they existed because I didn’t know how to tell my young child that the father that wasn’t ready to be a dad was raising three other children. I know that is on me but now my “mother in law” has decided that all the family events are reserved for them and she will fit in my daughter who she barely saw even through we now live five mins from her between them. She says I gave her an ultimatum and I didn’t I asked that she not keep putting them together because the psychological damage it does to my daughter every time she has done it behind my back. Holidays are now expressly for them because she says they need love more than my daughter does. Those children have bio grandparents and have both parents back their mother had given them several sets of step grandparents and is already on her way to giving them another. They have a family but my daughters just decided she wasn’t important enough. Am I wrong for telling her that if that’s how she wants it that she wouldn’t see my daughter at all? I don’t feel like my daughter should be an afterthought that you fit in.

Reply
Timmy
April 9th, 2017 at 12:23 PM
Honestly, if you have never been married, never cohabited and have no child of your own, do yourself a favour of doing everything possible to also marry someone who has never cohabited, being married or have children with someone else. Then also make sure its your one and only marriage in life. Nothing beats the bible standard of one man and one woman starting the journey of marriage on a clean slate and be till death do them part…..To all who have made the mistake, I pray God will give you wisdom to tackle issues on this journey.

Reply
Timmy
April 9th, 2017 at 12:26 PM
*Then also make sure its your one and only marriage in life ( I mean provided you don’t loose your spouse to death before you become old)

Reply
Sheree
April 28th, 2017 at 7:38 AM
What do you do when you want to continue the relationship with your step-father, who came in to your life as a child and was more of a father than my bio father, after he had an affair on my mom. My mom feels like I should have nothing to do with the new wife because of the affair. This situation is even harder because they live in another state so when they come to town how can I ask him to leave her somewhere so we can see him? He was also my children’s grandpa and they love him so much, but we all feel stuck in the middle because we will hurt my mom which is their grandma. I have no idea what to do. This has been going on for 6+ years now.

Reply
cyanna
August 4th, 2017 at 2:50 PM
sheree, if you ever get to read this: 6 years is a very long time. Have you seen him at all in this time? How do you feel about the new wife? Has he made an effort to see you or your children? You might have to face some hard truths here if the answers to the above are mostly negative. If they aren’t then you might still be able to take the bull by the horns and
1. you need to talk to your mom. You need to tell her that this is not about her, it’s about you. Your step father cheated on her, not on you. While it was morally wrong, you still see him as a father. If need be remind her that she is the one who brought him into your life and expected you to accept him as a father figure. For you this is no different than her divorce from your bio dad when they divorced each other not you.
2. You need to talk to your step dad. While what he did was between your mother and him, there are hurt feelings involved. Ask him if he would visit even if only for a couple of hours without her. Then it’s up to him. Sadly enough he might be under pressure from his new wife and might not be able to do that, but it’s not wrong to let him know that it’s also up to him to make an effort and find a solution.

Reply
Michelle
August 14th, 2017 at 8:23 PM
I recently reuinted with an ex boyfriend whom I deeply loved. We dated for 2.5 years seven years ago, when he
had two daughters, 6 and 8 years and two step-kids by the girls mom, who were about 10 and 12 at the time. During our time apart, I had a three year relationship but no marriages. He was married for 18 months to a promiscuous flight attendant with two daughters of her own (dad has full custody). We reunited and planned to spend the rest of our lives together, looking at houses, schools, making plans etc. Then the bomb dropped. His eldest (I absolutely love his girls) told me the truth: the oldest step-kid of 1st ex wife is a drug dealer, the second became a promiscuous drop-out, and one of the 2nd ex-wife’s kids is a “cutter” under psychiatric care. There is NO WAY that I as a single mom of two healthy, adjusted, wonderful girls with no emotional problems, would ever be able to bring my girls into such a mess. His daughters, absolutely, but to subject my kids not only to two new step-siblings (his girls) plus FOUR EX-STEP SIBLINGS via two different ex-wives is never going to happen. I gave him a choice, told him I loved him deeply. He cannot give up the unhealthy relationships between his girls and the cutter, addict and drop-out. So he left me. Good riddance, thank goodness I had my mom head on straight and never let my girls meet them. Collecting FOUR ex-step kids from TWO ex-wives is a bit much for any good woman. Even if they were good kids, but as messed up as they are? No way was I signing on to be a 3rd wife to my 2 girls, his 2 girls and 4 messed up ex step-kids. So I lost his girls again possibly forever. I’ll send them birthday cards but he tends to collect addresses the way he does step-kids so not sure for how long but at least his girls know that I did not leave them and I loved them. So everyone on here, PLEASE, think of your future partner when you try and collect all these ex-step situations. In my case, it cost me the love of my life. I’m pretty sure my boyfriend paid the same price.

Reply
Mo
September 11th, 2017 at 7:01 AM
My daughter at 17 went off with a widow of 37 and a 7 year old boy and then married him. He took her out 2 days after wife’s funeral She then had 2children with him before he had an affaire with another 17 year old. By this time the boy was 18 and going to university. He left with his father they divorced and he moved in with new girlfriend . The boy was not nice to my daughter at first but soon realised what his father was like. 15 years ha e now gone by my daughter had 2 children with him and he has had another two young ones with present girlfriend.
Stepson has now married and has two children of his own.
My daughter has never met anyone and since stepson has had these children she seems to be scoring points over the children…..I buy the small. Ith day and Christmas presents but she goes really over the top… They call her nanny and she acts as though they are really hers. Her own daughter sYs she hope she. Loves her children more as she will be their real nanny.
I feel no connection to these children as find it very strange to Herat my daughter called nanny by them there are pictures of them all over her house but really find this is to score points of her ex husband……the real grandfather will be told to come see the children on their birthdays but to leave early as my daughter is coming. He still sees his son and helps with whatever he is asked but the son and his wife don’t feel he does enough for them. But he has now two youngsters of his own..
I wish she would step back as I don’t think it is doing any good she needs to get over him

Reply
Kyle
October 22nd, 2017 at 4:05 PM
I don’t have any kind of relationship with my step siblings. I only see them during the holidays (Thanksgiving & Xmas) so it wouldn’t really make a difference if my mother & stepfather got a divorce.

Reply
MHall
October 25th, 2017 at 2:15 PM
Being a stepmom was the best thing I ever received and due to the court and a HCBM we had to sign our rights away to ensure the children were no longer used as weapons. I have started a blog which helps me cope with the loss. I hope to start a podcast soon. My prayer to be honest is that they will someday choose to google themselves and find my blog and see that their dad and I never forgot about them.

Reply
LM
November 10th, 2018 at 12:15 PM
Hi, I completely understand. I have been a step mom to my son for his entire life. 10 years. My husband his father passed away and since that day I have been unable to have contact with him due to his biological mother. I am heartbroken. At this point he is 11 years old. I am hoping as you are that he will contact me when he can. The two of us love each other so very much.

Reply
James L.
March 4th, 2018 at 5:54 AM
I am divorced and have an adult son who has 2 children. My wife is divorced and has an adult daughter with 4 children. All the children are our grandkids. What is the relationship between the 2 sets of grandkids to each other?

Reply
Kelly
March 6th, 2018 at 10:20 AM
so i have the similar issue going on, my soon to be ex husband and i were together for a long time, and coming into the relationship i knew that he has a daughter and i was okay with that, the birth mother was not in the picture so he had full custody, well she became on of my own and we share an amazing bond just like any other parent would with their child, mind you when i got together with him she was a little over a year old, she is now 15 and him and i are going through a divorce, despite all the years her and i have of me being mommy he is forcing her to stay out of contact with me, even though she has expressed to him that i am her mommy, is there anything i can do about this? i am not sure of any laws in maryland or anything and im not sure where to even start

Reply
Noor
December 9th, 2018 at 12:30 AM
This is exactly what I am struggling with and was looking for advice for. Any good support groups like this?
I’ve been divorced 2 years. Separated 2.5. We were married for 15. He had a child, I had a child and we had a child together.
He was not active in his child’s life but we went to court and fought visitation, every other weekend with overnights and a few weeks during the summer from the age of 4 years old til he was 19, It was a long process but very important to all of us. I accepted him as my own even though it was not what I pictured. My stepson’s bio mom was difficult. Most communication through her mom (Grandmother) and I was told to not call. I respected both the mom and my ex to distance myself, I wasn’t trying to be his mom. I felt important to have his Dad in his life and be part of his siblings life. I was always kind, loving, giving and included him as much as I could but with that being said he was a picky child that Dad made sure to accommodate and rules were different when he was at our home. The other kids noticed. Holidays were difficult because we were on a budget and I did my best for all 3 kids but when my stepson went home to another Christmas, he never went without. I did buy my kids more to open at my family’s after he went home Christmas afternoon. I think my ex wanted to spoil his son to show off to her family. Either way it was lose lose because the kids would be disappointed or my ex would be and I did what I rationalized was best. I thought it was fair. I would not have stopped my ex from going and buying whatever he wanted but he left that up to me to do. Moving on…Now he is 21, out of high school, working and hates his Dad. Told his siblings that Dad was never the Father he needed or wanted. I’ve only seen him 3 times in the last 2.5 years. I invited him for Christmas the first year and he wanted to bring his girlfriend and my ex came wanting to search for things we could gift her…on 2 hours notice. Again I did my best because I love seeing everyone together. Then he was starting to hang with my oldest son and told my son he never felt comfortable here. I just shook my head when my son told me because I did what I could. I loved him and still do. I’ve told him he is still part of my family and welcome anytime. My door is open but I don’t see him coming back. It really is heartbreaking. Is there a way for me to be in his life or have I lost this battle?
I have 2 other kids that need me and I know they need their Dad. My son was 4 when my ex came into his life and the only man he knew as his Dad. My ex adopted him and has his last name. My son doesn’t know he isn’t his biological Father. There was never a good time or the need to have the conversation as the real bio Dad wanted nothing to do with him. And then when we separated it was the summer to his senior year. He was a little angry saying it was just a phase and then said he wished we had waited til he graduated but accepted the divorce when it was final. I kept him busy doing all the Senior stuff and getting ready for college. Dad was coming around a little. He didn’t miss the big events. We get him living on campus and Dad barely texts him. Won’t answer calls. My son is angry again. And I don’t know how to make it better when he calls him out for the stuff that he is doing (blowing them off, making excuses, not showing up when he does make plans, not bringing them to social/family functions). Harder to excuse the ex’s bad behaviors when the kid is 19 but don’t want to talk bad about him either. Now my dilemma with my son is I do tell him the truth about being adopted? My ex threatened me in a fight that he should tell him and when I confronted my ex about it at a later time saying why would you he said because it would hurt me and I said do you want to hurt our son? It hasn’t been brought up again. we did have a heated discussion about $ because my son told me Dad said that I should be depositing $50 into my son’s bank account every week since my ex paid support. My ex doesn’t pay any support. He wanted me to agree to this lie because he feels bad because he doesn’t have anything to give my son when he calls asking for rides or money. IDK what my ex thinks but my son knows I don’t get support. So there is no lie to be told and I send my son money when he needs it. Which isn’t too often since he got a part time job near his school. He is a good kid, with a good heart and I want him to be happy. So if anyone had the answers and can offer some good therapy I would appreciate it very much.
And the child we share. He is 15 now. VERY angry. getting himself in trouble and I’m sure acting is out has a lot to do with the divorce but more feeling abandoned since Dad has a new life with his new girlfriend that he has been living with for the past 2 years. I am working with the school and therapists to help him get through this time. He pushes his Dad away and they fight when together. I continue to support them working on their relationship because that is his Dad. But until Dad puts in the effort and shows his kid he wants him I don’t think anything will change. Time will tell.
Thank you for reading my novel. I really would appreciate advice, guidance or direction towards some good online groups.

Reply
Meshelle
February 17th, 2020 at 10:04 PM
I am recently remarried to a man who has no biological children of his own, but raised his ex wife 4 children. 1 of those children he thought was his child only to find out it was not and 1 of the many reasons they divorced. We have been together for 6 years and he stopped all contact with the children on his own decision. He recently ran into 1 of the children and has been seeing them again. He now wants to resume these relationships again and wants my support. We are still newlywed and I really DO NOT want any parts of this. I have 3 children and he has been real hands off with them not wanting to have much of a relationship with my children, but want me to be open and jolly about his re connection to his ex wife’s children. I honestly am hurt and confused as to what this means for our relationship, I don’t want to stop him, but I also feel betrayed in a way. this may be totally selfish and unfair but it’s my truth. The ex step children are 19, 22, 24, and 26. They have their mother and they now know who there real fathers are, there really is no need for him to be involved besides that he thinks of them as his kids I guess. Either way I think its going to be a problem for me as I see how he acts toward my children, and how he speaks of his step children with his ex.
Should I be okay with this as the new wife? I did not sign up for playing step mom to children from a woman that I despise.

Reply
cyanna
February 18th, 2020 at 9:38 AM
If we start from the end of your comment:
– “a woman that I despise” What has she done to you? Your current husband has divorced her and married you. It might be easier said than done, but all you can do is park your jealousy behind a mask of infallible politeness. You don’t have to have any contact with her other than occasionally informing your husband if she has called – you don’t take messages, just let him know she called – or saying hello at some family gathering then moving on to have your conversations with somebody else.
– “I did not sign up for playing step mom” : but you expect your husband to play step dad? How is that fair?
– “and how he speaks of his step children with his ex”: That is none of your business. As long as their only contact is about the children. And I can’t say this strongly enough: you have not single word to say about his children or how he behaves towards them, unless they are words of praise or gently pointing out if those relationships are impacting your home life in any practical way (takes him away from home, expenses…) When it comes to any negative feelings vent on a forum or with your girlfriends. Remember: infallible politeness.
– “They have their mother and they now know who there real fathers are” Don’t yours? And yet you are disappointed that he isn’t more involved with your children. If he thinks of them as his children and has taken a step back when he was angry at their mother, this is a chance for him to rekindle the relationship with them. Be very wary of getting in the way of that.
– “I have 3 children and he has been real hands off with them not wanting to have much of a relationship with my children,” Given his previous experience can you blame him? He has raised four kids and lost them when he divorced their mother. It would take a very brave man to dare put himself in the same position again.
– ” We are still newlywed and I really DO NOT want any parts of this” You have been together for six years. I can appreciate that you don’t want any part of this and maybe feel deceived as he had cut off contact with his other step children, but that is who you married. Him and his past. Have you ever talked to him about how it felt to loose contact with his children?
If you have read so far, here is a glimmer of hope: Those are adult children. They don’t need daily attention. They have had their step dad waltz in and out and back into their lives so their feelings about him are not cut and dry. Once they get reassurance that they were not just cast away…as you said they already have a mom and fathers. They will soon enough have their own families. The relationship with your husband is likely to fall further down the list of priorities. Take the long view. And a deep breath. And vent about this anywhere else but at home.

Reply
Eric
June 14th, 2020 at 12:43 PM
Losing stepkids, or in my case step-grandkids, is a pain akin to grieving the death of a loved one. My wife of 13 years found another man when I was in treatment for cancer. I understand where her mind was. She thought I was terminally ill and didn’t expect me to recover, and she probably felt she needed someone to take care of her and found herself in the arms of another man. Infidelity is something I just can’t get around because of the trust that has been broken. In divorcing her, I’m losing nine step-grandkids, five who lived with us, and three step-daughters. The most painful part is losing a step-grandson who has lived with us since the day he came home from the hospital after his birth seven years ago. I’ve loved him as if he were my own son and even have co-guardianship of him with my ex-wife. Where I live, that will all be dissolved when the divorce is final since I am not a blood relative and don’t live in the home or even the same county. It is extremely unlikely that I will ever be allowed to see him again, especially since his mother has moved into the home with my ex-wife now that I’m not living there. There are times when the pain is barely tolerable. I can’t imagine what he must be going through. I know he must feel abandoned and, knowing how the family doesn’t refrain from talking in front if kids, he’s probably hearing a lot of negatives about me. He must be so confused. I miss him so much. I know that the pain will dull with time, but how much time? Right now, it feels like a chunk of my soul has been ripped out.

Reply
Jason
June 20th, 2021 at 5:08 AM
I helped raise 3 stepdaughters for nearly 20 years. After the divorce was final, my middle stepdaughter let me move into her apartment until I was able to find a place of my own. We were both in a “rut” as far as dating was concerned. Out of a mental and physical Need, we started having sex. During a particularly passionate evening, she admitted that she thought of me sexually as young teen. To this day even though we are in new relationships, Casey and I get “together” about once a month for “sexual healing”. It’s amazing. Her mother is aware, and isn’t happy about it.

Reply
M
July 2nd, 2021 at 2:31 PM
Unfortunately, like all articles pertaining to
This subject, the author doesn’t answer the actual question. They Just go on and on. In summery the answer is “It’s up to you”. Not the answer most of us are looking for.

Reply
cyanna
July 4th, 2021 at 6:48 PM
Hi M,
Unfortunately, there cannot be a universal answer. If you read through the comments, you will see that families and circumstances are incredibly diverse. There is a post a few posts up of someone who expects her new husband to be a step dad to her children but resents him wanting to maintain contact with the step children from a previous relationship. There is a rather disturbing post about a continued relationship just above yours.
Those coming to this forum are most likely those who would like to maintain a relationship and many speak of the pain of being robbed of the emotional bond they had formed with the step children or even grandchildren. Few speak of the responsibilities that would come with such continued relationship.
I know nothing of your particular circumstances and most importantly I don’t know why you felt you needed advice on whether to continue a step relationship or not. Are you an ex step parent uncertain if it’s the right thing to do? Are you the bio parent wondering whether you should allow the step parent continued visitation rights?
For what is worth, I think in most cases it is cruel to rob a child of one of the adults that child had come to see as a parent. And yet even for biological relationships the courts are full of custody battles. In many countries and states there are also options for a step parent to petition the courts for visitation rights.
If you are an ex-step parent, how hard are you prepared to fight? Are you willing to continue to provide maintenance support for the child? What happens if you get married again and there are more children involved?
If you are the biological parent: especially if the child viewed your former spouse as a parent, what would be best for your child?

Reply
Allen
December 28th, 2023 at 12:59 PM
This is a long thread. And I appreciate all the comments on this subject. My wife and I divorced after 18 years of marriage in 2022. I met my stepkids ages 6 and 9 when we began dating, Things were difficult as a blended family. The kids rejected their new school district, home, in some ways, me as stepdad over the years. With the way our breakup took shape, the fragile bond between us that had somewhat healed was deeply and altogether severed. I was uninvited to my stepdaughter’s wedding, the shower we were to host at the family home was canceled, I missed the birth of my step-grandbaby… and now a year since divorce, there was no contact, cards, or well-wishing from the stepchildren, for the holidays. I was deeply saddened. But the daughter my wife and I had together, who is now 18, spends regular time with her half-brother and half-sister, and I worry they are going to pull her away from me. Yes, like other stories here, it’s complicated, but I’ve had to put up boundaries and did not send gifts, cards, texts, or messages this Christmas, which is out of character for me. I’m trying to have a healthy relationship with my daughter, meanwhile, grapple with the reality I may eventually no longer know the stepkids or my ex. Filled with sadness, and not sure how to communicate the love I still have for the three of them. I appreciate any feedback.

Reply

show more comments

By commenting you acknowledge acceptance of GoodTherapy.org's Terms and Conditions of Use.

Search Our Blog

Notice to users

GoodTherapy is not intended to be a substitute for professional advice, diagnosis, medical treatment, or therapy. Always seek the advice of your physician or qualified mental health provider with any questions you may have regarding any mental health symptom or medical condition. Never disregard professional psychological or medical advice nor delay in seeking professional advice or treatment because of something you have read on GoodTherapy.

Should Step-Relationships Be Maintained After Divorce?

Read More

Isabelle

David

Mark

kiwichump

Melissa

mason

Danielle

Stan

DARIUS

Layla

ruth

V.X

stressmom

Chris

Caring

R

Robin

Vicki

Cathie

Sarah

Vicki

Heartbroken

zozo

Trina

Cat

Troy

Cathie

Crystal

Deborah

Lillian

L

tammy

NeedAdviceNow

Ron

Cathie

Devastated

Wildflower

I don't knw

Sofie

Tiara

Elizabeth

Alana

Cathie

Denise

scared4kids

Alana

Lara

Cindy

Sara

Monica

L

devistated

Misty

Judi

Judi

priya

L

Sadden Situation

Tiara

Mel

inquestion

Tammy

Brook

Rose

Rachel

YVETTE R

Joanne

Sam

Jen

Dan

Paula Mari P

Tim

Megan

Rachel

Brittany

Marlene

Julie

Elle