Her son is oppositional and ruining our relationship…

by Rod Smith

“My partner and I live in a home we bought together in July 05, with her little girl of 9 at the time. A year later her 13 year old son, now 14 who has been living with his father for the last five years, asked if he could move in with us because he was failing school and wanted our help. What a mistake. He ADHD with what I would consider oppositional defiant behaviors. He passive aggressively challenges me when I call him on his nonsense. He stares at me as if I’m supposed to back down. This little terrorist has taken over home, is still failing at school and his mother has told me that she would move out instead of have him move back to his dad’s house. I asked her specifically before we moved if she would ever let him move in. She was adamant she would not. I should have never agreed to let this him move in. Kids like this will ruin a relationship in a heartbeat.”

Sir, you might have a whole lot more room to exercise your wishes if you were married to the child’s mother. Until then, the boy will have more say than you do. He needs help from you – not your defiant attitude.

12 Comments to “Her son is oppositional and ruining our relationship…”

  1. tobeme's avatar

    When you are with a partner who has children, the children come as part of the package and all of the joys and tribulations that come with them.
    One of the key elements to success is to ensure that you and the childs mother are always on the same page, even if you disagree, you do it behind closed doors, in front of the child you are always united. This will help to remove the power from the child.
    The other thing you must do, as Rod stated, is to get off the defensive, step up and figure out how you can help this child. Believe me, this child wants help. Remember, you are the adult, this is not a time to selfish, stomp your feet and demand to get your way. You will have to change your mindset.

  2. mssuicidebomber's avatar

    I agree this boy is screaming for your help, especially in the midst of his defiance. If you cannot empathize with him, you are doing more harm than good by taking the stance that he is the problem. You are the adult and therefore have access to more coping skills than he is capable of comprehending.

  3. Daniel's avatar

    I can’t believe everything I’m reading here. NO accountability for the boy and his actions. That is what is wrong with society…no limits at home lead to no limits in society. I’ve been in law enforcement for over 15 years and I have seen the product of making excuses for children’s negative behaviors. The ADHD diagnosis is understandable and there should be some empathy when dealing with negative behavior but when is enough enough? When his stare downs turn to physical altercations? Quit making excuses for the kids people and make them accountable for their misdeeds or else the criminal justice system will!

  4. Richie's avatar

    Agreed the kids come first, if you marry someone you should just agree you accept the whole package. The situation is difficult. Dad may need to get busy and take up some form of sport or activity like gardening and show by example. Maybe some day the son will ask to go garden with him or go jogging with him. If not, so be it. Truth is truth, and hopefully worse will not come to worse and this boy will not / did not end up acting out in the family or within society in such a way as to have to come to the attention of the authorities.

  5. craig's avatar

    hang on I partially agree with rod smith here,if his wife agreed he would not move in then you cant help sympathising with this guy, I am in a similar relationship with two step sons, one an argumentative,un appreciative spoilt brat who has no respect for anyone not even his own mother, think you should all experience at first hand what the experience is like before critising this man. I am however looking at seeking help as I am in love with my partner but having a similal situation I understand how rod feels, terrorist is a good word , how hard you try to understand and work with him he chucks it back in your face!good luck

  6. Unknown's avatar

    What does being marriage have to do with the situation, Rod? Let’s keep society and its institutions out of this legitimate dilemma.

  7. T. Johnson's avatar

    I am the person who wrote the original post, not Rod Smith. I should have qualified the original statement by saying that I am in a same sex relationship; we are both women. The boy is now 15 and will be 16 in November. Not much has changed. He’s managed not to fail school, but at the same time his disrespectful attitude and mouth still remain active. Some specifics on these events may be helpful to any readers of this. When the question of moving in was posed to her by then 13 year old son, it was late May 2006 and his father would later tell my partner, “he’ll be leaving her in late July to move in”. There was no discussion on either part and although I expressed my concerns over this as well as reminding her that I did not want to live with this child, I was basically forced into this situation without any consideration at all. I have no idea why she didn’t have any discussion with him other than the fact that she retained main custody. I do not blame her for not knowing what this child would do or for her allowing him to move back in. I just did not care for the fact that the father didn’t bother to discuss this issue with either her or me knowing that a non parent would have to be involved. It was as if once he said the magic words “he’ll be moving in with you”, my partner didn’t question it at all and frankly I’ve never understood or agreed with that.

    He’s been here for 24 months. And it’s been a roller coaster of the kind I wouldn’t wish on anyone. The first few months he absolutley refused to do anything she said regarding school and homework. He defied her at every turn. The first year he was suspended from school several times, nearly failed school, and what has been an ongoing pattern for 18 of those months has been a never ending quest to battle, put down and insult his mother ever since moving in. What has also continued are the battles over curfews and his disrectful mouth. She spent a $1000 sending him to a two week camp to enjoy himself and when he returned yesterday, all he wanted to do was go to his friends and demanded that his mother give him a ride. When that didn’t work, he wanted to go to his fathers. She told him, “you were gone for two weeks” and no sooner did she say that, he said, “and I had to come home to you”. Such a little darling.

    I’ve made it no secret that I want him to move back, but his mother won’t have any part of that since the kid failed school under the dad’s watch twice.

    He has said of my partner, that she’s worthless, pathetic, a loser and an embarrasment. He has said of me that I’m a mental case. He only says these things to her and myself all the while he is completely polite and respectful to everyone else. Before you ask, yes he’s in counseling and takes ADHD meds. He constantly struggles to control her and when he doesnt’ get his way, out come the put downs. He told her he did not want to spend last xmas with us and didn’t. He went to his father’s. Frankly I wouldn’t have gotten him anything for xmas let alone wrapped the presents and the things I did get him, I did not give to him. She on the other hand got him very nice clothes and even wrapped them. It was after New Years that he even opened them. He was more interested in the play station portable that his father got him than anything he got here.

    My opinion of the reasons he moved in here is that he sees his mother as a source of wealth that he can tap into; but its failed because he doesn’t get many the things he wants. That in his mind makes her all the things mentioned above. His father on the other hand makes far less money is far less educated (10th grade) and is his role model. He treats his son equal to himself and this carries over here in this house when this kid attempts to place himself in a position above his mother.

    His father can’t buy him things because they don’t have the money. He resented his mother getting child support (she’s the custodial parent) because his father ‘can’t afford it’. The truth is that his father doesn’t manage money well. He’d rather buy an $800 hunting license than pay for his son’s ADHD meds.

    But I digress. My issue here is that I’ve reached my limitations living with this kid. I’m 50. I don’t have children of my own, never been with anyone else who has, and although I”m close to the daughter, I can’t stand living with this kid and hearing his constant put downs of his mother. I’ve tried to in the past talk this over in therapy sessions, but I’m to the point that I just can’t take living with this kid any longer. I have nothing to look forward to when his mother tells me that he won’t graduate HS until he’s 20 because he failed school twice living with his father; and that each school year he’s going to act like an ass. At 50 years of age, this is not what I had in mind for my gearing it down years. My partner is 36. And even if he lives with her another 4 years, she’ll only be 40 when that nightmare ends. Not me, I’ll be 54 years old. And I can’t bear that thought.

    His mother understands that but it shatters her world on two counts. One, she doesn’t feel she can call his father and have the child return to live with him. She won’t even entertain calling him to ask even though the kid lived there for five years. Two; she knows this means her moving out which she can’t fathom doing. Why should she have to ruin her life for a kid who is, yes, using her and who had no interest in living with her until he realized he could get in on this ‘action’. I know this comment may not go over well, but I also know that this kid isn’t stupid. He’s being groomed by his father to be sexist and he, to me is clearly using his mother. This is a total no win situation. I finally told her yesterday that I can’t live with this kid in my house that I pay big bucks for any longer. I obsess over when the next blow out will take place with his mouth. She asked “what do you want me to do?” I said, at this point it’s up to you. I just don’t want to live with him anymore. Either you call his dad or make arrangments to move. I just can’t live with this kid. She cried all day.

    I don’t know what to do. I don’t want to lose my relationship with my partner or her daughter, but this boy ruins everything we have together.

    • hello_kitty82's avatar

      I AM IN A SAME SEX RELATIONSHIP AS WELL AND I AM HAVING A BIT OF THE SAME PROBLEMS…MY PARTNER HAS A 2 YR OLD DAUGHTER AND SHE HAS COMPLETELY LOST CONTROL OF HER CHILD..SHE BITES MY PARTNER, SLAPS HER IN THE FACE AND MOUTH, SHE KICKS, FALLS OUT IN THE FLOOR WHEN WE ARE PUBLIC AND SCREAMS AND CRIES TO THE POINT WHERE I HATE TO GO OUT IN PUBLIC WITH EITHER OF THEM!!! SHE IS NOT NOT POTTY TRAINED, AND WHEN I TRY TO DO SO, HER MOM LETS HER GET OFF THE POTTY AND DO WHATEVER SHE WANTS WHENEVER SHE WANTS!! I TRY TO PUT THE 2 YR OLD ON A SCHEDULED BEDTIME OF 9PM, BUT WHEN HER MOM IS HOME, SHE IS UP SOMETIMES UNTIL 11 OR 12 AT NIGHT!! ME AND MY PARTNER HAVE GOTTEN INTO COUNTLESS ARGUMENTS ABOUT THIS AND HOW SHE LETS HER DAUGHTER RUN OUR HOME AND RELATIONSHIP, BUT SHE DOES NOT THINK ANYTHING IS WRONG!! WE CANT HAVE 2 MINUTES ALONE WITHOUT HER CHILD COMING AND BITING HER ON THE LEGS TO GET HER AWAY FROM ME!! ITS LIKE THE CHILD IS JEALOUS AND WANTS ME TO LEAVE HER MOM!! AM I CRAZY? I KEEP TELLING HER THAT IF THINGS DONT CHANGE SOON FOR THE BETTER, I AM LEAVING..I CANT DEAL WITH A DISOBEDIENT CHILD AND A PARENT WHO WONT DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT…WHAT WOULD YOU DO?

  8. Rod Smith's avatar

    …. thanks for making so much, so much clearer….. I encourage you to send me an email and that we talk on the phone sometime….

    Rod Smith

  9. nanaspez's avatar

    Living in a negative atmosphere is truly unhealthy for all of you. Has mom and son tried family counseling together? Is there anything he really likes to do that maybe he and YOU could take up together? Maybe go to a go-cart place and race each other? Also, is there maybe a trade he could take up, since is sounds like he won’t be going to college straight out of High School. Take an interest in something he likes. Even if you don’t like it. He defiantly is showing hurt on his part. He sounds as though he is mad at mom for the divorce. Does that give him the right to be say hurtful things or treat you two like sh*t? NO, he needs to own up to his behavior but at the same time, you can’t just walk out until you have tried everything to save the relationship between you and your partner.
    I do realize that the emotional roller coaster is not only emotional but physically draining as well. I wish you all the best.

  10. Unknown's avatar

    What does marriage have to do with it. They bought the house together so it’s just as much the step-parents house as it is the parents. The parent agreed befor they purchased the house together her son would not ever live with them. (lied) A step-parent even when not married is an adult of the home and deserves to be treated with respect from the child and the parent. The parent should support the step-parent in disiplineing the child.

  11. Unknown's avatar

    Sir, let me start by saying I’m in the same problem as you, but on the opposite side. I’m 14. I think a guy like you has some major issues. Remember that’s his mom. You’re some stranger trying to call the shots. I stare down my step-dad all the time. I’m sure I could beat him up too, although in your case, you could probably do a number on him. I won’t lie. I started writing to rip you apart, but I really want to help. Just give the kid space. Let the mom do the parenting. Be his friend. When the time is right he will respect you on his own. I would. But it’ll take some time. FYI you’re not right!

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