Reply #17: Sounds like my mother. [View All]

Only, we call her The Queen. She cannot tolerate another female in her world, unless she completely humiliates and breaks them. Imagine being a teenage girl with THAT.

She treated my brother's wife just as badly, and she broke up his marriage. Now, she is working on giving all the grief she can to his three girls. She called me the other day, crying in her beer because none of them will have anything to do with her. I told her why, and I did it in a nice way. Of course my dad, completely co-dependent, called me back and tried to find a way to blame me for the "argument." I would not back down, or let him assign blame.

Even after 12 years of counseling, my brother has a hard time standing up to her. She wrecked his life! I have never let her get close to my marriage or children. We have a superficial relationship, and it will never be anything else. My kids are old enough now to understand why.

I am sorry, Tyler. Your SO sounds like she tried, and so did you. I hope the bad feeling does not linger too long. Someday, you and your daughter will be able to mend fences. I know other kids who resented a step-parent, but later came to appreciate them. I hope things improve soon.