I’m having a hard time with my husband’s kids (ages 13 and 14). The girl does not want to go anywhere on the weekends and will invent these crazy reasons to not go somewhere. She gets extremely vocal and loud if we try to make her go to a place that doesn’t interest her (such as her grandmother’s house). It’s sad because her grandma is lovely and it means so much to her to see her grandchildren. My husband just put up with it and ignores her but it stresses me out to the point of shaking. I want to support my husband, but I dread these weekends. I hate the tantrums and the way she snaps at her brother, father and me. The ridiculousness of the things she claims (eg. she got gum in her hair that no one can see/feel/detect) and the attitude she adopts goes right through me. Last weekend, after a drawn out battle and facing a 45-minute car ride to Nashville filled with her angry comments, I finally said that he could take them without me and I needed to stay home. I feel awful that I did it, but I needed a break. He was disappointed and hurt but let me do it. Is it terrible to take a break from his kids every once in a while? Do I truly have to spend the entire weekend with them every time we see them? I know we are supposed to be a family but, I’m not sure I can keep this up in the long term unless I take some time away every now and again.
