Unruley Step Child

[DoorMouse]

I was recently married in Feb. to a man much older than myself. I'm 20 and He's 42. When I married him, I also aquired two step children, a 16 year old step son that lives with us, and a 10 year old step daughter that lives with their mother. His son Michael is a disrespectful know-it-all wanna be tough guy. This child reminds me on a regular basis that I'm not his mother. At no point in time have I ever tried to be his mother, or tried to replace her. He's constantly disrespecting my husband and myself. He comes and goes when ever he pleases and doesn't care what we think. We tell him to do his chores and clean up after himself, and he ignores everything we say. I can only do so much in this household, if I ask him to do something he gives me grief about it and tells me to *F* Off, and when I tell him to watch his mouth it gets worse. Everything that comes out of his mouth is a profanity, he's not doing well in school and is trying to get his dad to enroll him in an alternative school for drop outs and kids that are too old to go to regular public high school. He'll start to behave and get rewarded and then turn around a go back to being a problem. What can I do? Any and ALL advice is welcome.

[DoorMouse]

It's only taken a few years to sit down and post an update. My stepson is now 18, graduated from high school and is dragging his feet to enroll in the coast guard. My step daughter is now 12 and doing great and even on the Honor Roll for her Junior High. Things have taken a great change for the better, or atleast that's what I believe.

 

A few months after I had made my original post I finally lost all inhabitions and snapped. I had come home from a long 12 hour day at work on a Saturday no less and Michael and his friends had broken into the liquor cabinent. He and 3 of his 'buddies' were getting drunk and HIGH no less, in my living room. I think when the front door shut and I dropped my keys, I believe that God almighty himself went into hiding in fear of my wrath. I proceeded to yell probably about as loud as I could and four letter words flew out of my mouth like nobody's business.

 

I then had my snot nose step son tell me I could shove it, you know where, and suck his *ahem*. The straw that broke the camels back. I proceeded to go outside, smoke a cigarette, and call the cops. I had them all hauled off. I let Michael stay in jail for a few nights, and his father agreed. After he got home, and finally realized I was serious, he straightened up. Things are doing better, but I have a feeling he is going to push the envelope again soon.

[ComputerGuy]

Way to lay the smackdown!!! Good job for standing up like that. Hopefully things get better for you now he knows to take you seriously.