Do you think I am in the wrong?

United States
March 20, 2009 6:50am CST
So, if you read my other post then you know that my husband and I have had trouble with my 15 year old step daughter. Long story short, she threaten to kill herself because we took her phone and she just wanted to the attention. Well they sent her to a mental hospital for 10 days and she came home yesterday. And honestly, she's taking things to far! She tells us that if it wasn't for MY daughter, who is 2 months old, that she would have killed herself. That pissed me off, don't use my daughter as an excuse to your stupidity. She didn't kill herself, because all she wanted was the attention! She has never paid that much attention to the baby, and now everything is about her. I think she's jealous and instead of showing it, this is her way of hiding it. Which makes me 10x more worried about my daughter. Because I know how my step daughter is and when she gets mad she doesn't think before doing. I've been scared since she's moved back with us. Anyways, back to the story. So she's not allowed to cut her food up or hold sharp objects, or even have an ink pen or we need to check her?!? She was never suicidal before we took her phone and she wanted attention! She's taking this too far and it's pissing me off. I'm not putting up with this crap. We told her she can smoke just do it outside. (I know it's bad parenting but don't bash, it was for the safety of the baby) Because if we don't let her smoke, she will just smoke in the house! Well, I wake up this morning to get my nephew ready for school and my living room smells like smoke. So she got up and I said something. She said that she smoked in the garage, which is bulls**t because my husband and I smoke in the garage when it's really cold outside and our house NEVER smells like smoke. Well, she got a shower last night and went to get in it today and I told her that she either takes one at night or morning because she's not taking 2 showers a day. She has this journal thing she writes in and she asked for a pen. (probably to write about me telling her she's not taking 2 showers a day) and then she says Oh and when I come out with the pen you have to check me. I'm not doing this bulls**t! It's for attention and I'm not doing it! It's pathetic! And like I told her this morning, you never hurt yourself with a pen before why would you do it now? She's like it's just precaution, and I told her well your dad can do that because I'm not worried about it. I mean come on! I know a few people who went to mental hospitals and when they came out they never followed what the dr. said they should do. Most teens won't! This is just going to far and It's pissing me off! All for attention. I focus on my baby and nephew. I don't have time to play her attention getting games and I don't feel sorry for her because all of this is stupid. I needed to vent. What's your opinion on this? Do you think I'm in the wrong for saying what I did? It's just all for attention and she can make everyone else feel sorry for her, but I'm not. Thanks!
1 response
@sbeauty (5865)
• United States
20 Mar 09
It's easy to become frustrated with a teenager, especially a teen girl. I know, because not only did I go through it with my own daughter, but I've worked with lots of high school aged girls over the years. This is a tough time for them, testing their independence, balking at authority, and coping with issues that may not even seem important to adults. You are the parent, and it's up to you to deal with the situation rationally and calmly. It sounds to me like the two of you are just butting heads which is going to get you no where. If the girl is craving attention, then make a point of giving her plenty of positive attention so she won't go after the negative. You need to set a good example for her, too. If you and your husband make the supreme effort to quit smoking, maybe you can get her to go along with you and end the problem all together. Is there a biological mother in the picture somewhere?
• United States
20 Mar 09
See we've done this. Over the summer, I spent so much time with her and took her and her friends to the beach, ect. But none of that mattered to her. If she can't get her dads undivided attention with no one else in the picture she doesn't want the positive attention. She's been giving him a hard time for about 3 or 3 and half years now. He's tried everything. And now she wants everyone to feel sorry for her, and I can't do that. That's sad to throw the guilt card to get attention. She's been smoking since she was 12 but my husband never let her smoke. She would steal cigs from people, and at the time he had quit smoking. We didn't start smoking until last year because all this stress finally got to us. Her mom lives in CA and has always given the girls false promises and lied to them about everything. My step daughter says she is cutting herself off from her, but I know better than that so we will see how that goes.