My Stepdaughter Wished Me a Happy Mother's Day
By StacyB
@Srbageldog (7716)
United States
May 14, 2017 10:27pm CST
My step-daughter texted me today and wished me a happy Mother's Day. I thought that was very sweet of her. She's 15 years old and we don't have the closest relationship. Mainly we text each other and sometimes we Skype. She lives in another state with her aunt and uncle, who've had custody of her since she was 10. Before that she lived with her mom on the other side of the country and her mom didn't make any effort to keep in contact with us. My boyfriend tried to keep in contact with his daughter, but it was hard since she has cerebral palsy and is nonverbal. Before her aunt and uncle got custody, she didn't know how to text or sign and really had no way to communicate. But my boyfriend didn't know how bad it was because her mom always lied about how she was doing. I think she was in denial that her daughter has special needs.
Anyway the aunt and uncle stepped in and asked for custody because they are better equipped to provide for her individual needs. Her mom is in the military so she would sometimes stay with the aunt and uncle while her mom was deployed. My step-daughter is in the best place to have her needs provided for and she is really thriving under their care. My boyfriend and I would love to have her live with us, but neither of us is really equipped to help her get the care she needs. It's in her best interest to be living with her aunt and uncle.
Anyway, she texted me wishing me a happy Mother's Day, and I am happy that she thought of me. She is really a sweet girl and I wish I could have a closer relationship with her, but it's hard with her being so far away. We are hoping to visit her sometime this summer. She will be starting high school in the fall. It's crazy how fast time goes by. When my boyfriend and I first got together, she was only six. Now she's graduating 8th grade in two weeks and will be 16 in the fall. I wish we could have been a bigger part of her childhood, but I'm happy for the relationship I do have with her. She might not be mine biologically and I might not see her that often, but I do love her. It means a lot to me that she thought of me today.
5 people like this
6 responses
@chrissbergstrom (10767)
• Banks, Oregon
15 May 17
Her aunt and uncle sound like wonderful people and she sounds like a very sweet girl, so nice of her to text you. I can imagine it is such a struggle for her dad to not get to see her as much as he would like, I hope you get to make that visit.
2 people like this
@Srbageldog (7716)
• United States
15 May 17
They really are wonderful people who love her unconditionally. I am glad she has them in her life. It has been a struggle for my boyfriend to not get to see her as much as he would like, but he is grateful that he does get to see her occasionally. He went a long time without being able to see her when her mom had her, because she kept her from him. Not really out of malice or anything, she just didn't seem to think he needed to be part of her life. I'm glad she at least realized she wasn't doing a good job providing for their daughter's individual needs and signed over custody to people who can. She is very much loved (and spoiled rotten.) I hope we get to visit too.
1 person likes this
@sissy15 (12665)
• United States
15 May 17
I'm glad you had your day made. I imagine it's difficult knowing you'll never really be able to have her or be really close to her but it's good that she talks to you via text. Hopefully, you'll get to visit her and maybe eventually build a stronger bond between you.
1 person likes this
@sissy15 (12665)
• United States
15 May 17
@Srbageldog Yeah, and I get that relationships can be difficult, I feel for her that that's her normal. It's good that you have a good relationship with her, she probably needs that. It's also really cool that she considers you family.
1 person likes this
@Srbageldog (7716)
• United States
15 May 17
Yeah, and at this point she's pretty much grown up so I'll never have the same type of relationship that I would have had if I'd been able to participate with raising her. But, the relationship we do have is a good one at least, even if it's not the closest. Her aunt says she tells people I'm her stepmom, so it's cool she considers me family. I think she's used to not having super close relationships with people so this is "normal" to her. I do know she misses her dad though, which is why we need to visit. It's just been hard trying to plan on it without knowing when I'm supposed to have surgery, and then there was the whole mess with the dam here which caused them to call off a visit they were planning.
@Srbageldog (7716)
• United States
15 May 17
It really did. She told me she loves me and that makes my heart glad.
@responsiveme (22923)
• India
15 May 17
It was sweet of her.yes she seems to be in the best place.wishing you both joy in your relationship
1 person likes this
