Julia never wanted to live in the same house as her husband’s adolescent daughter. However, when her daughter begged to move in, Julia felt she couldn’t simply say no. She consented but made it obvious that her stepdaughter would have to follow her rules. Julia never intended to cause trouble, but now she believes her stepdaughter despises her. She believes that her regulations, particularly those concerning money, are reasonable. Julia didn’t anticipate her request to cause family tension and disagreement, so she turned to Bright Side for advice.
I was secretly pleased when my husband’s kid decided to live with her mother. I have my own children from a previous marriage, and our home is small. However, she recently got a tattoo without her mother’s consent, which caused a problem. She now wants to live with us. Although it wasn’t ideal, I agreed to let her move in with three rules to obey.First, she will have to do her own laundry and dishes, just like my children. I think it’s only fair.
Second, if she wants premium things, such as vegan milk, she must pay for them herself. We make an average wage and cannot afford pricey food goods.
Finally, she cannot bring her cat because we already have a dog and do not have room for another pet. When she heard these regulations, she burst into tears and declared I hated her. She stated that her mother never forced her do chores and that she could not live without her cat.
She protested to her father, who agreed with her, even accusing me of not treating all of the children equally. Now he seldom speaks to me.My husband’s ex-wife accused me of being selfish for discussing the situation with her daughter. I’m split between wanting to create a fair and manageable household and not pushing my stepdaughter away.
I believe my rules are vital for maintaining order and fairness in our household. However, I am experiencing thoughts of doubt and remorse.
Did I overstep? How should I handle this difficult circumstance so that our family remains peaceful?