My step daughter has learned to be disrespectful and dishonest because her mother is. Is it possible to correct these serious issues when you only have them every other week? Any ideas??

Hi Tina. I also have this same issue with my 16 year old step daughter and it's been going on since I met my husband 5 years ago. I have even recently started counselling therapy sessions with her since I feel she needs a reality check from an unbiased 3rd party. She is definitely a product of her environment. Her mom is nasty and mean and her logic is completely skewed. I am challenged because she comes to our house every weekend and brings her negative attitude and demands what time to be fed, etc. I read that step-parents should not be the ones to discipline so I try to coach my husband on this issue all the time. I am very interested to hear what other advice people have with this issue!

You pretty much read my story with everything you said. My step daughters mother is an alcoholic who would rather be best friends with her children than be a parent. I also have started attending counseling but my husband and I go together to try and work out a solution for raising her. we have her every other week and like you said, when she walks through the door so does the attituude, lying, and manipulating. It's very hard for me because I am the only one she feels comfortable talking with and because I love her so much I am not able to sit back and let her destroy her life. I am just not sure how I can get her to understand that the choices she is making aren't going to have a positive outcome. I have been the one primarily to discipline because my husband is very laxed in his parenting style and I am not. She respects me more than her own mother and father because I am the one that disciplines her but I am also the only one who attends every school function and sporting event. Our situations are a little different because my step daughter was 3 when my husband and I started dating where as yours already formed her own opinions about you based on what her mother told her I am sure. I

This is exactly why I wanted to create a group like this. I have been unable to find any type of support group in my area and I need to have advice and encouragement as you do I am sure. I am here if you have an issue and need to talk and I think this is going to be great therapy for us. Take Care Kristin.