Stepkid Damage

When the stepkids come, it never fails that my stepson will break something. It used to be household items but it was also in the form of punches at my children's nose or pummeling his sister into the ground, I'd say it's an improvement when it is furniture over one of my children! It used to be really bad. He couldn't control his temper when he was younger. We used to keep a log of all his violence and it was scary stuff! (Of course, we had no cooperation from the ex either.) I dreaded what chaos would come with each visit and slept with one eye open. Now that he is a little older, he has a better handle on his reactions to anger. It seems like now is more rough-housing and seeing that he's a big kid, his rough-housing can leave some damage too unfortunately.

My three-year-old's sleigh toddler bed now has a broken wood support under the mattress. Seems my large 13-year-old stepson thought it was ok to jump on it and oops, he went through it. Sometimes I have to wonder what goes through his head.

My three-year-old had a little hero worship going on of her big brother during this visit for the first time. Even at that, she still wasn't afraid to stand up to his remarks, etc. We were sitting in the living room and coming up the stairs is my three-year-old saying, "Z says I suck and I don't suck!!" She was adamant that she didn't suck!

We had a problem with his language a few times during the visit. I had dad talk to him a couple times but it didn't seem to process because as soon as adults were out of hearing range, words my younger kids didn't need to hear spewed from his mouth ("white %itch" and "stupid a$$"...things like that) so they would come to me to tell.

By the end of the visit, my three-year-old, who actually bonded to my stepson unexpectedly this visit, had had enough too. After a week of him rough-housing with some of his sisters (sitting on them, wrestling, etc.) and teasing her personally, she couldn't take anymore I guess. The last time he sat on my oldest daughter (who already had a bruised arm and wrenched knee from his "play") the day they were to leave, my three year old told him not to do that and took a swing at him - in the nads.

My kids don't rough-house like that. I can remember as a kid, my brother would sit on our heads and pass gas or hold us under the covers after gassing it up, or tickle until I wanted to cry, etc. My kids don't do any of that stuff. Their brother's visits are always an experience for them (and me to tell you the truth). I am exhausted!