Wife letting her children — my step children — be slackers

[Anonymous]

Bright kids but they'll never reach their potential because she allows them to do as they please. They manipulate and guilt trip her into lowering the bar, so the bar just gets lower and lower. It's driving me mad.

[Anonymous]

How old? Do they live with you?

[Anonymous]

Early teens; yes.

[Anonymous]

None of your concern.

[Anonymous]

You don't know shit. Stay out of it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Early teens; yes.

You should read a book about teens. Maybe the 5 love languages for teens.

Teens generally suck, are manipulative and lazy.

[Anonymous]

If you gave specific examples, OP, we might be able to help. Also, please consider their personalities - there is a wide variation of normal in what some kids can do.

When you talk over this with your wife, what does she say?

[Anonymous]

Is she compensating for you and your husband being overly driven?

Teenagers need lots of sleep. They're only young once let them be. Homework and drivers licenses are important imo but everything else they'll grow into

[Anonymous]

I pushed my kid hard to the point I had to insist she play video games or slack off. It's no way to live. There's no happiness in the constant striving to force kids to meet unrealistic expectations of adults.

[Anonymous]

Talk to your wife.

[Anonymous]

I get it, OP. I was posting like this years ago about my teenage stepdaughter because she had no responsibilities and my DH kept letting her slide on everything. I do t think it helps kids to cripple them as adults by never having expectations of them as teenagers. You deprive them of developing their competence and resilience.

My SD is now in her early 20's, college dropout, working as an exotic dancer. I don't say I told you so. My heart breaks for her.

[Anonymous]

Take a parenting class *together.*

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I get it, OP. I was posting like this years ago about my teenage stepdaughter because she had no responsibilities and my DH kept letting her slide on everything. I do t think it helps kids to cripple them as adults by never having expectations of them as teenagers. You deprive them of developing their competence and resilience.

My SD is now in her early 20's, college dropout, working as an exotic dancer. I don't say I told you so. My heart breaks for her.

How hot and at what location? Asking for a friend, thx.

[Anonymous]

My brother married a woman with a teen daughter who got to do whatever she wanted. He kept his mouth shut. She eventually failed out of VCU and married some loser.

[Anonymous]

My advice: model a good example for them and talk to their father (your DH) about it. Otherwise, you need to step back.