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What is inappropriate enough to step in?

User Profile: independentMelon5809
independentMelon5809 October 22nd, 2023

Sorry this is so long. My step-daughters sometimes push the envelope on what I think is appropriate. A lot of it might be just normal kid stuff. I was raised in a conservative Christian household by a mom who was sexually abused as a child, so we were very modest and careful with that stuff, so I don’t know if I’m overly sensitive about it. There is a lot of butt grabbing, twerking, flashing, long kisses on the mouth, *** grabbing and other physical things between the girls, ages 7 and 11 (she’s come out as a lesbian). They still shower together. They have made some comments about their mom’s house. It seems like it’s “watch whatever you want, do whatever you want, just don’t bother me.” They get left alone a lot or with their mom’s boyfriend. There are a lot of things that I hear them talk about. The 7 year-old said her mom’s boyfriend calls her bubble butt (which I think is weird) and she also revealed that the girls, mom, and the boyfriend all went skinny dipping one time. But once the 7 year old mentioned that, the 11 year old looked embarrassed and started minimizing it, and then so did the 7 year old, also talking about how the boyfriend could only look at their mom because they weren’t related. The mom acts like they are mature enough to handle adult things—for example, acrylic nails for the 7 yo or taking the 11 yo to watch House of 1000 Corpses recently, or when she was 9 telling her about personal issues with her and her boyfriend and told her about women who jammed hangers into themselves before abortions were legal. It also seems like we don’t know a lot of what goes on and the mom tells the kids not to tell us stuff. All that to say, I’m thinking of discussing some of this with my husband but I don’t just want to stress him out if there’s nothing to do about it. Outside of some things I’ve heard, the mom and her bf seem like decent, normal people. Husband said she struggled with being a mom and connecting to the girls. He’s also said, at times, that he takes what the girls say with a grain of salt. Anybody have thoughts they’d be willing to share here? I don’t want to seem like we’re untrusting of someone who is doing nothing wrong but if something ever happened to the girls that way I know from my mom it would affect their lives forever.

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User Profile: toughTiger6481
toughTiger6481 October 22nd, 2023

@independentMelon5809

I honestly think some of the items you have shared on on the line or over it... with what spouse said about her struggle to be a mom it is a concern since some moms treat child like an adult friend and have blurred age appropriate items.  this type of situation i have heard from more then a few girls who ended up being abused........ as they did not have boundaries or such.  

 i can almost be certain a child protective group in Most states would have concern about what you have described.

Have you had a talk with spouse sand while he may want it to all be OK how will he feel IF something out of bounds occurred ?    Will he be ok with saying "i took what they said with a grain of salt i thought it was FAKE? " after something happens?         

Red flags are there people can either check it out  and maybe find a simple explanation OR  rationalize that they never "knew" after something happens ........ 

 

3 replies
User Profile: independentMelon5809
independentMelon5809 OP October 22nd, 2023

Thank you for this.

User Profile: independentMelon5809
independentMelon5809 OP October 22nd, 2023

@toughtiger6481


i truly appreciate you taking time for your thoughtful reply on this. It’s very helpful. I’m curious. The “bubble butt” thing is the latest I’ve heard about. Where do you think that falls in terms of concern? The reason I ask is because I find it highly inappropriate while I’ve seen instances in other families where they joke around like that and there is no abuse.


I’m also wondering if anyone has input on the course of action. In my mind, I’m not sure how talking to the mom and boyfriend would help and it could cause her to be openly hostile to us, whereas right now we have a peaceful coparenting relationship. I have no idea what rises to the level of child protective services getting involved and am concerned about doing more harm than good.

User Profile: independentMelon5809
independentMelon5809 OP October 22nd, 2023

@toughtiger6481 we’ve talked about things in the past but need to address again. I know it would kill him if anything bad ever happened to the girls

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