Hi

This is not really a stepfamily situation at all just a parenting situation that I needed to do a little venting on. Thanks

I just got back from a week long vacation with my husband, son, daughter, in laws, brother in-law and family, and stepsiblings and families, as well as grandmother. There were like 15 of us total that split two homes. We had a good time, but it was way too long of a vacation with that many different personalities (IMO). My dh and I constantly heard don't get after him, let her be, make him a plate, do this, do that blah blah blah. My father-in law (dh's stepdad) was constantly sneaking my daughter junk food and my dh's grandma yelled at him for getting after his son in front of his son then told son that she would not let his dad do that to him. We did try to "fight back" but we were out numbered and got sick of the battles. My BIL totally undermined us right in front of our kids and encouraged son to talk back to me by saying "nice one knuckles buddy" to his smartmouth comments. This did not go over well with me and was addressed imediately. It basically resulted in a fight between my brother in law, myself and my husband. We are not really speaking with the him or his wife. He called us psycho for getting after our daughter for having her feet on the table at dinner and for getting mad at son for basically hawking a lugi at the dinner table. I am so irriated with these people. I told my husband it will be a cold day in hell before we do this again. The thing that bothers me is that people are always commenting on how well behaved our kids are and how polite, but it makes me wonder do they think it just happens? I am not really sure that I need advice, but just wondering if this happens to others and what have you said to set boundries without creating a fight?

When my dh's grandma got after dh for getting after ss I told her later that just because he had been good for the last hour did not mean he could misbehave for the rest of the day. I told my brother in law (who is a total creep) that since he had just had a baby he had no idea what he was talking about and should keep his trap shut ecspecially in front of our kids. My MIL knows better than to do most of this stuff and asks me if the kids can have snacks before dinner and such. I guess I am just venting. Thanks