It's time that I chimed in on this wonderful get together after being on the road for over a week. We showed up at Sherry and Roger's house Friday night and I enjoyed helping Sherry cook all day Saturday. Sunday while Sherry & Roger were at the memorial for Roger's dad, we went exploring. The highlights were *Saugatuck and Holland. What a GREAT time we had at lunch and what a treat to have Tamara join us; I like to think that it's an indication of how special the CF is. I have all my surcies lined up on the kitchen counter with the intention of using each soon. We had a long trip home including a night in Cincinnati near Jungle Jim's so we could visit first thing in the morning. OMG! What an experience. We were lucky to get out of there in 2 1/2 hours and $130. Amazing place, definitely a destination. As I was programing Grace to take us home, I noticed that there is a TJ's in Cincinnati. I told Ray that we had to get some ice for the cooler. He didn't understand why we had to go so far out of our way to get ice. I told him it was "specialty ice". My SIL was at her cabin in Blue Ridge, Ga so was stayed there one night on the way home. It was a fun spontaneous trip! *I just read in a travel magazine that Saugatuck is on the list of the "Top 10 Coolest Small Towns in America".

Day 2 is coming to an end. We had another fun day. Gardenspice, it was so much fun getting together with you again. Toni, we will get back to my house Saturday evening and Nita will leave sometime on Sunday. She will be making a few more stops befor she goes home. Eva, I have soooo been looking forward to seeing you again! You need to take care of that knee and maybe we will see you Friday. Flamey, I wish you were closer and could be road tripping with us! Everyone else.....thanks for the nice words. We will try to keep you all updated. I have blogged about day 2.

Certainly, the posters who say that for safety the child ought to be in the back seat are correct. And just as certainly, the posters who comment that the real issue here doesn't seem to be child safety, but the competition between the stepmother and the stepdaughter, are just as correct. The OP posted this on the Stepfamily forum, not a child safety forum, and her post does indeed seem to indicate that her concern is about family issues. She didn't even mention safety. What she DID say: "I feel that this is her way of letting me know that she's insecure in the re[la]tionship. But what bothers me is that it makes me feel like I'm being put on the same level as a child ...." THAT'S what the post is about, and it's no answer to say that because children belong in the back, period, there is no issue. Moving the girl to the back seat isn't going to solve the problem of competition for "front place" in Dad/Husband's life. If readers can't get past the diversion of the safety issue, then recast the question to remove the safety issue. Imagine that the poster were driving, and her husband sat in the back with his daughter, or the question were about who sits where at a dinner table or something. I think that both the OP and the daughter have very legitimate feelings here. The little girl had her Daddy, when she did have him, all to herself before. Now she has been moved to the back -- literally. But Dad is entitled to happiness, too, and so is the OP, and certainly she is entitled to feel like she is being treated as an adult. Without the blended family, I suppose the answer is usually, "Kids in back, adults in front; tough luck!" But to do that here, even masking it with the safety concern, just papers over the girl's and woman's very legitimate feelings. She's a kid; she has to ride in back for safety. But I would try to find some other way to shore up her feelings of security in her dad's heart. This will play itself out in other areas of life where they won't be able to play the "safety" trump card. Finally, don't assume this is all due to the remarriage. Even without a blended family, sometimes spouses come first, sometimes children do. That's life. You don't always get your first choice, but you adjust, and it is a lot easier if there is good will and understanding all around. It may not always seem fair to the OP any more than to the child; but she is the adult, and as a stepparent, is also partly responsible for the little girl's emotional growth and well-being now. Maybe sometimes the OP could ride in back with the little girl? Then they have their own bond to share rather than only ever competing for the place by Dad/Husband's side.

Judy, I knew she was going to Marietta from reading it on here but I didn't think she'd still be there today lol so it was a surprise to both of us. There were a bunch more riders all over the place my phone just couldn't capture more than that hehehe. Yep Glenda and Linda that is Moni smiling in the center ;0) you gals have good eyesight lol, my phone does an ok job but I sure wish I would have had my camera in the car.