Influence of ex's step son

#1

in reading all of these e-mails I think one issue here is not so much that your ex wants more time with his son - it’s that he now has a girlfriend and this woman and her child are with your son and they are more like a family.
It is normal for 10 yr olds to experiment with “bad” words…you reinforce good behavior at your home. As far as the booster seat - that is a legal issue. If your son is not tall enough and doesn’t weigh enough he should be in a booster seat. You did write earlier that you have been divorced for a while - have you just observed that your son is not in a booster seat recently and after all this time?

#2

This girlfriend has been in the picture for a few years. They just moved in recently so my son is more exposed to hers. It is only recently that I have become concerned of her son’s influence on my son. I do not know him or his situation with his own father so I can’t help but be concerned when my son comes home and tells me these new things. As far as the booster seat it is just recently and I have mentioned it several times. No luck.

quote:
[i]Originally posted by mal[/i] [br]in reading all of these e-mails I think one issue here is not so much that your ex wants more time with his son - it's that he now has a girlfriend and this woman and her child are with your son and they are more like a family. It is normal for 10 yr olds to experiment with "bad" words...you reinforce good behavior at your home. As far as the booster seat - that is a legal issue. If your son is not tall enough and doesn't weigh enough he should be in a booster seat. You did write earlier that you have been divorced for a while - have you just observed that your son is not in a booster seat recently and after all this time?
#3

How about getting to know the girlfriend’s son? Invite him over during your time to have lunch or take both boys somewhere…bowling, out for pizza…if this woman and her son are going to be in your child’s life this may be a non-threatening way of getting to know him and you probably know his other friends much better because you know their parents.
Also, take things your son says with a grain of salt. Sometimes my step-son says things to test the waters and see our reactions.

#4

Well he isn’t his official step-son but my ex and girlfriend and her 10 year old son just moved in together a few months ago. I have a couple of concerns that I would like to put to rest. Is it any my business what goes on when my son is visiting with Dad? My son tells me the 10 year old boy teaches him cuss words, ding dong ditch, they are free to run the neighborhood with no adult supervision, the new girlfriend takes my son to church with her family while my ex stays home, when this is supposed to be his ‘quality’ time with our son? He is driving around without a booster seat, etc… etc… etc…

What if anything should I and can I do about this? Do I let it go until something bad happens?