10 yr old gives step-mom silent treatment when asked to do normal things like go to bed at 10 PM. What to do?

You: 30-something step mom with no kids of your own. You supervise, do hours of homework, etc for 50-something husband's 5 kids b/c father works long hours/is never home/you are not currently working. Sometimes kids (Ages 10-14) do not answer when spoken to by you (but always hop to it when Daddy speaks to them of course). Example: You say OK time to stop playing and do homework..They ignore you. You call their names...they ignore you. You tell husband and he just says "I can't do anything about it! Stop complaining about my kids!" What should you do? 1) Let them continue and feel consequences b/c it only hurts them, i.e. they won't get homework help, medicine when sick, and so on. 2) Pick up belt and try to beat the living daylights out of them tho some r bigger than u? 3) Let husband deal with his own bad-azz kids because you are sick of being treated like YOU are a single-parent with three kids and HE is a single man with none when it's the other way around. 4) Or something else?

Answers:
Since your husband is not being supportive, do nothing. Let his kids mess up and not do their homework and stay up late. It's wrong of him to ask you to do all of these things and then accuse you of complaining about his kids. The kids are resentful towards you, most kids do resent the step-parent. It's up to your husband to discipline them and tell them that since he isn't there they need to do what you say. Or he could cut back on his hours. You could go get a job then the ungrateful step-kids and your ungrateful husband won't be your main priority anymore. I hope that otherwise your husband is kind and supportive, if he's not then it might be time for counseling or for you to write this marriage off before you start to lose respect for yourself. Good Luck.

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You really need to have a serious conversation with your husband, and possibly some counseling for the two of you. If he won't go, you should get some for yourself for support in dealing with this situation.

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