Hi

I have three children of my own and three stepchildren. The steppies live with us full time every other week (alternate with their Mum) and have been doing so for the last four years. Before this, OH had his own house and he would live in it with his kids one week and then come and live with me and my kids the other week. I used to hate it when every other Friday he left to go and live with his kids (even though we always spent the weekends together) and used to feel jealous of the time he spent with them. This is one of the reasons why we decided to sell our individual houses and buy a bigger one to accommodate all the children.

Mind you, us all living together poses different problems, the only arguements OH and I have are over the children, we try and treat them all fairly but invariably I tend to side with my three and he does with his three. I found that he is a lot more intolerable about my kids (particulary my daughter) but think it is probably because my kids live with us full time.

I guess the fact that his children live so far away does not give you all a chance to get to know each other, I think OH and I were both fortunate that our first marriages had already ended before we met each other so the children have never resented us being together, was this the case with you and your OH, maybe that is why there is so animosity between you all.

Do your children live with you ?

Kim xxx