Hi everyone,
I’m looking for some advice regarding my 11-year-old stepdaughter. Her mum has brain cancer, and she has been living with us for the past 18 months. She visits her mum every other week, who lives two hours away. At her mum’s, she has no boundaries, whereas at our home, we have set rules.
We have a good relationship, which I’m grateful for, but I’m struggling with the transitions back and forth. Additionally, balancing her needs with those of our two other children is challenging and causing me a lot of anxiety.
Has anyone else experienced something similar? How do you cope with these transitions and balance the needs of all your children? Any advice or shared experiences would be greatly appreciated.
Hi BAE
Perhaps my nearest experience is with a friend who had a fairly challenging relationship with her ex. He tended to spoil their children quite badly when they were with him giving lots of treats and then of course the sugar crash fell on our friend when they came home - of course they did not have the extra issues of other children or cancer.
I am sorry I don't really have that much else to offer. I hope your step daughter gets some support at school as she may have questions about the cancer. Other than that I wonder if you have seen the support that might be available from family lives.
<<hugs>>
Steve
