Is my husband being too harsh with his 8 year old stepdaughter?
First I want to say my husband suffers from generalized anxiety disorder brought on from not seeing his two biological children in over a year! He is constantly worried about them! They are grown and while one talks to him from time to time, the other never calls and never shows any interest in him! My daughter is 8 and from a previous marriage and my husband at times is sweet to her, but is constantly fussing about how I have spoiled her! My daughter will sometimes want me to lay down with her and yes at times, she is slow to get things done! Over Christmas, she spent a few nights with my parents and she didn't want to come home, but yet, she wanted to see me! We have had trouble with her sleeping habits lately which has made my husband mad! He took away her television because she leaves it on to go to sleep and if she isn't going to sleep, then she doesn't need it! He even threatened to send her to reform school if she doesn't straighten up! He says that she will respect him! She started saying she wanted to go live with her grandparents! She has begun blaming herself for problems! I am caught sometimes between wanting to run to her when she cries for me and wondering if she is doing all this for attention and he is calling her out on it! My husband says she will run all over me when she is older! I am pregnant and it upsets my husband that I will "jump" for my daughter! She is very important, but so is my husband! He calls her a brat! But to me, I don't think so! But is my judgement clouded?
