Step Lair

When SS13 was 10, BB told him he had to start saving for a car.
When SS13 was 11, BB told SS that if he wanted to go to Summer camp, then he would have to pay for it out of his own savings, and to ask DH for half of it. (Which we paid.) Since then, we have been very careful not to send any $$ back to BB’s for SS’s “savings”, (such as money he has earned doing chores) as we don’t know what these savings are actually being used for.. and it does appear she is using them for things that we believe BB should be paying for herself, not SS.

Fast forward to this year.. my parents give SS $40 for his birthday, with strict instructions that it is to be spent on something fun and NOT to go back to BB’s house under any circumstances. He does some chores for $10, with the same instructions. They money is put in a money box in his room for the next time we take him shopping.

The kids trun up for this weekend, and SD9 reminds SS13 to ask about “the money”.

SS13 then says “Mum says I have to start saving for a car. She says that I should save one out of every three dollars I make to go towards a car, and that if I save that amount, when the time comes, she will match it so that I can get a better car. Can you match that amount too?” DH says that we’ll have to wait and see. SS mentions that one of BB’s friends just bought a car for $12k and that cars cost that much and that he wants a nice one. DH again says that we’ll have to wait and see. That’s it’s years away and he does not know what will be happening at that time, but that he will do the best he can when the times comes, but no promises right now.

Later on in the weekend, SS empties the contents of the money box into his wallet and tells DH that BB has told him he needs to keep all of his money in the one place and that he needs to take it home to BB to put it in the bank. DH reminds SS that this is not what the money if for. SS says that it’s his money and he should be able to take it home if he wants. DH says that it was given to him with a certain purpose in mind, and that my parents will be VERY upset if he goes against their instructions. SS reluctantly puts the $$ back into the money box.

I hate BB so much. She has talked up how expensive a car is to SS, just because she knows there is $50 at our house and she wants to get her grubby hands on that money! !  As another example, SS and DH had worked out a deal where SS would wash DH car for mobile phone credits. BB said “no phone” and SS had to take the $$ earned from washing the car back to BB’s.    The lengths she will go to to get control of $$ from our house are just extraordinary.

Listen here BB:  IF we give SS $$, you are NOT AUTOMATICALLY in control of it or entitled to it!!!