Do you ever hear, “You’re not my parent!” when disciplining your stepchild? There’s a reason he’s using those words—they hurt. And if he’s upset, he may be hoping to get you just as upset.
But don’t take the bait. Instead, when you respond:
- Say, “You’re right. I’m not your parent. But I do care about you. And this is the house rule.”·
- Stay calm and authoritative, and let your stepchild know that you support his parent.