I feel compelled to write and ask for views on my partner's behaviour towards her 10 year old son. I don't have kids of my own so I'm hitting the ground running and may be simply missing the norm.
Anyway, he's a nice lad, well adjusted and well behaved. However at bed time he is unable to go to bed unless his mother goes with him. He is also allowed to stay up late (11-midnight is typical).
I feel a relationship needs 'adult time' too and I feel 9pm is reasonably late enough for a 10 year old. When I insist on this his mother takes him to bed and stays there for hours, sometimes not returning until after I have retired and maybe not until the next morning.
I think a 10 year old should be able to go to bed alone, and should have to. If he is "scared" he will just have to deal with it - like I did when that age. I feel the current situation is not helping him, and that mummy sleeping with child is not right at that age.
He changes school next year, and if it gets out when he's at high school I think his credibility with peers will be dashed for good. I may sound harsh but I think for his own good the bedtime thing needs sorting.
It's becoming a strain on my relationship with his mother - we get no time on our own and I don't agree with how she is behaiving in this regard. It isn't a cover on her part for problems between us because there aren't any. Apart from this issue it's a near-damn perfect relationship. I fear if this doesn't fix it'll all break down.
Interested in your views...
