This is just a vent due to no one in my circle of friends is a step parent...

My stepdaughter is in Juvie, again, for the 6th time in the past year.. this time she is in for 3 months. She has been acting out at school, quitting, she has been on ankle monitors, drugs, alcohol, she has been having sex for money.

She lives full time with her mother and although we have tried, the courts wont even let us have partial custody. We pay child support on time every month... any time she needs new clothes for school or shoes.. I make sure I budget ahead of time and we get her what she needs.

We recieved a letter in the mail today saying that her mother wants more money because of court costs and probabtion costs.. she said that it costs more to take care of her.

I get that... but are you even paying attention to her? Are you paying attention to the fact that the reason why she is in Juvie for 3 months this time is because you let her walk out of the house, right in front of you without even attempting to stop her, and she was gone for 3 days violating her probation. Her mother didnt even tell us she was missing for 3 days, didnt tell us that she was even going back to Juvie.. I found out from a friend of my step daughters that lives on the other coast with her.

We worry about her all the time, we have all of our text messages we send her mother printed and saved.. all the attempts at communication that she does not reciprocate.

I dont even know what to do anymore... and I feel so bad for my husband because he feels helpless.. like he has no rights and no recognition as her parent.. just as a money source.