Evil Stepmother!!

You know in all those fairy tales where the stepmother is just evil? She's never just a friend, or a second mom. She's just looked at as someone who stole the kids' daddy away, and never on the same side as the children. Well that's how I feel my boyfriend's kids feel about me.

My boyfriend has three kids. And although they can be handfuls at times (what kid aren't handfuls every now and then?) they are truly the sweetest little things. I love them like they are my own. And what's best is they get along with my little girl so well! But no matter what I try, they don't like me. End of discussion.

I have tried doing one on one things with them to show them that I'm into the same things they are. Like, I took the oldest boy, Kaden, out fishing. He loves to fish. The whole time we were there, he was asking when we were going to go back, and that no matter what, I'll never add up to his dad.

And that's another thing: the kids' dad's house is never called "home" to them. They will tell their dad that his apartment (our apartment) will never be as good as their mom's house. They always compare the toys that are at their mom's house versus the toys they have here at our home. Nothing is good enough. It's true, the kids' mom is more financially set than we are, but why should a 9, 7, and 6 year old care about that?

The boys even go as far as destroy their toys and things at our home. When we talked to their mom to see if they have the same behavior at her house, she tells us no. The way she talks, she hardly ever has to get on them about their rooms. They play with things right, and they put things away when they are done. It's like pulling teeth to get them to pick up their toys here.

It used to be just an annoyance with me until my daughter asked me to not buy her anything ever again. I asked her why, and she says that my boyfriend's kids will tell her that her stuff isn't good enough and belittles her. She told me she loves new things but then feels bad when they see it. My daughter never grew up in a rich home. Most of her clothes were handed down to her. So, when she gets a new toy or a new outfit, she just lights up, because it's not everyday that it happens.

I'm stuck about this issue. I don't know what to do. Any advice would be helpful...