Dear Queenie,
When my husband’s daughter from his first marriage visits us she wants him to only pay attention to her and she is very rude to me. I try to love her as if she was my own child, but it is hard to do when she is so nasty with me.
Queenie, I think my husband should insist that his daughter at least be polite to me even if she doesn’t like me. Is that asking too much?—Annoyed wife
Dear Wife,
No. Every child should be taught to be at least polite to their elders, especially when they are somehow related, even if only by marriage as in your case.
However, you should make a point of giving your stepdaughter plenty of time alone with her father, so that she does not feel that she has to compete with you for his attention, which may be the cause of (or at least contribute to) her rude behaviour.
