Relationship between a Child and Stepmother - Essay Example

Typically, stepmothers have never represented anything good for children as they have the least interest in what children are doing or what issues they confront as they grow up. Children are helpless when a stranger comes into their home in the form of one of their parents. This was my case when I was a kid and my stepmother married my father.

In the beginning, I used to like her, but I never knew that she acted nicely only to impress my father, but with time I started hating her for the things she did. Our relationship became very bad and we both never liked each other thereafter. Such a sensitive relationship is certainly difficult to maintain. If any element is found missing then this relationship can become worst. To me, it felt like I was forced to enter into the relationship without knowing where I was heading. I was just an ordinary child when my stepmother came into my dad’s life and our house.

I was very excited as I had a new companion to spend my time with. Initially, she used to talk a lot and treated me like her own child. She helped me with my homework; she used to take me to swim and dancing classes. She used to play and go shopping with me. Gradually, with time things started changing negatively when her first son was born. In Chinese families, boys are always favored and they receive more attention than daughters. Every person in my family, especially my grandparents, was excited about the boy’s birth.

I observed that my stepmother’s affection and love shifted toward her son. She was spending more time looking after him and I could feel that her interest in me was just a matter of making my dad happy, and she became least bothered about my needs. No matter how I wanted to be closer to her and tried to get attention from her, I felt inconspicuous. I could feel harshness in her tone and she started to scold me for smaller reasons. She was passing comments that implied that she wanted me to stay away from her son, and also on numerous occasions she wished that my father could simply send me away to my grand parent's house.

My dad used to be out the whole day for business. Even when he used to come home he was too tired and never took any interest in what I said or complained about. The frequency of my stepmother manhandling me increased and I could feel that she hated my presence in the house. She was punishing me harshly by keeping me in the storeroom for hours. As I grew older, I accepted the fact that it had to go this way as I was helpless and there was nothing I could do. I started spending most of my time with friends outside my home.

My stepmother continued to play her negative role by arguing with me and telling me that I could not do anything good in my life. She affected my ability to concentrate on my studies and extracurricular activities. I had problems with communication and making friends. The agony at home continued till I decided to move out and make my way back into life on my own. I have no contact left with my stepmother and I occasionally speak to my father who acts to be unaware of the reasons for my leaving home.