I can definitely relate to this scenario from the step parent point of view. I'm 21, living with my boyfriend of 3 yrs and his 2 daughters on weekends, whom are 8 and 4. The 8 yr old I met right off the bat, due to her mostly being at our house, even though her mother has custody. The mother, 30ish still lives the 21 yr old lifestyle of bar hopping and concerts every night, whilst my boyfriend and I watch this poor girl wait for her to show up, only to be let down. I do everything I can for this girl: bake cookies together, go shopping, take her to lunch and movies... Everything I can that a mother should.. yet if we're in the middle of making a 3 story fort with princess crowns and all, she will run out the door without a simple "bye" to me as soon as her mother decides to show up, leaving me feel like chopped liver.. granted there is quite a difference between 8 and 20, but maybe emotionally not so much.
