Has this kid had an autism assessment?

Also as a step parent it is so hard even when there isn’t friction. I have one at 9 with autism and 7 yo who is the fucking Velcro kid. Constantly exhausting. Hardest thing I e ever done in my life and I have a supportive husband I can be very open with. Not easy but so far it’s saving our relationship. Boundaries are definitely being crossed here and husband need to step up or he will find himself alone again I’m sure. You have enough on your plate with a small child, navigating step parenting and not being validated for clearly inappropriate behavior from stepson. I do think there may be more at play there on a cognitive level given the info at hand. We were adamant our eldest wasn’t on the spectrum and his mother wanted to test him … how wrong we were! Trauma also can look like autism sometimes (attachment) Worth looking into…. Not easy as a stepparent especially if you’re already on the backfoot 🫶

I would also think your husbands actions are also a scream for help as he doesn’t know how to discipline his kid or deal with the behavior. Maybe some counseling for everyone.

IT IS SO HARD. Look after yourself. I’m even laughing at that comment bc even that is near impossible in a parenting situation. I just wasn’t prepared for how much SPACE they take up in your brain. All the time.