I have had a problem with my in-laws since day one. This is my first marriage, and my husband's second. They never liked his first wife either. I came along and now all of a sudden she is the most wonderful thing since sliced bread. My father in law also remarried sometime ago. After my husband and I got married, we were never really invited over their house. They just didn't like me. I never had done anything to them. My husband had a talk with his father, but, nothing had changed. Then the baby (1st) came along. Since then, the father will come over once a year, during Christmas to drop off a christmas present, stay for 15 minutes and go. His mother NEVER has called or come over or even seen the kids. My husband has called her, but, she does not respond in anyway. In between the 5 years, the father has made attempts to come and visit the girls, but will stay for a half an hour to gossip about the family and not even spend anytime with the kids. He totally ignores them. It breaks my heart. I even left the house on occasion, but, still he remained the same with them and his visit was very short. Then we would not see him again until months down the road. Now, it's getting to be christmas soon and I know he will be calling again to come and give the presents. I had written him a very long letter 2 months ago about the way I feel and that he is egotistical and selfish to be thinking only about himself. He has no idea about anything of what the children like, don't like. He has never read, played or talked to them on the phone. It's disguisting. I told him that the presents don't mean anything. On both of their birthdays, they never even received a card or present. Nothing. He has never called in the years since we had children, to see how they were doing or if they were o.k. My question is, should I allow this to go on? Should I allow the step father to come over when he feels that his ego needs nurturing and ignore the children, and come once a year? I already told him about this, but he still continues to ignore them. What advice do you offer? Am I so wrong to protect my children from the hurt that he puts on them when he comes and ignores them, yet spends ALOT of time with all the other grandchildren and even invites them to spend weekends over there...but not our children?