I am in need of some help! I am having a hard time with my 12-year old (step) daughter. A little back story, I have been a part of her life going on seven years now. I have her and three younger daughters (we are a blended family: yours, mine and ours). I love my oldest very, very much, and she has been through a lot in her life. Her mother does not play an active role in her life...at all. No birthday cards or phone calls, half-assed Christmas gifts, no calls or texts just to see how she's doing, etc. I have gladly stepped in and have taken the role as mom and have done all the "mom" things with her, like bra shopping, the puberty and self-care talk, etc. She is so smart and has a brilliant mind and has the world at her feet, but over the last several years, I fear she is wasting it away. She has a horrible habit of stealing. Most of the time she steals from me and it varies on the items. It could be as little as a bottle of my essential oils, to make up and now has increased to stealing money out of my wallet. She has stolen from others at school and has taken things from teachers and bus drivers too. This recently ended school year was a nightmare with trying to adjust to middle school and we knew that going in. I feel like I have tried everything with her. I have tried to understand what she is thinking, I have tried listening to her and talking to her, etc. but we run into this same issue over and over and over again. At the time of the incident, it seems like she understands what she did wrong, but the very next day, we're right back at it. Her father and I just don't know what to do anymore. We feel as though we have tried everything.

Please tell me I am not alone! These last couple of weeks have been a living hell in my household and I don't know how much more of it I can take! I love her so much, but at what point do I put my sanity and the sanity of my other daughters first? If anyone has any words of wisdom, experience, thoughts, advice, please share!