My 28 yr old, ex-Marine, married with 2 kids step son moved to my and his father's house 7 months ago and plays video games... that's it. Is this OK with everybody else but me?

Could be post traumatic stress disorder (did he see service) or he is just plain lazy, or he is losing his marbles, or wants a break from life. This isn't right, read him the riot act and/or give him his walking papers and don't be nice about it.

How old is the step son?
Talk with him about how it is unhealthy to not have any interests or activities.
Can you take him places and get his interests on other things?
Playing video games is not only addicting but it also can get you to a point of laziness where you have no ambition, motivation or energy to do anything else.

Oh I meant to ask how old are his kids.
He should be taking them places and doing things with them and being a dad.
Something needs to motivate him somehow.
Others should not be left with his responsibility of raising them so that he can play videos.

Where are his kids? The mother?

You are a step dad, so you may not have the freedom to parent this man openly, but your wife will need to facilitate a solution if there really IS a problem here.

If you two don't mind him resting at your place for a season, then there is no issue here.

If you do mind, house rules, living costs and contributions to the household need to be spelled out and enforced. As long as he can pay his portion of the rent (all adults pay rent, even at home, you're an adult, by god!) and utilities and can afford to buy his own video games and equipment, it's all good.

But the rent/utilities/chores come first. If he gets those covered, then what he does with the rest of his time is up to him.

His list of expenses should include PROVING to you that his child support and/or wife support has been paid each month. Trust him but verify.

More info is needed as some who has served his country deserves extra care and consideration. Are there special circumstances we need to know?

Yeaah, maybe it should be mandatory that everyone leaving the military should get some therapy if they don't already.

At any rate, you need to sit down and talk with your husband about this. You need him on your side. Then, he needs to sit down with his son and tell him that he has 2 months to to get out. (I'm sure he can find a nicer way to say this.)

First, there are no ex-Marines. His father needs to remember that he is still his father even though he is 28 years old and get him back on track. He could be suffering from depression (got out, can't find job, broken relationship etc.) or suffering PTSD from his experiences. If the video game belongs to you and/or your husband, I would simply remove it. It broke! If it is his personal property - that will be a bit more difficult, but you can set rules in your own home like it can only be played between x and x hours, etc. He should be paying rent, helping out around the house and parenting his children. You've got to determine what the problem is and then make a plan and follow through.

The question is, is him living there putting a strain on your marriage?

Why did he have to move in, in the first place?

He can always go see a counselor if he's suffering from anything mentally, some places offer it for free. When I moved back in with my parents a while back I was beyond stress and my mom set ground rules for me, especially rent. I could not sit around all day and not do nothing otherwise I would have been given toug love by getting kick out. He have a ready made family and he needs to be there for them. Did the whole family move in and if not is he having trouble in his marriage?

I think a talk is in order and its time to get his life in order. Plans need to be made and work toward, life is more than video games. Whatever help he needs then get it, but he needs to work, have he even tried to find a job?

I have heard that some of our Canadian soldiers are returning with post traumatic stress disorder and they are not in a good place, major depression, unable to cope with day to day activities. The govt. will take care of them through counselling and medication, but I am sure you in the US have the same problem although I haven't read anything about it.

This could be what's wrong with this young chap.