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AIBU?

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Ex refusing to see DD on weekends

59 replies

Blades2 · 10/04/2024 19:34

Hi there

in fully expecting to be called unreasonable but I figured I’d throw it out there anyway.

Myself and my ex share two children, one 18, the other 14, I have them both all the time.

My ex now has a new partner and for whatever reasons their relationship is long distance/over the internet for most of the time.

i also have a partner who I see every day/as much as I like. (Putting this out there as ex told me I get all time I want with my partner whilst he is limited with his)

anyway, Saturday nights are reserved for his partner (over FaceTime)
Our 14 yo has started to express an interest in staying with him two nights per week. I suggested out of fairness he does two weekends a month, and the other times could be two weekdays, I’ve been told, and also accused, by both my ex and his new partner of trying to barrier his relationship (ffs no I just feel like It’s fair to split)

his arguement is, because my relationship is with a man who’s local and his lives 90km from our home town, that he should get his weekends with his new woman, as it’s all they have.
My argument is, children come first? Especially SEN children which we have.

thank you for reading x

OP posts:
DistinguishedSocialCommentator · 10/04/2024 20:01

BruFord · 10/04/2024 19:57

Our 14 yo has started to express an interest in staying with him two nights per week.

It’s the child who wants to spend more time with his Dad, @DistinguishedSocialCommentator , which makes the Dad’s refusal even more shitty. 🙁

True but there is no l;aw in England that can force a parent to see their child.
I have to stick to reality and not dream world.

If more people thought about what marriage was and then then even more importantly about the love and repsosilbites in having a child, we get less divorces.

True, there are some mariages where the OH can hide the true self and only comes to light once married, had kids - but in this scenario - ex DH does not want to see them at that time - what can the OP do?

If I was the OP, and I was as concenred, I'd ask him what could i do to ensure he met his DC

Blades2 · 10/04/2024 19:58

DistinguishedSocialCommentator · 10/04/2024 19:56

His life, his choice, you cant force child/children on him
He has a new life as you do
If that was my dad, I'd not to see him

Why are you so eager for your ex to see his child?

"my argument is children come first" - if that was the case, people would not divorce/separate. I know of a few people that stayed together because of their kids

My DD has expressed the interest to spend time with him as they were/are very close, she has struggled accepting dad has a new woman, but now is coming round to wanting to spend time with him, it’s absolutely nothing to do with me being “so eager” for him to see her.

OP posts:
BruFord · 10/04/2024 19:57

Our 14 yo has started to express an interest in staying with him two nights per week.

It’s the child who wants to spend more time with his Dad, @DistinguishedSocialCommentator , which makes the Dad’s refusal even more shitty. 🙁

DistinguishedSocialCommentator · 10/04/2024 19:56

His life, his choice, you cant force child/children on him
He has a new life as you do
If that was my dad, I'd not to see him

Why are you so eager for your ex to see his child?

"my argument is children come first" - if that was the case, people would not divorce/separate. I know of a few people that stayed together because of their kids

Coconutter24 · 10/04/2024 19:51

“My argument is, children come first? Especially SEN children which we have. “

Having SEN children is irrelevant, all children come first when it comes to new partners.
2 weekends a month and then 2 weekdays on the other weeks is not an unreasonable ask. It’s not your child’s fault their dad has chosen a long distance relationship.

Jeschara · 10/04/2024 19:39

Yanbu

BruFord · 10/04/2024 19:39

That’s ridiculous, he can still speak to his partner on Saturday. What a poor excuse for a parent.

WhiteLeopard · 10/04/2024 19:39

I would say that at age 18 and 14 it's less common to have a strict contact schedule and more usual for the kids to go between the two houses in a more ad hoc way. Would that be possible or do you live too far apart?

QueenOfTheEntireFuckingUniverse · 10/04/2024 19:36

YANBU.