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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

A strange one… and that’s why I don’t know how to handle this?!

354 replies

wooldryxptto · 15/04/2024 13:30

I have a an almost two year old with my ex. We were very happy, then during pregnancy he had some sort of mental breakdown. He didn’t see dd until just before her first birthday though he did pay his share financially. He has apologised, obviously means next to f all after what he did, but has been consistent with her ever since, really focuses on her care and teaches her things, buys her extras, sees her regularly. I had sort of written him off as any decent parent but actually so far he’s kept to his word.

Anyway, and I know this is a controversial topic on mumsnet and the usual thing is to leave a man like this off the birth certificate… but I actually want him on it. I strongly believe dd should have both parents names on it. I’m not concerned that he would want shared care of dd as he is very happy that she lives with me, but even if he did, I have the funds to face a legal battle if needed. I simply feel strongly she should have her parents both on it.

I mentioned this to him last night and to my surprise he said he wanted to ‘think about it.’ He said he knew it was right he should be on there but he needed to look into it first.

I feel like I honestly can’t be around him even with dd anymore, I have such little respect for him. He’s said he will let me know this week if he will fill the form in… but am I being dramatic to feel so disgusted by this? I guess I was just expecting him to want to be on it and that would be that… but it’s thrown me a bit. I feel angry that he would want to evade any sense of formal responsibility towards her. I know he will always have financial responsibility so it doesn’t really matter I suppose but it does bother me. Any thoughts?! I know it’s random but I despair really that after everything he can’t even do a normal thing like this without a drama

OP posts:
wooldryxptto · 15/04/2024 13:34

LiterallyOnFire · 15/04/2024 13:32

He sounds scared of responsibility.

If you can forgive him for going AWOL for the baby's first year, surely you can grit your teeth through this?

Why do you need to be around him anyway? Does he not have unsupervised contact?

@LiterallyOnFire yes I know I said the same to myself earlier… this is nothing compared with what he did to me and her for the first year of her life.

I do wonder if I should just leave it but I feel so angry he could be such a disgraceful person to leave his own child’s certificate blank. He is definitely scared of the ‘responsibility’ reference. Women have no choice but to be on it but men can do what they like? It’s disgusting.

OP posts:
MILTOBE · 15/04/2024 13:32

But didn't you put him on the birth certificate at the time?

IMO any person who said they didn't want to be on their own child's birth certificate doesn't deserve anything to do with their child.

LiterallyOnFire · 15/04/2024 13:32

He sounds scared of responsibility.

If you can forgive him for going AWOL for the baby's first year, surely you can grit your teeth through this?

Why do you need to be around him anyway? Does he not have unsupervised contact?

wooldryxptto · 15/04/2024 13:31

Oh also, I feel weird if he was to ever have her for a night without me there, then he should be on it for my own peace of mind that he has responsibility? I know that’s not necessary for her to spend a night with him in future etc but it just makes me feel a bit sick that he can declare he cares for her and loves her so much but wants her birth certificate blank?!

OP posts: