Suddenly he wants more custody.

[TypicallyTopically]

Split with my ex 3 years ago. Our child was 18 months old. He works shifts so contact was sporadic. He does/did maybe 1 out of 5 weekends and a night or 2 a week. Our child is due to start school and all of a sudden he wants every other weekend ie Saturday am to Monday pm and he's changing his working hours. He's being enthusiastic at present saying he wants more weekends off etc. Why after leaving the majority to me for 3 years ?

This is all very normal in the divorce playbook

He has got someone else and she has no kids. I also have a new partner. It may wear off and it may not. At least my child knows there's always a stable home with me as I actually changed my life when they were born!

Regardless of his motives I think you have to support it, albeit with care to ensure your son isn't being set up for a fall (if it turns out to be less than genuine).

If contact has been sporadic, I would work up to more contact gradually rather than making such a significant change overnight.

Are you getting child maintenance OP? It's a separate issue but one to bear in mind if you are, as you will need to adjust accordingly.

I am getting maintenence. I actually think I should have been getting more as he does shifts so earns quite a bit

Would it benefit you to have some time for yourself?

@TypicallyTopically

I am getting maintenence. I actually think I should have been getting more as he does shifts so earns quite a bit

Have a look on the CMS calculator you should be getting 15% of his income for one child 17 1/2 for 20% three I believe it is. They will base this off his P60. Not some random nonsense that he makes up I actually think it’s always better to go through the child maintenance service purely because it removes any emotion from the situation. Are more importantly if he has another child with this woman that’s turned up he is definitely going to reduce what he pays you so you need to be ahead of the game here and get every penny whilst you can

I know a man who did it so he didnt have to work weekends, he'd say he had court appointed contact time.

Second the girlfriend. He will be the perfect dad until he’s sealed the deal or they break up at which point he’ll go back to normal. Don’t say we didn’t all warn you!