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DS 's lovely little pal and miserable DP

236 replies

Deathfingers · 02/06/2024 08:01

DS 12 has a lovely little bestie. They have been best friends for around 4 years and hang around a bit either here, in his house or the local park, hes here maybe 2-3 times a week max.

Now they're older they stay out later, so either here, at his or out til about 7pm. If they come here it's usually til around 6pmish then they go out for an hour.

DP and I both work FT. He gets in around 6pm some days.

A few times in the past I'd get a message saying he'll "pre warn" me when he's on his way so I can shoo DS friend home because he's "been working and won't come home to DS pal here" Each time I usually reply with a breezy "don't worry they are both in his bedroom hanging out" and that used to end the madness, but lately his messages are getting more demanding and argumentative. Apparently its not normal for kids to be at each others houses all the time - its 3 times a week at most for a couple of hours? He's also started hinting that I'm acting strange by wanting his friend here all the time (I dont? It's for DS!)

I get it, I like my peace, and his pal is very comfortable here 😬 he'll just wander in to the kitchen and grab an apple or drink without asking but meh, I secretly think it's pretty cool that he's so comfortable here and there's no issues re: the extra food he eats, it's not a lot and he is very polite. But DP says he doesnt want him even if they are upstairs bothering no one.

DC aren't allowed sleepovers etc because DP doesn't like it, he also doesn't like them playing in the garden, so I feel if I let him stop letting them have pals around to chill they won't have much left they can do!

Who's the odd one here? I think it's totally normal for pals to go to each others houses while parents are in, he thinks this isnt usual, I'm the weird one, and the kid should leave at 5pm before he comes home.

If its not me who's being strange how do I handle this? I'm so tempted to just reply with "no" and not engage next time I receive my pre warning message.

OP posts:
NewKnickersNewName · 02/06/2024 13:01

Encouraging friendships and accommodating their pals is the essence of parenting.
Did Mr Grumpy really think he could have children and not experience any changes?

Ohnobackagain · 02/06/2024 13:02

@Deathfingers also I wonder if he is jealous of their closeness and yet struggles to ‘do’ more with DS?

VJBR · 02/06/2024 13:07

Mirandasbiggestfan · 02/06/2024 08:06

Your DP sounds very controlling OP. Why aren’t the DC allowed in the garden? You def aren’t the odd one here. I would be tempted not to engage with DP when he says the friend needs to go. It seems very unfair.

Your partner sounds a controlling knob.

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Epidote · 02/06/2024 13:21

You DP doesn't like many things in this life by the look of it. Is he miserable all the time or just when things are not done his way?
If he is miserable all the time he is Mr Scrooge. If is miserable only when the things are not going his way he is also manipulative.

pontipinemum · 02/06/2024 13:24

Keep 'fighting' your kids corner. My step dad never once let me have a friend around. It was miserable. I lived with my grandparents a lot of the time too though and they had a very open door policy which was a lot nicer.

Bar some of the things you have said I get DP might be tired and want to chill in his home. But it doesn't sound like the friend causes any hassle and is gone an hour after DP gets home from work.

ambushoftigers · 02/06/2024 13:27

Smartiepants79 · 02/06/2024 08:06

Your dp is miserable, controlling and weird.
And getting worse it seems?
He is actually being quite unkind to his own children.
This behaviour would really upset me.

I agree.

Monging · 02/06/2024 13:37

I’m with your DS and his mate. It’s good for kids to hang out!

TheMoth · 02/06/2024 13:38

It's weird. Dd has friends on our street and they basically bounce from house to house. I work with kids all day, but it makes dd happy and it's only really for a few years. At 12, they tend to be on their bedroom anyway.

TheMoth · 02/06/2024 13:39

And the kids here in are in each others' houses a lot later than 7pm!

JamSlagsNowPlease · 02/06/2024 13:45

Does your son spend a similar amount of time at his friend's house? I can understand a parent getting a bit irritated if all the hosting is one way.

Scruffily · 02/06/2024 13:50

Doesn't like the noise in the garden and the coming in/out he also has the occasional cig (which I don't mind, it's literally 1-2 after work) and he doesn't want DS to catch him 🙄 tbf they wouldn't go in the garden much anyway it was just another example of DP being a title.

If he didn't want noise in the garden and his family going in and out of it, he should either not have had a garden or not have had children. As he has both, he should expect his children to use the garden because, y'know, it's normal. As for the cigarette problem, there's a pretty obvious answer to that.

Quicknamechange1234567 · 02/06/2024 13:59

I always welcome DC's friends, as I want DC to be comfortable in their home. Would far rather they were hanging out here than somewhere else.

TemuSpecialBuy · 02/06/2024 14:03

It sounds like Prisoners would have more freedoms than your children if your DP was left to his own devices.

Challenge hard every time.

Nuts your kids arent allowed in their own garden.

OffMyDahlias · 02/06/2024 14:13

I had a best friend with a stepdad like that and it ended up damaging her relationship with her mum.

BurbageBrook · 02/06/2024 14:16

He's a controlling weirdo. Horrible man. Stick up for your kids.

curlywurlymum · 02/06/2024 14:17

.

Balloonhearts · 02/06/2024 14:24

I'd nip that right in the bud. Tell him straight, 'your son has the right to a social life, it's his home too. I'm the one here with them all day, you see them for an hour, max. Stop being so fucking controlling, it's borderline abusive and I won't have it.

If you don't want him or I having friends round, we can split up and live separately but i wont be told that our child can't have friends round in the evening. Bad enough, he's never allowed sleepovers. This our home, you don't get to restrict us to office hours.'

Conniebygaslight · 02/06/2024 14:34

He’s being an arse OP. I honestly can’t stand people like this. We have 4 DC all adults now but our house was always full of kids/teens. There was always a mountain of shoes by the back door. We had many, many teenage parties over the years. Sometimes a minor issue or breakage but nothing unmanageable .
Our now grown children, talk fondly about how they loved the fact that everyone was welcome and they have wonderful memories. We also bump into some of these friends and they’re always pleased to see us and still thank us for having them over the years.
I had some parents comment over the years that I must be nuts but we always knew our kids were safe and happy, it’s their home too.

MrsElijahMikaelson1 · 02/06/2024 14:34

Ours is the default house for all my kids and their mates. I’d rather that and know where they are to be honest but I love hearing the laughter and am happy that they all feel comfortable here-even though I sometimes have to set boundaries around the fridge contents!
Your DP is a controlling prick and I couldn’t cope with someone making me and my children feel uncomfortable in our own space. Good for you planning to push back. Are there children there? Yes. Send them home now before I get home…that will be a no.

AcrossthePond55 · 02/06/2024 14:55

@Deathfingers

"been working and won't come home to DS pal here"

Frankly, I'd say "Fine by me" and feel nothing but relief if he kept himself away. I hate being threatened even when the threat would probably feel more like a blessing. Not having to run interference with snacks and drinks, not having to worry that the DC are making noise, etc. There is practically nothing worse than walking on eggshells.

TBH, it sounds to me as if you are very close to the straw that broke the camel's back. Give a think about what your home would be like without him in it. What your life would be like not having to cater to him. And if it that sound appealing, think about how to facilitate it.

Life is too short to have to tiptoe around a nasty, controlling man. Worse yet is that at some point your DS will feel it and he'll start tiptoeing around him too.

frozendaisy · 02/06/2024 15:05

Basically he wants friend out of house but is all nice when he sees them, so he wants you to be the bad guy so he can get what he wants without taking responsibility for upsetting DS.

And he wants none in the garden do he can smoke without DS seeing so you have to empty the garden and be the bad guy for his needs.

And he remains the good guy.

Yeah no happening. If he wants am empty garden and empty house he should at least be the bad guy to get it done.

ArnottL · 02/06/2024 15:56

Is your son also your partner's son? If the answer is yes, then he just wants to relax and chill in his house and this is normal. If the answer is no - he is resentful of your child and you should make the obvious conclusion.

Mummyoflittledragon · 02/06/2024 16:21

Our house used to be the place to congregate at your ds’s age. I used to have a group of girls descend on me for lunch regularly. Dd, who is almost 16, has 1/2/3 friends regularly to stay and the odd larger sleepover with them all crammed in her room. They’re not in the garden these days but the trampoline was a big feature for them in the past.

Wheeder · 02/06/2024 16:23

he also doesn't like them playing in the garden

How can you love a misery guys who begrudges his own children playing in their garden??

StMarieforme · 02/06/2024 16:27

Smartiepants79 · 02/06/2024 08:06

Your dp is miserable, controlling and weird.
And getting worse it seems?
He is actually being quite unkind to his own children.
This behaviour would really upset me.

This 100%