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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

AIBU to tell DD2 that her father's a bastard - WWYD?

59 replies

Vallhala · 15/05/2011 14:14

Sorry this is long but I really need some views on this. Backstory's here - in short, I've barred my ex from my house owing to his behaviour towards the girls and I.

Two months ago I told my ex-husband that whilst he's welcome to see/take the girls out etc and to phone them he's no longer welcome in my home. We have no reason to have regular contact with each other and he rarely spoke to the girls during his once-a-month, hour long unannounced visits . Plus, his appearances upset DD2 (14), who's a bright, articulate child and who's suffered enormously over recent years with EBD linked to bullying at school. So, she kind of understands everything astutely but can't deal with the emotional impact.

He was rather taken aback!. As he stood on the doorstep DD2 came out of her bedroom, shouted some extremely rude (but extremely deserved TBH) abuse at him and burst into tears, sobbing that he didn't care about her. I asked him to go and that was that.

Since then he's made no effort to initiate contact with either DD although DD1 has rung him a few times, including to ask if he'd take her for dinner for her birthday. Surprisingly he said yes so he and his DP are taking her to for a meal next weekend. To my greater surprise DD2 said to me that she too would like to be invited. I said that she would have to cut the abuse, which she accepted calmly and I prepared her with a warning that her father would probably say no. And, in his defence, I could understand that he would resent taking out a child who has screamed at him that he's a bastard and a cunt Shock BUT it's hardly surprising that she feels this way given how he's treated us all. He's an adult, he's the one who's let HER down and IMHO it's down to him to build bridges and to be the bigger person.

Now I find that there's been another conversation between DD1 and their father in which DD1 asked whether she might invite her girlfriend to the meal.

You can guess the answer - he'll take a stranger's daughter but he won't take his own 14 year old daughter. Not that he can only take one or the other, but that he won't take DD2 at all.

I want to sob and scream for poor DD2. I've told her not to worry, he's just a bastard, that WE will do something nice that evening... but how the fuck do you let one daughter and her friend swan out the door all dressed up to go out with her father when he refuses to take his other daughter? I could understand it if DD2 was much younger and the venue unsuitable, if she was going to get her turn when she is 16, if she was offered a night at their dads or a day out with him another time... I could even deal with it if he'd said that this is just a special night out for DD1 and that no-one else is invited.

But he hasn't done that. He's said he'll take an extra teenaged girl... just not his own. :(

He's driving into our village later to meet DD1 in order that he can hand this month's insulting amount of maintainence to her. Childish of him, I made it clear that he can put that through the letterbox but merely that he is not being invited in. It's not as if he'll stop to talk to DD1 or take her anywhere when he meets her.

ATM I want catch him when he turns up to rip his fucking head off because he's so thick he doesn't realise that he's causing DD2 to feel further rejected and that this will result in an escalation in her anger and distress (the consequences of which he of course doesn't have to live with!). I want to say that if he can't treat his DDs equally then he can fuck off and see neither... but realistically DD1's 16 now, that won't work and will only serve to make me the bad guy. Likewise I want to but can't just say that DD1 may go but she isn't taking her friend... but it's too late to spare DD2 so there's no point.

Of course I won't rip his head off but AIBU for saying he's an utter bastard... and what else can I say or do?

OP posts:
Vallhala · 15/05/2011 17:18

Maybe I should have said "AIBU to tell DD2 her father's a bastard on this particular occasion", hairy. Poor wording on my part, that's all.

OP posts:
follyfoot · 15/05/2011 17:31

To answer your first question - yes you are being unreasonable to tell your DD2 that her father's a bastard (on any occasion). But reading your later posts I guess you are never going to change your mind on that one so bit of a pointless question really.

My XH is a bastard, and I mean a real bastard, but whilst my daughter is aware of the facts of what he did, she doesnt need telling what I think of him, and 14 years on, I havent ever told her. After all, she is half him, as your DDs are half your ex. And no child wants to be told their parent(s) is/are awful. My DD is aware that her father did some terrible things, but that I bear him no ill will and that he isnt just 'bad' or 'a bastard'. She feels similarly and as a result is pretty sorted about what went on.

Is it possible to comfort your DD2 without offering your opinion on the ex by concentrating on how unhappy she is rather than his actions. Mind you, I'd also tell her that her behaviour was bang out of order too.

Vallhala · 15/05/2011 18:30

DD1 has just returned from meeting him down the road as arranged. As predicted he didn't stop to have a conversation with her, she was out and back within 5 minutes. She showed me her 16th birthday present from her father - a Pandora style bracelet which his DP's son had suggested apparently, and a £20 note. My daughters wouldn't dare expect to receive a gift or be ungrateful for one so I didn't expect her to comment and she hasn't. She did say though how sad she was that SHE had to call HIM to remind him that it was her birthday, SHE had to ask HIM if he'd take her for a pizza to celebrate and that the card, signed "Better late than never" was clearly bought after the date of her birthday.

DD2's then reminded us that their father didn't send her so much as a card for her own birthday a couple of months ago.

Interestingly, her birthday was shortly after I'd told him what I thought of his attitude towards the girls and he'd stormed off in a strop. So, yet again my younger daughter got no birthday card, call or gift from her father because he was angry with me.

"Bastard" is too good for him.

DD1 has offered DD2 half of that £20 too. :(

OP posts:
janetsplanet · 15/05/2011 19:22

i have 3 kids with my ex. my son doesnt receive a card for his birthday yet the girls do and none of them receive anything at xmas

beesimo · 15/05/2011 19:27

Valhalha

I would suggest pouring oil on trouble waters rather than ramping everything up all the time. At the end of the day the only person whos behaviour you can control is your own. You are a very angry lady and a very articulate intellegent one, and I have the feeling you don't take kindly to anyone 'crossing you'. TBO you seem to be making it all about you and surely its the DDs who count most in this.

I am sure that if you could only cool your jets a bit you could make positive moves to increase the peace and harmony between all parties. Yes you may well be perfectly right in everything you say about EH but is it helpful to keep saying it.

WhereYouLeftIt · 15/05/2011 19:31

Do you think it would help your DDs if you told them their not getting acknowledgement from their father was because he was trying to punish you not them? Could it allow them to distance themselves emotionally from him at all and so feel less hurt by him?

Vallhala · 15/05/2011 19:40

beesimo, I can avoid him, which is a perk of barring him from my house. It is all about the DDs, sorry if that's not coming across clearly (see, I'm not articulate but thank you for the compliment! :) ).

There is little I can do though... the ex won't change his disinterested attitude and behaviour nor will he be the bigger person and accept WHY DD2 feels as she does and his part in it and/or make an effort and gain her trust through being there and taking an interest in her. A phone call every week or 2 is all it would have taken. :(

WYLI, I've just explained that to the girls. DD2's response was "I know that Mum, but he's ALWAYS treated me differently to my sister" - which is so, so true it hurts. She's now trying to put on a brave face and "It doesn't matter, I don't care" while there are tears in her eyes.

OP posts:
ChippingIn · 15/05/2011 20:22

Val - you are doing well to rise above some of the posts :) Let's just say I wouldn't have been so...controlled Hmm

My veggie patch is too good for this wanker. I think a sea burial is what's required... don't worry about shooting him first - just make sure it's deep.

He has been unutterably cruel to both the girls and the crumbs he gives DD1 and not DD2 are even more cruel.

I don't see how a man can treat his two daughters like this, I really don't. It's heartbreaking.

:(

worraliberty · 16/05/2011 12:29

I agree with beesimo that's kind of what I was trying to say but she put it so much better. If therapy/family therapy is not for you..and let's face it, it's not for everyone, perhaps finding a different way to 'cool your jets' is a good idea.

He's a twat but the girls obviously want him in their lives. If you could perhaps let go of all the anger from the past, you could maybe think of some strategies in order to help them cope with the way he behaves.

And just hope the day hurries up where they both decide enough is enough and cut him off altogether.

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