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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To ask my DC stepmother to pay for their extra curricular activities?

478 replies

secretagent007 · 13/01/2013 14:10

Backstory:Ex-DP and I broke up 7 years ago, he left for another woman, we already had two DC - DD1 now 10 and DS now 8. After being splitting up I found out I was pregnant with DD2, but ex decided to stay with other woman and they were married 2 weeks before I gave birth. 6 weeks after I had DD2, OW discovers she is pregnant and gives birth to twin boys, so EX now has three DC who are 6 years old, as well as OW already having a DD who is only a month younger than my DD1.

Well that was an info spill; now onto the real issue:

My DC stepmother not only has a high paying job but when her first DH died he left her a very considerable amount of money and because of this, as far as I'm aware, her and EX keep separate finances, both contributing a percentage of their wage into a house hold account and then whatever is leftover is their own to spend on what they see fit (I know this seems like a ridiculous amount of information to know about EX finances but how I know will become apparent in a minute) Ex is a firefighter and earns a pretty average wage.

SM spoils her DC (Her and Ex have had a further three DD's), they have the best of everything - toys,clothes, electronics activities. Her eldest two DD's are both in competitive dance and own multiple ponies that they compete with , something my DD's would love to do but will never get the chance as I can't afford it.

My DC spend every fortnight, Friday evening through to Monday morning, at their fathers and most weekends follow are the same; SM and her daughters go off to a dance competition or horse show, while EX takes DTS to whatever activities they are doing that weekend, all fine and dandy, except neither me or ex can afford for them to do these activities, so my children just have to go and watch their brothers Angry This is how they spend almost every weekend with their father!

Naturally this has caused more then a few fights between me and ex, as I think it's cruel to get my DC up every Saturday morning to go watch their siblings do all these fun activities knowing that they would never be able to do them. Ex has said he would pay half if I payed half, as this is what He and OW do,because it's not fair on his wife and other DC if he pays the full lot for our DC. He doesn't seem to understand that I earn a low wage and cannot afford to even pay half.

This is especially hard as the children are all such similar ages.

EX does take them all to soft play, wave pool and movies ect after, which is fully paid for out of his own pocket after ( I know, what a saint), but that doesn't make up for the fact his children have been forced to sit around all morning watching their brothers have fun.

It just seems my children will forever be getting the blunt end of the stick because their father and stepmother have decided to have separate finances.

So, would I be unreasonable to ask their step mother to either fund or give permission to EX to fund these activities? After all it is because of her financial situation that my children have to miss out, as she has made it clear to ex that she expects him to split everything evenly between all his children, and spend no more or no less on our children then he does on theirs, and she could afford it or would that just make me bitter, jealous cow? How should I go on from here?

OP posts:
DizzyZebra · 14/01/2013 16:18

Core - Half an hour pottering around on the beast. It's not exactly taking away from anyone and could be something that would bring a lot of happiness to a little girl.

allnewtaketwo · 14/01/2013 16:19

"Because no one seems to be understanding that there is no reason for that shit and the ex needs to stop being a twat and tell her to sit down and have a minute!"

I don't think it's so much that people don't understand, more that people realise this isn't the nub of the issue and there is sweet f a the OP can do about the SM's preference for the ponies. What she can do is sort out how the Sat morning situation affects her children.

DizzyZebra · 14/01/2013 16:20

Kitkat - Yes i suppose they are specifically the daughters - But whats half an hour for the SD every other week? Hardly taking away from her is it? I used to have my little brother led around on my pony for 20 minutes whenever i couldn't be arsed to warm him up.

Anyway, really am going now! I have tidying to do (STILL!)

CoreOfLore · 14/01/2013 16:21

But by the same argument couldn't it be said that it's only an hour(?) that the children have to wait for the twins?

DizzyZebra · 14/01/2013 16:23

NO Core! I am GOING. Bad MN! Grin

CoreOfLore · 14/01/2013 16:23

Though Dizzy I do agree that riding a pony isn't going to take away from SM DD, after all she only has one bum, she can't ride all three at one time!

DizzyZebra · 14/01/2013 16:24

1.bp.blogspot.com/_mxFk8wgZXEw/TUxXD39XRII/AAAAAAAAAjw/NZZuTSEFm8U/s1600/G_05F96.jpg

Maybe she's that guy...

Now... this living room WILL be tidy.

irishkitkat · 14/01/2013 16:27

Enjoy your tidying Dizzy. I'm off to make tea for my own neglected DC Smile. MN certainly is the Thief of Time.

CoreOfLore · 14/01/2013 16:28

How you found that picture so quickly is astonishing, I'm getting vibes you've had it bookmarked, waiting patiently for years for this moment to present itself Grin

CoreOfLore · 14/01/2013 16:30

I'm off as well; it's 3.30 am here in Australia, and I need my beauty sleep. Night MN.

LPplusOne · 14/01/2013 16:34

Grin @ Lorenzo

DizzyZebra · 14/01/2013 16:37

I have moved 3 toys. THREE TOYS. I am failing.

It just sprang to mind - I saw him on TV doing it and googled 'man standing on horses' and it came straight up haha.

Now it doesn't seem half as witty and hilarious.

elizaregina · 14/01/2013 16:41

I hope op comes back to fill in some gaps. I feel particulary moved by her childrens plight

olibeansmummy · 14/01/2013 16:59

Well YWBU to ask the step mum, but YANBU to expect your ex to pay. Could he sign your dcs up for an activity every other week? That way he'd be paying half of what his other dcs get as they get it every week iyswim.

Tbh though, is your dcs watching their siblings for an hour REALLY the issue? Do they even want to so tennis etc? What so they have to say on the issue?

I think the real issue is that the oldest dd has what your oldest dd wants/ what you want for her ( private school, ponies etc) and I'm afraid as crap as it is, there's nothing you can do about that :(

GregBishopsBottomBitch · 14/01/2013 17:01

OP shouldnt have to pay half for her ex contact, shes the RP and foots most of the bill already, he pays minimum support, but still expects for her to pay for more, my ex pays me, whatever he does with DD his out of his pocket, OP's ex needs to remember he made 3 other children, they arent just random family members, they are his kids.

The ex DP, shouldnt have to contribute, but shouldnt restrict what he pays, he had 8 kids he deals with it.

WifeofPie · 14/01/2013 17:31

I think that if the pair of them have decided to have all these children together knowing that they already have three children with other partners, then they should be prepared to TREAT ALL THE CHILDREN IN THEIR LIVES THE SAME. If you decide to break up families and mess up lives, then you should be prepared to alter your lifestyles in order to compensate the children involved. So they shouldn't have some kids with multiple ponies and others doing NOTHING. Not fair at all. They should choose cheaper activities so that all 9 (10?) kids can participate. It's not fair to the children that are left out and also a very poor example to the spoilt children and does nothing for building family relationships.

Sorry for the SHOUTING but this had made me quite cross Angry. What a mess.

irishkitkat · 14/01/2013 17:34

greg may I ask you who pays for your DCs regular weekend activities if they go to any? If your DC has every other weekend contact with their DF but goes to the activity every week? In my family my DSS go to their DMs EOW but by DH (as the RP) pays for them to attend a sports club every weekend. So one week he takes them the next week their DM does but my DH pays their membership.

elizaregina · 14/01/2013 17:36

i am also surprised the sm dd doesnt want to share the pony riding - with her step sister...and just share things...

what sort of lessons are being taught to the richer children !

GregBishopsBottomBitch · 14/01/2013 17:37

Irish My daughter only goes once a month, (i'd be happy with more but meh) anything my DD does is in and outside school i pay for or, i use the maintenance money.

irishkitkat · 14/01/2013 17:43

See that's the same for us, although EOW. The DSSs DM is perfectly nice but she genuinely believes the maintenance she pays should cover all extra-curricular planned activities even if they occur on 'her weekend'. She will treat the boys to movies, etc out of her money like the OPs ex. I'm just wondering if he believes the maintenance he pays should pay for the DCs extra- curticulars, like many other NRPs do, and he's actually being generous offering half. He's still a twit to think like that though.

GregBishopsBottomBitch · 14/01/2013 17:47

My ex is a dick but understands the maintenance he gives me is my DD's essentials and I use it as such, if he so much dared asked me to fund his weekend, he'd get a "no way in hells chance", Just because im the RP, doesnt mean i have to pay for everything. My BIL, pays maintenance and more for his activities, some men are so pig ignorant it amazes me.

GregBishopsBottomBitch · 14/01/2013 17:49

*his DS activities

TwoFacedCows · 14/01/2013 18:06

DizzyZebra, just because people are a couple, does not make the horses both of theirs.

I have 2 dogs, they are not DHs dogs at all. I do all of the walking and caring. The dogs know that they are mine, just as DH does.

My dogs certainly would not be walked by my DsD, So i can understand why this SM wouldnt want the DC riding the horses in her absence.

notallytuts · 14/01/2013 18:15

I'm a bit confused by how all the money is split, but if I understand right, one SD has three ponies? Now assuming that these are half funded by your XH, could he not put the same amount of money he does into this daughter, into a pony that your DDs could share? Obviously this would be a big commitment, but might be feasible if your DD(s) are really that interested, and could be doable if you all live in the same town? It all sounds very unfair, your poor DC Sad

Arisbottle · 14/01/2013 18:21

As a stepmother, if I treated my stepson in this way or refused to treat all of our children the same , my husband would show me the door. I am horrified that your ex would allow another woman to treat his children in that way.