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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

to think we shouldn't have to bribe DSD into seeing us?

27 replies

AlmondAmy · 08/04/2015 23:32

DSD is 8. DP has a court order but his exW is unsupportive of contact and has recently been supporting DSD in not coming for contact. He goes to collect her or calls her and DSD asks what we'd be doing if she comes. If it doesn't interest her, she won't come. He went to collect her on Saturday and was bribing her with how she should come and see how many Easter eggs she has etc.

There is no question of us doing normal things like food shopping if she's here. It's full on entertainment and days out and even then she still often doesn't come the following time. She hasn't been for 9 weeks now but next week it's her birthday and she 'thinks she'll manage coming for the day' at the weekend. AIBU to think that we shouldn't have to bribe her to come and that it isn't sustainable?

OP posts:
daffsandtulips · 08/04/2015 23:37

Do you know why ex is not supporting this arrangement?

How long have you been with DP?

honeyroar · 08/04/2015 23:38

Your poor OH, it must be heart breaking.

NeedsAsockamnesty · 08/04/2015 23:39

Perhaps she genuinely does not wish to come has anybody tried to actually find out why?

butterflyballs · 08/04/2015 23:43

We've started having the same issues. Last school holidays we had to send an email listing our plans for the week so dsd could decide when to see her dad. We got her for three days out of ten.

She has refused to come at all this holiday. We sent an Easter hamper to her, not even a phone call to say thank you. Dp has tried to call but can't get hold of her, managed to contact his oldest who said she'd pass a message on and ask dsd to call but that was three days ago.

We never got thanked for her Xmas presents either. I feel sorry for dp.

Jacobsmum1972 · 09/04/2015 00:00

I sympathise with you because DsC can go through periods of not wanting to visiting a certain parent.

I think at age 8 dd has to stick to agreed arrangements. My dss hated his stepdad and after age 16
moved here because at 16 you can choose to live with a certain parent.

The ex needs to stick to the arrangements.

AlmondAmy · 09/04/2015 00:02

We've been together for 6.5 yrs. She says she doesn't want to come because she doesn't like our house rules - sharing, manners, table manners etc. DP is planning elaborate trips and presents for her birthday but it won't be appreciated.

OP posts:
daffsandtulips · 09/04/2015 00:04

I wonder why the child doesnt want to go? Do you know why?

AcrossthePond55 · 09/04/2015 00:16

Sounds as if she's gotten used to bring bribed. If I knew I could hold out for ponies & parades I'd probably do it, too.

Is there a court order that can be enforced?

I'd also take a look at the house rules to be sure they're reasonable and being enforced fairly, especially if there are other children in the house. Compare them to her mother's rules to see if they are relatively equal. Assuming her mother has house rules, too.

MrsTerryPratchett · 09/04/2015 00:45

I think having a neutral time discussion about the rules and listen to her, really listen about why she doesn't like them. And, any other issues with your house. You can't go on being the Disney cruise house, it's really unhealthy for her and you.

NeedsAsockamnesty · 09/04/2015 00:51

Perhaps clarify if it's the rules or the enforcement methods.

YourKidsYourRulesHunXxx · 09/04/2015 00:53

Stop bribing, then. Maybe she feels like she is being bought? Perhaps you started saying 'if you come round, then you'll get this' after she started becoming reluctant to visit, but it needs to stop. It's setting up a power struggle.

You need to step back, but encourage her Dad to start becoming the parent figure again, because he is the one who seems to be feeling guilty and catering to her too much. Only then can you be a team.

YourKidsYourRulesHunXxx · 09/04/2015 00:56

Can I ask, are you a 'do as I say not, not as I do' household? Could there be more room for compromise?

IamtheDevilsAvocado · 09/04/2015 05:15

I am wondering :

Has anyone sat her down and tried to get to the bottom of why she wont visit willingly?

Have there been times previously when she visited and her dad was elsewhere for long periods eg did he go out for a long pub session midday? someone I know became apopleptic cos his 6.and 8 year olds were not keen on visiting, only one weekend a month, as he either was always doing lengthy DIY jobs that they couldnt help with and the consequent bad moods, and then he spent the rest of the time asleep on the sofa.

It also strikes me that an unintended consequence of you trying to tempt her, that she has way, way too much power over you... Whixh is never a good lesson for one so young

yearofthegoat · 09/04/2015 05:51

Can I ask what the bedroom arrangements are when she comes and how she gets on with the other children (if any) in the house?

Sometimes children pick up vibes that they are second best as they have to share another child's bedroom or sleep in the sitting room. Sometimes the activities are aimed at young children or they can't have contact during the visit with their own friends for some reason.

Perhaps a trusted friend or grandparent could talk to DSD and find out what is going on?

KingJoffreyFanciesDarylDixon · 09/04/2015 07:53

I think 8 is old enough to decide who they want to spend time with. She's a person, not a possession. Saying we 'got her for 3 days' is kind of weird.

Maybe she just enjoys chilling out at home.

Let her do her own thing but obviously let her know you're there for her.

MadamG · 09/04/2015 08:29

My DSD is the opposite she likes to visit everyone in the family all the time as she feels she gets the maximum treats and good stuff. It's horrible to watch her play the families.
She also moans at the house rules at ours (which are fairly standard and probably not far off what her mother has). She'd just prefer a holiday from manners when with daddy.
She is 7. I think there is no way she should be choosing if she follows the contact order or not.
It just needs to be enforced and respected. She's not old enough to make third choices herself yet.
I hope somehow this helps, I don't think it's just you. You are trapped into an unhealthy routine but it can be salvaged but I think the adults in her life need to agree the contact pattern asap and follow it.

Allinson2014 · 09/04/2015 08:40

Is it a long distance from her home OP? I'm just asking because my DS is a similar age and reluctant to visit his dad because it is several hundred miles away and he is "worried he will miss me". Could something like that be happening here? Obviously it doesn't apply if she's been visiting a lot previously without problems.

Theycallmemellowjello · 09/04/2015 08:52

This post sounds very blaming of an 8 year old girl! You can't blame a little girl (or anyone!) for liking presents and chocolate, so please don't resent her for not masking her pleasure at that. And if she really doesn't like anything about visits apart from the presents, well it's not really her problem is it - it's your DH's. I don't think you can say she is in the wrong for not wanting to come and see her father - you want what you want. I understand that this must be heartbreaking for your DH. But at 8 I think it's too much to expect she completely repress her own feelings and pretend to be super-keen to come for the sake of not hurting his feelings. Likewise, it would be reasonable to expect an adult to decline presents from a family member with whom they're not interested in a relationship, but I don't think it's reasonable to expect an 8 year old to do this (or even understand why they ought to do this).

IMO if you want to solve this you need to accept that the problem has nothing to do with presents but with a little girl's relationship with her father. So the attitude should be not, "she does not want to come because she is spoiled and bad - how can we stop her being spoiled and bad?" but "she does not want to come. why does she not want to come and what can we change to change this?"

MadamG · 09/04/2015 09:03

Oh the other thing I could add (actually I could add a lot more) is my DsD never wants to leave us. If we believed that it was in her best interests we would keep her at the end of every visit it holiday. Trouble is I know she feels the same when at her mums, she doesn't want to leave her mum behind either. and I just have to be thankful that her mum still brings her to us and we still take her home.

CaspianSea · 09/04/2015 09:04

She sounds like a spoilt brat who is too used to getting her own way. It's so sad your DP feels he has to bribe her to spend time with her.
I suggest a long chat with DP. You need to stop the bribes and the special days out. Try to make time enjoyable for her when she visits but focus on everyday things eg make sure she has a few hours alone with her dad, is comfortable with sleeping arrangements, isn't being bullied by your own DC etc. She needs to follow house rules and be treated as one of the family, not a special guest of honour.
If she realises she won't get special treatment and you're not going to go to lengths to entice her there, she might stop playing games and come of her own accord. If she doesn't you may need to accept you won't see her for a while.

crazykat · 09/04/2015 10:55

We're having the same problem with dsd. Dh tries to speak to her every day for a few minutes but she won't answer her phone. She won't come here unless we're doing something which is rare as we can't afford it. The only time dsd will answer the phone is when she asks for money.

It really upsets dh that she's like this. She's not interested in just hanging out at home or going to the park. We have fair rules that apply to all the children, and yes she shares a room here but she does at home too. We are more strict than her mum but at home she's allowed to jump on the furniture and is basically given whatever she wants as long as she's not bugging her mum. Dsd has even told us she doesn't want to come as we never go anywhere, she likes going to the pub with her mum instead.

We can't afford the pub every month never mind every week and dh is knackered after working all week so just wants to relax at the weekend. We don't have a car either so walk everywhere which dsd also doesn't like.

Tbf dsd has always been like this and dh and I used to have to take her to soft play every weekend or she'd refuse to see him, even though he's always done his best for her. She's too old for soft play now and has said that we should take her to theme parks and the like and then she'll come, that isn't going to happen.

Part of the problem is that when parents split the children can choose who to spend time with and are obviously going to choose the parent that is doing things and giving them things. Whereas when parents are together the children don't have a choice. Our dcs don't always like being at home and want to do things but they can't just say "I'm going to grandma's if you don't take me somewhere" they just have to get on with it and find fun things to do like playing out or going to the park.

There's also this attitude that it's something the nrp is doing or something wrong with the relationship that stops the child not wanting to visit unless they get treats and days out. It can never be that the child has become a spoiled brat after being bribed for so long. If it was a resident parent saying that their child was demanding days out every weekend the response would be to nip it in the bud and remove privileges, don't be manipulated not the what is her dad doing wrong, it's not her fault etc you get when you post about a step child.

Bribing and pandering to children to get them to see you us just setting you up for problems. It's bloody hard and horrible when nrps are faced with this situation but you can only ride it out and keep trying.

halfwildlingwoman · 09/04/2015 11:02

The thing is, that while all the adults around may think they have all been very sensible and reasonable, the 8 year old feels abandoned and is trying to get her daddy to prove how much he loves her.

What is her mother's take on the issue? Shouldn't they discuss the matter and agree that she will be coming on those days regardless.

AlmondAmy · 09/04/2015 11:38

Sorry halfwilding, but I think that's rubbish. Dsd has never known any different to two houses and step parents as they split so long ago - she doesn't suddenly feel abandoned. Even if that was the case, she needs to learn that money and material goods don't demonstrate love and that quality time does. If I was posting about our child not wanting to visit granny unless they got presents I'm sure you'd all agree that was unacceptable.

She has her own room here and expects to share everyone else's things but not share her own. She rejects everything we cook and leaves the table. She says she only eats nuggets at home. Other than these issues she's happy when she's actually here but it's getting her here that's the problem. ExW supports her in staying home, saying she shouldn't be expected to share Hmm

OP posts:
NewLeaflet · 09/04/2015 11:54

expects to share everyone else's things but not share her own

You haven't said who else is in the family - this sounds like it could be the root of the problem. Is she an only child at home but got siblings at your place?

sauvignonismydrug · 09/04/2015 12:29

As a teacher, a mum and a stepmum I would say that 8 is definitely too young for your DSD to be calling the shots. As parents we continue to make decisions for our children for many years as we know what is in our children's best interests. Unfortunately, unless you are prepared to enforce the order or sit down and request that mum helps to ensure contact then this will continue.

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