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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

to think about leaving DP because of DDs ASC?

34 replies

AlmondAmy · 06/07/2015 10:46

DD is awaiting assessment for ASC, she's 3 and it's looking extremely likely that that is the cause of her sensory difficulties, issues with food and sleep etc. DP works shifts of either three days on two days off, four days on four days off or five days on three days off so it is changing all the time. When it's a work day he's also on call so in the evenings/night he can disappear anytime for different lengths of time every time - sometimes not returning til the following evening. He also sometimes starts early/finishes late with no prior warning. When his phone rings to call him out it always wakes DD and then she is unable to settle for the remainder of the night. When he's late, she can't eat. When he's off it takes days of upset to adjust then he's off back to work again and it disrupts her again.

DP has two DC who are supposed to come EOW. Sometimes both come, sometimes one comes, sometimes neither comes and DP never knows until he gets there. Again, these changes in routine mean DD doesn't eat or really sleep while DSC are there, or if they don't come as expected and she is completely out of sorts for days.

I know she has to learn to adjust to the world rather than it adjust to her but the instability DP brings to her life makes it a constant struggle for her. She doesn't like him doing anything for her so it's never easier when he's here for anyone. Aibu to think about leaving just so it's easier for DD?

OP posts:
cestlavielife · 07/07/2015 09:48

almond ask paed about trying melatonin it usually helps with getting child off to sleep. that will then sort out the evening routine. frankly melatonin was a miracle for my son with asd as prior to that eh could be up to four hours trying to get him to go to sleep.

ask yu medical team for access to help to deal with the family issue, her thing with her dad etcetc. a behavior specialist can help you sort this out. dont assume it has to be this way for ever

hedgehogsdontbite · 07/07/2015 09:59

If you have issues with your DP and want out fair enough, that's your choice. But I'm not sure why you think leaving him will resolve your DD's issues with change. Do you really think she'll be better off seeing her dad intermittently in between his shifts, having a second home, most likely with a stepmum and possibly more siblings at some point?

Mayor · 07/07/2015 10:59

Do things feel easier or more difficult with him around? Does he help out with the other children whilst you're dealing with your DD?

AnyoneForTennis · 07/07/2015 11:11

do you work? how would his income support 2 households as well as maintenance for his other children?

saintlyjimjams · 07/07/2015 11:19

Yes agree about melatonin. I use it reset ds1'd clock (so if it's way out give it a few days in a row to re-establish a routine). Ask the paed about it when you see them (you can get liquid - that's what we use).

Is your DP in denial about dd's issues? That's not uncommon in the early years but does tend to get better. DH drives me mad at times & ds1 is clingy to me, but it is easier parenting 3 children, including 1 severely autistic teen with 2 of us. And he's become a massive support over the years - the one other person who 'gets it'

insanityscatching · 07/07/2015 11:26

Amy, ds didn't disregard dh he openly hated him. He'd scream, spit at him and throw things when he walked in the door, he'd make it physically impossible for dh to be in the same room as him. It was a good day when he completely blanked him tbh.
Ds is my fourth child so I felt I had to consider all my children's needs and even though in many respects it would have been easier if dh wasn't there it wouldn't have been fair on the others and it's not really a good example to ds that he can oust someone from his life by behaving badly towards them. Likewise my eldest two were boys and would become men in our house so ds needed to learn to tolerate males or else I'd have to oust his brothers too.
It sounds like your dd doesn't have a diagnosis yet and so it's likely you haven't got the support that you need to help her cope yet either but things can change when you know the right techniques to use.
Schedules,timetables, prompts and rewards can make a big difference to your life.
Ds is 20 now and unrecognisable from the angry, aggressive, destructive boy he once was and I've since had dd 12 with autism too. Life here is calm and predictable and we are mostly all very happy and the autism is manageable fairly easily now.

reni1 · 07/07/2015 13:05

Unless there is a massive back story it sounds like you want to help her with more routine. Understandable, but if you leave her dad, she will end up with less routine, surely? He will see her at unpredictable intervals, you have no idea which if any of her half-siblings are there and of course his circumstances are likely to change in the future (new partner, new babies etc). What sort of support will you have, both hands on and financially? If you are not married, all you will get is child support from him?

AnyoneForTennis · 07/07/2015 17:27

Child support? If they split up. But she's not saying that

reni1 · 07/07/2015 18:27

I thought "leaving DP" in the heading means splitting up, does it not?

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