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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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..to be upset that DP shares custody of his teddy bear with his ex?

965 replies

BearProblems · 07/12/2016 17:12

DP and I have been together 2 and a half years. We live together and have a DC. A few months before we got together, DP had split with his ex, who he'd been with for over a decade. Their split was amicable but they've hardly had any contact since. She seems to be a perfectly nice person. They have no DCs.

When DP moved in, over a year ago, his ex came to my house to collect Bear who was going "on holiday" with her. DP hadn't warned me this was happening, and I was just expecting her to drop some of DP's stuff off. DP did the handing over but it was all unbearably awkward. DP hadn't told her that he was moving in with me (we have known each other vaguely for years) so she couldn't have been expecting the new girlfriend to be a witness to this nonsense. He didn't tell her because he was hardly in touch with her and was (like a total coward) hoping someone else would tell her so he wouldn't have to. Anyway, I thought that was the end of it and she would be too embarrassed to ask for Bear again.

Today DP and I went out for a nice lunch together and, over the pudding, he mentioned, very awkwardly, that he was going out this evening... taking Bear, who is off on his Christmas holidays. He will drop Bear off with ex before meeting friends to play darts. He'll be gone a couple of hours in all.

I am 100% certain there is nothing going on with DP and his ex (or anyone else for that matter) but this has made me feel incredibly weird and uncomfortable and actually a bit insecure.

He made this arrangement with his ex and didn't tell me until a few hours before the arranged drop off. I know full well the reason he didn't tell me was because he was embarrassed about it (and rightly so!) but still, it seems disloyal to arrange things with an ex and not tell me.

And then there's the fact that it's so fucking weird! I can see, when she asked if she could have Bear for Christmas, he felt he couldn't object without seeming mean and petty or making me out to be some suspicious psycho (he knows I wasn't totally happy about the last time). He's a bit of a coward who hates conflict but also a kind man who doesn't want to hurt anyone unnecessarily.

I don't know what bothers me about it so much. I had been planning to get Bear a Christmas stocking - lucky I'm not sufficiently organised to have done anything about it yet. (I think this sort of stupid infantilism about DP's bear is fine within the confines of a romantic relationship but outside of one, it's just a bit creepy).

Sorry this is so long. It's so bloody ludicrous it was hardly worth writing let alone reading!

OP posts:
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kali110 · 07/12/2016 21:17

There's nothing wrong with the op's dp having a bear.
Loads of women have them and don't get the piss taken out of them so i don't see why op's dp should.
It doesn't make them less of a man.
The guys had it 20 years, it's sentimental, no wonder he's attached to it.
I don't see why he should give it to his ex either.
What i do think is fucking weird and downright ridiculous is having custody with his ex Confused
It's not a child or a pet!
Why are you joining in in this farce? This is ridiculous!
I'd have dumped my dp over this, i wouldn't be able to look at them the same way again Hmm
Tell the ex and your dp this stops now.
I do wonder (can't remember which poster said it) if this is an excuse to meet up with each other.
Sorry op, seriously nobody does this.

NoCapes · 07/12/2016 21:17

Kevin is currently missing

He's in a hotel in New York with Donald Trump

Igot99problemsbutabearaintone · 07/12/2016 21:17

The bear has a girlfriend and son... wtf?
Bearist much? bears are entitled to a family life too you know! Xmas Angry

RebelRogue · 07/12/2016 21:18

Was Kevin left... home alone?! Grin

DixieNormas · 07/12/2016 21:18

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

happychristmasbum · 07/12/2016 21:18

Hmm, one of my friends insisted on walking her exes dog for ages after they split up, claiming she really loved it. She didn't. She just wasn't over her ex and used the dog contact as an excuse to hang around in his life.

This is the same thing OP - can you really not see it? And why is your DP indulging her, ask yourself that.

DearMrDilkington · 07/12/2016 21:18

bear tell him I like the bear! If it makes either of you feel any better, I just brought my cat new bowls for a christmas present, so he doesn't feel left out on the day.Blush

Pleaseee start a new thread with fashion shoot photos of him in different outfitsGrin.

Ohdearducks · 07/12/2016 21:19

OP what are you on? Because I would like some please.

paxillin · 07/12/2016 21:21

This will be added to the customary nc greeting: Namechanged for this, am a regular, Pombears, Angela Hernandez, Bear Custody.

natwebb79 · 07/12/2016 21:21

"Poor DP is not happy about his beloved bear being an object of ridicule."

Erm, I don't think it's the bear people are ridiculing here... Grin

BearProblems · 07/12/2016 21:22

No, Soubriquet, I would most definitely not want joint custody of the bear if DP and I split. I humour DP about the bear because I think it's cute and I love him (DP, not Bear!) but if we split up there would be no further reason for me to humour him so the Bear nonsense would stop. Obviously!

OP posts:
TheDowagerCuntess · 07/12/2016 21:22

Seriously ^^ it's not the bear people are laughing at.

DearMrDilkington · 07/12/2016 21:22

paxillinGrin

Spudlet · 07/12/2016 21:24

Did anyone see the episode of OBEM with the -massively irritating-- guy that communicated with his DP - who was in labour, let's not forget - via the medium of a stuffed hedgehog?

This could be the next stage...

kali110 · 07/12/2016 21:25

Clothes Hmm

BizzieBoo · 07/12/2016 21:25

L

EverySongbirdSays · 07/12/2016 21:25

I've had an interesting life and have had to continue to hold my head high after a lot of shit. But I can't imagine how lacking in pride, self esteem and dignity I'd need to be to go and knock on the door of my ex, at the home he lives at with his partner and child, and request from him or his partner my visitation time with his teddy.

Just no.

She needs help, and I concur ith other posters that this is her way of continuing to control him and by extension you, past the point of the end of the their relationhip.

Bear needs to go, I'm afraid. One way or another:

  1. He gives it to her as a forever and GOODBYE gift this Christmas
  2. He does the awkward thing of telling her this nonsense has to stop
  3. You donate it as a goodwill gesture to a childrens charity
  4. It meets with an accident.

It's not minor, OP, because of how weird it is, it takes on a whole new significance.

53rdAndBird · 07/12/2016 21:27

Spudlet - no, wtf? Did the poor woman brain him with a gas and air cylinder?

OldSaintKnickerless · 07/12/2016 21:28

Seriously spudlet Shock I'd have gone fucking mental!

kali110 · 07/12/2016 21:29

I don't think op should destroy his teddy or get rid of it, that's not on Shock it's still his stuff.
Sure he wouldn't destroy any of her stuff.
He just needs to tell his ex that this all stops now ( if ofcourse he wants it to stop?)

BearProblems · 07/12/2016 21:31

I do think that the ex isn't over DP, which is where all this Bear nonsense is coming from. But DP is convinced she really loves the bear. I don't think the ex is being deliberately manipulative - she's nice, as far as I know.

OP posts:
Igot99problemsbutabearaintone · 07/12/2016 21:31

I don't think op should destroy his teddy or get rid of it, that's not on shock it's still his stuff.
Sure he wouldn't destroy any of her stuff.
He just needs to tell his ex that this all stops now ( if ofcourse he wants it to stop?)

^this, destroying would be horrible, the ex just needs to be told by your dp that it's ending.

hoopdeloop · 07/12/2016 21:32

Build a bear have a sale on some of their clothes if teddy needs some new ones for Christmas Xmas Wink

TheDowagerCuntess · 07/12/2016 21:32

Anyway....

YANBU.

So what are you - and your DP - going to do about it?

stopproposingbrad · 07/12/2016 21:33

Make way for the daily fail

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