Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

See all MNHQ comments on this thread

..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:
Thread gallery
33
Boundaries · 07/12/2016 17:30

Eh? EH?

marthastew · 07/12/2016 17:30

What were you planning to put in the bear's Christmas stocking btw?

TaliZorahVasNormandy · 07/12/2016 17:31

If this is real.......Nope, cant finish that sentence. Surely no one would share custody of a bear.

Fauchelevent · 07/12/2016 17:31

Bear is 20? Has he not gone to uni/found a job?

TwitterQueen1 · 07/12/2016 17:31

Oh dear God..... [shuffles off in despair]

Madinche1sea · 07/12/2016 17:31

So the ex is getting bearfor Xmas but without those all-important "voices?"
What?
Regardless of the ex, why has he not given bear to your DC yet?
What were you thinking for the stocking anyway?
How are you not demented?

Floggingmolly · 07/12/2016 17:31

It's his childhood bear. He got it when he was 18 Grin

iklboo · 07/12/2016 17:31

I smell trouble bruin. They're ursine you about.

jacrispy · 07/12/2016 17:31

Please op we need more details about the bear. Does he own anymore clothes? What's his name?

53rdAndBird · 07/12/2016 17:31

Maybe Bear should go on a gap year.

Kirriemuir · 07/12/2016 17:32

Oh my.

PigletWasPoohsFriend · 07/12/2016 17:32

Right ok Hmm

DearMrDilkington · 07/12/2016 17:32

Why don't you tell him your 'expecting' a new bear on the 25th December. Buy a similar looking bear to bear1 so he finds it easier to bond with her/him. You'll have your own bear between the 2 of you thenGrin

Soubriquet · 07/12/2016 17:32

Mumsnet classics vote

No

PenguinsandPebbles · 07/12/2016 17:32

Assuming this is actually real for one tiny second because I'm very bored

I think the bear is the least of your problems

PaulAnkaTheDog · 07/12/2016 17:32

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

Francescaestee · 07/12/2016 17:33

Put holy water on it then burn it. Sounds like it's cursed to me. Burn the bear!

BearProblems · 07/12/2016 17:33

I shouldn't have posted when I need to make supper. I didn't expect everyone to find this so fascinating! I will post further details about Bear once I have fed everyone.

OP posts:
DearMrDilkington · 07/12/2016 17:33

On a serious note op..

Are you sure it hasn't got a nanny cam in it? They might ahem.. entertain each other with it while it's in the other person's care..

ClopySow · 07/12/2016 17:33

Well this is just pandamonium. I'm going to have to rupert this post because it's pooh.

scrappydappydoo · 07/12/2016 17:34

I actually get the whole bear thing BUT I don't get the shared custody thing - I think if the bear originally belonged to him then that's the end of the story for the ex. Why would your dh even contemplate letting her have bear at all?
(And why am I so involved in this?)

whatshouldido1923 · 07/12/2016 17:34

Have you been drinking OP? Hmm

This is seriously the oddest thing I have ever heard. In saying that, I been feeling down in the dumps all day and this has REALLY cheered me up Grin

MargoChanning · 07/12/2016 17:34

I think Bear needs to do the Freedom Programme.

WizardOfToss · 07/12/2016 17:34

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

jacrispy · 07/12/2016 17:34

Bear can cook his own tea. Gives us details.

Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.

This thread is closed and is no longer accepting replies. Click here to start a new thread.