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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

My partner keeps photos of her ex-husband

84 replies

YodasBudLight · 08/03/2018 20:21

Hi

Just after some advice to see if I’m being unreasonable

Been with my girlfriend for 6 years, she has two kids 7&10. We are moving in together next June.

She divorced her husband after he left her when she was 3 months pregnant with her 2nd child, both her kids are his.

He was having an affair with his secretary at his Job (selling women’s beauty products or at least managing a team who sell them). Unsure if this was his first fling as he travelled with ‘business’ a lot but he’s now married her and they live an hour away. He sees his kids now he’s settled, initially he wouldn’t see the kids and there was a time access was stopped after he walloped the eldest when he was around 3 years old in a McDonald’s car park, she wouldn’t let him see them till he sorted himself out.

He’s treated her appallingly so I have little time for him but he’s the kids dad so we are civil, she said they did love each once and were happily married until she found out about his affair, she also caught him messaging women on Facebook late at night.

Anyway, my partner keeps photo albums, two in the kids rooms of baby photos of the first born, none of the 2nd born, in the album are several photos of her ex, with her first born, loads of pics of her first born by himself too, so not sure why she’d keep the pics of her ex.

Also she has another album on display In the book case, this is old pics etc but loads of pics of her ex husband by himself and loads of her and the ex together, on holidays, general pics we all take day to day.

Am I being unreasonable to question why she’s kept such photos of a man who cheated on her (at least once she can prove)?

I’m in no way threatened nor jealous of course, just find it odd she’s kept pics and was wondering if I’m in the minority here, after everything he did to her.

She says she’s kept the pics for her kids when they are older, he will have pics himself anyway?

Thanks

OP posts:
Bigpizzalover · 08/03/2018 22:44

I split my my child’s dad when my baby was 4 months old, in my child’s bedroom I have one of those frames where you put multiple pictures in and some of the pictures included are of my child and their dad (we also split on bad terms down to his behaviour) it’s not because I want to see them, it’s for my daughters benefit so she has some pictures of herself and her dad she can look at.

Lucie8881 · 08/03/2018 22:53

Oh dear, looks like I'm in the tiny minority then Grin

I've 3 DCs with exH and have since remarried.

After we split I did go through the photos, fishing out any with my ex in. I sat with the kiddies and let them take any photos out they wanted for their own little album they keep in their room and the remainder I returned to my ex. The baby photos that have my ex in are in a box stored in the loft along with my first wedding album. The reason I kept the album was more because there are relatives in there that are no longer with us.

I don't really see a reason to have the photos knocking about, I wouldn't want my ex to have photos of me either.

Skittlesandbeer · 09/03/2018 00:39

Unless she has the ex pics scrolling non-stop in a big digital photo frame in the lounge, then there’s no big problem.

If it really bothers you, and you’ve checked you’re not just being generally insecure, you could always calmly ask your DP that in the new home you share, you’d prefer that key pics of ex were put in a specific album in the kids’ room (for them) and the others ‘archived’ to be brought out for specific occasions or when they’re older.

I think it’s unreasonable for you to believe the pics should all be tossed or deep in a box in the garage/attic out of ‘respect’ for you. But it’s also unreasonable for multiple albums of them to be sitting open, or pawed through every weekend on high rotation in your home.

Might be time to get some nice shots of the new household, and the two of you as a couple, and display them more prominently? A couple of lovely, framed, A4 hallway pics will make you feel better. It’s a numbers game!

Bluelady · 09/03/2018 00:46

Why would anyone expect their partner to erase their past? Particularly when they have children from a previous relationship.

Heartworries · 09/03/2018 06:37

Yabu. My dh has pics of his daugher and ex wife on display. Doesnt bother me. This is his past and his dds life! Its nice for her to have pictures of her mum at her dads house. A d her mum has pictures of him too. And on display in both houses. Very normal. I have a look at their wedding photos too. I am nosey though! He cheated on her yes but he didnt murder anyone! If all photos were hidden away of people who cheated i could guarentee a lot of photos in many homes wpuld never be displayed. Leave it be, its for the kids benefit.

MrsPicklesonSmythe · 09/03/2018 07:04

Yep. I have a box full of pics I fucking hate for the benefit of my kids if they ever want to see them. I’d love to bin them but it’s not my decision to make.

buckeejit · 09/03/2018 07:06

Yabvu

I have photos of my ex in albums-you don't have to wipe out evidence of your history. I thought from the title she had framed photos hanging round the house which would have been a bit weird

YodasBudLight · 09/03/2018 08:23

@bluelady except that’s not what I’ve asked is it, sheesh

OP posts:
thecatneuterer · 09/03/2018 14:26

I have no children but wouldn't dream of throwing away photos of my exes, even those I now feel nothing but hatred for, because it is a part of my past and my past, both good and bad, is important to me. It wouldn't occur to me that any new partner would have a problem with that (unless of course they're on display) and would almost certainly end a relationship with anyone who expected me to destroy them.

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