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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Update on stopping contact with dad.. I’m shaking please help

368 replies

Expressodaily · 18/12/2018 09:39

Ok so I had another thread if anyone’s seen that
Basically on wether to keep up contact witj my 5 week olds father. I came to the conclusion to tell him to go see a solicitor.
I have continued to say he can see the baby here or in a mutual place but until he spends more time with her he isn’t having her alone as I’m all she knows

He’s now sent me a text. Telling me it’s in my best interests to change my mind and confirm a plan where he takes her today- otherwise he is visiting a solicitor and showing them texts saying I don’t want to be here. Which in his words they will take very seriously so I need to think about if I want to keep seeing my baby as much as I am now.

I’m shaking . I’m so worried, will this stand for anything ? Yes I shouldn’t have said that. Everyone has down days. My mum commited suicide a couple of years ago, I have no other family, he left me while pregnant, It’s obviously a time I wanted to be surrounded witn support and I wasn’t. I reached out to the enhanced midwife team as I knew I felt down. I feel okay now I don’t want him to use these threats and I’ve no idea what to do

OP posts:
FilthyforFirth · 19/12/2018 18:02

If you can afford it, YOU need to go the legal route. I know you dont want that, but he isnt going to change. So get everything official. Then he cant hang anything over you or threaten you and you know where you stand.

DunkandEggAgain · 19/12/2018 18:08

He's lashing out at you because he is failing at controlling you.

We're here for you. Your HV is here for you, your Aunty is here for you, your solicitor is here for you advising you on the best course of action.

I doubt there's anyone fighting his corner if they are truely wise and awarr to his disgusting antics.

Expressodaily · 19/12/2018 18:12

The thing that I really can’t understand is he’s threatening me with going to a solicitor- he isn’t going to go in and say yeah she offered me to see my daughter everyday if I wanted she just hasn’t let me take her alone till I’m consistent, she also sent me a plan of set days that if I stuck to then I could have my daughter for X amount of time on a Saturday
So what’s he going to say? Surely he can’t go into a solicitor and lie

OP posts:
DunkandEggAgain · 19/12/2018 18:15

You've hut the nail on the head.
Call his bluff - you will arrange court mediation.

Oldraver · 19/12/2018 18:15

Well he can and will lie to a solicitor. This doesn't matter, you have evidence you have promoted access.

I would block him on the phone now, you dont need the stress

DunkandEggAgain · 19/12/2018 18:15

*hit Grin

Stormwhale · 19/12/2018 18:16

He is using classic controlling techniques. You haven't immediately done as you are told, so he is ramping up the abuse to intimidate you. Do not give in. Sending a tiny baby off with a virtual stranger to them will be terrifying for the poor child. All she knows is you.

LIZS · 19/12/2018 18:16

Of course he can lie. Try not to worry about that until if it happens. If he really wanted to see her he would be willing to do so on your terms. Presumably it is his mother winding him up about access and "rights". He is enjoying winding you up, but if you refuse to respond he will lose interest. Have you called Womens Aid?

DeepanKrispanEven · 19/12/2018 18:18

He probably thinks that what he wants is totally reasonable and a solicitor will back him up. If so, he's in for a nasty shock.

But why is he "threatening" you with going to a solicitor again? I thought he said he's already been? Or is he just not managing even to keep his lies consistent?

He's fairly pathetic if he thinks going to a solicitor is such a threat, anyway. It's not as if a solicitor actually has any power to do anything other than write letters and take something to court; it's a judge who has power and even that is circumscribed by the law. And the law is all on your side.

knowingkaleidoscope · 19/12/2018 18:19

I would get a pay as you go phone and give him them number to contact you on. You can put the phone in a drawer then and only reply when you need too.

Pandamodium · 19/12/2018 18:22

I would just block him personally.

He doesn't give a shite about her wellbeing he wants to "win" abusive men don't like being told no. There's an interesting thread on it somewhere.

It sounds like he's making you ill.

Strawberry2017 · 19/12/2018 18:35

Stay strong and don't believe a word he says.
He most likely is lying to people but you have the evidence that you have offered him time.
You are not being unreasonable - he is!
You are doing a wonderful job. Don't let the bastard bring you down. X

Christmasisforadults2 · 19/12/2018 18:37

Op your in panic mode, which is very understandable with just having had a baby. And all this added stress.

I haven't read your previous post, but the issue I have is the response some get makes the poster suddenly feel that all the advice is right and the agreement received causes the OP to react differently to their ex.
We don't know what's actually happened, we don't know all what texts have been sent.

The best thing you can do is find a balance. Some advice has been good, but to say that a text isn't important is stupid. You need to have a reason why you said it, feeling low = went to gp for help, wanted some attention = to get ex to understand how hurt I am etc.
If you can agree before court that would be better otherwise you can have a report done on both of you when neither cafcass or a judge can work out the true situation, ( l think c37)

If the report shows at times you struggle and need help, your ex will be the one helping.

Christmasisforadults2 · 19/12/2018 18:39

And to pp who keep saying it could mean anything your not helping.
She obviously didn't send just that did she, and she had spoken to the midwife, so they know she's had a hard time. Everyone does and the fact she got help is the important part.

AssassinatedBeauty · 19/12/2018 18:42

@Christmasisforadults2 that's not true at all. The text about how the OP was feeling is irrelevant. Everyone necessary (HV, midwife etc) knows what was going on. Nothing whatsoever could be made of it in court. And as for the idea that the OP a might have to accept "help" from her abusive controlling ex... no, that's not going to happen.

Jux · 19/12/2018 19:11

Yes, he can go into a solicitor and lie, but he may just think that a solicitor will tell him what he wants to hear even if he tells the the truth.

Keep all evidence.
Write everything down with dates and times.

You've already sent him a schedule of contact so you can make that a starting point. Tick the times he turned up and make a note of where, who was there, how it went, what he did re aring forher/playing with her.

Make a note of every contact, who, where, when, what happened, how she was, how he was. Anything else remarkable.

A contemporaneous diary is great supporting evidence of how cooperative you each are.

Keep all his texts, all his emails, and note down conversations.

Motoko · 19/12/2018 19:32

OP, you need to protect yourself and DD. It's a shame he's on the birth certificate, as it gives him parental rights, and could make things trickier, especially if you let him take her away from you, even for just half an hour. If he doesn't return her, you'd have to go to court to get her back, as he has PR, and although you can get emergency court hearings, it'll still take a few days. This would be really detrimental to your DD.

You should contact the police, and ask to speak to their domestic abuse team, and get all this logged. This is coercive control and is now illegal.

Also, please ring Women's Aid.

No matter how reasonable you try to be, he will not be reasonable himself. I know it's not what you want, and wish he could be like your DS' dad, but he's not going to be. So you need to be proactive, not reactive, and speak to the police and WA.

You need to keep yourself and DD safe. I hope you've got your aunt there with you now, it won't be safe to meet him on your own.

TenForward82 · 19/12/2018 19:33

Hope you're OK tonight op x

Posthistoricmonsters · 19/12/2018 19:45

My abusive ex would swing between saying I had to have my child, and the cat, and blah blah blah to saying that he would take them off me because he didn't like my non compliance with his ridiculous and controlling rules. It's standard for men like these. My child has been all the better since he was stopped from seeing my child.

"I’m afraid further to your messages I have instructed a solicitor. Should you wish to arrange contact, you will need to do so through the proper channels. I have significant concerns as to your behaviour, and as a result contact can no longer be arranged directly.”

This is the most suitable message I'd advise.

Regarding him speaking to a solicitor, he will lie but you have evidence to the contrary, through the texts, which show you have offered consistent access which he has denied because it isn't as he wants it.

He has no stance.

I wanted the same arrangement as with my eldest's father, with my second. I knew it was unlikely. I knew leaving him would involve court somewhere along the lines. It did. I was advised to stop contact and wait for him to instruct a solicitor (I sent one last message instructing him to seek legal advice and gave my solicitor's details).

One of the things I was applauded for by SS and all the other teams I had working with us, was that I reacted to nothing. It's very, very hard, but if you can stay calm and react positively neutral to everything which is thrown at you, without doing the obvious "I'm staying petulantly that you're not bugging me because actually you're blatantly bugging me" mentality, it will wind him up because he wants a reaction from you. And by staying neutral and not rising to anything, you're completely in the right. I did this in an hour long meeting at SS with the ex, his partner, SS, the HV, women's aid, and the play support worker all present. It was the first time they actually saw him as I describe him to people. They couldn't believe how I handled it. My response was, "oh - was he that bad - he's like that every time there's any communication, this wasn't a specially bad incident". Because it was the truth.

OP, I would be pressing for contact to take place through a contact centre. I would also be ringing the Mon emergency police on 101 to report every single thing so far and to say that you feel scares in your own home and are vulnerable, on your own and with a small child and a newborn. They will probably put a marker on your address so that if anything is reported in by anyone in the area, they'll know you're at risk. And ask a friend or your aunt to stay with you for your own piece of mind.

I've been through this. I've done being abused. Domestic violence which carried on after he allowed me to finally leave. And I wish I had had the strength early on to carry out the wishes of SS and stop contact when my child was still a baby. My child is now scarred from what we were put through. But they're getting better slowly with time and therapy.

Missingstreetlife · 19/12/2018 19:55

Please stop reading his texts and don't reply. What can he say that you need to hear?
No contact and start building yourself up. Every time he contacts you it sets you back. See him in court, I did think mediation but now he is being really abusive.
Just don't engage, if he dies someone will let you know, there is nothing you need to know

Muffintop101 · 19/12/2018 20:19

Set up an email address to communicate with him so you aren’t receiving constant texts.

Inform him that you look forward to hearing from his solicitor with his proposals and that until he has set them out, having taken legal advice, you cannot agree to him seeing your child other than in a setting supervised by a neutral and safe, trustworthy person.

Inform him that you consider his actions and texts to be controlling and bullying and that you have professional support so he should not be concerned about any mental health issues.

Then block his number.

DontShootTheMessengerPlease · 19/12/2018 20:24

Just read the full thread, it's reminded me of why I love mumsnet because of the good advice and support here! Few thoughts of mine:

  1. You sound like you're doing an amazing job OP, keep on going.

  2. He sounds like a lying, bullying knob. If this does go to court, which I don't think he'll bother with, I reckon he'll do himself no favours.

  3. He's clearly not bothered about seeing his daughter. He just wants to bully and intimidate you.

Chin up lovely Flowers

billybagpuss · 19/12/2018 20:26

Did he turn up OP?

Expressodaily · 19/12/2018 22:47

He didn’t turn up this evening. He has text me saying

I have not come to see my daughter this evening on the basis you have said I am not welcome at your house. I will chat to you tomorrow and put this to bed

I replied saying-
I havnt said you’re not welcome at my house I’ve actively encouraged you to see her I simply said confrontation is not welcome in my house

He said

Well it was interpreted that way. I will be sending you a plan tomororw and I will listen if you want to tweak it but I think it’s best we get it sorted rather than dragging you through court. I need to know tomrorow what time I am having her on Christmas Day too so I’ll let you tell me that tomorrow

I don’t even understand if he’s angry or not anymore his personality doesn’t make sense to me :(

OP posts:
Thehop · 19/12/2018 22:53

He’s demanding he take her Christmas Day? No.

Her age doesn’t change because it’s chriatmas Day the nob!

Simply reply.

“You’ve already instructed a solicitor, I think it’s best I speak to them now”

Or

“I don’t think we’ll agree on this, I’ll wait to hear from your solicitor”

“I don’t think we’ll agree on this, I’ll ask my solicitor to be in touch”

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