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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

DP and ex gf

128 replies

CheekyTreek · 06/04/2019 10:27

Dp and his ex have a dd together aged 5. They have been broken up about ten months. They get mostly ok. She used to text and ring him an awful lot when I'm staying over which I spoke to him and things have got better. She doesnt know about me I don't think although may have an idea as once she saw us together. I don't know if I'm being paranoid or overly anxious, and I'm prepared to be told so, but is it normal for dp and ex to take their dd clothes shopping together? They go to parents events at school together and groups she's into together which I totally understand and im fine with, but clothes shopping? Maybe I am BU and I'm prepared to be told so.

OP posts:
Belenus · 06/04/2019 19:05

Your relationship is still in the early stages, they are entitled to text as much as they like

It's just rude to keep texting someone, anyone, when you're on a date. Heck, if I'm out with friends I don't sit and text other people repeatedly. If I need to text someone I'll say why I'm doing it and apologise. I'm dating a parent and he does sometimes need to text whilst we're out together but he wouldn't sit there and text repeatedly for 4 hours whilst I'm there. It's rude.

Belenus · 06/04/2019 19:08

Call him what YOU want.

This. Once you're over 30, referring to anyone as a boyfriend/ girlfriend just feels weird, whether you've been seeing them for 5 minutes or 5 years.

mummmy2017 · 06/04/2019 19:16

As my child says you can call him anything you like, your the one in his life..... Not us....
You can call a person your DP after 1 hour if YOU want to.

Leighhalfpennysthigh · 06/04/2019 19:18

@CheekyTreek thank you. Yes, it's a lovely feeling isn't it, to find someone who makes you happy after a break up or, in my case, bereavement. You're just having a wobble, it happens to us all. I remember having one about 5 years after I married!

There is also nothing wrong with keeping your relationship quiet from people. It doesn't mean it's not real or not serious or not going to last - it just means it's your business. FWIW my new partner and I haven't made a big deal out of us being together. We live apart and he actually lives 200 miles away and just see each other when we can. He said he loves me after the second date and, you know what, as much as it may make some posters froth - I believe him and I feel the same.

The point is, you have all the time in the world and you are heading in the right direction. His ex will eventually find out, but maybe he just thinks it's not her business at the moment.

MRex · 06/04/2019 19:25

Does he want more children @CheekyTreek? What timeframe might suit him given the other stresses for his DD? I'm just wondering because you're in your late 30s, it's so important not to waste the next few years on someone who doesn't want children if you do want them.

StarTheGirl · 06/04/2019 19:32

Bluntly put @MRex, but that is what I was gently trying to hint at in my post saying “are you on the same page”? This is why, for some people, they do not have “all the time in the world” to put their lives on hold while a man may / may not be totally over his ex... / is on the rebound.

If op doesn’t plan on having any dcs, obviously it is a moot point though. But it still isn’t very nice IF he is using her as his rebound fling. But that might be me being a bit jaded and cynical and I’m sure the op is old enough and wise enough (you do sound sensible op) to spot that sort of thing. It would just be something I’d be wary of so soon after he split with the mother of his child after she cheated on him.

Sorry, it’s not a great thing to have to think about, but it is something to think about.

Crabbyandproudofit · 06/04/2019 19:39

If he is treating his ex well, with respect and not badmouthing her to you, that sounds like a good man to me. You know your relationship is fairly new, and I think you would not be so concerned by his ex if your ex had not treated you the way he did? Even if she still has feelings for him it doesn't mean he reciprocates. It sounds very sensible to take things slowly, for the child's sake, even if her mother has moved on quickly.

The fact that he is very involved with his daughter is a good sign. Both parents shopping together for her means they don't duplicate purchases and she gets to see her parents still cooperating even though they don't live together.

Don't overthink, just enjoy your relationship. It might be easier for your bf/dp to let his ex know he is dating before he says he is 'in a relationship'. However much he is into you he may still feel vulnerable having been cheated on. So he may be protecting himself a bit as well. I hope this works out for you and if you do go on to have children together someday you will know what kind of father he will be.

StarTheGirl · 06/04/2019 19:43

Also, while it’s totally fine to call him your dp, why is she an “ex girlfriend” but you are a dp?

StarTheGirl · 06/04/2019 19:44

“Ex gf” I mean - from your thread title.

ScarletBitch · 06/04/2019 19:49

OP Judy behave, if they are Co parenting amicably then yes it is normal and I say good on them. YABU, you sound very jealous. This is his DD, you will always come 2nd, but carry on being bitter, see how long your relationship lasts.

SunshineCake · 06/04/2019 19:51

A child is not an obstacle!

ScarletBitch · 06/04/2019 20:04

*Just not Judy 😂😂

5 months in, just chill. He sounds like a keeper, he is putting his DD best interests first, that in my book is essential. And I agree with you OP, calling him your boyfriend when you are our age is a no!

Let the transition period settle for his little girl. I think once she has accepted her mummy and daddy have moved on and still love her, I think he will relax and introduce you.

maddening · 06/04/2019 20:43

She is his ex partner not exgf, you are a new gf, he is being rightly cautious to make sure he does not introduce you to the dynamic of his dd and exdp until your relationship is more established

Starlight456 · 06/04/2019 21:14

I would consider the texting issue his . If it wasn’t about dd issue that needed resolving then he should of text , but busy catch up later .

You are second to Dd but I honestly would not be on a date where someone spoke to their ex more than me .

I also suspect he still isn’t over her. It may be he doesn’t want to tell her though about a gf until he is ready for you to meet dd.

I would also pop in there so enjoy it but don’t dismiss all your insecurities and turn your radar off

Worried2019 · 06/04/2019 21:33

I personally would run for the hills!!!!! He was texting her because he's not over her! Clearly! If it wasn't about DD as you said it wasn't, the. Why else would he be texting ANYONE constantly whilst with his girlfriend?

Run

Alfiesmom15 · 06/04/2019 23:00

I found myself in the situation with my partner being a parent and not knowing how to handle it, they went shopping for xmas presents a few months after we got together, and in all honesty you will have to find yourself having to take a step back about some things (shopping, convos, pictures of ex sisters kids being sent through) but they did have a life together so you will have to rationalise that in your own head and think about the main aim is for the child to have a happy upbringing together or seperate.... dont take no notice of the people being rude about it, were all human and moments of jealousy and not understanding is completely normal and all human nature but if it's all new to you then the feelings will go away once you start understanding. And as for the people that are clearly Angel's and dont ever have these moments take no notice of the judgemental comments....

GunpowderGelatine · 06/04/2019 23:21

OP I think a lot of people with children split up and, perhaps understandably out of a sense of guilt, want to make life as normal as possible for their DC, so still have "family" days together. This only works if you get on though and have moved on and supported the other person in moving on. Otherwise it's just two people who are either resentful towards each other or one is still in love with the other, and kids do pick up on it. BIL and SIL did it for years, came to family events together for the sake of their DD, and it was an unmitigated disaster that ALWAYS culminated in an argument or snidey comments. I have seen it work too though with couples

StarTheGirl · 07/04/2019 08:00

were all human and moments of jealousy and not understanding is completely normal and all human nature but if it's all new to you then the feelings will go away once you start understanding

The first part of this is so true and I’m sure the second part is true for a lot of people.

I personally wouldn’t sign up for this unless I was prepared to sacrifice an awful lot for this man. Everything, or every big, life changing thing, you do will have to involve his dd and, in some ways, his ex. If you decide to get married, you might have to check with the ex that the dd can come to be there with you on the day, if it’s not your scheduled time to have her. If you have children you will have to navigate the minefield of introducing his dd to the baby and making sure there is no jealousy, all while getting used to being a parent.

Yes, it is doable and wonderful for lots of blended families, but is it something you are prepared to do?

It is not the same as starting a relationship with someone who doesn’t have a child and it’s something to consider seriously.

It’s all very well saying “ah they love each other, they have all the time in the world, isn’t it wonderful? blah blah”. But actually, this is potentially something that will make the op’s family life completely different to how she may have imagined it and in a really significant way, which involves people she doesn’t know and who she may not even want in her life, (the ex, the ex’s bf). It’s bad enough having in-laws to contend with sometimes.

This is something I think you need to really be prepared for and telling her she’s being too jealous and to just stop thinking about it is not sound advice at all imo.

Full disclosure; my flakey brother picks up women like it’s going out of fashion. He recently divorced his exw who he has young children with and has a new, lovely, young dp who he now lives with and for various reasons, as much as I love my brother, I think this woman is throwing her life away. So that is on my mind slightly as I read this thread.

StarTheGirl · 07/04/2019 08:03

And it’s equally all very well saying “she HAS to accept the dd”; of course she does, but only if she stays with him. It’s not as simple as all that, becoming a step mum, if that’s how this were to end up. It’s an enormous undertaking and the op is absolutely right to be giving it all serious thought.

Bemusedagain · 07/04/2019 08:29

It’s height of rudeness and disrespect for him to be on his phone when on a date with you. That’s bad behaviour and I’m not sure he’s that into you to be honest. He got cheated on. You are rebound. Tread very carefully.

StarTheGirl · 07/04/2019 08:54

I personally wouldn’t sign up for this unless I was prepared to sacrifice an awful lot for this man.

Just to add, if the dd was older, maybe about to head of to university, I wouldn’t be so hesitant. It’s just such an enormous undertaking, becoming a sm to a very young dc. I would tread so carefully and seeing as I think the op is late 30s and would like to have her own dcs some day, I wouldn’t feel that happy about having to tread super carefully and considering everyone but herself for a while. That’s essentially what becoming a stepmum to a young child of a very recent split, where the mum cheated on the dad, will entail. No ta.

It CAN work, of course. But it’s whether you really want to do that.

StarTheGirl · 07/04/2019 08:55

*off

SandyY2K · 07/04/2019 09:00

He replies her texts for 4 hours, because he wants to.

He could have told her he was out with friends or anything else.

I find it strange that after her cheating he was taking you further away so as not to bump into her. He had nothing to hide.

That behaviour would make me feel like the OW.

I actually don't see why they need to go clothes shopping together. I never did and we're married... but I guess people are different.

Ididalwayswonder · 07/04/2019 09:23

Just stop right there! It's new 'partners' like you who end up causing a rift between father and child!

And I don't buy all this "I'm just trying to navigate my way around dating a parent" bs, either Hmm

You have a choice not to date a single parent. Therefore, as with most decent fathers, you will not come first, his child will. So, what exactly is your problem?! That he has a child with someone else and your jealous? If so, maybe you should step out of their lives.

Leighhalfpennysthigh · 07/04/2019 10:42

OP I really think that some of the people on this thread are projecting their own experiences and are not helping you at all.

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