Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To be rethinking my 3 year relationship as he never told me he had kids.

412 replies

PenelopeDelph · 20/05/2019 01:15

New account for this as v v outing but need to rant. I'm 33 and he's 45. We've been together 2 years. I knew he was married in his 20s and got divorced at 35 but he has never mentioned his kids before now. Both of his parents are dead and he doesn't have anything to do with the rest of his family either. We had our DD 6 months ago and recently moved into a new flat and have been talking about getting engaged.

On Friday I was suspicious as he told me he was at work in another city (he is a self employed handyman) but got a text from my friend who works at a hospital in our city saying she'd bumped into him in the car park and he'd told her he'd just given an elderly woman a lift to A and E after she fell over. I phoned him to ask why he was still in our city when he'd left for work hours ago and he told me he'd explain when he got home (which was 2 hours later). The sod had me worrying for hours thinking he was ill and hadn't told me.

So he gets home and tells me to sit down and I was feeling sick with worry expecting him to say he had cancer or something horrible. He ends up blurting out he has 3 sons from his previous marriage who he didn't see for years because of conflict with his ex wife but has been building bridges with them the past few months ever since he discovered his eldest's girlfriend was having a baby. They are 21, 18, and 16. He said he didn't want to tell me as they resented him for a while over having no contact and weren't happy to hear he'd had a new baby with a younger woman. But said that he'd always intended to tell me soon. Not sure I believe that. Anyway so half the time when he's been at "work" he's actually been spending time at the pub with his sons and even helping his eldest do up his baby's nursery. Which would be lovely if only I had known about it! He says they are all a lot closer now.

On Friday eldest's girlfriend had a baby girl and my partner was at the maternity ward paying them a visit. Apparently his ex wife was there as well and while I don't feel threatened by her I find it disheartening that he'd told me he was at work while he was at the hospital with her meeting their lovely new grandchild. All while I was at home with my daughter. I feel exlcuded and an absolute mug. Me and DD went to stay with my mum after he told me as I was fuming. We came back today and it has been tense to say the least. I lost my shit when I saw he'd packed all of DD's old baby clothes up to pop round to his son as I had intended to give them to my friend. Another huge row happened and I haven't seen him since. I reckon he's at his eldest's house.

I just feel like me and my DD have been so excluded and disregared. It's great that he's trying to make it up to his son's for not being part of their lives but he should have told me, surely? It's like he wants to keep them and us in two separate boxes because they resent us after he didn't see them for years and had a baby with me. Which infuriates me because it's his fucking fault, not mine and DD's. I'm very hurt and angry by it all and I'm not sure what to do next.

OP posts:
PenelopeDelph · 20/05/2019 18:48

Ex wife has blocked me with no response. If I'm in England will I be able to go down to the LA office and request their marriage/kids birth certificates? Think they in neighbouring LA.

I have found what I believe to be the 18 year old on Facebook as he liked his mum's profile pic. This just gets better and better. There's a post from 2017 with a pictute of our dog. We took on the dog in Jan after his "friend" coudldn't look after it anymore.

OP posts:
sheettent · 20/05/2019 18:49

OMG op. So it's looking like he's been having contact with them!

You must be losing your mind. And strange that she blocked you too.

leomama81 · 20/05/2019 18:50

So sorry you went through that @harrypotternerd. But I don't think anyone has said that at all. As PP said the lie is clearly about his sons/ex, if indeed that's the truth, it's only that in that context it raises doubts as to whether he might be lying about other things as well.

Inliverpool1 · 20/05/2019 18:50

@PenelopeDelph of course she blocked you, what response did you expect. Forget all the detective work, talk to him directly

sheettent · 20/05/2019 18:51

Does he work away a lot? Are there times he could have been with them?

sheettent · 20/05/2019 18:51

Talk to him directly?!! Like she'll get anything approaching the truth!!

sanmiguel · 20/05/2019 18:53

He's not been leading two lives with 2 families has he? Wow OP this must be such a shock. Have you got support with you?

PenelopeDelph · 20/05/2019 18:53

Sheettent He is often working away in other cities but never stays overnight. He'll drive home late at night and go straight to bed. He'll spend 6 or so hours on a "job".

OP posts:
leomama81 · 20/05/2019 18:56

That is very odd re the blocking @PenelopeDelph. It could suggest that there is some rekindling going on or that they were never as done as he said, however it likely means she does know about you as otherwise you would think she would want to know more.

What is his general work/life pattern like - is he away a lot, or does he work late/at weekends etc?

I am so sorry you are going through this.

Lollypop701 · 20/05/2019 18:57

I have no words of wisdom I’m afraid op. I think if he’d been telling you the truth the ex wife would have responded. So brace yourself for the truth coming out. Speak to ha and see if you can be sole tenant, get bank statements. You are better off without him but it won’t feel like that for a while Flowers Good luck op

leomama81 · 20/05/2019 18:57

Sorry x-posted

feelingsinister · 20/05/2019 18:57

OP, did you add him to your existing tenancy? If so speak to the HA and see what happens if you split.

Lochroy · 20/05/2019 19:04

I don't think the blocking is odd. Whatever is going on, it's between OP and her partner. Much as it's all shit for the OP, I do understand why ex is staying well clear.

PenelopeDelph · 20/05/2019 19:04

He was living in a bedsit and I was in a council house. We did an exchange for the flat and he moved out of the bedsit and signed the tenancy with me. I am presuming if we split I would be able to stay in the flat because of DD but I don't know how it works?

OP posts:
sheettent · 20/05/2019 19:05

I would have answered op. I certainly wouldn't have blocked her.

Knackeredmommy · 20/05/2019 19:06

I'm so sorry, what a shitty situation. He didn't just keep from you he actively lied and tried to cover up three children! I don't know how you move on from that.

Breastfeedingworries · 20/05/2019 19:09

She may have blocked as she might have contacted him about it and he could of told her to block you, did she block straight the way?

My ex was like this, when I found out he was leading double life I contacted the ex I thought she was just rooming with until she could find somewhere to rent ect. He led said how vulnerable she was and stuff and down about them splitting up and it was so clever as I felt too mean to contact and rub her nose in it. Anyway she didn’t reply she just blocked, years later we spoke she’s pregnant with his baby, he’s left me for a friend of mine, and the whole truth came out.

Both of these men sound the same shitty coward moud, so selfish.

GabsAlot · 20/05/2019 19:14

Hmm blocking you isnt a good sign if it was all genuine she would be saying yes he has 3 children but thats it

What sort of handyman does very late night jobs

Graphista · 20/05/2019 19:16

He may have told her any number of things that are making her wary of you - especially if they're actually still married! Does he ever stay away from home? You say no but the late nights are suss.

That could be why she's blocked you.

And OMG re the dog, that suggests he has been staying in touch - and many more lies!

You won't ever be able to trust a word he says again. That's no good in a relationship.

Plus it does sound as if there could have been a "rekindling" situation - which again means it could be his baby.

Alsohuman · 20/05/2019 19:17

The blocking was inevitable. I wouldn’t enter into a dialogue with a stranger. The only way you’re going to get answers is to confront him, OP.

Mymessymind · 20/05/2019 19:18

So you’ve got the family dog?!

MashedSpud · 20/05/2019 19:18

He probably told the “ex” you’re an insane ex who’s been stalking him and he has no dd with you and to block you because you’re trying to ruin his/their life.

Lying seems like second nature to him.

ImNotHappyaboutitPauline · 20/05/2019 19:19

I wouldn't read too much into her blocking you. God knows how much of his crap she's dealt with over the years, it may well be a simple case of nope, nothing to do with me, not getting caught up in his drama.

Happynow001 · 20/05/2019 19:23

I think you need to prepare for a future without him OP as I doubt you'll ever get the whole truth from him or, even if you did, he has lied so much already and been so uncaring how could you possibly trust him again?

Look to your finances. Could you look for work? What could you do re childcare eg getting a childminder? Do you have any savings? Can you check what benefits you'd be entitled to? Either speak to Citizens Advice or check on www.entitledto.co.uk. or
www.gov.uk/child-maintenance
re child maintenance payments. Don't forget you can also claim 25% discount on your council tax.

Check with Citizens Advice about the possibility getting to stay in the HA alone if you don't want to talk to them yet.

Sorry you are having to deal with this. Good luck. 🌹

Inliverpool1 · 20/05/2019 19:24

Exactly! The ex probably hasn’t joined mumsnet so doesn’t know she’s meant to join in the circus speculating, imagining and worrying about shit tyat hasn’t actually happened yet 🙄

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.