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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To think DD’s father should help with childcare?

12 replies

dizzydisley · 06/11/2019 17:48

She's 2. Split when she was 6 months because he had an affair. Has her one Saturday every 2 weeks, DD adores her daddy and always asks to see him more. I've said to him it would be good for her if he maybe had her 2 nights on a weekend or start having her every Saturday so she gets a bit more time with him now she is out of the awkward baby stage. He makes excuses all of the time. He is flatsharing with his brother (his brother is a nice enough bloke who I have no problems with DD being around though he is recently divorced) and uses that as an excuse, basically saying the flat would be too cramped. Except it is a 2 bed flat, one of the rooms is DD's own room with a child bed, brother is dossing on the sofa. I appreciate it's not the best setup but I don't think it's a valid excuse as the flat is plently big enough for DD to play and she has her own room to sleep in. It's not like she'd be sleeping in a travel cot in the living room next to his brother on the sofa. I don't think this is brother's doing as even before he moved in, DD's dad made excuses not to have her more. "I'd be too tired to spend time with her/The main road outside the flat keeps her awake/I'm covering so and so's shift that day".

I'm working part-time at the moment and my mum has DD during that time. However I would like to do a degree at uni, the subject is something I've always wanted to do and I'd be able to give DD a better life once I got a job through it. I have qualifications for the degree and I'm sure I'd get into uni easily once I apply, but I'm recuctant because I'd probably have to quit work due to the nature of the degree (awkward night time placements etc) and also childcare is a concern. My mum is absolutely brilliant with childcare but of course has her own life and I don't expect her to have her all of the time. I can stretch to a bit of paid childcare, but I'll need other help. DD's dad works 3 mornings a week, that is it. The degree and everything that comes with it would be so much easier if he'd be able to have her one or two nights during the week if I'm at nighttime placements. Or the odd evening etc. I don't expect him to have her all the time, as I said just a couple of nights in the week and then we can sort out nursery drop offs/picks ups so it fits in with which on of us would be working/on placement. If this happened I'd probably terminate the Saturday visits because I'd want her on weekends.

Except he's said no. Apparently it would be too much "upheavel" for DD and instead he's just told me to spend the child maintenance I get off him on childcare. He has no idea how much it costs. AIBU to think that he's BU? I have DD 13 out of 14 nights and though I only work part time, I have more hours than he does and yet I manage. There's no valid reason why he can't help out during the week then drop her off at the nursery when he is working.

OP posts:
EC22 · 06/11/2019 17:52

Yes he’s unreasonable, but you can’t make him be a decent dad. You need to make plans around the reliable people in your life.

IWorkAtTheCheescakeFactory · 06/11/2019 17:57

Of course he should. Without a doubt. Unfortunately he isn’t interested in actual parenting. He’s lazy and wants the easy stuff so you’ll never get the support you should from him. My advice is to stop expecting it from him and work out other ways to have childcare.

HollyGoLoudly1 · 06/11/2019 18:02

Ditto what the other said. YANBU at all but he sounds pretty useless and I definitely would not plan 3 years of uni around depending on him for childcare. It's shit.

mayandjuniper · 06/11/2019 18:11

He should of course, but just FYI you might be able to get hevaily subsidised childcare as a student as part of your loan.

raspberryk · 06/11/2019 18:21

Yes he is being unreasonable, however it also isn't in your dd's best interest to spend a lot of time away from her main carer and residence.
You can also go to uni without his help, I'm a mature student and did my first 2 years study single with 2 small kids you get quite a bit of grant for childcare, I did all of my study and essays for access course in the evenings when the kids were in bed, and in first year of uni I put my dd in to nursery for an extra day than I needed for study.
I changed my mind about the course I did in the end as I don't find the nurse, midwife and paramedic shifts compatible woth childcare however there are some students I know that have nannies and flexible child minders.

Clangus00 · 06/11/2019 18:25

He should, of course, but sadly you can’t force him.

NearlyGranny · 06/11/2019 18:27

YANBU, he is. But there's nothing you can do to make him step up, sadly. No doubt it will all be your fault when she's old enough to express an opinion and doesn't want to spend time with him, though.

NearlyGranny · 06/11/2019 18:29

But perhaps he'd be willing to stump up a bit more for childcare when you go back to study, since it will benefit DD in the long run?

Thehop · 06/11/2019 18:34

I completely understand your frustration believe me I do. My boys dad has had them overnight twice in the last year!

But there’s nothing you can do, you can’t make him I’m afraid.

dizzydisley · 06/11/2019 19:14

Will look into funded childcare, I have heard of it.

It’s more the fact that he can but won’t that upsets me. The thing is if I do start this course I will barely see DD in the week and I wouldn’t like having to send her away Saturday nights after being away from her in the week.

If I were to tell her dad this though I imagine he’d then I can see him getting pissed off with me. He likes having her every other Saturday because it’s just enough to suit him.

OP posts:
Howyiz · 06/11/2019 19:34

If he only works 3 mornings a week ask him to swap his weekend day with a mid week one?

namina · 06/11/2019 21:06

He sounds like an absolute arsehole. I'm a single mum of two small children and it sounds like
The same kind of degree. Yes placements can be night time but if it's the same degree as mine u only have to do 2 weeks of nights in the whole 3 years. Student finance will also help u with childcare costs. It's the best thing I've ever done
For myself and my children. Do not let his lazy arse stop u from doing the degree

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