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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

2 kids already...another one by a different dad?

139 replies

Originalusername01 · 16/03/2021 13:00

Just wondering if anyone has been in this situation and how it worked for you. So I have two school aged children and divorced from their dad. We have joint custody which really works for us. Have been in a new relationship for a while and potentially see a future with him which includes children. How has this worked for you if this is your situation? I feel like potentially my children would be upset that I have a new baby with me all the time but they only see me 50% percent of the time. Also I'm in my early 30s if that makes a difference. All advice welcome. Its been playing on my mind a lot.

OP posts:
CatsHairEverywhere · 18/03/2021 10:56

Sorry left out a key point to my post. My eldest two’s father isn’t in the picture. Dumped them when we split up and my partner has been in their lives long enough they consider him dad. They’re not moving between two homes, think that’s a very large factor to it too

CatsHairEverywhere · 18/03/2021 10:57

@tiredmum2468 she’s not a girl, she’s a woman. A fully grown adult who made the choice to have children, don’t infantilise her.

FullofCurryandparatha · 18/03/2021 10:58

It's sad reading this when you do have a family that's blended. I don't think anyone plans on a blended family surely

Of course they do! If they choose to have more children with a second partner (and sometimes a third, fourth...) they are choosing to create a blended family.

Would you want to be a child in a home with a half sibling who gets to live with both their parents together, while you are shuttled between your parents who might not even speak to each other?

Vodkabulary · 18/03/2021 11:00

I have a half brother and sister. I never felt left out I loved being home with them and my mum
But also enjoyed going to my dads and having the fun of being the only one! Best of both worlds. I was always disappointed that my dad and stepm don’t have any children l.

I have a DS from my previous relationship. Was happily single until I met my now DH. We have 2 dc together and my eldest adores them. He’s currently begging me to have another dc because he wants another sister. We treat them equally when they’re all here and DH is very firm is his belief that in his eyes they’re all his children so he treats them all equally regarding savings, presents etc (his choice) and my eldest DS says he feels similar to how o did as a child he loves being here but also loves when he stays at his dads where he has 2 older step siblings because he gets to be the youngest not the oldest.

Merrymumoftwo · 18/03/2021 11:13

I think the mixed responses come down to the same basic
Blended families can work if they are done right and for the right reasons. No one should stay in an unhappy or violent relationship and as the adults the onus really is on us to ensure that we don’t allow and sibling to feel left out. This applies to both parents not just the mum.
Done right blended families can be amazing, my parents wasn’t and it seems many others weren’t too. My parents were too busy arguing or getting on with their new life to remember there were children involved and the five of us all grew up feeling the way I do. However there are some here who did have families it worked for.

NewLevelsOfTiredness · 18/03/2021 11:18

I'm a guy with 2 SDs (6 & 10) and a little girl who turns 2 on Tuesday. IT's working but there's so many points to make:

However, when we got together it was on the proviso that I would never have a child of my own. For most of the reasons posted elsewhere in this thread. The eventual decision after a couple of years (we were in our late 30s at the time) was based on a number of things, bot least that both girls had frequently and vocally expressed the wish for a new sibling. This included the older one poking her mum in the belly with a magic wand (a stick...) and trying to magic a baby in there, and the younger one getting sulky whenever we had to explain that mummy didn't have a baby in her belly.

Not that we would have let them be the deciders in that sense, but it was consistent enough to believe that their wishes were genuine.

The 'adult' part of the decision was based on her appraisal of how I'd integrated into the family in the couple of years I'd been there. I have an amazing bond with both girls.

The oldest one, only once during the pregnancy, asked if it would mean I wasn't as close to her and her sister. I drew her a diagram of the 'blood links' - so from her mum and dad to her etc. I then drew in how the new baby would mean we were linked now, too - she would bind us closer, rather than apart. She liked that.

We've tried to be mindful of how it affected them since. If one I'm with the toddler and mum is needed by one of them, I'll try and get the other involved in what I'm doing with the toddler for instance. Luckily they both adore her, even more so since she found her 'toddler speak' version of their names.

We worked hard on making sure I bonded with baby early on so she wasn't too clingy to mummy so that the girls didn't feel they'd lost too much of her attention. She's been a total daddy's girl since about seven months, meaning if the other two need mum's attention she could be passed to me with no fuss.

We will never do anything special (holidays etc.) without all five of us being there.

Our toddler is fantastic, but noisy and relentless, and I think the girls appreciate the peace and quiet at their dad's every other weekend.

Their mum and dad's amicable relationship post-split has been a very important factor. He's a deeply flawed man in many ways (hence the separation) but has been so good about the baby with the girls. Never said a word that would imply she is more loved, asks how she is. When we got back from hospital he delivered them home from his and was the first outside of the most immediate family to hold the baby.
My partner's made it clear that if there had been any risk of him using the baby to make things toxic for the girls, it couldn't have happened.

My parents treat the girls as grandkids (they already had one step GD from my brother) which helped.

The girl's paternal grandmother has babysat the little one a couple of times and is keen to have all three of them together when she's a bit older.

The short version: We weren't going to, because of many of the reasons listed. But we had a lot of positive signs and lucky factors that suggested we could, and we work each and every day to make sure it doesn't make the other kids feel excluded. I think the biggest factor in all of it is how awesome my two little SDs have been throughout though.

RevolvingPivot · 18/03/2021 11:41

I think the saddest part of this is......

I feel like potentially my children would be upset that I have a new baby with me all the time but they only see me 50% percent of the time.

Mydogmylife · 18/03/2021 11:43

@CatsHairEverywhere

Sorry left out a key point to my post. My eldest two’s father isn’t in the picture. Dumped them when we split up and my partner has been in their lives long enough they consider him dad. They’re not moving between two homes, think that’s a very large factor to it too
I agree that this might be a huge factor
greeneyedlulu · 18/03/2021 12:09

I'm a blended family, had DS, 7, and threw his dad out when he was 10 months old for being a useless twit. Met my DP when my DS was about 3 and we just knew we would be together forever but before that I was resigned to the fact I would be single forever especially after some very awful online dating experiences.
We now have a DD, (16 months) and we are all happy, I make sure to spend quality 1 on 1 time with my DS, he happily goes to his dad's whenever he can and honestly loves his baby sister, when she was about to be born everyone and anyone knew about it because he told them all even the shop assistants. I also had a chat with his teacher as I had a parent's evening 3 days after DD was born and asked her to keep me informed if she noticed any behaviour changes etc and it just didn't happen.

My DP was out of work for a bit and took on full parenting duties with DS whilst I went off to work, school runs, days out, footie down the park.

It doesn't have to be difficult.

One thing I will admit to not liking is us all having different surnames, that does make me cringe a bit but DP and I are planning a wedding and I will change my son's name to have my DP's surname on the end so that we can the same name on paper.

Wannakisstheteacher · 18/03/2021 12:28

I’ve been this child - but with my Dad. It was really shit. I would never, ever, ever, do that to my existing children. Any desire I had for more children would never trump the emotional well being of my existing children.

notturningintopowerranger · 18/03/2021 13:18

This is all pretty negative and really judgemental. Shows how wedded people are to the 2.4 nuclear family. Very European and very middle-class.

My parents separated when I was young and neither had more children, I wish they had. My younger stepsisters are like my sisters. If we shared a sibling we would be even closer.

Of course you need to be thoughtful when making this decision, that goes without saying, but I wouldn’t worry too much about other people’s outdated views on blended families - consider what your children are like, what their needs are and how you could support these if you had a baby come into your lives. Think about what would happen if baby was disabled, if your relationship broke down etc. When you feel you have a plan in place for lots of potential outcomes you’ll know if it’s right for you.

Merryoldgoat · 18/03/2021 13:50

@notturningintopowerranger

My POV isn’t about being wedded to the idea of a nuclear family, it’s about actively choosing to prioritise my children over myself.

And having come from a family where blending was the norm in its wider sphere the negatives have vastly outweighed the positives.

We all make decisions for ourselves based on our lives experience and knowledge.

I’ve seen nothing in my 43 years which would change my mind.

willibald · 18/03/2021 13:54

It's really sad how many adults feel they have to cement every partnership they have by procreating with the person.

Zenithbear · 18/03/2021 13:58

My aunt and uncle split up. They had 3 dc. Both went on to have one more dc each with new partners. My aunt said she had another dc to 'keep' her new man. Aunt died and everything was left to her new man and their one dc. Uncle and his new wife gave their dc a massive house deposit, nothing to the others. Those first 3 dc have felt very left out.

igotdemons · 18/03/2021 14:11

I’m a child of a blended family and often wonder why my DP’s had me when they both already had children from their previous marriages! I’m the black sheep of the family when it comes to my siblings. They’ve always been jealous that my parents stayed together and consequently we’ve never been close and never will be. It’s almost like they class themselves as one family that I’m not part of. They have online group chats that I’m not included in (found that out by accident) and post on social media pictures of themselves when they were young and comment how much they love each other etc. Growing up I felt like an only child and I still feel like one today. I would encourage you to think hard about creating a blended family simply because it can cause a lot of jealousy and resentment between the children.

Wondermule · 18/03/2021 14:14

It’s almost like they class themselves as one family that I’m not part of

This would be my worry. I think it’s easier when the children are little as they don’t think about things in a complex way, but as they get older it probably becomes a bit more apparent, especially as they have different grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins etc

Wondermule · 18/03/2021 14:18

@greeneyedlulu

DP and I are planning a wedding and I will change my son's name to have my DP's surname on the end so that we can the same name on paper.

Please don’t do this, even if his bio dad isn’t in the picture (you’ve indicated he is). This is you trying to erase your son’s roots to fit your fantasy of a perfect family, and give the impression your DP is his dad. He isn’t. This should be your son’s choice to make at 16, not yours.

You chose to create a blended family, you have to deal with the complexities of it rather than sweeping them under the rug for your own convenience.

Mumba0111around · 18/03/2021 14:23

Just to say that it can work- after having myself and my sister my parents divorced and both went on to remarry and have children with their respective partners. My sister and I both adored our younger half siblings (and still all close as adults, holiday together etc!)

greeneyedlulu · 18/03/2021 14:30

[quote Wondermule]@greeneyedlulu

DP and I are planning a wedding and I will change my son's name to have my DP's surname on the end so that we can the same name on paper.

Please don’t do this, even if his bio dad isn’t in the picture (you’ve indicated he is). This is you trying to erase your son’s roots to fit your fantasy of a perfect family, and give the impression your DP is his dad. He isn’t. This should be your son’s choice to make at 16, not yours.

You chose to create a blended family, you have to deal with the complexities of it rather than sweeping them under the rug for your own convenience.[/quote]
I do deal with the complexities of it, I've had shared Christmases with my ex staying here with us even after my daughter was born, I drive the 60 miles there and back to make sure my son see his dad whilst his dad sits indoors all day doing nothing. Double barreling my son's name to have my DP's on the end it is not erasing his roots, I'm not taking his original surname away, just adding to it.

Wondermule · 18/03/2021 14:35

@greeneyedlulu

But that should be your son’s choice, and at the moment he is simply too young to make that decision.

This happened to my ex boyfriend, he always said he felt ‘funny’ about having a surname he had no biological connection to when the rest of the family did.

Having a double barrel when the rest of you have a solitary surname will stand out like a sore thumb anyway.

Maybe when he’s 16 he will want to switch to solely using your dp’s surname but like I said, I find the parent taking away the choice to be wrong.

Wondermule · 18/03/2021 14:36

Plus I do wonder how women would feel if their kids’ dads double barrelled their names with his new wife’s surname. I don’t think it would go down well on here.

greeneyedlulu · 18/03/2021 15:23

[quote Wondermule]@greeneyedlulu

But that should be your son’s choice, and at the moment he is simply too young to make that decision.

This happened to my ex boyfriend, he always said he felt ‘funny’ about having a surname he had no biological connection to when the rest of the family did.

Having a double barrel when the rest of you have a solitary surname will stand out like a sore thumb anyway.

Maybe when he’s 16 he will want to switch to solely using your dp’s surname but like I said, I find the parent taking away the choice to be wrong.[/quote]
To be fair, at the rate we are planning this wedding DS will probably be 16 anyway!

That aside, the main reason I want to add my DP's surname is mainly for travelling abroad, surely it would just make life easier? What if we travel and 3 of us have one surname and my son has another and we get stopped etc, I do have a copy of his birth certificate in his passport but my name will be different?

But you have made me think about it though.

What if I double barrel my son's with my maiden name and then double barrel when I get married so we have my maiden name in common?

HeyDemonsItsYaGirl · 18/03/2021 15:25

What if I double barrel my son's with my maiden name and then double barrel when I get married so we have my maiden name in common?

Why doesn't your new husband just take your name?

Wondermule · 18/03/2021 15:28

@HeyDemonsItsYaGirl

What if I double barrel my son's with my maiden name and then double barrel when I get married so we have my maiden name in common?

Why doesn't your new husband just take your name?

That sounds like a good solution!
Wondermule · 18/03/2021 15:28

Phew thanks for your very reasonable response, I realise my messages are blunt but meant with the best intentions!