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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Brother's ex

89 replies

Shahira78 · 09/09/2021 10:13

What would you do?
Back story:
Brother has 2 children with his ex (let’s call her A). They are 17 and 18 years old. They had them very young and split up when the youngest was 3. She went on to have 4 more children with another man whom she married. That relationship also failed and last year she met and married another man 21 years her senior and has just had another baby with him. He is very wealthy. She is 37.
I’m not sure what to do. My brother has told me over the years what an incapable mother she is but I didn’t really know the extent of it. I thought he was always exaggerating.

Yesterday, I went to collect my nephew (the 18 year old) so he can to the school pick up with me (her daughter is in reception with my son). As the builders were in, the doors were open and I popped my head in the door and called his name. He was asleep on the sofa and jumped up. He had no idea what time it was (midday) and I told him he needs to collect his little sister from school. It was obvious he was stoned. The house was a complete mess. The 7 year old was feeding himself out of a tin of spaghetti hoops. There was food all over the floor. The bins were overflowing and there was rubbish everywhere. The sink was full to the brim of dirty crockery. There was even tuna in the sink?! The dining table was filthy. I mean what do you expect when there are kids roaming around a house on their own. He even asked me to make him a sandwich, which I did because I felt so bad for him. They all go to kids club after school every day until 6pm because she refuses to look after them after school. Her children eat sugar all day and she put money in her 18 year olds account to order Mcdonalds for the kids. The 4 year was drinking coke. I could go on and on about what I saw and I felt awful walking away.
Where is A? She is away with her new man living it up in a posh hotel Bristol for 2 nights. She goes away quite often to very expensive places and gets her 2 eldest to look after the 4 youngest. She has recently given up her council house and has moved into a large house. I feel like her kids are no longer important to her. My sister and I think this is totally unfair as she is putting so much pressure on them to look after her kids! They can’t even look after themselves properly. They are also doing so poorly at college because of this.
I’m concerned for all 6 kids. What should I do? Should I stay out of it or talk to her?

OP posts:
TheGrassIsGreenerish · 09/09/2021 10:25

So your brother escapes all responsibility for how his own kids have turned out? Maybe he didn’t bring them up properly, that’s why the 18 year old is stoned.

Djifunrsn · 09/09/2021 10:32

Your brother needs to get his 17 and 18yos out of this situation permanently and sort their lives out. Flunking college and getting stoned is ridiculous.

qazxc · 09/09/2021 10:33

18 yr old is an adult.
Yes, tell her he was stoned so that she knows her other kids weren't safe with him.
Messy house, well if he hadn't been stoned off his nut, he presumably would have been able to empty bin, do washing up,.....
The kids going to an after school club, absolutely nothing to do with you.
Her kids eating habits, also nothing to do with you.

Hankunamatata · 09/09/2021 10:33

Call social services

DifficultPifcultLemonDifficult · 09/09/2021 10:36

The parent who is present has to do it all, the absent parent simply has to try and gets praised for it. Maybe you should talk to your brother about his shitty parenting.

Why doesn't he now provide a loving, stable, clean home for his dc?

If the filth is how they live and not just a one off I would report that to social work.

The after school club isn't an issue, and its pretty much up to her what she feels her kids.

Wole · 09/09/2021 10:37

She has recently given up her council house and has moved into a large house. sorry what has this bit got to do with it? I think I'm missing something.

Wole · 09/09/2021 10:39

If I were you I'd tell your brother but I'm surprised if he didn't already know as his kids would have mentioned something if it was a problem. He could offer to let them move in with him.

Wole · 09/09/2021 10:41

And I've no idea how far away Bristol is. Presumably she is able to pop back home in an emergency, but if not she should probably be made aware the teens are high while looking after their younger siblings.

YourFinestPantaloons · 09/09/2021 10:44

@TheGrassIsGreenerish

So your brother escapes all responsibility for how his own kids have turned out? Maybe he didn’t bring them up properly, that’s why the 18 year old is stoned.
This!!

Your brother is a shit dad if he hasn't even stepped in if he thinks his kids are being used as babysitters.

Also LOL at an example of bad mothering being ordering McDonalds 🤣 burn the witch, she doesn't wear Laura Ashley and sign up for the PTA 😂

YourFinestPantaloons · 09/09/2021 10:45

@Djifunrsn

Your brother needs to get his 17 and 18yos out of this situation permanently and sort their lives out. Flunking college and getting stoned is ridiculous.
Some people are so deluded as to what teens are like.

18yo is stoned is hardly a big shock

YourFinestPantaloons · 09/09/2021 10:47

Also funny how OP is horrified that this 18yo is being made to babysit his siblings but she's quite happy for him to do her school pick up for her own kids

crossstitchcat · 09/09/2021 10:50

Why haven't the 17 & 18 year old been living with your brother full time if she's such an incompetent parent?

MrsWhites · 09/09/2021 10:55

Why would you deal with this? What is your brother doing? It should be him speaking to the ex. They are obviously both doing a shit job of parenting these teens if they are expected to look after 4 young children on a regular basis and your brother is just allowing this to happen!

Shahira78 · 09/09/2021 10:59

@TheGrassIsGreenerish

So your brother escapes all responsibility for how his own kids have turned out? Maybe he didn’t bring them up properly, that’s why the 18 year old is stoned.
I agree with you. Of course he is responsible too. He lives in London and has begged his kids to live with him but they say they have no friends there. It's a big mess.
OP posts:
Shahira78 · 09/09/2021 11:01

You have misunderstood. I was picking my son up and passed by his house to REMIND him to pick his little sister up. Luckily I did otherwise she would have been waiting for him in class!

OP posts:
DifficultPifcultLemonDifficult · 09/09/2021 11:01

He may be begging them to live with him now, but where was he when this 'incapable mother' was bringing them up?

Shahira78 · 09/09/2021 11:03

His children do not want to live in London because they do not have friends there. My parents live near A so he is thinking they should move in with my parents.

OP posts:
AnneLovesGilbert · 09/09/2021 11:03

Where’s the dad of the 4 middle ones? Was the baby with her and her husband?

It sounds grim, can you have a word with school if yours are also there?

But it’s not all on her, there are 3 useless men equally responsible for some of these children and none of them seem to be around or doing anything.

YourFinestPantaloons · 09/09/2021 11:04

Do he lives (presumably, London could be the next city over) far away, Has done little more than 'beg' his kids to live with him (contrary to popular belief it's fine to make decision for kids they don't agree with if it's for their own good), no other action, rarely sees them (presumably) and left all the parenting to his ex who has 4 other children?

No wonder she's away on a holiday! Your brother is the problem here. He hasn't done nearly enough but thinks it's ok to blame the woman.

If you cared so much about your nephew you'd be the one picking his brother up at the same time as your DD.

AnneLovesGilbert · 09/09/2021 11:05

How do you parents feel about that?! Can’t imagine many people jumping at the chance to house drug using teens who can’t make their own sandwiches and are flunking out at college.

YourFinestPantaloons · 09/09/2021 11:06

@Shahira78

His children do not want to live in London because they do not have friends there. My parents live near A so he is thinking they should move in with my parents.
My kids didn't want to move back with me to my hometown after I split with their dad, for the same reasons. I made them anyway because it's absolutely what was best for all of us and also I'm the parent and I get to make the rules.

They have friends coming out of their ears. They were fine. Sounds like it's was a "please-move-to-London-but-secretly-I'm-fine/if-you-don't" sort of request

Shahira78 · 09/09/2021 11:06

@qazxc

18 yr old is an adult. Yes, tell her he was stoned so that she knows her other kids weren't safe with him. Messy house, well if he hadn't been stoned off his nut, he presumably would have been able to empty bin, do washing up,..... The kids going to an after school club, absolutely nothing to do with you. Her kids eating habits, also nothing to do with you.
OK. The thing is she knows he smokes a lot of weed and she still gets him to look after the kids. re: clubs and food I'm just trying to give you a picture of the situation. Her kids are unhappy. 3 are very overweight.
OP posts:
Shahira78 · 09/09/2021 11:08

@Wole

And I've no idea how far away Bristol is. Presumably she is able to pop back home in an emergency, but if not she should probably be made aware the teens are high while looking after their younger siblings.
She lives 15 mins north of London. She couldn't be back in time of an emergency, that's for sure.
OP posts:
mirijones · 09/09/2021 11:08

@YourFinestPantaloons

Also funny how OP is horrified that this 18yo is being made to babysit his siblings but she's quite happy for him to do her school pick up for her own kids
Reread it again.

So quick to pounce.

Shahira78 · 09/09/2021 11:10

@DifficultPifcultLemonDifficult

He may be begging them to live with him now, but where was he when this 'incapable mother' was bringing them up?
They shared custody.
OP posts: