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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:
Shadedog · 09/09/2021 11:13

The kids were 3&4 when your dbro left. You don’t let a 3 or 4 year old refuse to move because they want to be with their friends. He’s had 14 years of pissing about not bothering to parent his kids properly and now they are adults he is handwringing and wanting his own parents to pick up the slack.

BackAwayFatty · 09/09/2021 11:14

After school club - non issue.
Food - not my choices but fed and all that.
Teenager babysitting siblings while stoned is 100% not okay but both parents responsibility. Okay they don't live with dad but surely he can have a chat about being responsible.

Question ... now that 18yo is away ... who is now watching the kids? Did he take them with?

I would be reporting her to social services if I felt they were not being cared for.

Shahira78 · 09/09/2021 11:16

@YourFinestPantaloons

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.

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

Of course I would have picked her up! I only found out that morning that he was going to pick her up. I need permission from the school. It would be a pleasure to pick her up!

OP posts:
ZeroFuchsGiven · 09/09/2021 11:18

This makes no sense.

You popped in at midday to collect him to do a school run which presumably would be at around 3ish yet they all stay at kids club every day till 6?

His other sibling were not at school?

He was just going to leave the younger ones whilst he collected his sister?

Nah I'm not buying it.

DifficultPifcultLemonDifficult · 09/09/2021 11:18

At what point did he move?

His kids are struggling, taking drugs and failing at college and he has left them with an incapable mother. Hardly father of the year himself.

Shahira78 · 09/09/2021 11:18

I'm glad I started this thread. I'll be forwarding it on to my brother. He needs to see this because he really does have his head in the sand.

This isn't my responsibility.

OP posts:
Shahira78 · 09/09/2021 11:21

@ZeroFuchsGiven

This makes no sense.

You popped in at midday to collect him to do a school run which presumably would be at around 3ish yet they all stay at kids club every day till 6?

His other sibling were not at school?

He was just going to leave the younger ones whilst he collected his sister?

Nah I'm not buying it.

4 year old girl in reception with my son. They finish at midday this week. Normal pick up times of 3pm resume next week.

Other 7 year old was off school and in the house with him because he has an earache and stayed off school.

9 year old and 10 year old girls in junior school and finish at 3pm.

The fact 'you're not buying it' means this account must be bad. As I thought.

OP posts:
Chloemol · 09/09/2021 11:22

Your brother sorts his kids out and reports the rest to social services

Shahira78 · 09/09/2021 11:23

@AnneLovesGilbert

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.

The father of the 4 middle ones takes them from time to time. I'm not sure!! I don't know everything!
OP posts:
Toottooot · 09/09/2021 11:23

I think the main issue here is with the younger children - not with the 18 year old son and what his fathers parenting may or may not have been like. These younger children are fuck all to do with the posters brother.

B1rthis · 09/09/2021 11:24

All adults are responsible for the children they're coming into regular contact with by raising concerns.
I would Phone the mother, explain what you saw and ask where the father of the children is so that you can contact him as he may not be aware of the living situation his young children are in (the girl who is the age of your son etc).
If mum refuses to share/he's not in the picture/extended family not involved I would say to her that she has 8 hours to get back to her home before you contact social services and/or the police.
I would not leave your brothers children there, they might end up being blamed for their parents lack of parenting. I would ask them to pack a bag and stay at your parents.
It's a disgusting way to treat your children; replacing them with ur new man/life.

ColitisSucks · 09/09/2021 11:25

So how was he going to collect his sister? Take the ill 7yo with him, yes? Or leave them at home?

And how was he getting to school? Would he have been driving while stoned?

Shahira78 · 09/09/2021 11:26

@AnneLovesGilbert

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.
They feel really bad about the whole situation. They really their grand children and helped raise them when they were younger. Like I said, it's a huge mess.
OP posts:
Dontbeme · 09/09/2021 11:29

@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.
So he gets to fob off his DC on someone else again, in this case the older GP's, lovely. Why can't your oh so concerned brother move to be closer to his children, if he sees that they are struggling and need the security of their friends, why can't he move to them and make them a priority at this time? Is his job/house/friends/probably new wife with new kids move important than these two kids? Nice of him to volunteer his parents to care for two struggling DC as well, how do they feel about that or do they know they have been signed up to carry the load?
Shahira78 · 09/09/2021 11:29

@Shadedog

The kids were 3&4 when your dbro left. You don’t let a 3 or 4 year old refuse to move because they want to be with their friends. He’s had 14 years of pissing about not bothering to parent his kids properly and now they are adults he is handwringing and wanting his own parents to pick up the slack.
He moved to London a couple of years ago. He was close by when they were younger.
OP posts:
takehomepay · 09/09/2021 11:29

@YourFinestPantaloons

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.

Why are you making the kids OP’s responsibility? Because she’s a woman?
Shahira78 · 09/09/2021 11:30

Just for the record, I'm not on anyone's side. I totally agree that my brother is just as responsible here!! I came here for advice on what to do because I cannot help thinking about those kids.

I can either keen my mouth shut or not.

OP posts:
Shahira78 · 09/09/2021 11:32

@Chloemol

Your brother sorts his kids out and reports the rest to social services
I totally agree. It's exactly what I was discussing with my husband last night.
OP posts:
BoredZelda · 09/09/2021 11:35

I'm glad I started this thread. I'll be forwarding it on to my brother. He needs to see this because he really does have his head in the sand.

Because he will listen to a bunch of random women on the internet rather than his sister?

Just for the record, I'm not on anyone's side. I totally agree that my brother is just as responsible here!!

Seems unlikely when your entire OP was designed to let everyone know just what a terrible person the mother was, piling on the “facts” so we all got the picture. No mention of how feckless your brother is at all.

Shahira78 · 09/09/2021 11:36

@ColitisSucks

So how was he going to collect his sister? Take the ill 7yo with him, yes? Or leave them at home?

And how was he getting to school? Would he have been driving while stoned?

Yes, he did take him along with us. He couldn't leave him alone with the builders.

The house is literally opposite the school. It's a 30 second second walk to the gates.

OP posts:
BoredZelda · 09/09/2021 11:36

Why are you making the kids OP’s responsibility? Because she’s a woman?

Because she claimed to be very concerned about a child who is a member of her family.

Kales29 · 09/09/2021 11:38

Do the 4 children from her second marriage see the children? Could you contact their dad? Failing that the only option might be SS. Not ideal but it's not normal!

I used to take care of my siblings at 18 but I was never left to get them ready for school or pick them up or have any major responsibility.

She sounds terrible tbh op.

cereallover · 09/09/2021 11:40

Well his kids are still at an age where its easy to make new friends...crikey your brother sounds useless as a parent. Sometimes as a parent you have to make the kids do things they don't want to do like move house or go to school....

FooFighter99 · 09/09/2021 11:40

OP I'm not quite sure why you're getting such hostile responses on this thread. People don't seem to realise that family dynamics are complicated; especially when it comes to ex's who have multiple further children who aren't then related to you.

I think the best thing you can do, is mention it to the school and report to social services. Let them deal with it all

purplecorkheart · 09/09/2021 11:45

Your niece and nephew's are adults and are making there own choices. There is very little that you can do about them. I would also guess that they would refuse to babysit if they didn't want to. They are unlikely to want to move in with their Grandparents and live by their rules.

We do not know what state the house was in before the Mom and her dp went away. We only know the state of the house when an stoned 18 year old was in charge. If you are concerned regarding the children contact safeguarding in the school and Social Services.