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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Not to allow ex to take dc on this holiday?

487 replies

MrsBede · 10/09/2021 23:20

They are 12 &14 and in the 7 years since we split he has never taken them on holiday alone, though they've been twice in the UK when his dm organised it. Now he's inherited a substantial sum and messaged me tonight asking if he could take them away in October half-term. I asked which dates (they have 2 weeks off) and he said all of it as he wants to go abroad.

Ds1 was sitting next to me at the time and immediately said no as he really doesn't want to miss any school if he had to isolate on return. I messaged back to that effect but I'm livid he would take them for the full two weeks. I have never taken them so that he hasn't had them at all in any one holiday and I think it's unacceptable. He has them one night a week and eow, but often cancels if he has a gig. Term time is full on and we need the holiday time to reconnect (I'm a teacher). Just why should he think he should have the full holiday?

The other thing that really annoys me is he goes to Italy to visit friends every autumn and many a time when they were younger this has put me in the shit with child care as he does it at short notice. He obviously just wants to take them there and it's two weeks as that's how long he wants to go for, It's not a touristy place, there's not a lot there and they don't know his friends. I just think it's an utterly selfish idea and he's not replied to my text, which has put me on edge and I know ds is also worried about having said no. Ds2 doesn't see why they couldn't go. AIBU to think he's a selfish prick?

OP posts:
Mymapuddlington · 14/09/2021 23:50

Why do you owe him 10k when ds is 21?

MrsBede · 15/09/2021 05:49

Oh my goodness...Because I said 'You're not having it until then you fucker!' and the poor dab was powerless to do anything but accept it and had to resort to withholding maintenance to his children to get back at me. Or because the assets of the marriage (which amounted only to the house and my pension, the latter of which he didn't want) were locked into the house and at that point the bank would only lend me £17k of the equity, which I duly handed to him minus legal fees and his portion of a credit card debt. I will therefore have to give him a further £10k when ds2 reaches full adulthood - 18 is a more usual age but I asked for 21 and the judge agreed. It's quite normal you know for this type of thing to happen, not a sign that someone is being cheated. I/we did not have £10k at the time and if you think I should have got into debt to pay it him then, well, all I can say is the judge didn't.

Note: the first bit above is sarcasm, just in case it's not clear.

OP posts:
Booknooks · 15/09/2021 06:36

Very defensive answer to a question, weird.

RonaldMcDonald · 15/09/2021 11:14

Why do people post on AIBU for opinions when all they want to do is argue why their point is completely right?
Many hugely varied and thoughtful answers plus additional blunt answers highlighting why many feel the OP’s position is wrong or could/should be moved, all ignored

Seems like a pointless waste of time.

ScribblingPixie · 15/09/2021 12:14

He's going away for two weeks & invited the kids. They don't want to go. Now you're criticising him for going away for two weeks & not seeing the kids? Time to let it go. Don't any of your friends IRL tell you this?
The one blessing is that he refused to take any of your pension. I can imagine you'd be having convulsions now if he had & then received a large inheritance too.

Thatsjustwhatithink · 15/09/2021 14:07

OP you are really aggressive about this.

He can't win. You don't think he does enough for the kids then he wants to take then on holiday and then you try and sabotage it. Now it's off the cards, you've gone back to him not doing enough.

All this 'I need to reconnect with the children' is also a bit weird. They live at your house and would be away for two weeks. They aren't going away for a year. Are you worried that they will build a relationship with him and now that he's inherited some money he may be able to do more with his children? Or that they will have an independent relationship with him that doesn't include you? There's a lot of controlling behaviour in your posts. Doesn't sound like 'reconnecting' but more like re-establishing your role.

I think your ex is best out of it. I just hope you stop putting the children in the middle as they'll resent you for it in adulthood.

NCforsafety · 15/09/2021 17:54

I'm still stuck on the bit where you have booked a holiday for over 2 weeks next year without consulting him. So he gets to miss his contact with the children and that's okay because you say so?
But you also get to stop him taking them on a holiday.
Not very fair is it?

Mymapuddlington · 15/09/2021 19:26

Jeez I only asked sorry

Tigger1895 · 15/09/2021 19:53

It’s sounds like you are the issue on this one. I don’t know if it’s jealousy or bitterness.
He wants 2 weeks and you don’t want them to go at all. The middle ground is one week.

Tigger1895 · 15/09/2021 19:57

@MrsBede

Yes, I'm sure ds1 doesn't want to go. He is very school-focused and was right there when I opened the text and said it before I even spoke.
Why is he reading your messages?
Strangevipers · 16/09/2021 11:19

Are the DC allowed to go on holiday?

abstractprojection · 16/09/2021 18:15

They should go if they want to and you should try not to influence their wishes either way and be mindful of the influence you can have without even vocalising it to them

They could get COVID while in the uk with you and have to self-isolate and miss in person at school.

They don’t have a perfect father ok, or at-least not a father who is the ideal co-parent for you. But is that really a reason to not encourage them to have a nice holiday abroad for two weeks with him now that means allow?

I would discourage them if I had reasonable thought that they would be neglected

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