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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To stop ex husband seeing children

112 replies

sal1223 · 17/11/2021 20:30

I don't want to and will probably get flamed but I'm sick with stress and not sure what to do . Kicked husband of 15 years out for infidelity and drugs , he was doing cocaine and sleeping around for 2 years without my knowledge. Since he moved out he's only seen the children here in the family home , it's supposed to be 3 times a week but he isn't consistent and hasnt seen them at a weekend for over 6 weeks . I wouldn't trust him to have them on his own and he never had them on his own when we were together (he isn't asking for more contact either ) , one child has additional needs that he doesn't cope well with . I feel like he's spiralling with drink and drugs - I've had 5 plus people tell me recently that they think he's a problem and they wouldn't have him around the kids. This is people that have seen him out or what he's been posting online (I'm not on social media thankfully)
I find him reckless and irresponsible, also a bit frightening. He has threatened to top himself when he's not got his own way- he has also been aggressive and threatening towards me in the past , I logged one incident with the police after he'd left but played it down as I felt guilty for calling them - looking back it was in some ways an emotionally abusive relationship towards the end .
I've been on hold for 3 hours to 101 to update them and try to get some advice but just got cut off . My problem now is it makes me feel uneasy when he's here , the man he is now isn't someone I would chose to have around the children , he's unstable , unpredictable and can be very intimidating. He's fallen asleep during contact and got very agitated when I've woken him and threatened to not come and see them again - upsetting for them ! He's not a good dad or a good role model and if he is in fact getting more involved with drink and drugs then I don't want the kids around him . I just don't know what to do , do I wait until he slips up while he's here ? Do I tell him he should stay away until he's sorted himself out ? I would never know if he was on something - and all I really have to go on is hearsay / rumours . Any advice or signposting would be greatly appreciated, my friend said call children's services see what they say . We are not in court over contact or anything , it's just what we initially agreed . I don't feel like I can just say he can't see them anymore , but I'm not happy about him being here . There's no family that could facilitate contact and I don't have any suggestions for how he could see them that doesn't involve coming here . I don't know 😵‍💫 he's really not that fussed about them - but I don't want to be the woman that stops a father seeing his kids . Sorry this is a bit rambled I'm rushing coz need to get kids in bed . Thanks in advance anyway x

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sal1223 · 17/11/2021 21:27

@BananaPB I was as I was walking on egg shells a bit waiting for divorce to be finalised - not so much now I just stay out of the way

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sal1223 · 17/11/2021 21:27

And yes now it's over as soon as he puts a foot wrong or tries to intimidate me I will be telling him to leave

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sal1223 · 17/11/2021 21:29

Who gets the final say on the kids though , they're as much mine as his just I'm resident parent that does everything - what if he tries to take them home with him one day 😳

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sal1223 · 17/11/2021 21:30

Saying that he was aggressive a couple nights ago and started reading his voice when I told him not to fall asleep - I went into diffuse mode a bit and told him not to come when he's tired

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sal1223 · 17/11/2021 21:32

I meant to say agitated not aggressive

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TeachesOfPeaches · 17/11/2021 21:39

If you stop contacting him to see the children then it sounds like he isn't going to bother haranguing you.

Change the locks so he can't let himself in.

You have every right to stop contact if you believe your children are in danger.

A friend of mine's children's father was bang on the coke and was granted access by the court as long as he didn't do drugs 24 hours before seeing the kids Confused

sal1223 · 17/11/2021 21:41

😵‍💫 nightmare ! And yes I'll see what happens . Still going to speak to 101 and make it known that there's still an issue with him that could potentially get nasty

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Shehasadiamondinthesky · 17/11/2021 21:51

If the tables were turned he wouldn't care two shits if you saw the children. He has no legal right to be in your home and is a danger to you so stop the visits. He'll have to see them in a visiting centre if he wants to see them something which he can organise himself.
Stop working so hard to facilitate this layabout - it is his responsibility to organise visits if he wants to and it will no longer be in your home.
It simply isn't your problem.

sal1223 · 17/11/2021 21:58

I just don't feel I have the authority, and who will stipulate it has to be in a visiting centre . I feel like if I say you can't see them here he'll say fine I'll pick them up and then how do actually I stop him - I have no proof of anything

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sal1223 · 17/11/2021 21:59

I'm just feeling a bit powerless - pathetic I know 😒

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sal1223 · 17/11/2021 22:01

If I phoned the police they'd wonder what all the fuss was about . He looks completely normal and is super friendly to everyone

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RandomMess · 17/11/2021 22:01

As there isn't a contact order you can refuse contact and leave all the work to him to take you to court where you contest contact due to his drink, drugs etc.

Sure eventually he may eventually get contact but it should be easy to have an initial visits in a contact centre etc. In his current state he isn't going to bother is he? If he sorts his life out that would be a win anyway?

sal1223 · 17/11/2021 22:02

In his current state he isn't going to bother is he? If he sorts his life out that would be a win anyway?

You're right

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GrandmasCat · 17/11/2021 22:09

The police won’t do anything, unless there is a clear and immediate danger to your children they will say it is a “civil matter”, they are not there to police his dodgy behaviour or ensure he is reliable enough for his children to be around, that’s a matter for the family courts.

The only thing that I would say is that if he is of a competitive nature, the best thing is not to annoy him to the point he forces contact on his term just to score points on you. Search the Grey Rock method, that’s the best way with nasty people, bore them until they lose interest.

sal1223 · 17/11/2021 22:27

Yes grey rock !! I've been doing this

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RandomMess · 17/11/2021 22:31

It's a cycle with him isn't it? He didn't bother with his eldest until you came along and he put the effort in to stay on straight and narrow for a while, present his very best self.

Perhaps he'll get back to that stage and your DC will benefit but at the moment are they getting out of anything seeing him so disinterested in them that he's falling asleep, being agitated, you being unnerved etc?

sal1223 · 17/11/2021 22:36

They are literally getting nothing out of seeing him

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sal1223 · 17/11/2021 22:37

He supposed to see them tomorrow - I might say to him better an absent parent that's a shit one - but in other words

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sal1223 · 17/11/2021 22:39

If I say he can't come and see them anymore he'll either take no notice and still turn up / or kick off and say I'm controlling (there was lots of this type of gaslighting in the relationship when I asked for basic standards)

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RandomMess · 17/11/2021 22:40

Just say it isn't working him coming to see the DC at yours and he needs to sort something else out.

Nothing else needs to be said leave it at that. If it kicks off then all the more evidence that's he's unreasonable tbh.

RandomMess · 17/11/2021 22:41

If he turns up don't open the door tell him to leave or you will call the police.

sal1223 · 17/11/2021 22:41

I'm half tempted to tell him that I've had people contact me to say it like like he's gone off the rails and isn't suitable to be around the kids - what's going on ? And be straight with him

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sal1223 · 17/11/2021 22:42

And he'll say fine I'll take them out , and if I say no he'll say they're my kids too what you gonna do about it

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RandomMess · 17/11/2021 22:44

"Not agree to contact because you're being unpredictable and I believe you are on drugs and they aren't safe in your care, take me to court if you want to see them"

Robloxdiamonds · 17/11/2021 22:45

@GrandmasCat

The police won’t do anything, unless there is a clear and immediate danger to your children they will say it is a “civil matter”, they are not there to police his dodgy behaviour or ensure he is reliable enough for his children to be around, that’s a matter for the family courts.

The only thing that I would say is that if he is of a competitive nature, the best thing is not to annoy him to the point he forces contact on his term just to score points on you. Search the Grey Rock method, that’s the best way with nasty people, bore them until they lose interest.

This. Don't waste your time on hold to the police. Speak to a solicitor. Or alternatively stop initiating contact with him about the kids and wait for him to ask to see them. Because we all know he won't.