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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Mum there's a random man at the door

251 replies

quicklybeingdrivenmad · 09/01/2022 15:07

Just chilling after Sunday lunch, door bell goes, eldest DD expecting her boyfriend goes to answer and shouts out the above in a loud voice. DH and myself go into the hall and standing there spluttering out " I am not some random bloke I am your dad" is my exh.

For context we split when I was pregnant with DD, he would disappear out of her life for years at a time, never paid anything in maintenance, he actually told his family she was not his, would turn up, demand to see her and then vanish again. She is 21 now and started calling her step dad, dad through her choice at about 8 years old (she has always known her and her 2 sisters have different dads) but loves him and her little sisters, when she was about 14 he reappeared again and she refused to see him, so off he went with a huff, he tried again a few years later and again she refused (he claimed I had turned her against him.)

Fast forward to today and my DD turned round and said to DH dad can you take the girls into the back room, whilst holding up her hand to silence her real dad, once they had gone turned back to him, and said

"When I said random I meant it, who the F are you to turn up here and claim to be my dad, you know F all about me, never gave a F about me so F off and leave us alone "

Slams door in his face and is visibly upset and tells me to get rid of him, I open the door and tell him she does not want to see him, again accused of turning her against him and he waves his 15 year old court contact order in my face, Good luck with that one she is an adult. DH comes out and suggests he leaves or we will be phoning the police to ask for advice.

AIBU that she hates her father or not, if I am being honest I just think of DH as her father and have done for years as he is the only constant she has ever known, but this just makes me feel bad, as people I know have split and co-parented fine just never happened with us.

OP posts:
KiloWhat · 09/01/2022 15:10

AIBU that she hates her father or not

I don't understand your voting but I hope your daughter is OK

bigbeatmanifesto · 09/01/2022 15:12

It's a tough situation as long as she has no questions to ask and is content with the situation the way it stands then as you said she's an adult and doesn't have to force a relationship with someone who only bothers when it suits him.
All you can do is support her decision hope she's okay. Thanks

SuPerDoPer · 09/01/2022 15:13

Sounds like your daughter handled it pretty well.

Cas112 · 09/01/2022 15:14

I am the same, I have a biological dad and an actual dad who brought me up. I don't hate my biological dad but I have no feeling towards him and would probably tell him to F off if he turned up at the door stating he was my dad. I feel passionate about the man who brought me up, he has been there every step of the way and has gave me everything and I guess that a random man turning up stating he is my dad when he did nothing is what would infuriate me

Saucery · 09/01/2022 15:14

She’s old enough to have formed her own opinion of him and good on her for letting him know it.
As for you feeling bad about not being able to co-parent with him……sounds like that would have been impossible, so stop feeling bad.

LavenderAskew · 09/01/2022 15:15

Oh, your poor daughter.

It must have been upsetting for her having to deal with that situation unexpectedly.

CrazyOldBagLady · 09/01/2022 15:15

I don't understand what you are asking, but it sounds like his chickens have come home to roost.

Your poor daughter, hope she is alright.

Beamur · 09/01/2022 15:16

Good for your DD to not be railroaded by this man. So tough for her and so brave.
Hope she's ok.

CerealKiller22 · 09/01/2022 15:17

I think some parents are deluded when they don't think their actions will be criticised by their children once they are old enough to understand things for what they are. You see it here all the time people who are evaluating their childhoods and holding parents accountable for neglect/abuse/favouritism/abandonment etc.

Well done your daughter though, she handled herself perfectly and clearly.

What a buffoon turning up unannounced all these years later, hopefully he'll slink off back to wherever he came from.

Eleganz · 09/01/2022 15:17

Just be there for your daughter as this will be tough. As you have said she is an adult and it is her choice, she is not being unreasonable not wanting anything to do with him.

As for your ex, he is a waste of space and has missed his chance to be a father. His choice, his consequences. What a pathetic loser waving a court order in your face as if it affects the decisions of a 21 year-old woman!

takingmytimeonmyride · 09/01/2022 15:17

What a knob! I am laughing at the thought of him waving the court order around though. Does he even know how old your DD is?

Hopefully he's got the message and will bugger off forever. Hope you are all ok.

Arren12 · 09/01/2022 15:18

To me a dad is not made by biology alone. Your dd is an adult and its up to her. She sounds switched on to the feckless man. You reap what you sow im afraid. He had his chance when she was a baby he chose what he did and he can sod off. The thing is he will probably not see his fault and truly believe he's the wronged one as you have 'turned her against him' this type of person is always the victim and its never their fault. Excuses excuses. But that's not your dd or your problem.

If your dh has brought your dd up from a young age, with kindness and love then that's her father. Sane set up here and dh is my dds dad in every way except biology.

ChargingBuck · 09/01/2022 15:18

@CrazyOldBagLady

I don't understand what you are asking, but it sounds like his chickens have come home to roost.

Your poor daughter, hope she is alright.

The chickens wanted something from either DD &/or OP, & far from roosting, got the door slammed in their beaks.

I take my hat off to DD, she handled the situation with aplomb.

trevthecat · 09/01/2022 15:19

Your daughter sounds amazing. Hope she is OK.

ajandjjmum · 09/01/2022 15:19

Your DD handled it brilliantly - hope she's getting lots of hugs from you and her real Dad!

moochies · 09/01/2022 15:19

What on earth was he thinking just turning up out of the blue?!

Why did he bring his contact papers??

BarkminsterBlue · 09/01/2022 15:20

Your DD sounds fantastic. Check in with her this afternoon and make sure she is OK. That must have been hard for her.

iklboo · 09/01/2022 15:20

He's not her dad. He's a sperm donor.

SleepingStandingUp · 09/01/2022 15:20

Another one not really sure of your aibu but of course it's upsetting but you've raised a strong woman who isn't going to push her feelings aside for a man. She's been raised with a Dad who loves he and whom she loves.

MaryAndGerryLivingInDerry · 09/01/2022 15:21

I’m not sure what the question is? Sounds like it’s been dealt with. As it has been each time before. He’ll clear off and turn up again in another few years or so. Repeat the process.

BarkminsterBlue · 09/01/2022 15:21

PS stop referring to her biological father as her 'real dad'. He isn't, is he?

GoGoGretaDoll · 09/01/2022 15:21

She's a total shero. But do check in on her later, this stuff can be upsetting no matter how Bolshie you are in public.

The contact order is proper lol though. What a dick.

Santaisstilleatingmincepies · 09/01/2022 15:21

When she was 21 my ex also 'found' dd after apparently looking since she was 2.. Strange that both my pds lived in the same houses and he hadn't called round..
Dd agreed to meet up as he had a dd /her half dsis.. She told him straight not to blame me for anything.. She muddled on with trying to form some sort of relationship for a few years then sent him a Dear John letter!! He sent a half hearted reply.. Hasn't even sent a birthday in the few years since.
Your dd sounds great op!!

Anoisagusaris · 09/01/2022 15:21

Good on her.

MaryAndGerryLivingInDerry · 09/01/2022 15:21

@BarkminsterBlue

PS stop referring to her biological father as her 'real dad'. He isn't, is he?
Umm I think that’s up to OP and her daughter to decide how they refer to him, don’t you?