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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To not lend ds savings?

220 replies

FanFanFanFee · 16/06/2022 00:07

Ex gave ds money for Xmas and ds has saved it, and added to it by also saving all of his pocket money, so that he currently has a good amount saved. He has been considering spending some of it recently but so far hasn't.

Ds lives with me and sees ex once a month (exs choice) and I look after his savings for him.

Ex has just texted me asking lots of questions about ds savings, how much it is, is he saving for anything specific etc, and how much did he give ds for Xmas (I don't know - he also gave the other dc random amounts of money and just transferred a lump sum to me for them all which I shared out into their savings at the time but didn't keep any record of - I just keep each dc current total updated as the money sits in my account because they are too young to have their own yet)

He has then said he has received an unexpected utility bill and he has to borrow the money from ds but ds mustn't know about it. He says he can get the money from his own savings at the end of the month and will then pay ds back. He is demanding £150 tomorrow and says that it is his money because he gave it to ds and ds hasn't spent it.

I'm very reluctant to do this because
A) it is ds money and I don't think doing it behind his back is right
B) I don't have the money myself so if I lend it to ex and then ds wants to spend it he won't be able to until ex pays it back - which would be very unfair and basically penalising ds for having been sensible and saving his money
C) ex has form for being very unreliable re. Money. He was financially abusive while we were together and also borrowed thousands from my parents which he has never and will never pay back

Surely his utility company would be open to waiting until the end of the month for him to pay if he explains that he needs to give that much notice to withdraw the money from his savings account?

AIBU to not feel comfortable lending ds money in this way?

OP posts:
KettrickenSmiled · 19/06/2022 08:58

ONLY RESPOND WHEN YOU ARE READY & IF YOU WANT TO OP -

He has decided he wants to visit the dc for Father's Day today. The dc are excited. I am feeling nervous.

"Visit" - where?
Not at your gaff I sincerely hope.
He should not be putting a single toe over your threshold.

Handover - where? again - IT DOES NOT NEED TO BE FROM YOUR HOME.
If that proves to be not a hill worth dying on - you handover at the door, & he does not get to come in. Not for a wee, not to see a pic DC have drawn, not because it would be "nice" ...

I'm concerned that he's more interested in manipulating you than seeing his DC.
So just be alert to it, & protect yourself by setting this boundary.

If he wants to see his DC, he can take them out, or to his mum's, or back to his own place. Whatever. He does not get to use your home as his personal contact centre.

Lecture over & apologies for finger-wagging, I hope it's apparent that it's not at YOU. But he is so transparent it's enraging! You will cope. It's ok to feel nervous. You are strong, & smart, & you love your DC. You've got this - for them, & for YOU.
Flowers

FanFanFanFee · 19/06/2022 09:19

Thank you - it's all useful and I like a bit of gallows humour 💀😃

He has never been into my house and never will. He was mightily angry for a long time after we moved because he didn't know the address. He then found it out and came and sat outside and was again mightily angry that I had called the police. We do the handovers at the local station since he lives in another town and he will take the dc out.

He did ask me for ideas of what he could do with them, when he said he wanted to see them, and then when I ignored this but agreed to him seeing them he sent another imperious text asking what were the 'options' - as if I was going to research and set out a range of things for him to choose from. Needless to say I scoffed and ignored. He still persists, after years of separation, to make fairly regular attempts to get me to act as his secretary.

He also asked me (repeatedly - over a period of weeks) to sew some curtains for him. 😳😂😂

OP posts:
KettrickenSmiled · 19/06/2022 09:51

Ok now I know you appreciate gallows humour it's ok to tell you how hard I guffawed at your update.

It's the entitlement to anger I find so amusing. Clearly - not funny when you're in the thick of it, but oh the welcome relief at finding their antics ridiculous ...

My ex was so furious to be served an Injunction that he immediately broke it.
How DARE I subject him to due process? Doesn't everybody know, he is superior to other humans, & not to be held to account like the rest of 'em?

& as to your abject fool - it's curtains for HIM all right 😂
Obviously he should still be entitled to WifeWork. Why you are wasting your time on MN when you could be researching "How To Fun Parent Your Child Because Your Ex Does All The Real Work" for him?
Also, there is sewing to do. No wonder he's abusive - NOW LOOK WHAT YOU MADE HIM DO, with your refusing ways, you harpy. It's all perfectly sensible, you'd see his point of view instantly, if you'd just knuckle down & accept your DARVO'ing like a good girl.
www.banyantherapy.com/darvo/

WineIt's early, but I've put this behind the bar for you x

FanFanFanFee · 19/06/2022 10:50

It is a relief isn't it?

It's only upsetting nowadays when it affects or might affect the dc. Crap he tries otherwise I can nowadays shrug off knowing I don't have to deal with it - I can ignore while feeling utter contempt for his fuckwittery.

Perhaps it really was all some kind of fucked up test since he is spending trainfare and taking the dc out for pizza and a movie. Or he's touched someone else for his monetary needs. Ah well - not my problem.

OP posts:
FanFanFanFee · 19/06/2022 10:52

Also - thanks for the 🍷obviously it's not too early for me since I've been boozing all night, like I always do... 😜

OP posts:
KettrickenSmiled · 19/06/2022 11:45

FanFanFanFee · 19/06/2022 10:52

Also - thanks for the 🍷obviously it's not too early for me since I've been boozing all night, like I always do... 😜

😂😎

As I said - harpy. Non-curtain-sewing, booze-addled HARPY.

Fraaahnces · 19/06/2022 12:03

From a boozy harpy who isn’t even separated yet… Cheers! 🍾🥂🍻🍷🍺🥃🍸🍹

whynotwhatknot · 19/06/2022 13:43

wat nasty twat keep ignoring his requests but keep all the messages

VestaTilley · 19/06/2022 14:09

No way. Flatly refuse and don’t give in.

Your DS will blame you when it doesn’t get paid back.

FanFanFanFee · 19/06/2022 14:36

Cheers fellow harpy! 🥂
Well, ex managed a grand total of 1hr 20mins with dc before calling me to collect them. I had dropped them at local mall, and he'd asked me to collect from station car park. Dc were saying 'why is mummy making us walk to the station?' Ex says 'she always makes me meet at the station' I say to ex does he want me to collect from the mall. He says 'no - you always want me to go to the station so that's where we'll meet.'
Okaaaay then. He is the one with angry dc now to walk across town unnecessarily in order that he can try to blame it on me. Sad

OP posts:
LookItsMeAgain · 19/06/2022 14:49

At least the walking will hopefully let them be tired and they should sleep for you this evening perhaps?

FanFanFanFee · 19/06/2022 14:51

🤞🤞🤞

OP posts:
KettrickenSmiled · 19/06/2022 17:32

ex managed a grand total of 1hr 20mins with dc before calling me to collect them.
😂😂😂

Note it down OP - note it down. It's all grist for the Archive.

He used the time well though. Managed to deliberately piss his DC off AND blame you for it! That's 100 minutes very well invested, in his deluded mind.

The kids, btw, know who you are.
It'll take them longer to work out who HE is, because it's painful to acknowledge.
Look at the knots we tied ourselves in to excuse/minimise our Ex's abusive behaviours. And WE were volunteers!

Your kids are lucky to have a strong-minded, sane & loving mother.
They'll be fine, however their relationship with him pans out long-term.

MrsTerryPratchett · 19/06/2022 18:41

Look at the knots we tied ourselves in to excuse/minimise our Ex's abusive behaviours. And WE were volunteers!

Blimey that's insightful.

And awful!

KettrickenSmiled · 19/06/2022 19:45

@MrsTerryPratchett Well hello you. Always enjoy your posts. Firstly - thank you Blush. Secondly - I hope my comment didn't cause you distress.

I've been on both ends of acrimonious divorce from an abusive spouse - ie as an adult & as a child (not as in taking turns to be the abuser! Sorry am tired & not expressing well). It's best all round when the child has a safe space to call home, with the non-abusive parent. Sadly that didn't happen for me as a child, as my mother was RP but also the coercive controller of the family.
That may be why I feel so invested in OP's thread & a positive outcome for her. She is a lioness for her DC.

So thank YOU MrsTerry, for giving ME a new insight. 😘
& here's Flowers& Winefor all the DA survivors.
Many of whom are still trapped with their controller, but that doesn't mean they are not also making superhuman efforts to protect their kids. They simply have not been able to escape ... yet.

MrsTerryPratchett · 19/06/2022 22:09

Secondly - I hope my comment didn't cause you distress.

Not at all. Every woman needs that feeling of cold water down the neck. Keeps you safer in future! And yes, cheers to all the women trying to protect their kids.

FanFanFanFee · 20/06/2022 06:39

Thanks kettrick for your kind words and insightful helpful posts. You've really helped me to navigate what has been a very stressful weekend. ❤️

Now I'm off to continue living it up on all the 'interest' I'm apparently receiving from ds savings. The ones that I've stolen and spent. 🙄🤣

OP posts:
KettrickenSmiled · 20/06/2022 10:32

Now I'm off to continue living it up on all the 'interest' I'm apparently receiving from ds savings. The ones that I've stolen and spent.

Ye Dogs.
Not so much "constant vigilance" as "constant cognitive dissonance" from your barking ex, isn't it!

Thanks for your kind note OP, am chuffed to have helped ease the strain a little.
And very glad father's day is over now. (All 1 hour 20 minutes of it) 😂😡

Skodacool · 20/06/2022 22:50

Since when is a utility bill ‘unexpected’? These bills arrive with monotonous regularity!

OhamIreally · 21/06/2022 18:27

I can't get over the "options" text

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