Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

AIBU for wanting child's father to help support their child

22 replies

Eliza13 · 14/04/2023 18:05

Me and my ex split up around 3 years ago and have a child together.

The relationship was on and off for 2 years. He used to ridicule me, call me names and pressure me into things I didn't want to/or was ready to do. He was manipulative towards my eldest child and used to scold and blame for alot of things. He would punch, kick and throw things when he didn't get his own way. On one occasion he threw a heavy toy pram across the room narrowly missing our newborn baby who was laying on the bed at the time. He used to hate me going out without him and didn't like me spending time with a friend. He was disrespectful towards my parents. Amongst other things.
He threatened to kill himself if I broke up with him, told me that noone else would want to be with me and he didn't want anything to do with our child.

Things finally came to ahead and the police got involved and shortly after my exes mum asked if they could be involved in my child's life which I agreed to despite all the nasty things they said to me and accused me of. No effort was made to stay in contact, which was also blamed on me because apparently it was my job to make the arrangements. My ex was nasty towards me and continued to argue about the past so I stopped contact with him as it isn't appropriate.

I recently messaged him to ask if he would like to be a part of his daughter's life which he ignored but got his mum to answer for him and they saw her once last month and once this month (their choice). On both occasions he looked uniterested in his daughter. He made no effort to interact with her he didn't talk to her at all and stood chatting to his mum.

I also recently asked if he could help in some he accused me of just wanting money and using her as a "transaction" and that "he shouldn't have to pay to see his child" (which he doesn't, he hasn't paid a single penny since she was born). He said that me "asking for help out of the blue isn't on. You either needed my help before you pushed me out or you dont" and "you and only you are the blame for everything". He also doesn't buy our child a present or a card on special occasions (birthday or Christmas) because he thinks I might sell them (I'm not sure where this idea has come from). He also said he wont support our child financially because he has two children (from a previous relationship) and is on UC, which was the case when we were in a relationship. His situation is the same now as it was when we were in a relationship. He helped buy a few things when baby was born but ever since we split up he has refused to help, doesnt ask how his child is ect. AIBU for asking for a bit of support? I want my child to know who their father is but he keeps bringing up the past and isn't able to be civil. I'm not even sure if he even cares because he never asks about his child.

OP posts:
angstridden2 · 14/04/2023 18:09

Personally I think he sounds appalling and wouldn’t want any contact with him or my child. Even if you get anything from him, he won’t be reliable and may try to use it as a bargaining tool.

Eliza13 · 14/04/2023 20:21

No he hasn't been reliable and that's a good point

OP posts:
44PumpLane · 14/04/2023 20:42

Christ, the fact he doesn't want to be in your lives sounds like a blessing in disguise!!

Contact CMS if you want any money out of him....although if he's on UC it'll be paltry but you probably should just for the principal of the thing.

And stop contacting him....just be thankful you don't have to deal with the prick anymore.

strawberry2017 · 14/04/2023 20:51

Why haven't you contacted CMS?

hattie43 · 14/04/2023 20:57

What made you think this awful man would be a good father , has he changed ? Poor daughter choosing him as a dad .

usererror99 · 14/04/2023 20:58

It does beg the question why on earth you decided to have a child with him when you knew what he was like? A leopard never changes it's spots. And why you have gone out of your way to offer an olive branch since?

Dontbelieveaword · 14/04/2023 20:59

Why would you want your DC to have a relationship with such a violent, abusive, controlling prick and his family? Seriously, what lessons would your DD learn from him? How she should be expect to be treated by men when she grows up?

And if either him or his family request contact again, I'd tell him when he starts supporting his DC, you'll consider getting court ordered supervised contact organised because there is no way I'd be letting him have unsupervised visits every time he pops up and want to play daddy.

Zanatdy · 14/04/2023 21:04

CMS and don’t bother engaging with him any further

Eliza13 · 14/04/2023 21:07

44PumpLane · 14/04/2023 20:42

Christ, the fact he doesn't want to be in your lives sounds like a blessing in disguise!!

Contact CMS if you want any money out of him....although if he's on UC it'll be paltry but you probably should just for the principal of the thing.

And stop contacting him....just be thankful you don't have to deal with the prick anymore.

I will stop conta ting him, he's been given so many chances
I wasn't sure if there was any point contacting CMS as he probabally won't be paying me much, isn't there a fee that I have to pay to use their service?

OP posts:
LauderSyme · 14/04/2023 21:07

No of course you are not BU. Of course he should contribute. However he sounds toxic and is clearly not capable of being anything close to a decent father. If he did ever pay up he'd be very likely to use it as a means to abuse both you and the child. Sometimes you have to be very careful what you wish for.

Eliza13 · 14/04/2023 21:08

strawberry2017 · 14/04/2023 20:51

Why haven't you contacted CMS?

Because he's on benefits which would mean I would only receive around £7 or possibly less, I'm not sure how it works exactly

OP posts:
Eliza13 · 14/04/2023 21:13

hattie43 · 14/04/2023 20:57

What made you think this awful man would be a good father , has he changed ? Poor daughter choosing him as a dad .

He was nice when we met. He changed and became controlling when I was pregnant. No, he hasn't changed as I've stated in my post above

OP posts:
LauderSyme · 14/04/2023 21:16

Child maintenance deductions from UC are £36.40 per month. The CMS fees are deducted from that so you'd actually receive even less. In my opinion you'd be better to give up such a paltry amount and have him out of your lives for good. Violent, abusive men rarely stop being violent and abusive, and he has already proved he offers nothing positive as a parent.

MissBPotter · 14/04/2023 21:17

I would absolutely contact CMS and would stop contacting him. £7 is obviously not much but would eg pay for nappies (if dc still a baby) or maybe a little day out or activity. Or even if you saved it for dc. Plus he should be paying as dc is his responsibility and not just yours.
he sounds awful btw so I definitely wouldn’t make any effort for him to be in my dc life unless he made significant and meaningful changes.

Eliza13 · 14/04/2023 21:26

Dontbelieveaword · 14/04/2023 20:59

Why would you want your DC to have a relationship with such a violent, abusive, controlling prick and his family? Seriously, what lessons would your DD learn from him? How she should be expect to be treated by men when she grows up?

And if either him or his family request contact again, I'd tell him when he starts supporting his DC, you'll consider getting court ordered supervised contact organised because there is no way I'd be letting him have unsupervised visits every time he pops up and want to play daddy.

I don't know, I thought maybe he might have changed but I guess not. It wasn't a good idea to involve him again. I will look into getting supervised contact

OP posts:
Eliza13 · 14/04/2023 21:30

LauderSyme · 14/04/2023 21:07

No of course you are not BU. Of course he should contribute. However he sounds toxic and is clearly not capable of being anything close to a decent father. If he did ever pay up he'd be very likely to use it as a means to abuse both you and the child. Sometimes you have to be very careful what you wish for.

You're right he's not capable of being a decent father, I thought he might have changed but I was wrong. I'm not going to contact him further

OP posts:
desqel · 14/04/2023 21:37

Don't encourage a feckless man to act like a father. Your child is better off with just you

LauderSyme · 14/04/2023 22:21

I am so sorry you have had to endure this horrible man and his vile behaviour. You didn't deserve it. He is the problem, not you. Everything you have written reflects well on you as a great mum and a kind, thoughtful human being. Please don't beat yourself up for being hopeful and wanting to enrich your dd's life. I know from experience how much it hurts when it is impossible to share the joy and love of a child with the other parent Flowers

Eliza13 · 14/04/2023 23:11

LauderSyme · 14/04/2023 22:21

I am so sorry you have had to endure this horrible man and his vile behaviour. You didn't deserve it. He is the problem, not you. Everything you have written reflects well on you as a great mum and a kind, thoughtful human being. Please don't beat yourself up for being hopeful and wanting to enrich your dd's life. I know from experience how much it hurts when it is impossible to share the joy and love of a child with the other parent Flowers

Thankyou for your kind words and understanding. I'll try not to beat myself up about it

OP posts:
Probz · 15/04/2023 08:25

Never in a million years would any child of mine step foot near this waste of oxygen.

ChiefWiggumsBoy · 16/04/2023 00:20

YANBU to want him to be a decent father but I don't know why you thought he might have changed?

Eliza13 · 16/04/2023 09:52

Thanks for all the responses and advice

OP posts:
New posts on this thread. Refresh page