Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To not want my husbands ex wife to be his Facebook friend

18 replies

sophieto · 20/02/2008 10:11

I just don't feel it's appropriate, or necessary. She has plenty of friends of her own, and Facebook's a social networking site. Bearing in mind that her and my husband don't have a social network, I really don't see the relevance. My husband thinks I'm being petty and a bit unreasonable, and can't see the harm.

I disagree, and whilst I can see his point of view, the point is, it's a way of her intruding on his life, excluding me - something which she has tried to do in the past.

Her and my husb get on well enough - their relationship is all about their daughter now, which is great; her and I get along politely; and we all (including her new husband) seem to have reached a level of comfortable communication, where the important thing is the wellbeing of their daughter, my step daughter.

Lots of stuff has happened on the journey to sorting through the complex relationship we all have, and the ex wife has been pretty inconsiderate to my feelings at times.

For a bit of background: some of the things which have happened have been her refusing to call our housephone, only calling my husbands mobile; being overly touchy-feely with my husband on handovers; dragging him away to discuss "private matters" when we've been watching their daughter horse-ride on occasion.

But with my husbands reassurance, we have tackled each issue / situation gently and reasonably, establishing boundaries as we go along.

She lives in France, with her husband, daughter and their son, so we only really see them at handover times (school hols), and speak over the phone.

And here lies the problem - I don't really have a relationship with her as such, other than for both wanting her daughter to be happy. Other than that, I don't know her, she doesn't know me (other than via my husband).

We rarely get the chance to speak, and I'm not bothered about becoming her best friend - I'm quite happy with the level of politeness we have. We can converse on the phone about her daughter, ask how the other one's doing etc etc.

But when an issue such as this comes up, I feel it's bloody inconsiderate, and don't feel I have enough of a relationship with her to voice my upset.

I don't understand why she wants to add my husband as a friend to her Facebook account. I just think it's a bit weird, and feel that it's an exclusion.

She, on the other hand, has probably not even thought twice about it. But that's the thing - she never does think about it.

How do you tell someone you think they're being inconsiderate when you don't know them, yet are so intertwined? And if she doesn't think she's doing anything wrong anyway, then is it worth even bringing it up?

I am 33 weeks preggers, so a bit hormonal, but am I being unreasonable?

OP posts:
meemar · 20/02/2008 10:15

I think YAB a little bit U

It's just a another way of staying in touch. He's not doing anything wrong.

pooka · 20/02/2008 10:17

I agree with Meemar. I would probably feel the same as you, but really it is just a case of having another way of having contact.

kayzisbroody · 20/02/2008 10:18

I do also think YABU bit only a little bit.
I have ex's on my facebook and dh has ex's on his and we're not bothered at all.
Maybe you could add her to your facebook?

Orchide · 20/02/2008 10:18

YANBU....she's his ex for a reason!

rantinghousewife · 20/02/2008 10:18

Reading all that makes me think it's a far deeper issue than facebook tbh. Facebook is just a website, so I think on that score YAB a tiny bit U, I think the fact you feel so strongly about it suggest either a)it's your hormones or b) it's really about something else.

bratnav · 20/02/2008 10:19

Um, my DP said that his exW tried to add his as a friend on Facebook and he rejected her. They get on perfectly well in the main, but he just didn't feel it was appropriate, that their relationship was mostly now about making sure their DD is happy, although he would like to always be on good terms with her.

TBH I don't think YABU, I would be a bit uncomfortable is my DPs ex was a friend

Marne · 20/02/2008 10:19

I would'nt be happy with it, but at the end of the day i trust dh and i can't realy see a problem.

The only reason why i would'nt like it is because dh's ex wife is a cow.

Maybe its a good way of keeping in touch with his child?

BrownSuga · 20/02/2008 10:22

Isn't facebook a way of keeping in touch with friends, so they'd know all about what you're up to etc.... Not sure if you'd particularly want your DH's exW to know what's going on in your life, apart from their daughter, so no, I wouldn't want my DH's exW to have that contact with him. There's no need for it.

There is already, phone, mobile, texting, and emails for keeping in touch about their daughter.

redadmiral · 20/02/2008 10:24

I think the more communication between exes who are parents the better. My ex has been much more distant since meeting his fiance, and I think DD1 is losing out in terms of having two parents working together to bring her up. Some of the communication is trivial, and some is more important. If you are both in strong relationships now I'd try to rise above it.

colditz · 20/02/2008 10:26

YABU

It's FaceBook, not a brothel

madamez · 20/02/2008 10:28

Well, like it or not, she is family as far as your husband and his DD are concerned. She's DDs mum and your DH'sCo-parent with regard to DD. She isn;t going to disappear. And most users of Facebook like to include everyone they know on their Facebook lists, with no more sinister intention than just staying in vague contact.

meemar · 20/02/2008 10:30

It's not really for Sophieto to decide whether it's an necessary way for her DH to stay in touch though, just because she doesn't like the ex-wife.

Friendship on Facebook doesnt imply any type of inappropriate behaviour in a relationship. In fact it's far more open than a private email account or text.

Chequers · 20/02/2008 10:31

Message withdrawn

sophieto · 20/02/2008 10:38

Thanks for all your messages

I think perhaps I am being a bit unreasonable.

Like Bratnav, the level of communication that has been established between husb and his ex is that it's about their child, and that's worked to date.

But I know really her adding him is harmless, and that it's hardly relationship threatening stuff. sigh, once again, just got to ignore it and get on with it!

OP posts:
redadmiral · 20/02/2008 10:53

Good for you. Another thing that occurred to me is that although it might be irritating the way she behaves towards you, it might be very important for your husband not to feel that your irritation is caused by jealousy, however secure your relationship is.

purpleduck · 20/02/2008 10:54

M all excited most people I know who are on facebook get all excited about it, then it fades away.

Don't worry about it - i bet within a month (or 7 weeks at the most ) your dh won't even go onto Facebook

BUT, you could add her.....

redadmiral · 20/02/2008 10:57

Oh God! Why do I always read the OP properly after I've posted. Ignore my last post...

nickytwotimes · 20/02/2008 11:04

Agree with purpleduck. I was obsessed with facebook for a few months - rarely look at it now. I can see why you feel uncomfortable though if she seems a bit too touchy feely with your dh, but you trust him. The whole facebook thing has perhaps highlighted your ishoos with her - hardly surprising given you are heavily pregnant!

New posts on this thread. Refresh page