Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Is he in the wrong or me?! (Co parenting)

24 replies

coparentsadbess · 03/01/2024 15:09

Ex works shifts. His job is demanding, no question. But he has nearly every weekend off. I also have a demanding job. He recently relocated an hour’s train away and sees dd by catching the train and we collect him. He’s sometimes stayed over a night to spend a bit more time. I am fine with this.

I have told him that dd needs consistency. She’s 3.5. I’ve said that weekly is really a bare minimum to see her for a day, especially as some weekends he works and then it’s a fortnight between visits. He refuses to confirm if he can see her at weekends. I will often get a text on say Thursday night saying Sunday is fine… I then have to re arrange plans as I don’t want dd to miss seeing her dad. This is despite me chasing him at the start of the week to confirm.

Last weekend I was really clear that it was hard for me to accommodate him seeing her without organisation. He was silent then said he can’t just commit to every weekend in advance because he often has ‘pressing things on.’ This hugely upset me as I have pressing things too, while looking after dd all the time, and yet he can’t see that me standing by waiting for his confirmation is massively selfish? I said this to him and he said I was deluded if I thought that was selfish of him? I feel like I can’t think straight anymore, am I in the wrong here?

OP posts:
Babysharkdoodoodood · 03/01/2024 15:19

No. Not on.
Use a parenting app and designate 'his' dates. Then if he can't make it, he can't make it. Don't twist yourself up in knots about what's fair, as that's what he's relying on.

If he wants more control, then there's court. But no judge will accept his shifts and changing times at his whim.

Allofaflutter · 03/01/2024 15:22

He’s wrong, he knows he is wrong but you can’t make someone be a good parent. Give him every other weekend like a court would and then if he doesn’t see her it is on him.

coparentsadbess · 03/01/2024 15:23

@Babysharkdoodoodood thanks. I am finding it so hard as I just want some structure in place rather than him getting in touch when he feels like it. I also don’t think that’s good for dd either

OP posts:
MintJulia · 03/01/2024 15:24

He's wrong. You both have demanding jobs and he needs to put his dd first occasionally or see her less.

You aren't there to enable him.

Agree, set up a parenting app, stick to set dates and if he doesn't like it, let the courts decide.

GabriellaMontez · 03/01/2024 15:25

He's a shit dad.

He probably always will be. It's going to be really hard to make him step up. Probably impossible.

ohfook · 03/01/2024 15:26

This is something I've seen a lot over the years in real life. I'm probably being unreasonable but it always strikes me that when we're in relationships with men, we sort of end up facilitating their lives, making everything a bit easier for them and half the time they don't even see it, so when we break up and we no longer doing it, to the men it feels like we're being really difficult when actually we're just not bending over backwards any more.

coparentsadbess · 03/01/2024 15:33

God it’s so fucking depressing. I feel like I have two kids.

He is good when he sees them but an absolute terrible man in general. God only knows what I saw in him. I’ve tried so hard to be reasonable.

OP posts:
Willyoujustbequiet · 03/01/2024 15:41

You can't force a deadbeat to be a decent parent.

However you can get a Child Arrangement Order which will specify contact and give you more certainty regarding arrangements.

coparentsadbess · 03/01/2024 15:43

@Willyoujustbequiet he wouldn’t be interested in that. He does like to see them but is quite happy to do it ad hoc. There’s zero consideration to my life

OP posts:
Kittenkitty · 03/01/2024 15:47

You can’t keep doing this, the earlier you stop the less painful for your daughter. When she starts school there’s birthday parties every other week, you can’t constantly be in limbo for a Dad who may or may not turn up. You need to have a life and routine too.

Ive been there - he won’t change so you have to

Willyoujustbequiet · 03/01/2024 15:50

coparentsadbess · 03/01/2024 15:43

@Willyoujustbequiet he wouldn’t be interested in that. He does like to see them but is quite happy to do it ad hoc. There’s zero consideration to my life

He has no choice if you make the application. It doesn't cost much as you can self represent and if you are low income the fee is waived.

If he wants contact he will turn up and likely be awarded every other weekend. If he doesn't bother turning up then you get residency and ability to make all decisions without him.

As it stands atm he could just decide not to return her and you would have to apply to court to get her back.

Daffyyellow · 03/01/2024 16:26

I would give him a regular time slot when your child will be available for contact. Then he either sees them or not. Changes can be made with a week’s notice (you choose the time scale).

Set the boundaries and stick to them. It will give your child consistency, hopefully, but it won’t stop him cancelling last minute.

SchoolQuestionnaire · 03/01/2024 16:33

coparentsadbess · 03/01/2024 15:43

@Willyoujustbequiet he wouldn’t be interested in that. He does like to see them but is quite happy to do it ad hoc. There’s zero consideration to my life

He doesn’t have to be interested. You can still force this and I think you should.

Cherrysoup · 03/01/2024 16:36

Nothing will make him more considerate or less selfish. You can’t make him see them. I’d just crack on with whatever you want to do and if it isn’t convenient, then tough, tell him to go to court for access (which of course he won’t).

coparentsadbess · 03/01/2024 16:40

SchoolQuestionnaire · 03/01/2024 16:33

He doesn’t have to be interested. You can still force this and I think you should.

@SchoolQuestionnaire thanks, I don’t really understand this though. What will it do? He is not on the birth certificate so don’t know if that makes a difference? Is it just like a general order that states dc is available on x days and then he can do what he likes with that?

OP posts:
LaurieStrode · 03/01/2024 16:43

Does he pay maintenance? Are you divorced?

Atethehalloweenchocs · 03/01/2024 17:17

What the fuck does he have on that is more 'pressing' than his child. CF.

coparentsadbess · 03/01/2024 17:44

@LaurieStrode yes he pays through cms and an extra 30 on top. Medal for him.

OP posts:
coparentsadbess · 03/01/2024 17:45

@Atethehalloweenchocs i know. He’s quite a messed up person in general.

OP posts:
Atethehalloweenchocs · 03/01/2024 17:46

@coparentsadbess - must be a nightmare to co parent with! Thank god he is an ex. I would tell him these are his days, there is no confirming or not in advance. What an idiot.

Coffeespill · 03/01/2024 17:47

Say you want a routine and agree a pattern with him - say every other weekend (shit I know) and then if he cant make that weekend he misses it.

Rioja81 · 03/01/2024 17:51

You're not co-parenting. You're parenting, and he is visiting on occasion.

BoohooWoohoo · 03/01/2024 17:58

If he won’t go to court then tell him that he can see them every other weekend because ad hoc isn’t good enough. Don’t cancel plans made on the weekends that are not his- eventually your kids will be pissed off too because any plans made can be changed last minute. If he doesn’t use his slot then that’s it until the next time.

Every other weekend is shit but something regular is better than nothing or irregular contact. I suspect in real life, most men don’t request every weekend because they want to go out and get drunk or date or do chores without kids. I know that the mums are bending over backwards working out solutions but the court process would allow him to request every other weekend with no repercussions if he skips contact.

Hankunamatata · 03/01/2024 18:02

What's the frequency if his shift rota? How far in advance does he know?

New posts on this thread. Refresh page