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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

to be sick of DP's ex wife's demands

1000 replies

forestcookie · 02/07/2024 10:55

The dc live with her primarily but DP does loads. He takes the dc to school 2 mornings a week so she can go to work early and miss the traffic, he has to be at her house for 7.45am. He picks the children up once or twice a week, depending if it's his weekend or not - has them EOW for 3 nights. He would pick them up more but he works late 3 nights a week. He is on 25k, she is on something like 40k but she has standard office hours - 9-5, no late nights etc. He is in a tiny rented 1 bedroom flat, she has a large 3 bedroom house with a garden, driveway etc. She also gets child benefit and UC help, DP doesn't see any of that.

DP has just given her £300 towards their swimming lessons and summer holiday clubs - his "half", IMO she should pay more because she earns more, and I don't know why he is paying towards childcare because UC pay for it, but he didn't want her to kick off.

Now he usually picks up the children on Wednesday nights from after school club, again this enables her to work. She has just told him that tomorrow night she is going to see a friend for dinner and won't be back until 9.30pm. DP usually likes to leave her house by 9pm so he can get home and have dinner and prepare for work the next day. DP has told her this and she has kicked off saying she doesn't have a life or time to socialise (she does). I don't think she should be going out that night anyway, because DP has to be in her house without her which I don't really like. He has offered to have the kids overnight Wednesday nights but the dc don't want this.

AIBU to tell DP to put his foot down? He is knackered all the time from working late or looking after the DC while she gets to earn more and get home late as long as he is looking after them!

OP posts:
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crockofshite · 02/07/2024 11:29

I have no skin in the game, I'm not an ex, not bringing up my kids on my own, not with a bloke with his own kids or bringing up someone else's kids.

But my advice is stay well out of it. Not your circus.

You only know what he tells you, there's two sides to this story.

Also, don't marry him or have more kids with him - ex or no ex - the whole sorry saga sounds like a massive ball ache.

betterangels · 02/07/2024 11:30

What is it about new partners that think dads just get to dump their kids and think he goes over and above for bringing his own kids to school 2 mornings a week.

And then they have children with him because that'll of course be different...

SocoBateVira · 02/07/2024 11:30

Springwatch123 · 02/07/2024 11:19

I don’t think this is the relationship for you. How long have you been together?

This. I'd bin him off now OP.

NonPlayerCharacter · 02/07/2024 11:30

The dc live with her primarily but DP does loads.

Should bloody well hope so, he's their father. What reward were you expecting?

arethereanyleftatall · 02/07/2024 11:31

I hope he's paying child maintenance op. He should be. He chose to have children, he should provide for them. Is he?

itsmylife7 · 02/07/2024 11:31

FunIsland · 02/07/2024 11:02

You don’t ’tell DP’ anything. It’s nothing to do with you. He’s not doing ‘loads’ he’s being a parent.

Exactly this.

Maybe being with a man that's got children isn't for you.

Testina · 02/07/2024 11:31

I don't think she should be going out that night anyway, because DP has to be in her house without her which I don't really like.

Well, apart from it not being any of your business, why don’t you like it?
It’s not for you to like.
It’s actually great for the kids.
Is it because you think he goes through her underwear drawer and thinks about her instead of you?

arethereanyleftatall · 02/07/2024 11:32

Arewealljustloosingtheplot · 02/07/2024 11:01

Literally nothing to do with you , but don’t marry this man because your life will be dictated by his ex forever as he quite clearly is absolutely fine with continuing to dance to her tune!

How on Earth is doing a tiny bit of parenting your own children 'dancing to her tune?'

Strictlymad · 02/07/2024 11:32

If he thinks (that’s him not you) that ex isn’t being fair than instead of an ad hoc arrangement between themselves he needs to get court ordered contact schedule and pay through cms then ex can’t make other requests.

Sasqwatch · 02/07/2024 11:33

None of your business OP, wind yer neck in.

Testina · 02/07/2024 11:33

He is knackered all the time from working late or looking after the DC

Can I suggest he go to his GP? Maybe get his thyroid check? Nothing that would warrant being knackered all the time 🤷🏻‍♀️

arethereanyleftatall · 02/07/2024 11:35

Epicaricacy · 02/07/2024 11:04

You will get a lot of angry posts from disgruntled ex-wives on here, but you are not BU. Mothers using their kids as a weapon to get their own way over their ex is far too common and she does sound unreasonable.

AIBU to tell DP to put his foot down?
but no, don't do that. Let him manage his own kids himself. You will only make things worst. Imagine how she'll react if she hears about the "new girlfriend" having an opinion, she's going to make his life hell.

Objectively, unemotionally and impartially - can you articulate how one parent expecting the other to do 10% of the parenting is unreasonable?

MrBallensWife · 02/07/2024 11:36

I assume you don't have children OP?,or haven't got a clue what it's like to be a single parent?
I can't believe the audacity of the ex wife going out to work to provide for the children and leaving your poor boyfriend to do some childcare of his own children.
What is this world coming to?🤷‍♀️

FrenchandSaunders · 02/07/2024 11:37

All this fuss over 30 minutes, christ. I don't think he's the one for you OP.

Coffeerum · 02/07/2024 11:37

He is knackered all the time from working late or looking after the DC while she gets to earn more and get home late as long as he is looking after them!

😂 he looks after his children probably 25% of the amount his ex wife does.

You sound incredibly young OP.

Sunnydiary · 02/07/2024 11:37

Is this a reverse?

If not, YABVVU.

TheDarkMonarch · 02/07/2024 11:38

This is another controversial single/only post the an OP - like so many others these days.

But, on the off chance, this is remotely real: unless what he is doing for his children is more than 50% of their care, he is not doing 'loads'. Their mum is.

But also: none of your business.

Parrotcoop · 02/07/2024 11:38

How is he doing "loads"? It sounds like much less than half.

You're only involvement needs to be deciding whether he can be the boyfriend you want.

Despair1 · 02/07/2024 11:38

Hi OP, YABU. These children are your partner's and it is only right that he shares responsibility of parenting. Not sure why you are concerned that your partner stays at his ex partner's house to care for their children. Parenting is 24/7 and never ends. Irrespective of salaries/UC top up/child benefits etc, parenting should be shared and I need to point out that this has nothing to do with you. If you want to pursue a relationship with this man, you will need to reframe your mindset. Wishing you well

Aswad · 02/07/2024 11:38

Wonder why the OP hasn’t come back 🤔

If you look at how much your BF is contributing and what the mother does, it’s really not comparable is it? So what he’s on 25k and she’s on 40? It’s admirable she’s worked her way up whilst having the children the majority of the time.
Please butt out of this.

KreedKafer · 02/07/2024 11:40

Her 'demands' are simply to make some contribution to parenting and supporting his own children.

DP usually likes to leave her house by 9pm so he can get home and have dinner and prepare for work the next day.

He's a parent. You can't just have time off from being a parent because you've got work the next day. Their mum has to go to work next day as well - and she has to do that pretty much every day. Your boyfriend only has them on alternate weekends.

LOL that you're complaining that he doesn't see any of the child benefit payments - he only has the kids for three nights every other weekend. Of course he shouldn't getting the child benefit. They don't live with him.

I don't think she should be going out that night anyway, because DP has to be in her house without her which I don't really like

What the fuck's it got to do with you?

He is on 25k, she is on something like 40k

How is that relevant? Earning less money doesn't mean he can be less of a parent.

TinklySnail · 02/07/2024 11:41

So he does a couple of nights a week ‘to enable’ the mother to work?
But in your eyes UC pay for this so he shouldn’t have to?
Do you know her complete financial set up? Is she not allowed to go out and come home ‘late’?
He is a parent, who doesn’t seem to be doing 50/50 so please stop interfering and allow him to parent like a good father would.

sunflowrsngunpowdr · 02/07/2024 11:41

Epicaricacy · 02/07/2024 11:04

You will get a lot of angry posts from disgruntled ex-wives on here, but you are not BU. Mothers using their kids as a weapon to get their own way over their ex is far too common and she does sound unreasonable.

AIBU to tell DP to put his foot down?
but no, don't do that. Let him manage his own kids himself. You will only make things worst. Imagine how she'll react if she hears about the "new girlfriend" having an opinion, she's going to make his life hell.

Sorry ... how is she using her kids as a weapon?

HarrytheHobbit · 02/07/2024 11:42

None of your business, keep your beak out.

PrimalOwl10 · 02/07/2024 11:42

You say children to multiple of course the should contribute to activities what maintenance is he paying? He should be parenting his children it shouldn't be on her to do it all.

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