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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Partner wants me to move

82 replies

Elyi · 05/01/2025 22:08

I’ve been seeing this guy for roughly a year. We have had quite a few trials and tribulations in that time. To cut a long story short, I was expecting but due to his insistence about it being to soon, I ended up terminating the pregnancy. Fast forward to now, he wants us to move in together but has told me it’s either near where his child (14) lives or we are over. I have a 12 year old of my own and this was never something he never said was set in stone. It’s not an area that’s particularly great. I’ve explained my concerns which have fallen on deaf ears. Part of the issue is he is estranged from his child despite a 50/50 court order. I’m not set against it, just that I’m not being heard at all, and instead being told his child is his number one priority and he will allocate time to other priorities thereafter….ie us. I also need to consider my child’s best interests. He also expects me to prioritise him and his child over my life and dreams etc. I did ask if I’m not his priority then how can he be expect me to make him his. I feel incredibly selfish. The thing is, there is no contact and he only lives 40 minutes away in an area I’d be happy to live. Apparently that isn’t suitable for him etc. I did suggest that he can’t go back to court to enforce contact and a breach of the order when he never turns up to enforce it or keep a diary of this. Also, he had managed to fit in time for a new relationship and act very footloose in the time I’ve known him. Again, he never responded to these points and deflected a lot. Most communication wasn’t compassionate but stark and full of ultimatums. Am I wrong to be feeling put out? I would love to meet his child and us all get along yet asking me to buy into a house with all the above and then scoffing at a commitment towards me such as marriage given the commitment I’d be making…it all feels off. Any advice would be welcomed and I don’t mind if it is that I’m the one at fault here. Thanks. :)

OP posts:
TomatoSandwiches · 05/01/2025 22:29

Seriously?! Give yourself a good shake and then just tell him no thanks, end it block and delete his number and any other way he has access to you.

OlderGlaswegianLivingInDevon · 05/01/2025 22:29

you are dreaming - would love to meet his child etc etc

just forget it, it's his way or no way !

ditch and run.

Totaleclipseofthemind · 05/01/2025 22:32

Why would you even entertain a man like this round your child?

Monr0e · 05/01/2025 22:35

Elyi · 05/01/2025 22:21

Thanks. I just wasn’t sure if it was me

OP, if this is true, then you need to do some serious work on yourself before you have any further relationships.

You have a child of your own, they should be your number one priority. Anyone who expects otherwise, or for you to uproot your child just to please him, should have been dumped and blocked long ago.

Whatifitallgoesright · 05/01/2025 22:35

This really is not how relationships are meant to be. You sound like you've been brainwashed. Please finish with him or we'll see you on here in 2 years time with stories of horror.

toomuchfaff · 05/01/2025 22:37

Ultimatums always work really well.

Dumped.

Manipulative prick.

AdoraBell · 05/01/2025 22:37

Put your child first. This man has no respect for you.

Namerequired · 05/01/2025 22:43

You can’t be serious. He wants you to move to be close to his child yet he hasn’t moved closer or seen his child? His child hasn’t taken any priority for him in all this time.
Where is your child considered in any of this? Please please for your child’s sake if nothing else, get away from this ‘man’

MrsDefrost · 05/01/2025 22:43

For fucks sake - get rid of him. Even if he backtracks you need him out of your life.

TheoriginalMrsDarcy · 05/01/2025 22:45

'Alarm bells, Alarm bells' are ringing!!!!!!!!!!!!

U need to dump this guy. He isn't going to take your needs and wants into consideration. He only wants to use you to help buy a house closer to his child. He sounds absolutely awful.

Get rid otherwise you're going to be stuck in an unhappy relationship. I'd rather be happy and single than be unhappy and in a relationship.

lauraloulou1 · 05/01/2025 22:46

Walk away OP. Hopefully writing it all out shows you why you must. Walk away.

MrDobbs · 05/01/2025 22:47

If a man says "my child is my first priority, everything else in the world comes after that", that's fair enough. But he hasn't actually put his child first if he's not even seeing them when it's 50/50; quite opposite.

And even then, if he's taking the position his child is number 1 priority in his life, then he should also understand perfectly why thar is also true for you and your child, and then start a serious conversation with you about whether you can work out something together that works for both of you.

Instead, what he's saying is, if you are willing to prioritise me over everything else, we can have a relationship, but if not, then you can f off. Unless he's a billionaire a world leader or international sportsman, he shouldn't get any takers for his offer

Secondguess · 05/01/2025 22:47

This has to be a wind up

Nodlikeyouwerelistening · 05/01/2025 22:48

asking me to buy into a house with all the above and then scoffing at a commitment towards me such as marriage given the commitment I’d be making…it all feels off.

Yep. Everything about him is off. You know this. Trust your instincts here. You and your son can do a lot better than this.

StormingNorman · 05/01/2025 22:48

This chap isn’t waving his red flag, he’s put the fucking bunting out!

He isn’t good for you and he most definitely will not be a positive presence in your son’s home.

On a side note: it’s not supposed to be this hard in the first year. This should be the honeymoon period.

SALaw · 05/01/2025 22:48

"Put out"?! That's all you feel? This man is not the one.

Zonder · 05/01/2025 22:50

No way. Especially as you've had "trials and tribulations" in your first year. You deserve better.

ForZanyAquaViewer · 05/01/2025 22:51

arethereanyleftatall · 05/01/2025 22:22

Oh for gods sake. Stop being so bloody stupid. He's utterly vile.

This. I can’t believe what I just read.

YourWildAmberSloth · 05/01/2025 22:51

You are being unreasonable for even considering staying in a relationship with this man. Raise the bar fgs. Put your child first. It's not hard and its not complicated. I despair at the number of posts like yours that I keep reading on MN especially as there always seem to be children involved.

Endofyear · 05/01/2025 22:51

Honestly? I'd dump him, he sounds like a complete arse 🙄

EsmeSusanOgg · 05/01/2025 22:53

This is not a healthy relationship. End it. You deserve better.

Mittens67 · 05/01/2025 22:53

With very best of intentions I have to ask OP, are you bonkers? Surely to christ you can see this man is not somebody to rely on, to build a life with???
Read back what you have written and think what you would tell a friend whose boyfriend was behaving like this.
Better to be single than destroy your life pandering to a selfish arsewipe.

BellesAndGraces · 05/01/2025 22:54

Elyi · 05/01/2025 22:21

Thanks. I just wasn’t sure if it was me

If you genuinely weren’t sure then I seriously think it would be helpful for you to see a therapist. Investing that time in yourself now may well pave the way to a future with a loving, respectful partner.

CandyLeBonBon · 05/01/2025 22:58

Elyi · 05/01/2025 22:21

Thanks. I just wasn’t sure if it was me

It's not just you. He's waving more red flags than a communist convention. Run. And just be thankful that you won't be forever tied to this dickhead by having his child. I'm sorry if you felt forced into that situation and I hope you're ok. Under the circumstances though, it looks like you dodged a bullet.

Please walk away from this garbage.

saltandvinegarchipsticks · 05/01/2025 22:58

There’s no point going to court for a 14yo, but it’s very likely that there’s a good reason for his child refusing to see him.