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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Partner only interested in being a family when his other daughter is around.

95 replies

Baileybobby · 19/01/2025 09:36

I have been with my partner for nearly 4 years, he has a 10year old daughter from a previous relationship. When I first met him everything was great, we had a relationship in its own right and I joined in on their family unit as/when it was suitable. Within a couple of months he was desperate to move closer to his daughter, I agreed to move in with them and move to the same town as his daughter and her mum, even though my work and family was elsewhere. It seemed suitable at the time as I didn’t have kids and I could be flexible with my commitments. Once we moved to the area he fully embraced himself in his daughter’s life, activities etc. that wasn’t suitable for me to join in, again this was fine, as it allowed me to spend time on my hobbies and keeping up with my lifestyle pre-moving in. I noticed I was starting to spend a lot of time on my own and felt isolated from my friends and family but also the relationship. But I focused on what I can do with that time. Then things shifted dramatically when we had our own child, she is now 16months. Should mention his daughter lives with us 50% of the time. In the last 16months he’s been totally absent from me and my daughter lives, he only seems to want a relationship or family when his other daughter is there. Weekends when she isn’t there we don’t see him or only for a couple of hours. He’s admitted he has to prioritise his first daughter when she is in the house, he’s said that he was at his most happiest when it was just him and his first daughter when I ask him to help me and the baby. After our daughter was born and I went back to work full time, the distance between childcare and my work become challenging (commuting 15hrs a week), when I asked for a compromise or help with the weekly drop offs, he said he already does enough with his first daughter and if I don’t like where we live, I don’t care about his daughters future. He has a good job and works a way also but only goes away on the days when he doesn’t have his first daughter. Luckily I’ve taken on all the responsibility of our child that this has minimal impact but when he doesn’t come back it’s straight to get his first daughter and spend the weekend with her. When his daughter is not in the house, we sit separately and he just wants to watch sport and drink. I will go and do the bedtime with our daughter and sit on my own. If I ask him to spend time with me and our daughter to try and salvage a relationship or parental relationship he just says horrible things to me about not liking his daughter. To make matters worse I am 6 months pregnant and it’s seems to have made him react worse, last 6 months he’s been out drinking with work and going to ‘house parties’! We are both nearly 40yrs old! I deal with the pregnancy on my own, bought all the baby items and don’t engage with him on the topic. I’ve tried for the last year to voice my concerns and what’s not working but he’s just thinking about him and his first child. After all the fighting, I’ve just shut down to it all and the only way to make this right for me and my children is to leave the ‘relationship’ a term I use loosely. Can anyone offer any advice if I’ve missed trying something? I’ve taken the lead to spend/ book things in just me, him and our child and I find I have to pay for it all, holidays etc. and he doesn’t see that time as us being a family without his child.

OP posts:
Theresacatinmykitchenwhatamigonnado · 19/01/2025 09:44

It's not a relationship and doesn't sound like it ever has been. You have made some pretty crap decisions and need to start prioritising your children over trying to hang onto a man who does not appear to want you. Dump the waste of space and move back to your support network if you can.

OnePeppyDenimHelper · 19/01/2025 09:50

Leave

PheasantPluckers · 19/01/2025 09:51

Why on earth are you brining another child into this? It sounds like his priority has always been his fist daughter (which is a refreshing change) and other children should never have been brought into the mix.

Baileybobby · 19/01/2025 09:56

Both me and partner wanted children, i believed he would be the same dad to our children as he is to his first. Unfortunately his behaviour has been the opposite. A child can be loved and financially supported by one parent!

OP posts:
Francine84 · 19/01/2025 10:02

Oh OP, why would you have another baby with this man when he's such a crap dad to your first child?

It doesn't sound like he's invested in anyone but his first DD and if it were me, I'd be getting my children away from that mess.

Baileybobby · 19/01/2025 10:03

I don’t disagree with you on this point, the relationship seems to have been more to benefit him and his daughter. Initially I thought I was just experiencing challenges around a step family and he even tried to make me believe I was being unreasonable towards his daughter by wanting him to show us the same level of support but it seems his behaviour has become more obvious with the 2nd pregnancy.

OP posts:
PheasantPluckers · 19/01/2025 10:04

Baileybobby · 19/01/2025 09:56

Both me and partner wanted children, i believed he would be the same dad to our children as he is to his first. Unfortunately his behaviour has been the opposite. A child can be loved and financially supported by one parent!

But you've seen that he's not and still decided to have another.

thepariscrimefiles · 19/01/2025 10:06

He is a horrible partner and an awful father to your child and will obviously be a terrible father to your second child. Leave him and move back to where you have some family support.

Porcuporpoise · 19/01/2025 10:10

I think it's time you put your children and yourself first @Baileybobby. If that means splitting up and moving away back to your family then you should consider it.

Ponoka7 · 19/01/2025 10:12

Baileybobby · 19/01/2025 09:56

Both me and partner wanted children, i believed he would be the same dad to our children as he is to his first. Unfortunately his behaviour has been the opposite. A child can be loved and financially supported by one parent!

How did he want children but admit that he was happiest when it was him and his eldest? He told you what you wanted to hear. He doesn't want a family with you. He perhaps wanted sex on tap and someone to share the load with, it's expensive to live alone.
Life can be easier if your children have the same Dad (you could be trying to reason with two arseholes) . If you wanted two children, come to terms with your decision and cut your loses.

Daleksatemyshed · 19/01/2025 10:14

I so hoped you wouldn't say you'd had a DC with him Op because it's so obvious this man has used you. All he wanted was to move near his DD and your time and money made that possible. Honestly Op, it was clear from a few months in that this relationship was all about him.
He has no interest in you or your DC sadly, move on and leave him to it.

Vanessashanessajenkins2 · 19/01/2025 10:14

PheasantPluckers · 19/01/2025 09:51

Why on earth are you brining another child into this? It sounds like his priority has always been his fist daughter (which is a refreshing change) and other children should never have been brought into the mix.

A refreshing change? So you're justifying this are you? The second child is totally ignored and you think that's okay! Part of the first wives club are you?

He should treat all his children equally. OP, I agree with the other posters and think you should move close to where you have support. He won't give you any! He's a terrible father.

I have a DSS14 myself and me and my husband have DS6. He treats them both the same. I've never ever felt one of them is treated better than the other. It should not be like this.

HipToTheHopDontStop · 19/01/2025 10:19

To be honest, the signs were all there and you can't be massively surprised by any of this. And to add another child into this mess....

Anyway, it's done now. Move back to where your family is and get on without him. There doesn't seem to be any other option available to you. And make better choices in future

Bodybutterblusher · 19/01/2025 10:20

I think you're being abused regardless of the reason. No one should be treated like this. Leave and make a healthy home for your girls. They must not see any of this.

PheasantPluckers · 19/01/2025 10:20

A refreshing change? So you're justifying this are you? The second child is totally ignored and you think that's okay! Part of the first wives club are you?

To prioritise your existing child, certainly is refreshing - many men don't and tend to prioritise the next girlfriend. This man has been all about his first child from the start. I said it was unwise to get pregnant with another one, given how the other on has gone down.

No, I'm most certainly not, I'm widowed! And sensible. You're the one with the axe to grind, Mrs Blended Family.

HipToTheHopDontStop · 19/01/2025 10:23

Vanessashanessajenkins2 · 19/01/2025 10:14

A refreshing change? So you're justifying this are you? The second child is totally ignored and you think that's okay! Part of the first wives club are you?

He should treat all his children equally. OP, I agree with the other posters and think you should move close to where you have support. He won't give you any! He's a terrible father.

I have a DSS14 myself and me and my husband have DS6. He treats them both the same. I've never ever felt one of them is treated better than the other. It should not be like this.

You've totally misunderstood that comment and gone on a weird rant.

nfkl · 19/01/2025 10:27

It’s a very sad situation, but i don’t feel too sorry for you OP, I feel very sorry for your kids, especially the one to come.
You say you were fooled, seems you really wanted to be fooled, and you bet innocent lives on it.

Poppins21 · 19/01/2025 10:30

Baileybobby · 19/01/2025 10:03

I don’t disagree with you on this point, the relationship seems to have been more to benefit him and his daughter. Initially I thought I was just experiencing challenges around a step family and he even tried to make me believe I was being unreasonable towards his daughter by wanting him to show us the same level of support but it seems his behaviour has become more obvious with the 2nd pregnancy.

You need to do what’s best for your children as this seems very messy and toxic. I agree there has been poor decisions but you have to do what’s best for you and them now. I would probably leave if this was my situation as I would not want my kids to feel second best in their own home.

Pussycat22 · 19/01/2025 10:30

Baileybobby · 19/01/2025 09:36

I have been with my partner for nearly 4 years, he has a 10year old daughter from a previous relationship. When I first met him everything was great, we had a relationship in its own right and I joined in on their family unit as/when it was suitable. Within a couple of months he was desperate to move closer to his daughter, I agreed to move in with them and move to the same town as his daughter and her mum, even though my work and family was elsewhere. It seemed suitable at the time as I didn’t have kids and I could be flexible with my commitments. Once we moved to the area he fully embraced himself in his daughter’s life, activities etc. that wasn’t suitable for me to join in, again this was fine, as it allowed me to spend time on my hobbies and keeping up with my lifestyle pre-moving in. I noticed I was starting to spend a lot of time on my own and felt isolated from my friends and family but also the relationship. But I focused on what I can do with that time. Then things shifted dramatically when we had our own child, she is now 16months. Should mention his daughter lives with us 50% of the time. In the last 16months he’s been totally absent from me and my daughter lives, he only seems to want a relationship or family when his other daughter is there. Weekends when she isn’t there we don’t see him or only for a couple of hours. He’s admitted he has to prioritise his first daughter when she is in the house, he’s said that he was at his most happiest when it was just him and his first daughter when I ask him to help me and the baby. After our daughter was born and I went back to work full time, the distance between childcare and my work become challenging (commuting 15hrs a week), when I asked for a compromise or help with the weekly drop offs, he said he already does enough with his first daughter and if I don’t like where we live, I don’t care about his daughters future. He has a good job and works a way also but only goes away on the days when he doesn’t have his first daughter. Luckily I’ve taken on all the responsibility of our child that this has minimal impact but when he doesn’t come back it’s straight to get his first daughter and spend the weekend with her. When his daughter is not in the house, we sit separately and he just wants to watch sport and drink. I will go and do the bedtime with our daughter and sit on my own. If I ask him to spend time with me and our daughter to try and salvage a relationship or parental relationship he just says horrible things to me about not liking his daughter. To make matters worse I am 6 months pregnant and it’s seems to have made him react worse, last 6 months he’s been out drinking with work and going to ‘house parties’! We are both nearly 40yrs old! I deal with the pregnancy on my own, bought all the baby items and don’t engage with him on the topic. I’ve tried for the last year to voice my concerns and what’s not working but he’s just thinking about him and his first child. After all the fighting, I’ve just shut down to it all and the only way to make this right for me and my children is to leave the ‘relationship’ a term I use loosely. Can anyone offer any advice if I’ve missed trying something? I’ve taken the lead to spend/ book things in just me, him and our child and I find I have to pay for it all, holidays etc. and he doesn’t see that time as us being a family without his child.

Good Night Sleeping GIF by Lucas and Friends by RV AppStudios

Cocklodger. Get out fast. Please.

strawberrysea · 19/01/2025 10:31

I'm so sorry, what a hard situation. I would probably leave.

JockTamsonsBairns · 19/01/2025 10:33

What on earth made you decide that having another child was a good move?

Wordau · 19/01/2025 10:36

I'm afraid it sounds like you moved in with him very quickly before you really knew what sort of person he is, and then ignored the signs... Cut your losses while you can. He sounds awful.

Juiceinacup · 19/01/2025 10:49

Oh my goodness OP together less than 4 yrs 2nd baby already on the way with someone who doesn’t actually want to be a parent again, no matter what he said.
it sounds like it was always on his terms from the start.
He sounds an absolute nightmare but you have to bear some responsibility in all of this, why didn’t you see how the moving in together worked out before having a child together, cause if you had I’m sure you would have run a mile rather than getting pregnant.
Don’t want to sound mean but if you are nearly 40 was your biological clock ticking so loud it drowned out all your concerns?
At least he’s been honest from the start, you and your joint children are bit players in the life he has with his oldest child.
I would cut my losses and leave, do you want your kids growing up knowing their dad doesn’t love them and actively avoids being with them?

BeMellowOchreZebra · 19/01/2025 10:50

@Baileybobby you seemed to have missed the hints from the start that his main priority is his daughter, and not you. This would have been a good point to walk away, not have a child with this person.

And I'm not sure why you have now chosen to have a second child with someone who shows you so little interest! Why!?!?!

To be honest, the best thing you can do is take your daughter and move away. Perhaps then he might be able to see what he is missing out on.

Perhaps this is the same reason his first relationship ended?

romdowa · 19/01/2025 10:52

Move back near your family and friends and leave him to it. He's not interested in you or your shared children.