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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:
Bestwishes23 · 19/01/2025 10:56

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.

Absolutely. He's not going to support you and the children will soon start to feel his rejection, so if moving back to family would be beneficial, I'd end it as soon as logistically possible.

BeeDavis · 19/01/2025 10:58

I can’t find sympathy for someone who has chosen to have ANOTHER child with this man when he isn’t even arsed about the first child he had with you!! Ffs 🙃🙃

Tel12 · 19/01/2025 10:58

Does he still have feelings for first DD mother? Sounds like he doesn't have room in his life for another relationship/family. Cut your losses.

crumblingschools · 19/01/2025 11:01

Without any other children in the mix his first child should be priority, so good he moved closer, good he does 50:50 and good he works away when not his time with her. But he then should have consideration for his other children and @Baileybobby

Technically he could try and prevent DC being moved too far away, but can’t see that happening if OP decides to leave and move back closer to family.

Naunet · 19/01/2025 11:04

Well, he's used you, and to an extent, it sounds like you've used him to have children. What's done is done, but now it's time to sort your shit out for the sake of your kids, don't let them grow up in such a damaging environment.

MrsPeterHarris · 19/01/2025 11:11

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.

This!

RandomWordsThrownTogether · 19/01/2025 11:13

Do you own the house together? I think if you don’t leave him your children are going to grow up with serious issues - it does a number on your head knowing a parent loves a sibling much more than you. Also seeing role models as being the woman runs the house and does everything while the man goes out drinking would be a terrible family structure for your kids to learn. We carry the lessons of childhood with us - I know a lot of people with a damaged or abusive parent who go on to marry people like that parent because they are the roles they have learned.

You could find that he makes more of an effort with the kids once you are separated - he may have been a crap father to his first until she was taken away. I would leave and never go back myself as the drinking and neglect don’t paint a picture of love. You will find yourself happier once you are closer to family support!

thescandalwascontained · 19/01/2025 11:30

You need to leave him. He treats you and your daughter a lesser, second class (if even that!) family members. Your daughter and potential second child will see that for themselves and you don't want that.

He sounds awful.

Springflowersmakeforbetterhours · 19/01/2025 11:36

Leave and take your dc with you. Claim cms but don't be surprised if he is too busy to see your 2 dc....

Machachacha · 19/01/2025 11:39

Move back asap and get child maintenance.
You have been manipulated and used by a complete loser.

Dontcallmescarface · 19/01/2025 11:48

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.

Not treating all his children equally is a "refreshing change"?

HipToTheHopDontStop · 19/01/2025 11:50

Dontcallmescarface · 19/01/2025 11:48

Not treating all his children equally is a "refreshing change"?

You have also entirely misunderstood that post. Try again.

SnowflakeSmasher86 · 19/01/2025 11:54

Yeah move back to your family and nearer your job. He sounds awful and probably won’t even make the effort to come and see your children but that will be better for them than being around a dad who has no interest in them and clearly priories his other child. Poor little loves.

Get yourself a support network and simplify your life by being closer to what matters. Spoiler alert - It’s not him.

Tink3rbell30 · 19/01/2025 11:56

Why on earth are you having another child?

MsCactus · 19/01/2025 12:08

God he is awful.

OP - for context, since I've been pregnant my DH has done all drop offs, pick ups, and any overnight wakings with my toddler as I'm struggling with pregnancy tiredness. We both work full time and my DH is a high earner on six figures.

I don't say this to be mean, I say it to highlight that you need to have the confidence to expect more from your partner.

He should be doing half the pickups, dropoffs, bedtimes, mornings, nights (if your LO ever wakes up) AT A MINIMUM. If you have pregnancy symptoms he should be doing way more.

All that is to say you need to leave him asap. Show him my comment - very few women would put up with him doing so little for his family.

NeedthatFridayfeeling · 19/01/2025 12:11

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.

This.
You and your children deserve to be happy. Go, as soon as you can.

Lotsofsnacks · 19/01/2025 12:14

Gently OP you said after moving to his town you found yourself isolated, and on your own, and isolated from your actual relationship, did you not think at that time, this man isn’t treating me right, it didn’t this ring alarm bells, as he wasn’t a loving and supportive partner to you, even before you had children? He sounds horrible, and how cruel is he to his dd with you, she’s totally pushed out bless her. It sounds like he won’t change, it will be worse with 2 kids if he isn’t going to help.

You can do so much better. I would consider ending the relationship and moving back near friends and family so you have real actual support.

Screamingabdabz · 19/01/2025 12:20

BeeDavis · 19/01/2025 10:58

I can’t find sympathy for someone who has chosen to have ANOTHER child with this man when he isn’t even arsed about the first child he had with you!! Ffs 🙃🙃

This. Fgs op why oh why another child? When you were feeling isolated and he just sat watching sport and drinking did you think that was a great idea?

I think you just need to accept that this is only going to get worse and I’d get your ducks in a row to leave and be nearer your own support network.

crumblingschools · 19/01/2025 12:26

Moving nearer his first child was not a bad thing to do, pretty much everything after that wasn’t great. Maybe you weren’t to know before your first child he was going to be like this, but why have a second one?

Costcolover · 19/01/2025 12:39

He's definitely changed his mind about wanting more kids after his older DD, too late now you twat! (Him, obvs). Sounds like he thinks that if he's a good dad to the new kids then he's somehow 'betraying' his eldest. Total nonsense but it's how some men think.

Could his DD's mum be giving him grief about "playing happy families" without their DD???

Costcolover · 19/01/2025 12:41

Naunet · 19/01/2025 11:04

Well, he's used you, and to an extent, it sounds like you've used him to have children. What's done is done, but now it's time to sort your shit out for the sake of your kids, don't let them grow up in such a damaging environment.

Where on EARTH have you got it from that OP has used her DP to have babies?!? Ffs

TheWildRumpyPumpus · 19/01/2025 12:46

Sorry to hear how tough things are OP.

It doesn’t sound like he’s going to change (indeed you said he is getting worse with the second pregnancy) so the only thing in your control is how you respond to this.

In essence you’re solo parenting but with the added stress of living with the father who doesn’t give a shit - would life be easier if you took your child and moved back closer to work, childcare and family members?

How would he respond to this? Would he care? Doesn’t sound like he’d be fighting to keep your joint child nearby unfortunately.

HipToTheHopDontStop · 19/01/2025 12:49

Costcolover · 19/01/2025 12:41

Where on EARTH have you got it from that OP has used her DP to have babies?!? Ffs

Because she made extremely, and obviously, poor choices before the first child and still went for a second.
It's not much of a leap, really.

Rocksaltrita · 19/01/2025 12:52

Why choose to have a relationship with someone who has a child already? This always happens! Anyway, you are where you are. Move closer to your support network, bin off manchild but make sure he pays 50/50 for both of your children until they’re at least 21 and through education.

Riapia · 19/01/2025 12:55

A good dad is a good dad to all of his children, not just a favoured one.
He’s a fucking disgrace.