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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To not provide clothes for my ex's flat

9 replies

cadburyegg · 26/02/2025 21:13

Can’t believe I’m posting yet another thread about my ex.

When we split up my ex paid maintenance every week. He wasn’t always reliable with it but I usually got something. He used to have the children irregularly, every 3rd weekend if that. He wouldn’t have any clothes at his place so I supplied them. Now things are different. He went self employed about 18 months ago and gets out of paying child maintenance that way. Sometimes he does pay something but it’s not regular or consistent. He does have the children more regularly, every other weekend plus 1/3 of the holidays. About a year ago he said he’d start keeping clothes at his place because it was too much of a faff. I gave him some of the children’s old clothes that were close to being outgrown so he wouldn’t have to buy 2 whole new wardrobes straight away. But I was very clear he’d have to replace them when required.

So that’s some backstory so the rest of this post makes sense. My ds2 had an extra curricular on tonight so after I dropped him off I took my ds1 to Tesco to do a bit of shopping. When we were there ds1 asked if we could go shopping for clothes. He said (unprompted by me) “I need some clothes for daddy’s flat, can we get some? All of my clothes there have holes in or don’t fit me anymore”.

As it happened we ran out of time as I had to collect ds2 so we didn’t get a chance to go to the clothes section anyway. I asked ds1 if his dad knew the clothes needed replacing, he said he did know.

This weekend is ex’s weekend to have the children. I feel so sad that ds1 will be wearing clothes with holes in the whole time. How is this acceptable?? I spoke to my mum and she offered to get him some trousers. My mum is financially comfortable but ffs she’s 80 and on a pension. My ex is angry with me because I keep asking when he is going to get the boys their own beds - they are still sharing a double bed and I really feel they need their own beds now. Since I raised this he ignores all my communications, texts, emails etc about anything just get ignored. I bought him out of the house around 18 months ago, got a financial order, etc - he got 100k out of the deal. My solicitor said this was very generous but I wanted him to have a suitable property. I don't know how much he has left of this but he is still in the same rented flat so he hasn't spent it on a property yet.

I just feel if me or mum get some clothes then my ex will forever more expect this? AIBU? I feel so guilty now and doubting myself.

OP posts:
RandomMess · 26/02/2025 21:16

Start using a court approved app and just be factual.

"DS1 says his clothes at yours have holes in, this is clearly upsetting him."

RandomMess · 26/02/2025 21:18

I missed out

"Clothes have holes in or don't fit him anymore"

You could add in that he is required to provide for the DC when they are with him but he knows that so is probably antagonistic.

cadburyegg · 27/02/2025 09:56

Thank you. I feel so frazzled and stressed this morning. Exh is coming to a school performance later so I might get a chance to tell him then about the clothes. I am not convinced he would agree to install an app, if he won't even reply to messages from me.

OP posts:
MelissaExplainsItAll · 27/02/2025 10:32

Send an email. Are they going to his from school and coming back to you in his clothes? Do you return the same ones?

Depending on how old your children are, they might just fancy new clothes.

Dolambslikemintsauce · 27/02/2025 10:38

Stand firm op. When I sent stuff to exh's he sold them and the dc still wore too small stuff.. Imo dc should be aware their df isn't actually parenting them.

cadburyegg · 27/02/2025 11:45

MelissaExplainsItAll · 27/02/2025 10:32

Send an email. Are they going to his from school and coming back to you in his clothes? Do you return the same ones?

Depending on how old your children are, they might just fancy new clothes.

In term time he usually picks them up from school on his Friday and takes them back to school on the Monday so they wear their school uniform. So he doesn't usually return them in "home clothes". Sometimes they are wearing underwear he has bought (I always wash and return).

He had them for a few days over half term and he sent ds1 back in his PE kit

OP posts:
cadburyegg · 27/02/2025 11:46

Dolambslikemintsauce · 27/02/2025 10:38

Stand firm op. When I sent stuff to exh's he sold them and the dc still wore too small stuff.. Imo dc should be aware their df isn't actually parenting them.

Ugh, that's awful.

I don't think exh is organised enough to sell stuff 😀

OP posts:
RandomMess · 27/02/2025 18:44

He can refuse to use the app but you can still send messages on it.

Is he game playing to make you talk to him?

2catsandhappy · 27/02/2025 19:18

My exh used to keep all the nice clothes I sent dd in. After a couple of years I would just send her in Primark t shirts and leggings. Knob refused to pay cm too.
Perhaps there is a reasonably priced shop you could pick up a couple of things from.

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