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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

DS to spend more time at Dad’s due to behaviour?

6 replies

Mirrormirroronthewall2 · 06/10/2025 20:56

DS14’s behaviour is beyond challenging. It has progressively got worse over the past few years. To the point where it is unbearable, there is no reasoning with him, there is no getting through to him that he’s in the wrong/behaviour is unacceptable. He’s increasingly becoming more aggressive at home.

He has 2 little sister’s (7&4) from myself and stepdad. Stepdad has been in his life since he was 2 and his dad and I separated when he was one.

He is demonstrating very negative, aggressive, argumentative, and down right bad behaviour in front of the girls on a daily basis. They hide from him when he starts raising his voice, they cry and become very upset. However, DD4 at times almost looks like she is now used to his behaviour and doesn’t even flinch or bat an eye lid at some of his behaviour however. Which concerns me.

No matter what we try to do to help DS and help to try and improve his behaviour, nothing helps and nothing works.

We have to live with his aggressive outbursts and drama’s on a daily basis and it is significantly affecting all of our lives. Personally, I honestly don’t know how much more I can take.

He has not been through any traumatic events, yes he lives a life where parents are separated and he has two homes and two sets of parents and siblings, however he has known no different and both sets of families provide him with love and, mainly, positive home environments.

He can be a great kid, he can be very loving and caring. But something is going seriously wrong somewhere.

He has had a comfortable upbringing, plenty of life experiences including worldwide travel, has a good education and does well at school, has plenty of friends, well liked at school as far as I’m aware, has a respectable family, he has a nice family home, all of the materialistic and up to date things that teens want etc. He couldn’t want for much more. However, I wouldn’t class him as a spoilt brat.

If he was an adult, his behaviour at home would be classed as abusive emotionally and mentally. I am obviously concerned for him and his behaviour, but I am also very concerned for DD’s and what they are experiencing and having to live with on a daily basis. I’m also concerned for their future relationships as they will become more and more used to this sort of behaviour and will learn that this is “normal”.

I explain to them that this is not good behaviour etc, but they still should not be experiencing it on a daily basis.

He is becoming increasingly more aggressive and intimidating towards them; and myself.

this post is not about DS and the potential extra support he may need, it’s more about my concern for what DD’s are witnessing and experiencing.

would I be unreasonable to suggest that DS stays at his dads more often - perhaps 5 nights a week there and 2 nights here? Currently he spends 2 nights there, 5 here.
he Doesn’t have younger siblings at dad’s and therefore there aren’t any younger siblings being subjected to his behaviour. Whereas here, there are. I feel like it’s needed to give all of us some respite. But also because he seems easily triggered by DD’s (even though they are good kids and don’t purposely do anything to trigger him)

I know some people will think that he might feel rejected and that may worsen the situation. And maybe so. However, I am at breaking point and don’t know what else to do in order to protect DD’s and also my own mental health and sanity.

his dad is very supportive of me and fully understands the situation that I increasingly face because of DS’s behaviour.

So yeah, AIBU to suggest and think to do that? In order to mainly protect DD’s from what they are experiencing.

OP posts:
Lightuptheroom · 06/10/2025 21:06

Does your ds want to be at his dad's more often? Would it mean a change of school etc? For it to work, your ds would have to be on board with it otherwise you risk a situation where he's bouncing between you. Do school know about his behaviour at home? Does he act out at school as well? If these behaviours are only around you then a fresh start can help. Boys that age can benefit from having a solid base with their dad, doesn't mean that you've failed, but you have to be able to discuss it with your ds.
Have that discussion and if he agrees to this sort of reset then ask him what pattern of days works for him so that he's got something to add to the discussion, it's not going to work if he doesn't buy into it.

SugarandSpiceandAllThingsNaice · 06/10/2025 21:17

I agree with post above ⬆️
Adding on

Why did you leave his dad? If there was any abuse then sending him to his Dad’s cannot be the answer. In fact sending him to his dad’s 2 nights a week may be a cause of his bad behaviour. Is his dad estranging him from you? Saying shit about you and so your DS comes home and lashes out?

His behaviour has been getting progressively worse for years. Why have you not sought professional help for him? You don’t sound strapped for cash, so why haven’t you got him a therapist? Someone he can talk to about what is going on in his head.

You talk about his basic material needs, but that says nothing about what he needs mentally and socially.

Northernparent68 · 06/10/2025 21:18

I’d argue it’s unreasonable to let your son stay-he’s ruining your daughters childhood

SugarandSpiceandAllThingsNaice · 06/10/2025 21:20

He has not been through any traumatic events, yes he lives a life where parents are separated and he has two homes and two sets of parents and siblings, however he has known no different and both sets of families provide him with love and, mainly, positive home environments.

Unless you have secret cameras at his dad’s you don’t really know what goes on for the 2 days a week he isn’t with you, ditto for the 5 days a week at school.

Unless you monitor all his devices, you have no idea whether he is being cyber bullied or being radicalised by predators online.

Reachedthefinalstage · 06/10/2025 21:24

SugarandSpiceandAllThingsNaice · 06/10/2025 21:17

I agree with post above ⬆️
Adding on

Why did you leave his dad? If there was any abuse then sending him to his Dad’s cannot be the answer. In fact sending him to his dad’s 2 nights a week may be a cause of his bad behaviour. Is his dad estranging him from you? Saying shit about you and so your DS comes home and lashes out?

His behaviour has been getting progressively worse for years. Why have you not sought professional help for him? You don’t sound strapped for cash, so why haven’t you got him a therapist? Someone he can talk to about what is going on in his head.

You talk about his basic material needs, but that says nothing about what he needs mentally and socially.

I agree with this.
Something is causing this behaviour. And if you have talked to him and he isn't opening up to you as to what us troubling him then if you can afford it then therapy might be the answer. Or is there some other family member or trusted adult who he might open up to?

PollyBell · 06/10/2025 21:26

Getting rid of him is not the answer maybe he feels replaced and it appears you dont want him, maybe spend more one on one time with him

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