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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

A man who doesn't see his children

307 replies

Darkyrees · 20/11/2025 16:18

If you met a man who seemed great, got one well with his family, financially secure and responsible, lots of friends and hobbies, but he told you he had a child that he didn't see. Would this just be a bit of a red flag that you'd weigh up against every thing else, or would it make you run for the hills?

OP posts:
Hatty999 · 22/11/2025 18:43

RhaenysRocks · 20/11/2025 18:40

It's not the same because in the first scenario there IS no child to ignore. In the second, the child exists. It's irrelevant why or whose choice it was. Financial support for that child at a bare minimum should be much more enforced than it is.

whilst majority men rule the country and everything within it, men will never be held accountable and it's children who suffer. Make it very illegal and very socially unacceptable to not pay adequately for a child you fathered.

AlltheHedgehogsontheWall · 22/11/2025 18:55

YourFirmLimeHam · 21/11/2025 18:20

I wouldn't be happy to wait (even half) a year for sex but I also would think it reasonable if many men felt that a year was too soon to commit to co-parenting with me should I decide to continue a pregnancy. Trying to find a partner would be a very tedious and likely unsuccessful process.

I am pretty sure that schools in the UK educate children of both genders so they know that pregnancy and a baby is the possible outcome of sexual intercourse and that the male partner does not make decisions on abortion.

Whether they want to commit to co-parenting or not is irrelevant after the fact.

LymeRegals · 22/11/2025 22:40

If I was unable to see my child, I would be posting them cards or letters frequently. I would be sending something for birthdays and Christmas. My kids get sweet FA. Not a dicky bird. Not one iota of communication. And I know there are women being told “My ex won’t let me see them”.

Someone I know doesn’t see his children. Although he cannot see them, he bends over backwards going to court and he uploads regular video messages to YouTube.

In most cases there is zero effort and just shit excuses. And they are backed up by their families.

AInightingale · 23/11/2025 01:05

Legions of them @LymeRegals . Playing the martyr whilst neatly dodging their parenting responsibilities by pretending the mum is a controlling psycho.

JMSA · 23/11/2025 07:29

Run for the hills.

bombastix · 23/11/2025 17:14

AInightingale · 23/11/2025 01:05

Legions of them @LymeRegals . Playing the martyr whilst neatly dodging their parenting responsibilities by pretending the mum is a controlling psycho.

This is a lot easier for the family to handle than accept that their son is despicable. I do wonder what would happen if wider families were less accepting.

But then the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree - and also, how stupid and cruel would you have to be to agree that the mother is a psycho but should have care of the children?

Tells you a lot about the man and the wider family.

Marchintospring · 23/11/2025 17:41

Hatty999 · 22/11/2025 18:43

whilst majority men rule the country and everything within it, men will never be held accountable and it's children who suffer. Make it very illegal and very socially unacceptable to not pay adequately for a child you fathered.

In Victorian times when children worked fathers frequently got custody. Funny that.

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