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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Partner doesn’t want my son here on a weekend

1000 replies

Happymum1782 · 26/11/2025 13:33

I have a son (5y) from a previous marriage and now a 2yo with my current partner. Due to his dad living far away we always had my son during the week and then his dad had him every weekend but recently his dad moved close by and I wanted to have my son one weekend per month so we could have family time and both kids could spend time with their sibling. We have very little time during the week as we work full time and both kids in school / childcare 9-5 every day so I have missed out on quality time with my older son while he was with his dad every weekend. I spoke with my partner about it and he agreed so I arranged it with my ex. Well this weekend is our turn to have my son and I brought it up with my partner to say we could go as a family to choose a Christmas tree. He was really unpleasant in response, rolled his eyes and said “great” in a sarcastic tone then went on to say “guess that’s my weekend ruined then. We will have no time together. I will have to spend all weekend entertaining your son”. To be clear he does very little with my son. I do all of his day to day care and playing with both kids on an evening as my partner is tired from
work. I’m really upset by his comments and he says I’m overreacting.

This is not the first time he’s been resentful towards my son, when we had our baby he would make comments saying he was dreading my son coming home from nursery because he didn’t want him there and he took away his time from being with his baby. He also struggles to regulate and snaps a lot at my son but not at our shared child. AIBU to get so upset over this?

OP posts:
CBM40 · 26/11/2025 15:59

Happymum1782 · 26/11/2025 15:57

NO. I have said multiple times this happened AFTER the baby was born. Anyone in my family would tell you how kind and caring he was to my son before we had our child together

He's like this NOW tho. U need to leave. For ALL of your sakes. The past doesn't matter. What matters is how he is now. Things change.

sonjadog · 26/11/2025 16:00

If your partner isn't willing to work on his attitude and relationship to your son, I don't think there is anything to do except leave him, I'm afraid. Your son will be damaged by his behaviour. It is already starting now at age 5. If it continues in this way, what do you think it is going to be like in 5 years time?

IAmKerplunk · 26/11/2025 16:00

Hopelesscase32 · 26/11/2025 15:58

You're telling me you chose to reproduce with someone who resents your child? Are you actually being serious???

No - op has clearly stated numerous times her dp changed after he had his own biological child.

Op hasn’t said what she she is going to do now

Hi2025 · 26/11/2025 16:00

This reply has been deleted

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She was asking an advise not a criticism! No one is perfect!

housethatbuiltme · 26/11/2025 16:00

So your with an man who is abusive to your child and who is actively trying to 'get rid' of him, and instead of instantly shutting him down and putting him in his place that your children will always come first but he is replaceable you are instead posting on mumsnet to ask if feeling sad about this is unreasonable?

No, allowing it to happen is unreasonable, time to start defending your child.

IAmKerplunk · 26/11/2025 16:01

sonjadog · 26/11/2025 16:00

If your partner isn't willing to work on his attitude and relationship to your son, I don't think there is anything to do except leave him, I'm afraid. Your son will be damaged by his behaviour. It is already starting now at age 5. If it continues in this way, what do you think it is going to be like in 5 years time?

This is a point - if dp had come to op saying his feelings had changed since baby was born and he was worried then that would be one thing. But he isn’t.

Arraminta · 26/11/2025 16:02

So you've faffed about with counselling and faffed about with some bloody parenting courses? FFS. Your twat of a partner needs counselling and courses to be shown how to be a decent adult towards your son? Doesn't that tell you something is very, very wrong?

Just because there were other useless fuckwits at the parenting course doesn't mean it's normal to be like your partner. Stop trying to bloody normalise, what is clearly, abusive, shitty behaviour.

Stop spending time with selfish idiots who are so pathetic that they actually resent little children and see nothing wrong in being nasty to them.

The world is filled with millions of men who would be warm and loving towards your little boy for the rest of his life. But I guess finding one would be somewhat irksome for you and too much effort, yes?

So you will selfishly muddle along, like the weak individual you are. Trying to please The Hallowed Penis Owner first, whilst short-changing your little boy every day of his life. Allowing him to feel less. Exposing him to tense atmospheres. Quietly keeping him in the background so that your partner and second DS can always occupy the foreground.

Pathetic.

Happymum1782 · 26/11/2025 16:02

MissDoubleU · 26/11/2025 15:59

Congratulations, you identified and articulated the exact problem but seem to be blissfully ignoring how serious this is.

Harm is most likely to be done to a child by an unrelated male in their own house. You say it’s fine because you never leave them alone together… Okay. I’ll bite. Tell me, if you can’t trust your husband to be alone with your son why the fucking hell would you be married to him? Why would you bring another child into this situation?

When did I say I don’t trust him. He doesn’t want to be alone with my son. HE DOES NOT WANT TO. So who am I to force him. I like looking after the kids. I miss them while im working. I’m happy to do stuff for them after work. Should I force a man to look after a child when he has made it clear he doesn’t want to? It’s got nothing to do with trust: I know he would not abuse a child but I’m trying to make the point that even if he wanted to he couldn’t because he’s never alone with my son

OP posts:
ldnelegantelephant · 26/11/2025 16:02

Your'e actually disgusting for being with a man who clearly resents and dislikes your son. Are you that man-obsessed you'd choose a man over your five year old child?!

Happymum1782 · 26/11/2025 16:03

Arraminta · 26/11/2025 16:02

So you've faffed about with counselling and faffed about with some bloody parenting courses? FFS. Your twat of a partner needs counselling and courses to be shown how to be a decent adult towards your son? Doesn't that tell you something is very, very wrong?

Just because there were other useless fuckwits at the parenting course doesn't mean it's normal to be like your partner. Stop trying to bloody normalise, what is clearly, abusive, shitty behaviour.

Stop spending time with selfish idiots who are so pathetic that they actually resent little children and see nothing wrong in being nasty to them.

The world is filled with millions of men who would be warm and loving towards your little boy for the rest of his life. But I guess finding one would be somewhat irksome for you and too much effort, yes?

So you will selfishly muddle along, like the weak individual you are. Trying to please The Hallowed Penis Owner first, whilst short-changing your little boy every day of his life. Allowing him to feel less. Exposing him to tense atmospheres. Quietly keeping him in the background so that your partner and second DS can always occupy the foreground.

Pathetic.

Are you a step parent?

OP posts:
Strawberry53 · 26/11/2025 16:04

If this was my son I’d be out of there in a flash. Surely he knew you came as a package deal?! How can an innocent five year old make him act like this? This is such a massive red flag. Please for the sake of your son reconsider this relationship.

lessglittermoremud · 26/11/2025 16:04

CBM40 · 26/11/2025 15:59

He's like this NOW tho. U need to leave. For ALL of your sakes. The past doesn't matter. What matters is how he is now. Things change.

Exactly, despite therapy and counselling Op is in a situation now that she openly admits she never leaves her child attended around her partner, and he is someone that would have no interest in spending time with him anyway.
He may have been a delight at first, but now he has his own child he’s being in OPs words ‘a twat’
I don’t know how you live and be in a relationship with someone who you cannot trust to be around your child.

workshy46 · 26/11/2025 16:04

Happymum1782 · 26/11/2025 15:44

Please do not assume I don’t love my son. That is such an unkind and unpleasant assumption to make. You don’t know me. You don’t have a right to say that I do not love him. His dad loves him, as does his mum and his sibling.

I’ve no doubt you love your son .. just not as much as you love your current life with your partner .. if you did love him more you would see what an untenable situation this is. I usually think people are too quick to label someone abusive for what I often see is standard parental frustrations but he is not the biological parent so it changed things .. he is abusive and while you are right it wouldn’t meet the threshold for social service’s intervention it doesn’t make it right.

MissDoubleU · 26/11/2025 16:04

Happymum1782 · 26/11/2025 15:57

NO. I have said multiple times this happened AFTER the baby was born. Anyone in my family would tell you how kind and caring he was to my son before we had our child together

So he pretended to bond with your son until he got his own child and now he’s actively showing disdain and disinterest and openly rejecting your son, who has no idea why the man who has cared for him all these years is suddenly ignoring him.

And again, you’re just going along with this?

DadsMoulting · 26/11/2025 16:04

I’m quite shocked that he tells you this even after counselling and parent courses. He’s not a good step dad and you know it and you keep trying to get help and get ignored. I really feel for you and your son.

anchoviesanchovies · 26/11/2025 16:04

Happymum1782 · 26/11/2025 15:01

Do you know his father and what kind of parent he is? I have to iron and send clothes with him every time he goes there, I have to book activities for them on a weekend. I send his snacks. I do all of the day to day parenting stuff. The homework, the parents evenings, the play dates. Doctors and dentist appointments. I buy all his birthday and Christmas presents and his dad sends me the money. His father loves him a lot but he is not this fantastic amazing parent you are suggesting who would fully admit he could not ever manage looking after our son full time by himself. He wouldn’t dream of taking him away from me and I wouldn’t dream of allowing it.

What you describe here isn't unusual even for families where the parents are still together. All of this normally falls on the mum, however wrong that is. The fact your ex isn't very organised or good at taking on the mental load of parenthood doesn't mean he's not a fantastic dad, everything else about him suggests he is.

You are never going to get a very balanced view on mumsnet but I have to say I agree with the majority of people on here. Forget the social services bit, that's not going to happen, but your partner is seriously damaging your son because no matter what he does not say in front of him, his resentment will be obvious to your son. I find it unbearably sad that your son has gone from wanting to spend all his time with your partner to now not wanting to.

My ex has a daughter, it was very complicated circumstances and an extremely stressful situation, seeing her at the weekends brought a lot of stress, upset and inconvenience. However, I went out of my way to build a strong relationship with her, to make her feel loved and welcome every second and be clear that I/we would like to see more of her. And I did/do genuinely love her.

To not want your son there at weekends is frankly despicable. I could not live with a man that treated my child like that. Let's face it, kids don't get easier as they get older, this isn't going to get better!

I hear what you're saying about people in your ear telling you this is normal but sorry, that's utter garbage. You should do less listening to complete strangers telling you it's ok for your child to be unwanted in your house and more thinking about the feelings of a small child. I could not stay with a man that acted like that, it makes me feel sick, and whilst you understandably don't want your youngest to have a "broken family" that is way better than effectively sacrificing the feelings and happiness of your older child.

User564523412 · 26/11/2025 16:05

This reply has been deleted

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Hopelesscase32 · 26/11/2025 16:05

So you notice he treats him appallingly. Your son notices too. What are you planning to do now?

Hubblebubble · 26/11/2025 16:05

This is exactly why I'm staying single until my DS is a grown up. Even non abusive stepfathers usually dislike and resent their stepchildren, especially after the birth of a biological child.

Arraminta · 26/11/2025 16:06

Happymum1782 · 26/11/2025 16:03

Are you a step parent?

No. I'm just a normal, sensible adult who knows that it is incredibly wrong to be nasty and resentful toward a 5 year old, regardless of whether they're my step child or not.

Next question?

Crabwoman · 26/11/2025 16:06

I haven't read the full thread, sorry.

I'd have a very frank and open conversation with him about what you expect from him as a father and a step father. His reaction to that, and his actions after will tell you what you need to know.

This happened to my sister's mate. Her DS stopped staying at his mum's when he reached his teens, as he was made to feel unwelcome by his stepfather. He could never relax, felt judged and sidelined.

He loved his mum, but felt he wasn't her priority. She would protest this, but nothing changed. His Dad was a bit shit in many ways, but he felt secure there.

He now sees her twice a year at most and they have a very stilted relationship. Relationship between step siblings is non-existent.

NoisyMonster678 · 26/11/2025 16:06

You are doing the right thing by including your 5 year old DS.

Your partner is expecting you to exclude your 5 year old child, your own son becuse he is not his own.

Who in the right mind would seperate an innocent child from his own family for reasons which are no fault of his own?

IAmKerplunk · 26/11/2025 16:07

But genuine question op - how can you love a man who doesn’t even like your own son and isn’t kind to him? How can you love him let alone live with him? That’s what i don’t get. You make sure your ds is never left alone with your dp - I just can’t imagine living like that. You must be on super alert all the time. It will only get worse as your dc get older. So what is your plan?

Wishimaywishimight · 26/11/2025 16:07

You seem to be quite remarkably unphased by this horrifying situation. Your 5 year old is either completely ignored and treated as an inconvenience, or snapped at, by your (D)P. How on earth does this make for a happy family for either child, or for you.

It's like you are living separate lives - he works long hours and spends some time with the baby while you do absolutely everything with and for your 5 year old. When do you all come together as a family, a team?

I'm not expressing this properly I know. I'm not even a mother so I am not remotely positioned to advise but there is something so horribly wrong about this situation, and your, quite frankly, laissez faire attitude to it, I just don't have the words...

Laura95167 · 26/11/2025 16:07

Happymum1782 · 26/11/2025 15:57

NO. I have said multiple times this happened AFTER the baby was born. Anyone in my family would tell you how kind and caring he was to my son before we had our child together

So if its that he struggles with DS age, or struggles with 2 kids around whatever.. what is he doing about it? To help him be a better stepparent? Because its fine to struggle, or be overwhelmed it isnt cool to take your love and attention away from a 5 year old because you like your own kid better.

And if he isnt doing anything about it, are you going to do anything about it?

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