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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Child support or not?

7 replies

Bustin · 25/01/2026 21:56

So my ex-husband (B) and I moved into our own houses a few months ago, with the plan that our teenager (S) would live between the houses 50:50, so on that basis neither would pay child support to the other.

Unfortunately it's all gone to shit as said teenager has had something of a breakdown (whole other story there). Currently he's not leaving the house, going to school, etc and we're waiting for CAHMS support for him. S has a slightly difficult relationship with his dad and currently is avoiding him, so not going to his house etc.

I absolutely would like S to go to his dads. I'm drowning a bit at the moment as S needs a lot of time and support, appointments, etc and the mental load is huge. This is also while working full time. So it would be great to have some down time, but S won't go.

Now on to the AIBU. I can get by without child support from B, although it is tight. But it's a lot being fundamentally the sole carer for a teen with extensive issues to the point of being disabled, and although I know B wants to be a present parent it's all falling on me as although he's well-meaning he's also a bit crap. In December S was with B about 1/3 of the time and has spent 2 nights there this month, but I do all the mental load stuff.

Would I be out of order to ask B to revisit paying child support? It will piss him off and he's a difficult person who I am a bit scared of, so I'm nervous about upsetting the status quo and hurting out co-parenting relationship which is fairly amicable. But at the same time why should I be giving my all to parenting S when B does naff all?

So:

Leave it be: You are being unreasonable
Ask him to stump up: You are NOT being unreasonable

OP posts:
CarefullyCuratedFurniture · 25/01/2026 21:59

You ask him to stump up, while your child is unwell. You revisit it when your son has recovered and is able to cope with going to his dad's regularly again.

TheSandgroper · 25/01/2026 22:01

.

SkylarkKitten · 25/01/2026 22:03

B should have offered, even on a temporary basis.

I hope things improve for your son and he get the support he needs x

watchingthishtread · 25/01/2026 22:05

I'm nervous about upsetting the status quo and hurting our co-parenting relationship which is fairly amicable.

Of course he's amicable - you're doing everything. That status quo is not worth holding on to.

Bustin · 25/01/2026 22:05

SkylarkKitten · 25/01/2026 22:03

B should have offered, even on a temporary basis.

I hope things improve for your son and he get the support he needs x

Thank you, hopefully we're getting there. He's such a sweetheart!

OP posts:
BookArt55 · 26/01/2026 07:22

As PP said,ex is amicable because you do everything. You're doing 100%. I think him being amicable and you being scared kin of shows the dynamic of thid coparenting relationship- time for some boundaries to be put in place. Yes, it woll annoy him, but it doesn't mean you are wrong.
2 options- talk to him about an amount.
2) contact cms and inform him

I would go with 2, because he should have already offered, and because you're scared of him I'd leave it to cms to deal with. Then it isn't a conversation you need to keep having.

However, you will also need to be strong for your son. Ex will likely start demanding, encouraging, guilt tripping or blackmailing your son to sleep at his. You are going to have to show your son that it is fine to say no and tell dad to back off so more pressure isn't put on your son.

Feel for you and your son. Wish you both lots of luck and hope things improve.

Bustin · 26/01/2026 20:04

Thanks guys, really appreciate your responses, I do tend to second guess myself so it's good to get some validation!

OP posts:
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