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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

AIBU to let 11-year-old manage contact with unreliable bio mum directly?

77 replies

Haveyouanyjam · 25/03/2026 22:59

AIBU to let 11 year old DSS manage his own contact with his mum after dealing with endless rudeness/abuse and problems from his biological mum?

She is meant to visit once a month and call twice a week. She comes more like once every 3-4 months, calls maybe once a week and gives no explanation or apology when she doesn’t call. If we ever miss video contact I am inundated with texts and calls and we of course explain apologise and rearrange if something has come up, or notify in advance if we know we can’t do it.

We make plans for contact to progress but she never sticks to it and then blames us for keeping him away from her.

She hasn’t attended a single (virtual) parents evening in 5 years and doesn’t ask about progress or show interest in him aside from when they occasionally speak.

DSS wouldn’t have a smart phone if it wasn’t for their contact. He would just be getting a basic phone for calls and texts as he is starting to walk from school.

AIBU if from now on I say she can have all communication directly with him, he can communicate with me about dates for visits etc. and she can explain directly to him when she doesn’t call etc. as honestly she has created so much unnecessary stress in our lives. She refuses to use a parenting app.

OP posts:
ThisChirpyFox · 29/03/2026 18:29

bloodyweeds · 26/03/2026 09:56

The dads are a waste of space but she has her other children with her?
She has other children that live with her so she’s obviously not that bad as is capable of being a mum so it sounds more like it’s complicated navigating contact around you.
I imagine it’s not easy trying to have a relationship with him when you paint her in such a way to her child when she is a mum to all her children and didn’t ask to co-parents with another woman who doesn’t like her and paints her the same as the dads who are a waste of space and not in their lives but she IS bringing up their children while you bring up ONE of hers.

What is your issue? Why are you siding with the mother of the ops SS? It is because you too are a rubbish mother like her?

Yes people may say I have gone to far with that comment, but then you seem to ignore what the op is saying and will probably post negative shit regardless of what she says.

Op - it's true that we've only got your side, but his mother sounds like a lot of parents noways - unfit to be parents and it's everyone's fault apart from their own. You seem to be doing an amazing job - I hope things settle down and he will see his mother's true colours. When he is older, hopefully he will realise and appreciate how much you have done for him.

Vgbeat · 29/03/2026 19:38

Can I just say well done and thank you for trying to give your son stability. People are so quick to have a go at step mums and you sound amazing.

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