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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Is ds ex asking for too much childcare during holidays.

1000 replies

burnedoutgrandma · 07/05/2026 14:37

ds ex wife and him split up early last year, they were married a decade and have 3 kids. Due to the cost of living he came to move with me and she moved about an hour and 20 minutes away as she had some support there and it was much more affordable. I agreed that the kids could come every other weekend to see their dad. It goes well but they are high needs kids and I am older. Ds also agreed with ex that he would see them during the school holidays. I thought this would be a couple extra nights but in the last year he has had them 2 whole half terms, a chunk of Christmas’s holiday, 4 nights in Easter and last summer she asked for him to have them for 2 weeks broken down but I intervened with that and said it was taking far to much of his and my annual leave to have the kids. So ended up being a week and then some long weekends. I know ds would have been happy to have them but I just feel like it’s a lot on him to have them for big chunks and then I feel like I need to take time off to help him.

his ex has now messaged and asked again for a week at the beginning of summer holiday and the end. We have them May holiday as well. I have said again it is too much. They take over the house, the youngest doesn’t sleep well and the middle one is very fussy so it just feels like a lot. I am exhausted and DS is again either taking time off or putting them in holiday clubs which he is paying for. I have asked for it to be one week. Ex has got very very upset saying that I am interfering in ds relationship with the kids and this was meant to be the arrangement. Am I wrong for feeling like this is a lot of childcare she is expecting? Ds now is asking me to reconsider.

OP posts:
Oneborneverydecade · 07/05/2026 14:39

Is this for real?

Whatnow89 · 07/05/2026 14:40

How on earth do you think she manages day to day life? Your DS needs to step up and stop making all the women in his life his skivvies.

Scrumbless · 07/05/2026 14:42

Childcare? You mean parenting. His children.

You sound just like my MIL. If this is real of course.

Star81 · 07/05/2026 14:42

Sorry, I do think you are being unreasonable. They are your son’s children so why wouldn’t he have them more than 1 week in the summer holidays ? Most parents would be delighted to see their children as much as possible and she isn’t even asking for half of school holidays.

I think your son needs to grow up and live on his own where he can help to parent and look after his children. I presume as they all live quite far apart he doesn’t do any mid week dinners or overnights in school time either ?

TeenToTwenties · 07/05/2026 14:42

But they are his?
So it isn't childcare it is parenting?
Plus ex presumably manages mainly on her own, so why shouldn't your DS (or does he have additional needs too?)

inmyhair · 07/05/2026 14:42

She' not asking for too much no! She has them the majority of the time.

If your son is dumping all the work and childcare on you you need to talk to him (bear in mind you raised him).

Who gets the extra food in when the kids come? Organises the clean bedding? Does the cooking? Organises activities and things for the kids to do?

What are your sons long term future plans? He's been there almost a year and a half now, has he not managed to save up a house deposit in that time or he is quite happy to use you, probably in much the same way he used his ex wife.

holyshitballs · 07/05/2026 14:42

Yab sooooooo u it's embarrassing

GregoryFluff · 07/05/2026 14:42

Fuck me you sound dreadful
I wouldn't normally stick the boot in, but you're trying to stop the man seeing his children and leaving the poor ex wife to do everything
Bet she's bloody tired too

aperolspritzbasicbitch · 07/05/2026 14:43

🤣🤣

Summerunlover · 07/05/2026 14:43

Sorry is this a reverse. And you are the ex wife.

Hermanfromguesswho · 07/05/2026 14:43

It’s not child care. It’s parenting. He’s their father and already doing way less than his share of the parenting. He needs to step up and you need to back off. Don’t take holiday from work to help him and resent it. Stay out of his way and let him and his children enjoy their time together

AttachmentFTW · 07/05/2026 14:43

It's not childcare! He's their father, not a paid childcare professional. If anything he should be having them more. You find it hard having them the occasional times you do, she cares for them most of the time. If you can't manage it's time for your son to move out so he can step up and look after HIS OWN CHILDREN.

Maddy70 · 07/05/2026 14:44

Your son needs to take his share of the childcare. And what is current isn't unreasonable. If you cannot come with this he needs to move out and provide his own childcare

SheilaFentiman · 07/05/2026 14:44

I know ds would have been happy to have them but I just feel like it’s a lot on him to have them for big chunks and then I feel like I need to take time off to help him.

Here's what you do - stop taking time off to help him. You can always take time off and get an airbnb somewhere nice when they are at yours, if you find your DGC too exhausting to be around.

paddleboardingmum · 07/05/2026 14:44

Is it 'childcare' to look after your own kids? they're half his so he should do half of all the holidays. Which must be 3 weeks in the summer not one.

WetBedder · 07/05/2026 14:44

Your son needs to move out and accept responsibility for his own children. She is doing her part. Stop encouraging your son to be a deadbeat.

WhatAMarvelousTune · 07/05/2026 14:44

It is your house, so you can say no. He needs to move out.

But “I just feel like it’s a lot on him to have them for big chunks” cannot be a serious comment. This has to be a reverse.

Upsetbetty · 07/05/2026 14:44

I’ll give my opinion when you come back @burnedoutgrandma

PearTreeBoat · 07/05/2026 14:44

For one they are his kids not yours so other than them being in your house (which I get can be exhausting in itself), you don't need to take time off unless you chose to. If them being in your house for the 4/5 weeks plus EOW is too much for you, your son should move into his own place, not see his kids less!

And if you think "all this childcare" is too much for him, how do you think his ex must feel looking after the kids the other 46+ weeks of the year!!

LimbOnTheTreeTheTreeInTheHoleTheHoleInTheGround · 07/05/2026 14:44

Childcare?

Wtf.

You feeing like you need to help is on you. He's a grown man with 3 kids, I'm sure he can deal with them for an extra 2 weeks just like his ex deals with them the rest of the time.

Barrenfieldoffucks · 07/05/2026 14:45

Why would holidays not be split where possible? I would have assumed that A) he would want to, and B) he would assume that would be the case.

If needs be, he needs to move out.

Does their mother work? (Only relevant to your point about annual leave, he should be having them anyway)

LittleSpeckleFrog · 07/05/2026 14:45

This is incredible - they are HIS children.

He shouldn't be relying on you to to take annual leave to look after them, but no it's not unreasonable for him to have them this much.

If you have an issue you should be asking him to get his own place.

BudgetBuster · 07/05/2026 14:45

Time for him to move out and PARENT!

PixelDustMom · 07/05/2026 14:45

You’re being unreasonable to an extent. It is not too much of an ask that he uses his annual leave to look after his own children. If you find it exhausting, how do you think mum feels? She clearly does the majority of the parenting.
What is not unreasonable is you asking your son to find a place of his own for him and his children. He has 3 children and should be an involved parent.
We all have to use our annual leave to look after our children, it’s not a big ask as a parent.

CamembertnCaffeine · 07/05/2026 14:45

I know he lives in your house but why are you dictating how much he sees his children?!

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