This is a story of hope for lone parents with dead-beat exes.
For many, many years my ex-husband refused to see my daughters, who were then babes, refused to pay maintenance or even send them a Christmas card. He threatened me with (further) violence when I said I'd approach the CSA, said he wasn't working to avoid contributing to their upkeep when he was in business with his partner for 5 years and was generally a complete arse.
Now, some years on, my DDs are 13 and 14 and their father has been visiting them for an hour or so, once a month, for the past year or so. Gradually they have got to know each other a little.
To my amazement he recently offered to have them over to the house he shares with his partner - first one, then the other 2 weeks later, then both a further two weeks later still. The girls were all for it but I feared that these were just more mere words. So, you can imagine what a shock I got when he called last night to make arrangements to have DD1 next weekend, and to take DD2 a fortnight later. He even admitted that although I've done it all alone for years he isn't as confident he could cope with both immediately!
God knows how it will turn out, the girls are hard work and won't be shy in reminding him of his past treatment of them, but, it's a start.
Fingers crossed...