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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

to not want my family to do my ex's school runs after 5 years of separation?

12 replies

HobbitMama · 08/06/2010 16:56

As said, really, but to be more specific, I kicked him out for having an affair, got a remortgage to survive til I could get a job and a lodger and calculated that I owed him £11 000 and paid him it, (which, of course, DH and I will be paying for, for years). He has never paid maintenance, as he sees the kids Tues/Thurs/every other weekend.
For 3 years, he lived with a friend, another single dad, across town, so I did ALL the school runs, working part-time and studying at one point. His excuse for not doing them/arranging childcare is that he doesn't drive & works f/t.
The last couple of years he moved back in with his mum & dad, so his dad (begrudgingly) does them on his mornings.
Now I know it's only 2 afternoons a week, but our argument is that if he can't be responsible for them on his days, then he shouldn't be having them. I've pointed out the existence of taxi's, childminders & after-school clubs, but he keeps saying he cant do it because he works f/t.
My mum was doing one day for him, as DS had a club, but once he said he didn't want to do it any more we had a problem, as my mum can't pick him up any earlier. So, after saying that I was 'forcing him to go part-time', I arranged for DS to go to the after-school club, but said he'd have to pay.
In return, I got a text saying that he was going to shop me to the DWP for benefit fraud (which is ridiculous because I haven't committed any!) and a string of rude texts and emails resulting in us calmly and politely suggesting mediation and then reiterating an earlier proposal to change the access arrangements to 3 out of 4 weekends, with us taking the weeks so that the kids have a stable week. (Obviously DH and I don't want to lose a weekend, but he's being so awkward...)
I think I know we're not BU, but really need some other opinions on this!

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ChuckBartowski · 08/06/2010 17:05

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HobbitMama · 08/06/2010 17:09

Unfortunately CB, I already gave him the £11 000 years ago. Don't think I'll ever see any maintenance!

I almost withheld the kids from him for the first time today, but managed to calm down enough to see that in the long run that wasn't going to do anyone any favours!

You'd think it would be as simple as 'he wants to see the kids, he arranges the child care' wouldn't you? But he seems to think that I SHOULD run around after him.
I don't begrudge doing it for the kids' sake, but he's just taking the piss I think.

But point about the weekends taken - thanks!

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ChuckBartowski · 08/06/2010 17:12

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HobbitMama · 08/06/2010 17:21

I've always thought it would be a bit pointless - I thought once Dh and I were married we wouldn't get anything, especially as ex-dickhead has always seen them for half the week? (Btw, I would NEVER refer to him like that in front of the kids!)

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ChuckBartowski · 08/06/2010 17:26

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TheCrackFox · 08/06/2010 17:28

Go to CSA and get proper maintenance set up from him. It doesn't matter if you are a multi-millionaire or a pauper he should still be paying towards the upkeep of his own children.

HobbitMama · 08/06/2010 18:13

It's not really about the money though - in our view it's about him doing the everyday parenting rather than just doing the 'fun stuff''.
He does shit like giving the kids £25 a month pocket money and £40 a month 'clothes allowance (they're 7 and 11, fgs!) without asking me, and is always taking them to the cinema or swimming - which we would love to do but just can't afford! And then when it comes to taking them to tennis/karate/tap-dance, he doesn't have the money, or makes up some other shit lie excuse. I haven't gone to the CSA before now as I said I'd do what I could to help him get his own place, but it looks like he's just pissing the money up the wall leaning on his parents.
I do realise he's scared I'll reduce his contact, but I just don't see how DD is going to get through secondary school successfully with this 'one-night-here-one-night-there' arrangement. It's bad enough now, with forgotten school shoes/pe kit/swimming kit/homework/dirty uniform/unsigned forms etc etc. But he will NOT back down and says it's not what's best for the kids.
Feeling very down about this now - five years of it, and another 9 to go, at least!

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diamondsandtiaras · 08/06/2010 18:40

I find myself getting angry with your ex - what a t**t!! If the kids are with him, then it is down to him to organise their care during that time.......I would just stop doing it tbh. Just tell him that unless he gets something sorted the mid-week contact will cease. And don't go giving up one of your weekends either......he's being totally unreasonable. And he should be paying towards the upkeep of his children........definitely look into that.

oldandgreynow · 08/06/2010 19:18

Hang on shouldn't the children be the first priority in all this-not petty point scoring against your ex.
Maybe your parents LIKE picking up their GC, maybe your children like being picked up by them ,certainly sounds better than going to an afterschool club.Maybe they want a relationship with their dad even if means he isn't always the one to pick them up
What a shame you can't work together for the children's sake

HobbitMama · 08/06/2010 19:22

OOOooohhhhh - what a KNOB!! He just rang (about a sports day tomorrow - could I go? (I don't think he's been to any school events other than parents evening, when he goes along, loudly talks as if he knows something about education and I cringe with embarrassment as I sit next to the twat!) I said yes, fine, but on putting the phone down I realised I'm working, so rang back to tell DS that I would only be able to stay until 9.45. This what he said, not more than 3 minutes after the 1st conversation -
"What is it, HM? I'm bathing the kids! If you want to go to court, that's fine..." whereupon I stopped him and said it was about tomorrow. Fuckingknobfacetwatcunt!!!
Sorry. will calm down now, promise!

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macdoodle · 08/06/2010 19:24

Yes great oldandgrey, the OP's ex sound slike a selfish immature little twat, working together only works when you actually work together, when one party expects the other to actually do all the work then it doesnt actually work!
Some stability for the children sounds best to me!
tell him he cant have them in the week as he cant manage childcare, and just leave it as alternate weekends, then let him take you to court, he wont bother will he!

HobbitMama · 08/06/2010 19:34

oldandgrey - the whole point is that we're all trying to make it work, but he's so deluded he thinks the world owes him. At the same time as the above phone call, I received a text saying 'It's 'your day' (actually not as they're there tonight) and I've had no notice (as much as I have) so yes please pick DS up so you can watch him. Tell me when its its his real sports day and I will do that one(which'll be the first ever) - not taking into account that I work part-time, am working tomorrow, and also have a 15month old with chicken pox at the moment. Knob extraordinaire.
I know I'm slagging him off on here, but in rl I've done nothing but been polite and accommodating. I just think 5 years is enough time to get your act together after a split and he's being bloody-minded about it.

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