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Divorce/separation

Here you'll find divorce help and support from other Mners. For legal advice, you may find Advice Now guides useful.

Ex introducing ds to multiple girlfriend and has now moved in with the latest

3 replies

GreenTreeLeaves · 11/04/2021 07:23

Hi, I posted this in AIBU, buy poster suggested it would be better here, so hope that's okay!

Ds is 6. In the last two years Ex threatened to move to Australia (we're UK), and is currently with the his third girlfriend in this time. Each gf has had children, and my ds has been introduced to all of them. He still remembers their children as he still talks about them.

Ex has moved in with this latest woman. She has two older sons 8&12. My ds was sleeping in her 8yo bed when he was at his Dads and with the 8yo in the same bed at least once. Her two sons play Fortnite and my ex was allowing ds to play too, although apparently that's stopped. I've asked as the relationship is so new that our son stays at his house with him. He only sees him at Weekends and wouldn't want to be flung into another family setup to share his time with his dad with strangers. I obviously can't stop him introducing ds these women, but I'd at least like ds to sleep in his own room In his own bed surrounded by his own things.

Ds has behavioural problems which have resulted In behaviour chart and education meetings at school, and I have a CAHMS appointment next week for him. He needs stability and consistency, the same as any child, but this lessens his bad behaviours. I constantly advocate like any parent should for ds and I'm very involved and supportive of the school in order to help. His behaviour has meant that he mostly plays by himself at break (ht said about 80% of the time) and of course I want things to improve for him.

I phoned my ex today to apologise and to ask that we try and rebuild out relationship for the sake of ds (we haven't been together for nearly 5 years, but the last two years things have really broken down). He didn't answer. I called throughout the day, no answer. I start to worry. He eventually answers tonight. As soon as he picks up I can hear screaming and a woman. I got very upset. Ex shouted at me to fuck off...then shouted that I'm a shit mum because I thought driving my car off the road with ds in it. I had severe PND/psychosis and that day I was admitted to hospital. This was 6 years ago. My ds could have heard Ex shouting that at me.

Theres nothing I can do is there? I can't make him be better Dad. Ds loves him of course. AIBU is being so upset by all this, and expecting Ex not to move in with the latest gf, into a flat where he doesn't have his own room?

OP posts:
LemonTT · 11/04/2021 10:20

We could stage an AIBU debate about the rights and wrongs of this situation, both morally and legally, but will it make any difference? I doubt it. Getting endorsement for you POV on social media is meaningless.

Your ex is the father and he has rights to form and have a relationship with his child. No court is going to interfere with that unless he is being abusive or negligent. As the co parent it would be ideal if you had some influence over your ex but you don’t. I think you need to accept that you have no control or Influence over your ex as a father.

Trying to change what you can’t change will only make you stressed and angry. That’s not good for your son and it’s not good for you. Of course we want to remove all stress from the lives of our children. But it is impossible. Focus on the things you can change, your response and reactions.

However if you do want to take action then it is obvious you will need to go through the court system because your ex isn’t going to listen to you.

StoneColdBitch · 11/04/2021 18:07

@LemonTT

We could stage an AIBU debate about the rights and wrongs of this situation, both morally and legally, but will it make any difference? I doubt it. Getting endorsement for you POV on social media is meaningless.

Your ex is the father and he has rights to form and have a relationship with his child. No court is going to interfere with that unless he is being abusive or negligent. As the co parent it would be ideal if you had some influence over your ex but you don’t. I think you need to accept that you have no control or Influence over your ex as a father.

Trying to change what you can’t change will only make you stressed and angry. That’s not good for your son and it’s not good for you. Of course we want to remove all stress from the lives of our children. But it is impossible. Focus on the things you can change, your response and reactions.

However if you do want to take action then it is obvious you will need to go through the court system because your ex isn’t going to listen to you.

This is very wise advice.

Focus on changing what you can change. Fixating on things you can't change will only get you wound up.

Three girlfriends in two years isn't awful. If it were three in three months I'd agree that isn't great parenting.

You can't control where ex takes DS, unless you have grave safeguarding concerns. Your ex could easily have taken your kids away to see friends instead and stayed overnight in their house (not during lockdown, obviously!).

If you make a big thing of it, you risk coming across as jealous.

GreenTreeLeaves · 11/04/2021 22:00

Thank you @LemonTT and @StoneColdBitch.

I know it doesn't make for a peaceful life for me feeling so upset by ex's actions, I've cried a lot today. I know I need to let it go to a degree. I just think about him being flung in with another strange family, having to sleep in someone else's house, share his little time with his Dad with strangers. I cannot believe he'd be so selfish, he shouldn't even know the latest gfs name.

I'm certainly not at all jealous of new girlfriend, I have had no feelings at all, bad or good, just nothing. But just now I have more feelings than I'd like.

Anywho, you've given good advice, thank you for taking the time to post. I've got to work on strategies to stop me getting so wound up by it all.

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