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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.

Am I being unreasonable...? Give my head a wobble.

10 replies

Fuzzypinetree · 24/01/2025 09:23

Ex left in the summer. He took ages to decide what he actually wants to do and I waited three months for him to let me know whether he's staying in the country or not. We've got two DC and I'm on maternity leave. He's been seeing DC1 regularly and I'm trying to be flexible with visits. He hasn't seen DC2 since early October.
I've now got my solicitor on the case to sort out maintenance, which he refuses to pay because he wants to do 50:50. He isn't doing 50:50, though, but blames me for refusing.
He's insisted on taking DC1 out of his private school (which is have always paid for in full) and for DC2 to attend a nursery "in the community", so not the one attached to the private school. I work there, so get a huge fee discount.
I've offered to buy him out, but the amount isn't high enough for him. (It was 50% of the equity.)
Since the house now needs to be sold (his idea is to keep paying 50:50 of the mortgage), I'm planning on moving with the kids. We have no established relationships here. DC don't attend clubs or have friends in the area. We'd move to where my family live. They'd be able to go to state school/nursery there and be part of the community and integrate (we are abroad but the plan had been to move back to the UK when DC1 was at secondary...that's obviously not happening now). Their grandparents would be close by and available to help out. I've got a new job lined up and would be able to reduce my hours.
He's now refusing to let us move. It's 30 minutes away but because he's relying on public transport, he wouldn't be able to take DC1 to school anymore. Visitation would have to change.

I'm getting fed up, really. I've tried to make things work and organise schooling and housing to fit everyone's needs but he just vetoed everything. I've now made the decision to move. It's the best option available for the kids and for me. For once, I've not based it on his needs and demands. He's now accusing me of just making decisions without him (I bloody well tried but he's not actually offering anything). He wants me to reduce my hours at my current employer, for the kids to go to school in this area. It's more expensive, it's more hassle and it means I have less support. He's not changing anything. He has no support network. He expects me to keep DC when he "has" to go to a work's do or work later or there's an INSET day. Equally, he demands to have DC1 more often. It's not workable...and completely ridiculous.
Seriously...AIBU to move? (I know, wrong section but still...)

OP posts:
Springflowersmakeforbetterhours · 24/01/2025 09:25

A judge won't stop you moving only 30 mins away. He needs to learn to drive.. .

TenderChicken · 24/01/2025 09:26

YANBU. You need to prioritise you and the kids, not him.

Fuzzypinetree · 24/01/2025 10:00

Springflowersmakeforbetterhours · 24/01/2025 09:25

A judge won't stop you moving only 30 mins away. He needs to learn to drive.. .

He has a licence but refuses to drive. We've been married for over 20 years and I'm always the one, who has been driving. I also keep driving DC to his house and pick up again, if he doesn't pick up from school.
The not being able to take DC to school anymore would also be the case if DC switched to our local primary. The current private school is on a reliable bus route.

OP posts:
Rawnotblended · 24/01/2025 10:10

Why are you pandering to this prick? Do what he’s accusing you of doing anyway, and make the decisions for yourself. If he wants contact (and I bet he won’t, longer term) he can arrange it. Can you just come home?

LemonTT · 24/01/2025 10:15

Have you done mediation? It sounds like you are both pulling in different directions and making independent plans. This will make life more difficult for your children. They are already facing disruption and have two parents who are in conflict over things most parents can resolve. There are 2 of you and you sound relatively solvent and able to work. The children are young and can change school.

There are financial issues that cannot be avoided and may result in some change. However all you need to establish is a co parenting arrangement that gets the children to school and gives them quality time with you both whilst allowing them to continue with their development.

The more distance you put between your homes the more difficult you make life for the children. They have long journeys each week and may not be able to do hobbies and attend parties.

Fuzzypinetree · 24/01/2025 10:20

Rawnotblended · 24/01/2025 10:10

Why are you pandering to this prick? Do what he’s accusing you of doing anyway, and make the decisions for yourself. If he wants contact (and I bet he won’t, longer term) he can arrange it. Can you just come home?

DC loves him and wants to spend time with him. I'm trying not to stand in the way of that, even though I'm trying to balance it with DC's and my mental health. He's a good dad and has always been the fun one.
I don't want to see him and feel incredibly hurt that after all this time, he's just walked out to go and fuck someone else. That's not the man I married all those years ago. It doesn't change the "dad" situation, though.
If you mean by "come home" going back to the UK, then no...it's against the law to just move children to a different country if they are officially settled here. I'm also "home" here and feel more protected here in this situation. Ex is British. Kids have dual nationality.

OP posts:
Fuzzypinetree · 24/01/2025 10:23

LemonTT · 24/01/2025 10:15

Have you done mediation? It sounds like you are both pulling in different directions and making independent plans. This will make life more difficult for your children. They are already facing disruption and have two parents who are in conflict over things most parents can resolve. There are 2 of you and you sound relatively solvent and able to work. The children are young and can change school.

There are financial issues that cannot be avoided and may result in some change. However all you need to establish is a co parenting arrangement that gets the children to school and gives them quality time with you both whilst allowing them to continue with their development.

The more distance you put between your homes the more difficult you make life for the children. They have long journeys each week and may not be able to do hobbies and attend parties.

I had tried to do mediation with him but he refused. He didn't even talk to me for the first few months and has now decided to have the lawyers and court sort it all out.

The distance isn't that much. It's 30 minutes in the car. We currently take 40 minutes to get to school. (Only takes him 20 minutes on the bus but he moved closer to a school he doesn't want the kids to go to.)

OP posts:
Tiswa · 24/01/2025 10:36

moving is fine

BeachRide · 24/01/2025 11:02

How is he a 'good Dad' if he hasn't seen DC2 since October?

Fuzzypinetree · 24/01/2025 11:18

BeachRide · 24/01/2025 11:02

How is he a 'good Dad' if he hasn't seen DC2 since October?

OK, he's a good dad to DC1. He's always been the one to play and do fun stuff...although that hadn't happened much in the last year before he left, either. The visitation gives him the chance to focus solely on DC1 and be the "Disney dad" he likes others to see. I don't care too much about that. As I said, DC1 loves him and wants to spend time with him.
I've always been the one to sort everything out. He never wanted to make any decisions so I always had to. He still doesn't want to make any but now resents me for wanting to move forward. I need to get my return to work organised, regardless of which employer I'm working at after maternity leave. (In theory, I could stay home until DC2 is 3 years old..and ask ex for spousal maintenance. I won't because I don't want to rely on him and I like my job. It'll also provide us with a higher income, which I'd prefer for my kids.) But the nursery place for DC2 needs to be confirmed. It takes a while to get stuff organised and he's refusing to sign anything.

DC2 is only 6 months old and has no relationship with him at all. He left a few days before the birth.

OP posts:
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