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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.

Advice please on custody

16 replies

NovemberNovemberNovember · 09/07/2025 07:43

Hi,
We are going through separation at the moment and I've got terrible fear over the child custody, could anyone with experience let me know what you think?

He has always worked away. He currently works 2 months on 2 months off, but this is the "best" it has been - previously he's worked away almost all year, coming back just for weekends.

Throughout this I've done all the child raising - and worked full time. 3 children. They have spent their whole lives being raised by me.

He's now saying that he wants them to live with him in the 6 months that he is in the country, and live with me for the other 6. I think this is not good at all- the children aren't used to this, the longest they have ever been away from me is about 4 days. I think it would be traumatic for them, especially the youngest (9)

Instead I've suggested that the children live with me, and that we work out a pattern that suits them when he comes back into the country, based on what suits each child. I really wouldn't oppose them going to their father when he's in the country.

He's currently saying no - I've to "fuck off" when he's in the country.

Aside from this issue, the separation is down to his constant infidelity and a nastiness that's come out in his chatacter- calling me terrible names, saying he wants to ruin my life, accusing me of stealing money, oh the list goes on. When I raise any of it with him he tells me "I'm abusive"

He doesn't want to pay maintenance and will get away with it because I don't have access to his bank details and he works for an international company. He's already assured the eldest (16) that he won't pay for him as he's over 16 (he plans on going to uni)

So with all this in mind..... do I need to worry about losing my kids to this man?
Financially ill be stretched, I'm not a high earner like him, but I'll manage.

Please let me know what you think about the custody situation.

OP posts:
teenmaw · 09/07/2025 07:49

He’s cuckoo. The 16 year old can choose where he lives and it doesn’t sound like he’d choose to live with him. Depending on dc2 age they might be the same. Let him take you to court for the 9yo and the best he’d get is 50/50 while he’s home. Put a claim in to cms, they will get your money. And stop listening to his bullshit is my key piece of advice. Just because an emotionally unintelligent man says something, doesn’t make it true!

NovemberNovemberNovember · 09/07/2025 07:56

@teenmaw 50/50 for the time he is home would be fine too.

The 16 year old wont do that, but the youngest might like it. And I would be OK with that (and knowing If his nastiness spills forward onto them they can just come home to me)

OP posts:
lovemetomybones · 09/07/2025 08:21

Tell him to take you to court, because absolutely no court in the land would see 2 months with one parent without seeing the other as the best interests for the children and sadly for him they don’t make judgements based on his best interests! Get a CM claim in which is up to 18 not 16 and ask the 16 year old what they want to do. He can be as stubborn as he likes, but no professional body would ever agree to his terms.

NovemberNovemberNovember · 09/07/2025 12:14

Thanks @lovemetomybones I would hope that this would be the case. The kids have never been without me - I'm certainly not perfect but we have a great time together and would be so weird if they weren't able to see me whenever they like.

He does have a sister who has form for trying to "get custody" of children in the family. I remember her going through this with her nephew, saying she would raise him with her sister (the boys mother) I'm pretty sure she's lining up to do the same here..... absolutely no grounds for it. They are a pretty odd family. What was I thinking.....

OP posts:
TheGrimSmile · 09/07/2025 12:43

He's just trying to bully and intimidate you. No court would agree to his proposal. He's bonkers. Get you app in with CMS. You can do it online.

Profpudding · 09/07/2025 12:44

I absolutely would let him , hes done bugger all childcare so far it’s about time. He did some

NovemberNovemberNovember · 09/07/2025 14:02

@Profpudding I know what your saying, but I love being with them- I'd no plans ever to do anything else but live with my children. It's not me taking contracts all over the world, or starting up relationships with other people.

Mostly I think he's scared of people seeing him for the truth- a man who has treated his family badly. He can't be seen to have left his children. The reality of caring for them every day isn't what he's looking for. He has a friend who recently separated from his 1st wife, met another woman and married her. His children have chosen to live with him. My stbx is modeling himself on this.

Praying the reality will be different.

OP posts:
BookArt55 · 10/07/2025 18:40

Go low contact, keep it brief. He could get 50/50 when in the country, but he won't get what he is asking, and as others have said, the older two will be listened to. They just need to be confident enough to share that with cafcass.
I would suggest a coparenting app, there are free ones. Stop all other communication. Frees you up from his abuse.

Cheeseplantandcrackers · 10/07/2025 19:06

He chose to take a job that took him away from his children for long periods, doesn’t really look good for him. It sounds more like this is to spite you rather than benefit the children or some sense of suddenly being a father.

Greatergreen · 10/07/2025 19:10

How much of the abuse can you safely document?

SpryCat · 10/07/2025 19:22

Your children are used to you being there for them full time, he is threatening you about having the kids etc because he’s a nasty piece of work. I wouldn’t take any notice of anything he says because he is spouting bullshit, to punish you and make you anxious about the divorce. He likes to be in control and the divorce makes him paranoid everyone will find out the truth about him. He can get divorced and marry Marry Poppins and your kids would still not want to live with him.
As for his sister, she has no chance of getting custody, they are loved and well looked after by you.

SpryCat · 10/07/2025 19:27

Once you are safely living apart from him, speak to a solicitor and file for divorce. You do not want to remain married to him, he is abusive and enjoys it.

NovemberNovemberNovember · 11/07/2025 05:01

Thanks everyone. It's really hard because while the sane part of me knows very clearly that being called names like fat c*nt is abusive, he keeps telling me that I am abusive and gaslighting him! I have asked him what did I do, because the insecurity creeps in- And he responds "I'm not like you. I don't keep a list"
Genuinely I don't call him names.

i genuinly feel like I cant even exist in the same space as him. The other day he was going to drop out daughter off at her summer camp. I was trying to explain to him where it was and the tricky parking situation so she wouldn't be late and he started talking over me to one of the other kids.. OK I thought, he's not interested, so I left the room to get on with other things. Then he's shouting after me "Oh here she goes- it's not all about you November!" But how is trying to help him with the parking making it about me? I just need this to be over so so much.

He has me questioning everything.

OP posts:
Soontobe60 · 11/07/2025 05:23

He needs to move out of the marital home immediately, he’s abusive and a bully. Your children do not need to witness his awful behaviour.

NovemberNovemberNovember · 11/07/2025 07:50

He won't leave. We are selling and splitting the money. House for sale as we speak. I long for the day I have my nice deposit and can buy a house where he will never darken the door. I really hope it's all done and dusted by Christmas.

OP posts:
SpryCat · 11/07/2025 10:40

He likes to destroy those closest to him, take away their self esteem and gaslight them to believe they are the ones being abusive. He likes to grind them down to dust! You are taking control about separating and he will try his hardest to put obstacles in your way, make you doubt yourself, that you are doing the wrong thing.
You are doing what’s absolutely right for you and your children, he is so toxic and you need to get away from him. Don’t ask him to explain his reasons for acting or saying awful things to you. You know he is doing that because he is abusive, an awful person, he will always blame other’s for his actions and words. If he ever threatens you or starts DV, wait till you are safe and call the police, press charges!!
When he starts spouting off about 50/50 contact, just nod, same with any other thing he states as the truth in divorce and once you are in your own place, you claim what you are entitled to.

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