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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.

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Can I force my 13 year old to have overnights with me?

374 replies

SlateandSteel · 29/07/2025 18:43

DS 13 is refusing to stay overnight with me in my new house. I’m recently separated from his Dad with my own place and DS is filled with anger towards me. I’ve made a terrible mistake in being the one to leave the family home. He’s point blank refusing to stay overnight at my new house and says he just wants to see me in the day etc. The idea of ex having full custody will destroy me. You hear of mostly mums staying in the family home, I never anticipated DS would be so reluctant to stay overnight. What can I do? At 13 can he legally choose to have no overnights with me?!

I’m devastated and have no idea what to do. Ex says to give him more time. I’m close to just begging my ex to let me back in the family home or to suggest a trial separation because I can’t lose my son.

Having my freedom means nothing if I lose my son. I am absolutely devastated at just giving him tea but not properly living with him.

AIBU to give him no choice in that he has to stay overnight and have a plan? I’ve ruined my life 😢

OP posts:
SlateandSteel · 29/07/2025 22:36

Whippetlovely · 29/07/2025 22:34

I agree, I really feel for op it must be heartbreaking.

Thank you. It is horrific, the worst pain I have ever felt in my life. Almost physical pain.

OP posts:
AuntMarch · 29/07/2025 22:38

OP, I think you need to take some deep breaths! This is all very early days, and while you had all the time it took to get things lined up to get used to the idea, it'll have been a big shock to your son. I think going there when ex is working could be a good compromise, if ex is ok eith that. Perhaps not from the minute he leaves till he pulls onto the drive, but to have dinner together or something.

Enjoy the days you spend together, don't push for more, he'd likely just shut himself upstairs anyway like we all did! It'll be much, much better for your relationship long term if you show him that respect. He will come round in his own time.

KickHimInTheCrotch · 29/07/2025 22:39

You definitely need to slow down and stop making this all about how you feel. When my ex left we did not rush overnights in the new house. They visited him for a few hours at the weekends and after school initially and got to know the house, the rooms, the new things slowly. After a few weeks my eldest asked to stay over. My youngest was just a baby so we waited longer for him.

When my mum moved away from my childhood home my brother refused to speak to her for months. They gradually grew close again over time but he was 16 and just stayed living with my dad for a few more years before moving out. He had no interest in staying in a new house with her although was happy to visit. I think if my mum had made a massive drama over it he probably would have backed off even more.

You can't keep making this all about how you feel. You've taken the steps to move out and now you need to focus on the relationship with your children and establishing a healthy co-parenting arrangement that takes into account what your children want and what is best for them in the long term.

SlateandSteel · 29/07/2025 22:40

Whippetlovely · 29/07/2025 22:34

I agree, I really feel for op it must be heartbreaking.

I do feel like ex now has all the special moments/little moments like just seeing him around the house, relaxing with him before bed, they also co-sleep and talk a lot before they go to sleep. DS is extremely attached to his Dad. It also breaks my heart that I might never see his bedroom again, all his special items, collections, years and years of memories. Now all I have is an empty room.

OP posts:
Notmycircusnotmyotter · 29/07/2025 22:40

You're not divorced yet so could you just move back in? You don't have to be in a relationship with the awful father, but it could help in the short term regarding your relationship with your son?

ThisCheekyHazelSheep · 29/07/2025 22:41

Aww OP, you had your reasons for leaving, please don't second guess your decision based on feeling rejected. I can tell that it was not an easy one you made on impulse. I'm sorry that your son feels this way and I hope that he does come around, it is very common for a child to choose sides or feel they have to choose sides. But if you maintain the relationship at his pace when the times comes that he needs his Mum, he will come to you. He is lucky to have a mother that loves him so very much. Please be kind to yourself OP, find some support if you can, even if it's just online, I can imagine how incredibly scared and isolated you must feel right now but it will get better. I'm sending you lots of love ❤️

SlateandSteel · 29/07/2025 22:41

KickHimInTheCrotch · 29/07/2025 22:39

You definitely need to slow down and stop making this all about how you feel. When my ex left we did not rush overnights in the new house. They visited him for a few hours at the weekends and after school initially and got to know the house, the rooms, the new things slowly. After a few weeks my eldest asked to stay over. My youngest was just a baby so we waited longer for him.

When my mum moved away from my childhood home my brother refused to speak to her for months. They gradually grew close again over time but he was 16 and just stayed living with my dad for a few more years before moving out. He had no interest in staying in a new house with her although was happy to visit. I think if my mum had made a massive drama over it he probably would have backed off even more.

You can't keep making this all about how you feel. You've taken the steps to move out and now you need to focus on the relationship with your children and establishing a healthy co-parenting arrangement that takes into account what your children want and what is best for them in the long term.

Is it co-parenting if he’s never overnight with me? 😔

OP posts:
Notmycircusnotmyotter · 29/07/2025 22:41

You're right OP. It isn't natural for a mother to be separated from their child. I would be using the exact same language in your position. I can't imagine how distraught you must feel.

MimiGC · 29/07/2025 22:43

I have heard that sometimes when parents split up, the children stay in the family home and it’s the parents who move about ie one week in the family home, one week in a flat/ house nearby. Obviously it takes a lot of cooperation and goodwill and wouldn’t work once new partners come on the scene. But would a modified version of this work, if your ex was willing/supportive? So, instead of your son spending the weekend at your new house, you would spend the weekend at the family home, as the sole parent (and your partner would stay at yours or elsewhere).

SlateandSteel · 29/07/2025 22:44

It’s always the mums on here that talk about their kids not wanting to stay with their Dad. I must be a terrible mum, this never happens. It’s mostly the kids that stay with their mum. I can’t imagine having to explain to people that my child now lives with his Dad. It’s terrible.

OP posts:
Heidi2018 · 29/07/2025 22:48

SlateandSteel · 29/07/2025 22:44

It’s always the mums on here that talk about their kids not wanting to stay with their Dad. I must be a terrible mum, this never happens. It’s mostly the kids that stay with their mum. I can’t imagine having to explain to people that my child now lives with his Dad. It’s terrible.

Once again, focusing on how YOU will deal with telling people. Your 13 year old is probably feeling shit telling people his parents have split. In time he will come to see you had your reasons for splitting, if you can keep it together and put him first. All of this custody and "is it coparenting if he won't stay with me" talk has to stop!! He's NOT choosing one parent over the other, he's choosing to stay in his own home, in a place he knows, in a bed he is familiar with, in a place he feels safe in.

KickHimInTheCrotch · 29/07/2025 22:49

SlateandSteel · 29/07/2025 22:41

Is it co-parenting if he’s never overnight with me? 😔

Yes of course!

Co-parenting isn't about overnight stays. It's about being available, making decisions, helping out financially, picking up the phone, asking about school, helping with homework, cooking tea, looking after them when they're poorly, buying school shoes, dropping them at football practice, taking them on holiday or to the cinema, and many many more things. None of these require him to sleep under your roof.

sweeneytoddsrazor · 29/07/2025 22:49

It isn't terrible and you can salvage it. Ex working long hours so you say hey Fred why not come over today we can go bowling or cinema , come back for a bite to eat then I can either drop you back or Dad can pick you up. Then when it's time for him go you smile give him a hug say by Fred see you soon love you. Then you close the door and do your crying

LightOnTheGrey · 29/07/2025 22:50

Oh op. This must be so hard. I don't have a lot of advice but just wanted to say that i can totally empathise. I'd be devastated and panicking as well.

Having said that I do agree with the other posters that maybe your son needs more time. If you have just split up he must be going through quite a bit of upheaval and probably the last thing he wants is to stay somewhere unfamiliar especially overnight. I wouldn't want to. At the same time I wouldn't be able to accept not being a full time or at least 50% time parent either so I get where you are coming from.

I think you staying in your old house when ex is away for work is a brilliant idea. I'd also make sure that your son knows that even if he does stay at yours he can do all the things he does normally, ie disappear to his room (in your new place) to play with his Xbox or see his friends. He won't be a visitor but someone who lives in this new house and he can treat it like home.

Massive hugs. Don't do anything rash like getting baxk together with someone who is emotionally abusive. It's all still early days and everyone including your son needs time to digest the new situation.

sweeneytoddsrazor · 29/07/2025 22:52

Incidentally why is he still co-sleeping at 13?

ForZanyAquaViewer · 29/07/2025 22:52

SlateandSteel · 29/07/2025 22:36

Thank you. It is horrific, the worst pain I have ever felt in my life. Almost physical pain.

Oh, for goodness sake. You’re being annoying now.

KickHimInTheCrotch · 29/07/2025 22:54

Notmycircusnotmyotter · 29/07/2025 22:41

You're right OP. It isn't natural for a mother to be separated from their child. I would be using the exact same language in your position. I can't imagine how distraught you must feel.

Well it happens in families all over the world for all sorts of reasons. Illness, death, mental health breakdown, insecure housing, prison, divorce, etc etc

The 13 year old is nearby and is taking his time to get used to the situation. This is not the end of the world.

ForZanyAquaViewer · 29/07/2025 22:54

SlateandSteel · 29/07/2025 22:44

It’s always the mums on here that talk about their kids not wanting to stay with their Dad. I must be a terrible mum, this never happens. It’s mostly the kids that stay with their mum. I can’t imagine having to explain to people that my child now lives with his Dad. It’s terrible.

The more you post, the more wrapped up in yourself you sound. Seriously, what you’re worried about is what people will think?

The majority of posts are telling you to calm down. Are you taking heed of that at all?

Britneyfan · 29/07/2025 23:05

OP, give him time (also give yourself time here please)! As a pp said he’s likely had way less time than you to get used to the idea, plus he is 13 which is a tricky age anyway and his dad is emotionally abusive which likely creates some confusing feelings for him about this whole situation.

Was your DS aware that this change in living circumstances was about to happen or did he just come back from holiday to find you living elsewhere?

Definitely don’t push him to do overnights or give him an ultimatum, your mum gave you some truly TERRIBLE advice there. You will definitely only make things worse that way and push him away. It’s great that he was able to spend happy relaxed time with you in the daytime, you can definitely build on that relationship as time goes on. I think it’s highly likely he’ll come around to overnights before too long, though it may take a bit of time, but as a pp said, the most important thing here thinking long-term is preserving a good relationship with your son, and not how many overnights he ends up having with you. You want him to be calling you on your birthday in 20 years time etc! Play the long game and have patience. A child is going to want to stay where he feels comfortable and relaxed and not pressured or guilted to act a certain way or do certain things. Your ex is right that at this age in practice, no court is going to force a 13 year old to stay somewhere they don’t want to for whatever reason.

I know it’s hard. Try not to take it so personally, it’s likely much more about continuing to stay where he sees as home than deliberately choosing his dad over you. Do make sure you tell him very clearly what you’ve said here, that you left his dad, you did not leave him and you’ll always be his mum and he will always have a place in your home.

I understand how awful this feels, I also left an abusive husband and it absolutely floored me with grief anytime my son spent overnights and weekends and holidays with his dad. So I get it. And I do understand the dramatic language and indeed feelings from someone coming out of an abusive relationship. But although there is some grief for what once was, it REALLY isn’t the same as your child dying (and yes there will be people on here who sadly have had a child die which is of course a billion times worse than this situation, so it’s worth being sensitive to that). I had to forcibly keep reminding myself of that, that however painful it is for me to be living apart from him even some of the time, at the end of the day my child is healthy and alive and happy and that is the most important thing of all.

Finally I wanted to say that you should be really really proud of yourself for getting out of an abusive relationship. PLEASE stop second guessing yourself, you do not really want to go back to a man who threatened to urinate on your things and thought that was a reasonable thing to say do you?! There is no having a good marriage and happy family with a man like that sadly. Grieve for the loss of what you thought you could have had at one point, that happy intact family, but understand that the reality is that sadly with this man that was never on offer as an option. And it is likely you’ll end up with a much better relationship with your son because of splitting up ultimately, he will grow up understanding that you have respect for yourself and that bad things his dad might say about you are not true or fair, as he’ll be able to see for himself who you are away from all that. DO NOT GO BACK!

SpidersAreShitheads · 29/07/2025 23:06

I absolutely idolised my dad - I was a real daddy's girl. Me and my mum had a fractious relationship, even as a young child.

When they divorced, I was 9. I never wanted to stay over at my dad's house and it felt weird visiting him - I don't think I ever really got past that.

It was no reflection on my dad, but I liked my own home, my own bed, and my own surroundings.

Luckily my mum and my dad ended up amicable, so dad used to come over and visit us most of the time, although we still went to his house or out swimming occasionally.

I can vividly remember how difficult my mum made it for me, how she was always leaning on me to say that I preferred her, preferred being in my home - without ever explicitly asking. It was just the loaded questions, the statements that were filled with unspoken digs. It was really horrible and definitely had a huge impact on me.

As PP have said, you need to centre your DS in all of this. If you don't, there's no chance that things will change because it will just be too much for him. And he'll be able to tell even if you don't come right out and say it; you really need to commit to thinking of his wellbeing, first and foremost.

I have to ask though - why is he co-sleeping with his dad at 13 years? I'm all for co-sleeping as youngsters, but it seems very unusual at that age, and possibly not healthy? A boy of that age needs his own space, not to be sharing with his dad.

Hayley1256 · 29/07/2025 23:06

How did you tell tour DS that you were separating and getting a new home? Did he just come back from holiday with his dad to find you and his siblings had moved out?

I think you really need to 9nvilve him in the house stuff to make it feel like his home too. Prioritise his things so he wants to spend time there

Britneyfan · 29/07/2025 23:07

KickHimInTheCrotch · 29/07/2025 22:49

Yes of course!

Co-parenting isn't about overnight stays. It's about being available, making decisions, helping out financially, picking up the phone, asking about school, helping with homework, cooking tea, looking after them when they're poorly, buying school shoes, dropping them at football practice, taking them on holiday or to the cinema, and many many more things. None of these require him to sleep under your roof.

I agree with this!

SlateandSteel · 29/07/2025 23:07

So I did suggest the idea of staying in the old house occasionally while ex worked. He said it is a lot to consider and to take it day by day.

OP posts:
Britneyfan · 29/07/2025 23:09

I also think it’s odd that he’s still co-sleeping with his dad at age 13, and would very much be encouraging him to be in his own room and his own bed, especially if your ex has a history of being abusive.

SlateandSteel · 29/07/2025 23:09

Hayley1256 · 29/07/2025 23:06

How did you tell tour DS that you were separating and getting a new home? Did he just come back from holiday with his dad to find you and his siblings had moved out?

I think you really need to 9nvilve him in the house stuff to make it feel like his home too. Prioritise his things so he wants to spend time there

Gosh no. He knew a while before that. He was aware that we were going to separate and that I would be me moving out. He didn’t come back from holiday to find me gone, that would be awful.

OP posts: