DP’s ex wife making it hard for him to have the kids

[settingthestage]

My partner has 2 teens. They live with their mother full time. They’re allowed to come to his once or twice a week for tea but never really sleep over and she seems not happy about them coming to sleepover as I’ve suggested he initiates this properly and ex w seems upset by this.

He only has one spare room so it is difficult, but not impossible for them to stay.

I’ve told him to set boundaries with her and insist they should be having regular overnights.

For some reason he seems to struggle with this. Any idea what his rights are legally?

Thanks to the posters who explained what I meant. Yes Teenagers can be emotionally difficult. But you can sleep through the night and go to the dentist while single parenting them. There’s no cleaning up poo and papier mache.

Absolutely. But it takes time to build up that relationship.

If you read OPs posts she describes the situation as it is now and what she has told her partner what needs to happen. She doesn’t talk about what the teens want, doesn’t talk about what her boyfriend wants just about how she thinks it should be.

As she presents it, she has come in, observed a relationship between two parents and their teenagers, decided it isn’t to her liking and set about changing it. That, to me, appears high handed and intrusive.

The OP isn’t their step mum though. She’s their dad’s new girlfriend.

Agree. It doesn’t sound like OP lives with her boyfriend and, if I’m honest, I really didn’t like her tone!

‘I’ve told him to set boundaries with her and insist they should be having regular overnights.’

Her boyfriend went years having his kids twice a week for tea! Hasn’t set up a bedroom for them or done anything to get more access. All OP has said is she doesn’t think this is right so she is dictating how it should be!

she sounds like a interfering know it all!! The relationship probably won’t last and all she will have done is stir up trouble and resentment. Dad clearly can’t be bothered being more involved so might do this to impress the new lady, then will fall back into his old ways when she gets sick of his inability to commit to her!