Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Lone parents

Use our Single Parent forum to speak to other parents raising a child alone.

Original poster

anything I can do about it?

5 replies

bubbles1510 · 15/03/2011 06:56

Girls came back from wknd with ex, and were telling me about they can't play with the garden toys because they are filled up with cigarette butts!

They say they are in the toy car they have in the garden and daddy has told them just to leave them alone and don't play with them!!

We fled 18mths ago, they didn't go to the house for 16mths and it certainly wasn't like that when we left so he's had plenty of opportunity to clean up.

I am disgusted and worried that so many butts should be around the childrens toys, but is there anything I can do about it? Write to court, social services talking to him is a a no go, very unapproachable and would just to do it more because I had asked it to be cleaned up.

I wouldn't let my girls go a friends house like this but the court say they have to go there?

Concerned but unsure how to get it sorted.

Many thanks xx

OP posts:
GypsyMoth · 15/03/2011 07:34

No, you can't return to court over this or bother social services, who won't be the slightest bit interested!

You are going to have to speak to him or ignore it

Learn to pick your battles, this is petty and not important at all in the grand scheme of things.

Original poster
bubbles1510 · 15/03/2011 07:48

Ok, I may write him a letter then.

It would be far from petty should the children put one in their mouths.

Thankyou for your reply

OP posts:
Newbabynewmum · 15/03/2011 10:49

I just wanted to say that I don't think it's petty and I'd be reacting the same as you. It's about having an environment fit for your DCs to be in. I think it's important and I'd definitely be trying to do something about it x

GypsyMoth · 15/03/2011 13:39

do what???

courts wont entertain something so petty!! yes,petty
thats the way judges view this stuff....they have REAL issues to deal with everyday....abused kids,dv,alcoholic parents,drug use,.....and then along comes the 'cig buts in outdoor toy' scenario????

what do you expect court to DO???

cestlavielife · 15/03/2011 14:13

how old are they?

what can you do?

well eys reinforce the message that thy should not play with them or eat tehm .

you could write to him - (but jsut make it a short note - " girls said they couldnt play in car beacuse of cigarette ends, just wanted to check with you if they were exageerating?"
but it is likely to set off some kind of battle...

and if he decides not to do anything then what?

as was said - on its own, SS are not going to go round there.... you need more than that! do they come back clean, fed, happy?

New posts on this thread. Refresh page