Why should I have to sort his effing father's day/ birthday stuff out?

[RiotsNotDiets]

Split with ExH a couple of months ago, he has basically told me that we will still be buying/helping DD to make our birthday presents and mothers/fathers day presents.

I don't want to. When we were together, I always made loads of effort to come up with gift ideas that he would like and want to hold on to.
He always made half arsed efforts on the morning of the day and I'd end up with a straw sellotaped to a bog roll*. It's not really a tradition I want to keep up now that I don't have to.

I'd much rather on mothers day/ my birthday spend it together with DD and help her make me something or maybe asking my mum/sister/close friend to help her and I don't really want to sit there and help DD make him something meaningful when I know he won't bother reciprocating the time and effort I would put in.

I'm not exactly his biggest fan atm anyway, he was already shacked up with a new girlfriend a few weeks into the breakdown of our marriage and he's been putting his social life ahead of DD, planning nights out when he's supposed to have her overnight and turning up 3 hours late, hungover to pick her up. I'll have to tell him, I can't really send her round on his birthday without warning him that she won't have anything for him can I? Any tips on broaching the subject whilst avoiding murdering him confrontation?

*I know it's the thought that counts and of course I appreciate anything from DD.

[lostdad]

Mothers/Fathers day is for the child and not the parent. My son gets very excited choosing a gift and making a card for his Mum and it's something I encourage. It makes him happy.

Of course if he wants to buy her a mahoosive box of chocolates to make her arse even fatter I'll happy pay for it.

[GreenLeafTea]

On my first Mother's Day my husband made no effort at all so I took the baby out for afternoon tea and it was lovely.

There is no reason her ex can't organize something for himself.

[RooneyMara]

Oh that's lovely, Lostdad...

[keelyboo]

I buy cards, he made it clear its my bf's job to help girls get my presents and didnt even get a card for them to sign, mothers day he had said nothing and did nothing

its his birthday tomorrow ive done cards, as his gf "forgot" but i know how much it means to them to do something so i did it, he said shes buyin presents as much as it would grate when he cant be bothered id buy presents for them to give if needed as its them whos important here not me and they love him and want to spoil him for his birthday. until such times as they can buy themselves i do it or his gf i just find out well in advance

[RiotsNotDiets]

Thanks for the replies. I've decided not to get him anything. If she wants help when she's older then I will, but I'm not doing it for his sake.
Greenleaf that's what I need to keep reminding myself, he can't tell me what to do.

[starlight1234]

I did with FIL when son was this age scribble a card so it looked like son as he didn't see my son but his wife did and he shared my birthday that way no hassle caused but no emotions given..i couldn't find a granddad card that didn't say how wonderful you were...

As he got older I did involve him..last year son saw Dad he said a small bar of chocolate as gift ..nice..let my son eay it

[PleaseLetsGoToSleep]

I got a folded piece of paper with 'happy mothers day' scribbled on it from my exp, so he can shove fathers day up his backside if he thinks he's getting anything from me (ds is 18 months). Worst of it is that he some how thinks this was something nice, he recalled in a conversation how 'they'd done something nice for mummy that wkend'............I mean wtaf!
Good for you op, don't send him anything.

[BlackeyedSusan]

surely the dc's can make something for their dad's birthday... how bout you go the extra millimeter mile and make a desk tidy with 3 loo rolls and straw.

personally, it would depend on the attitude of ex/what the children want/state of finances.

[IneedAyoniNickname]

I'd be happy with a scribbled on piece of paper (or an older child equivalent) but ex wouldnt even let them do that!

Luckily as a card maker myself, I let them loose on my stash, but shouldn't have to imo!

[Thingymajigs]

My exH only sees the children 4-5 times a year and two of those occasions always lands on his birthday and fathers day. I get something for the boys to give to their dad for both events but I've never received anything in return. My mum always bought mothers day gifts for the boys to give to me before I met DP. I think its important for the kids to send gifts even if I'm seething inside.

[SodaStreamy]

How much contact does your EX have with your daughter? Is it 50/50 or do you have the larger amount of time with her?

perhaps he still wants a fathers day present, just let her do it herself and don't help.

Reading your posts it sounds like you are in a position where you understandable still hate him.

If she is in playgroup/nursery they will help the children make 'presents' for fathers day' ..just give him that

It does get easier with time, really it does

[HerrenaHarridan]

I have followed my own good advice and requested a support worker involved with us do arseface a card with dd for Father's Day.

(Why isn't there a pat on the back emoticon?)

It won't have my writing, influence, help etc I will carry to their contact session and that's it. He will scrumple it up in his pocket and lose it like he did with all the fantastic handmade card I used to make him.

Op you are right don't bother, I love you nn by the way

[RiotsNotDiets]

I don't hate him, we are civil, I just think he's a knob and I don't appreciate him telling me what to do.

To be honest, I think if I knew the level of effort and thought I put into all his gifts from her would be reciprocated I wouldn't have such an issue with it. But I always helped DD make him things that you would actually want to keep and display and that she was proud to give him, but he'd leave it till the very last minute and then just put in the bare minimum and hand me something that breaks the second you breathe near it and DD has no interest in because even she had no idea what it was supposed to be.

Of course in that situation I always made a big deal of thanking DD and saying how lovely it was, but it's hurtful when your partner doesn't put the same effort into making you happy as you do for them and it's not something I want to have to be reminded of.

[FiftyShadesofGreyMatter]

Just smile and nod, then totally ignore. He has no say in what you do/don't do anymore.

[PleaseLetsGoToSleep]

It was exp who wrote on the piece of paper I got btw, not my 18 mth Old

[comingintomyown]

At 2yo I wouldnt bother apart from the fact it sets a precedent and as she gets older she will enjoy giving him something

[CremeEggThief]

You don't have to. It's not your responsibility any more.

[ladydeedy]

Gosh I am shocked by some of the replies on here. It is not about you, it is about your child and trying to facilitate a good relationship with their other parent. You are setting yourself and your child up for a difficult time ahead if you can't get over something as small as this when you and ex have only been split up a short time. You will have many more, bigger issues to deal with over time.

[ZenGardener]

I disagree. Her ex obviously feels he can tell her what to do. If he had suggested doing birthday presents for each other or asked what the OP though about it then fair enough but he didn't. He told her! That needs nipping in the bud.

OP just text him and say you've decided as you've split up that its inappropriate to buy gifts for each other and that you're sure either his mother or girl friend would be able to handle it instead.

Don't let him play mind games on you. You've done nothing wrong!

[emstats]

When I split with DD's dad we made him gifts for fathers day, and a cake for his birthday... But that was purely for the girls benefit! (And it made his new gf squirm because my mum took down the cake with the girls and they all then sat there with a piece of cake and a cuppa!!! Lol added bonus!) Anyway, my point is I did it for the girls, I never wanted them to to think 'I want to get daddy something for his birthday but I can't ask mum for help, she'll get mad/sad/bad'.
I think you should do it, and do it well, cos actually your only playing the part for your child.

[2anddone]

This will be first year without h living here. I will do the same this year as every year
Its my birthday 12 days later if he doesn't sort anything from dc I wont do it again but until then I will continue

[DotCottonsHairnet]

Mine did nothing towards Mothers Day - teens did it themselves for the first time ever and actually it was the best day - they really thought about it. Did the same with my birthday a while later too.

For Fathers Day I will leave it to them - same with his birthday.

Btw his effort levels for birthdays etc have always been poor - boys know its always been down to me.

[SnoopyLovesYou]

PurplePidgin- can we hang out? ;-)

[SnoopyLovesYou]

I need a yoninickname-

I am shocked at your ex saying that. 'You shouldn't have bothered etc.' Shockingly hurtful behaviour!!!!!