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KIds wanting to live with Dad. Breaking my heart. Can I stop this.

41 replies

Gaynor0000 · 15/09/2018 10:05

Hi. I’m new on here but would really like to hear if anyone has been in the same situation as me. My kids are son of 13 daughter Is 10. Me and their dad do not communicate. But he has text saying he wants the kids to live with him. The kids are confused. He shouldn’t have told them they could because now they are considering moving in with him. I am saying I will not allow it. I am aware my son at 13 has a choice but my daughter is only 10 and I feel she needs to be with her mum. I am literally beside myself with worry and I don’t know how to handle the situation. My ex is arranging mediation to discuss it. But I’m even scared of going to that. Please if anyone has experience of something similar

OP posts:
bluetrampolines · 15/09/2018 10:07

It is awful but i think you have to let them go with your pretend blessing. And let them know that it will be veru exciting and hope they have fun. And that they can change their mind and come home whenever they want. The more you say they can't the more powerful your ex becomes.

It is horrible. Mine are younger but i do understand.

Hecticlifeanddrowning8 · 15/09/2018 10:13

Tell them that adults make these decisions not children. Yes your son is old enough to decide but your daughter isn't. Most courts do not want siblings to bs separated! They are probably being swayed along by the promise of treats and says out etc.
Go to mediation but with the view that the children will remain living with you.

CrazyDogLady87 · 15/09/2018 10:20

my DSS (8-10 at the time)played up his mother something chronic, always running away saying he wanted to live here with his dad and me, however we explained to him though he is always welcome here you can't just move in because you are arguing with your mum, we then met with his mum and had many discussions and she knew if she needed him to come and stay with us it was an option and she wasn't alone, we co-parent and are 99.9% of the time on the same page, we have a pretty good relationship, however we told her the same we wanted it done the correct way if he was to move in it wasnt to be done in anger and haste it was to be done so that it was the best decision for DSS eventually matters got worse in her house and she turned up with him at 10:30pm one night without warning and said she had, had enough, he wasnt living with her anymore, this was almost 18 months ago and DSS has been with us since, his relationship woth his mum did improve some however, as soon as there is any issues he quickly brings up, you cant do/say this/that you threw me out late at night when I was 10, he has not forgiven her, despite us explaining that wasnt the case we had many discussion about it when he wasnt around, he feels she gave up on him. his behaviour improved and he was moved to a new school as he was at risk of explusion at his old one, he has come on leaps and bounds and she is so grateful as nowshe does have a better realtionship with him but he still holds that over her head and she feels guilty for how it went down. he knows he is always welcome at his home with her if he wanted to go back but he just says no way he hates her.

if done correctly a switch in households can be a smooth and hassle free transistion for family relationships however in our situation it wasnt so easy and DSS holds resentment its important your children know its entirely their choice they dont have to go but also dont have to stay, its a really tricky situation to be in i would go to mediation and air your side in a calm manner let him say his and hopefully you will come to an agreement, maybe more access days rather than living full time with you/him.

Gaynor0000 · 15/09/2018 10:35

Thanks for the advice. That is what I want to do is go to mediation with it in my head they are staying with me.

I let them see their dad whenever they want, They quite often stay outside the agreed days sometimes 4 or 5 nights a week. So there is no reason for them to have to move.
My friends think it’s about money and that he thinks if he gets the kids he can take the house off me.

I hope your right in that a court would recommend not splitting up siblings. I hadn’t thought of that one. Thanks

OP posts:
MischaB · 15/09/2018 10:55

Hmm. I was desperate to go and live with my dad when I was 12. Mum wouldn't let me. I still feel angry about it. I think you need to find out their reasons and determine what is going to be best for the kids. I wish I had have been listened to.

Ilove80s · 15/09/2018 10:57

Are you married/divorced? Is the house joint owned? Get legal advice re the house so you are prepared if that’s what this is about.

SlightlyMisplacedSingleDad · 15/09/2018 10:58

You haven't really given any reasons as to why the kids might be better off with either you or their Dad. This seems to be about your feelings - you want them with you. As hard as it is, you need to set your feelings to one side. This isn't about you. It's about them. So, what would be best for them?

Things to think about:

  • what do the kids want? Even your daughter - no, she isn't old enough to make her own decisions yet, but she is absolutely old enough to have a view, and both children need to know that they are being listened to, even if the decision doesn't go their way.
  • who is best positioned to meet their emotional, physical, and financial needs? Who are they closest to? Who provides the practical support with things like homework?
  • how will things like childcare work? Is either parent around more? Are the practical steps in place to ensure that whoever they live with can practically manage things?
  • how will contact with the other parent work, irrespective of where they're living?
  • what is the set up on bedrooms and suchlike in each house? Is either house better equipped to support their needs? Where do they have the best lifestyle?
  • are there any implications for schooling from a move of house? What would that mean for them?
  • are there other things that could be changed, that would help address whatever is driving the suggestion of a change of house? Are they having to carry lots of stuff to their dad's, so should they have more belongings spread between the houses?
  • is it really such a big deal? You say the kids are often spending 4-5 nights with their Dad anyway - so, in practical terms, they're pretty much already living with him.

There are a host of things to think about. But you do need to come at those from the perspective of what is right for your kids - simply saying that you feel your daughter needs to be with her mum may be understandable, but it's not a compelling argument that this is best for them.

Mediation - if done well, with a good mediator - is a good way of working through those considerations. Working together constructively, to find what is best for your kids, is always the right target to aim for. Going in with a view that, no matter what, they aren't going to live with their Dad will mean that mediation isn't effective. Far better to listen to what is happening in the kids' heads, think it through, and determine what is right for them.

If you are worried about finances, take legal advice. If you're already divorced, and have a finalised financial order in place, there is no risk that he could take the house. If you weren't married, the same is true. If the divorce is ongoing, then there certainly could be a dispute about the financial settlement. You would need legal advice. But a decision about what is right for the kids should never be based on whether or not you get the house, anyway. So try to separate those issues in your mind.

It's really hard having these sort of discussions, and it can be scary. But it's the right thing to do to come back to the residence arrangements from time to time and ask if they are still right for the kids. Hopefully, both of you will be able to approach this from that perspective.

Ilove80s · 15/09/2018 10:59

How would a new arrangement affect child maintenance?

Gain0000 · 15/09/2018 11:09

Mishcab Thanks for your advice. I will sit with the kids and ask them what they want. My worry is they do not realise the implications of leaving.

We are still married and still own the house together. Their Dad works 6 days a week, so this is why I think they are better with me because I work part time and I am there to do the school runs every day and I am always off the school holidays. He would not be able to do any of this. I genuinely think the kids just think it will be an exciting change to live with Dad but I think they would want to come back pretty quickly. The point is it would break me to let them go. And I know that is about me but I also think the kids moving back and forth is not good for them. I just want them to be happy. And I believe them moving In With him would only make them
Happy for a short period of time.

Gain0000 · 15/09/2018 11:15

Thanks misplacedsingledad
Lots of good advice there which I will make notes of to help me in the mediation.

You put across things I haven’t thought of

Gain0000 · 15/09/2018 11:20

Ilove80’s. He only gives me £50 a week child maintenance anyway. So I wouldn’t loose much. He is self employed and doesn’t declare all of his earnings which is why he gets away with giving me so little.

Ilove80s · 15/09/2018 11:23

You’ve name changed op in case you didn’t realise.

My concern in your place would be that they think they want to live with their father but the reality might be different and then they might want to come back to you again. If they already spend plenty of time with him I would leave it tbh especially as you say you are there in the holidays.

Gain0000 · 15/09/2018 12:13

Thanks ilove80’s. That is exactly what I think. I could let them go but I honestly believe they would be back quite quickly. My 10 year old daughter can’t even sleep in her own bed she has slept with me every night since he left 2 1/2 years ago. I just want things left as they are

Starlight345 · 15/09/2018 13:35

Your post is confusing. You say they stay 4-5 times a week then she can’t sleep in her own bed. If there 4-5 times a week he already is the rp.

I wonder if there has been a message subliminal or not that you don’t want them go to dads whenever he will have you.

Talk to them individually as they may have different options

UserNr385 · 16/09/2018 15:43

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UserNr385 · 16/09/2018 16:07

How long have they lived with you? Why can't they live with him for a while?

KnotsInMay · 16/09/2018 16:43

“My 10 year old daughter can’t even sleep in her own bed she has slept with me every night since he left 2 1/2 years ago”

But she stays OK at his house? It sounds as if she / they miss him terribly, and maybe feel sorry for him. And haven’t thought ahead that they would feel the same about you if they moved.

As the resident parent you are just ‘there’ but he is away so yearned for.
I am guessing the 4/5 nights isn’t the norm, but happens from time to time?
The work pattern is important. What weekend and school holiday time does he give them / could he give them?

Gain0000 · 16/09/2018 18:41

Knotsinmay. thank you for your comments. I think you are right, they miss him. It is not the norm for them to stay 4 nights a week this has only been in the last couple of months since the talk of them living with him. This is the thing as well. I am off all of the school holidays. He hasn’t taken one day off work in the last 2 years to look after them. He only has them weekends and evenings during the week. So I don’t know how he is going to manage childcare if they live with him

Notacluewhatthisis · 16/09/2018 18:47

Managing childcare is something you will discuss at mediation.

I am sure if this was about maintaince or selling the house, he would have done that by now. They stay with him most of the week. He is the RP and I would be surprised if you are actually entitled to any maintenance at all now.

I am RP for ds. I have him 4 or 5 nights a week.

This can not be about if it breaks you. Or you don't want it. It's about the kids.

Whats the situation with the house?

Gain0000 · 16/09/2018 19:00

I know it’s about the kids and not me but I can’t help feel devastated the fact my children might not live with me anymore. My children are my life. And if I have to let them leave I will if they really want to. But I also genuinely believe they are better off with me.

Gain0000 · 16/09/2018 19:13

We still jointly own the house.

Notacluewhatthisis · 16/09/2018 19:46

Are you divorced? Are the terms that you have to sell it if they don't live with you?

Because, honestly, if they are with him most of the time anyway then you should prepare for the house to be sold at some point.

KnotsInMay · 16/09/2018 19:59

Start sticking to the original arrangement again.

How did it start, the 4 nights?

Gain0000 · 16/09/2018 20:09

No we are not divorced yet. And even though they sleep at his 4 nights sometimes, they are still with me more.

They don’t go to his until 8pm and he drops them home at 8am.

I would like to go back to the original arrangements of 2 nights a week but I would never say to the kids they can’t see him.

Gain0000 · 16/09/2018 20:12

And I am planning on either buying him out or selling up to give him his share.

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