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Ex just won’t communicate re kids

5 replies

Dickcrack · 28/05/2019 23:01

We have been split for 5 years. It was very acrimonious, following him having an affair which began when I and ds2 were in hospital after a dreadful birth, both very sick, he was vile to me for 3 years of affair duration until I found out he had sending dick pics to ow whilst lying with our small children getting them to sleep, obviously I chucked him out. He went nuts really, was always aggressive but turned really intimidating, pushed me around, police had to be called, there was a non mol granted. He then assaulted ds1 during contact, I had to stop contact, he dragged it all through family courts who never saw through him and he ended up with nearly 50/50.

Anyway, just a bit of background. He is a vile man, there is no love lost, I’m still unhappy with his parenting etc but there’s nothing I can do. Ds’s appear physically safe with him now but subject to emotional abuse (last week they heard him on phone to ow shouting and crying saying he didn’t want to live anymore” because his birthday wasn’t a great success). He’s 54.

I obviously have to contact him about the kids occasionally. Uniform, school trips, home work, what days he has got them this coming week etc if there’s any variation from the schedule (which I try really hard not to have to minimise contact). It’s never anything controversial and I keep messages business like. We had an email address set up, he claimed not to get emails. Contact books got ‘lost’. Now I resort to texting. The problem is, he barely ever responds. I get a response maybe 1 in every 6 messages. This week I have texted him 4 times to ask what time he is collecting kids tomorrow - half term share - and when I can expect them back. No response until I start getting nasty about it.

All I want is a calm business like exchange of necessary info so I can plan when I can go to work ffs. It shouldn’t be this hard should it?!

OP posts:
Dickcrack · 28/05/2019 23:04

In fact the way he carries on, you’d think it was me who had had the affair, assaulted the kids, pushed him about. I just think if it was other way round I’d be remorseful and trying my best to prove things had changed and I could be polite and civilised given what I’d done. I don’t get what he gains from this, it just winds me up and makes everything even more difficult.

OP posts:
StrongerThanIThought76 · 29/05/2019 15:08

You do realise he's doing this on purpose to wind you up - and to retain control?

Turn the messaging down. A lot. One message before contact - kids will be available at x o'clock on xday, I will be at home at x o'clock on xday when you return them. Please confirm by return text within the next 24 hours or I will make alternative arrangements.

Then stick to it. Let him take you to court to enforce contact - and make sure you have it written in to a new order about communication.

Changedmename1234 · 29/05/2019 19:39

Wise words stronger - I guess I’m scared of forcing it to point where I call his bluff and am out when he is expecting to get kids because he hasn’t confirmed, because the last time I told him what was happening (that ds1 wasn’t coming to contact due to him having assaulted him) he ignored it, came round my house, got in with a key (locks changed now) and took ds2. I had to call police and basically went through hell afterwards with court and carcass and anxiety so bad I was off work for months. I’m scared of him and hat he could do to me or the dcs if I rock the boat.

disneyspendingmoney · 30/05/2019 11:18

OP your question is exactly what I've been thinking of asking so thanks for asking it.

I'm going to take StrongerThanIThought76 advice and use it.

Thanks both

StrongerThanIThought76 · 30/05/2019 20:58

It took me a lot of years to get to the point I made above. Ex dropped contact from EOW to as and when he fancied. Still wouldn't confirm either way until 3pm on Friday afternoons - I had bags packed in the car boot on my way from work to collect the kids from school and BOOM 'I'm not having them today'.

He did the same with summer holidays, one year leaving it so late I didn't get chance to book time off/away with the kids.

So yes. It's bloody hard. I did call his bluff - if he wanted to change the scheduled weekends then he had to confirm a week in advance, I told him which weeks the kids would be available in the summer holidays. Most importantly I told him that if he didn't confirm an Easter weekend 2 weeks in advance then I'd be booking something else. He didn't, so I did. The proverbial hit the fan and he threatened to take me to court again but I hadn't withheld contact, just asked him to confirm before I made alternative arrangements.

It takes some nerve to call them out on their controlling bullshit but it is worth it - kids have calmed down too.

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