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Lone parents

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How involved is your ex in raising your DCs?

46 replies

Henbird · 01/01/2022 08:46

Been on my own for over 10 years now - the DCs see their dad every other weekend. When they were born he said multiple times how he wanted to be a 'participative father'. He now pays bare minimum maintenance (but has just returned from a 2 week holiday in Dubai), has switched off from my DS's mental health issues, meaning I have to do all DS's related appointments and does not ask how DCs are when they're not with him. Is this normal? Is it better for him not to be involved day to day? I still can't get my head round it

OP posts:
megletthesecond · 01/01/2022 08:48

Nothing in 13yrs. He just pays maintenance. I know I'm one of the lucky ones.

Mumoblue · 01/01/2022 08:53

Not very. He pays £50 a month (sometimes £30) and sees DS every Saturday for 5 hours, but often cancels and rescheduled.
He’s never had our son overnight, or even for a full day.

Just today he’s asked to only have DS for two hours because he didn’t get enough sleep. 🙄

Henbird · 01/01/2022 08:57

I just don't get how they can switch off. Or how they think they have the choice. It's an awful thing to say but sometimes I feel like a paid help - he pays maintenance so the DCs are my responsibility. But maybe that's how it really is?

OP posts:
waterpops · 01/01/2022 09:04

I've only been separated for 3 years, but ex dh is a surface level parent, he pays a good amount of maintenance (£450pm) but is also very well off so can easily afford that, but in terms of actual parenting he gives off this idea to people that he is really involved but he doesn't actually take on any parental responsibilities.

No appointments, wouldn't know when they break up and return to school, doesn't get them to brush teeth (they're 4&6), barely washes their clothes, doesn't do homework or school reading, I could go on and on, basically does nothing particularly that is actually the parenting side.

He loves them and does fun things and really thinks he's God's gift for doing so.

unicornsarereal72 · 01/01/2022 09:04

My ex never really was a hands on parent when he was here. He was short tempered and mainly ignored the kids unless there was someone to perform for around.

He left 4 years ago and up until very recently he has had next to nothing to do with the kids. Didn't pay his support. Not involved at all day to day. And cancelled at least 50% of his contact.

Currently there is a new gf. So have had child support regularly. And is seeing one child eow. And is full on super dad. With swimming trips out etc. Long may it last.

All the day to say stuff is my responsibility. But it always has been. So no change for me. Really the only change for me is I have to pay someone to do the DIY

Henbird · 01/01/2022 09:16

@waterpops - surface level parent is exactly the right description! All for show and none of the daily responsibilities

OP posts:
EarringsandLipstick · 01/01/2022 09:21

@megletthesecond

Nothing in 13yrs. He just pays maintenance. I know I'm one of the lucky ones.
You are not 'lucky'. This is still shit. Your ex paying maintenance only doesn't make it lucky.
Onlinedilema · 01/01/2022 09:22

Very, very little. Stopped paying maintenance when he married the ow. Now the dc are adults only one of them has anything to do with him and that's just at birthdays/Christmas etc. I'm still getting a pittance each week for the maintenance arrears which he didn't pay when the dc were children.

EarringsandLipstick · 01/01/2022 09:25

It's the hardest thing for me OP

My ex 'sees' 2 of our 3 DC regularly. (Eldest does not want to see him). But he is totally & utterly uninvolved in their lives, parenting. Where they go to school, medical situations (including emergencies), and any emotional stuff going on for them.

It's just superficial. He'll hang out with them & do the easy stuff. But nothing that requires effort, investment, putting them first.

Even basic tasks like, washing clothes if they are with him, remembering cream for DS eczema etc

It is one of the hardest aspects of the situation. It's hard because it's all on me. But it's also hard to think their other parent can me so uninvolved. Just to not care about the details of their lives.

EarringsandLipstick · 01/01/2022 09:26

[quote Henbird]@waterpops - surface level parent is exactly the right description! All for show and none of the daily responsibilities[/quote]
Exactly this.

And people say to me 'it's great he sees them regularly'. Ffs.

(And he'll drop them / change arrangements at a moments' notice anyway).

megletthesecond · 01/01/2022 09:28

earring he was a nightmare and we don't have to worry about any drama. My dcs have had a very stable life compared to their mates with hopeless non resident parents.

Theunamedcat · 01/01/2022 09:36

The occasional hour here and there is all he sees them he has a new girlfriend so his texts are no longer abusive he is still trying to get out of child support bad mouths me behind my back he tells people he is paying child support but he isnt he has stuck to the amount assessed when he was unemployed despite having a new job

EarringsandLipstick · 01/01/2022 09:43

@megletthesecond

earring he was a nightmare and we don't have to worry about any drama. My dcs have had a very stable life compared to their mates with hopeless non resident parents.
Sorry, I do get it. I am in a similar situation. I just meant it's shit that 'lucky' = 'he pays some maintenance'

I'm glad things are ok for you all 💐

helloisitmeyourelookingfor · 01/01/2022 09:46

When my 2 started high school their dad declared them too old for maintenance agreements -they knew where he lived and could go round whenever they wanted

Oldest is now 21 and hasn't seen him since he was 13, youngest is 19 and kept trying for a relationship with his dad until he was 15 before giving up

It's been hard seeing them realise what he's actually like

Piggyk2 · 01/01/2022 09:47

So frustrating isn't it OP. My ex does EOW too and a facetime call once a week. He pays CMS for our DC but nothing extra throughout the year other than Christmas which is sparse. Its like a tick box there's no real passion but DS adores his dad and loves going to see his dad.

Piemam · 01/01/2022 09:49

Oh I hate that "so good that he sees them"! What the hell? Like it's good I feed, house, clothe and generally look after and love the very same kids, right? Where's my fecking medal?
@Henbird, mine is so shirte, I can hardly fathom I procreated with him. Shirks paying for anything, maintenance included, never does anything school related, doesn't know shoe size, clothing etc etc, feeds them crap, actively impacts their emotional health by painting me a baddie (I'm fabulous, by the way) and contributes, honestly, nothing useful yet tells them how he loves them. But I'm the lucky one. Screw that.

Lilyargin · 01/01/2022 09:50

My ex moved 350 miles away when dd was 3/4. Obviously a dedicated, hands-on dad. Sees her roughly every 7 weeks (half terms/Christmas/Easter) when SHE travels to HIM - but that is sometimes cancelled because we go on holidays.
When she does go, she finds he is hopelessly out of touch, and unable to tolerate more than a few days before getting irritable. (She's 16 now).
Pathetically poor parenting.
Pays maintenance though.
Wanker.

Phillipa12 · 01/01/2022 09:51

He has the boys eow and a couple of extra days each holidays, they do there homework and reading when with him and the clothes returned washed but only because I ask. He does pay above the cms calculation and the boys love spending time with him because he spoils them but day to day stuff, school stuff, oldest audiology appointments (partially deaf and wears aids) well hes been to 1 appointment in 13 years, that all falls to me. He did once email at the beginning of our separation and asked to be involved with all the day to day stuff, I quickly realised that all he wanted was a quick email once a week on the boys progress, he never actually asked after them, he just expected to be informed, I'm not his pa so I stopped and waited to be asked, I'm still waiting, it been 6 years. I always share important information but nothing more. Obviously to all his friends he's a committed, dedicated dad who Co parents easily with his ex, in reality he's a Disney dad who does and knows very little about his boys.

arethereanyleftatall · 01/01/2022 09:54

Mine is better now than when we were together. He saw them more when we were together and living in the same house, but never actually did anything with them unless I organised it, and dragged his heels. He now he actually does stuff with them. He has them two days per week, so focuses on them. Ok, he is a Disney dad, but he takes them out for dinner, shopping etc And finances, my constant order is for £1800 per month and he pays it without quibble.

EarringsandLipstick · 01/01/2022 09:57

Oh I hate that "so good that he sees them"! What the hell? Like it's good I feed, house, clothe and generally look after and love the very same kids, right? Where's my fecking medal?

I know. It's another form of misogyny isn't it? Like we are expected to do it. (Which we do). But that useless abusive exes show up with any regularity is worthy of a comment ... 'sure at least he does that much' is a comment my mother says regularly (and she knows what he's like & agrees he's utter loser).

EarringsandLipstick · 01/01/2022 10:01

unable to tolerate more than a few days before getting irritable.

That's another point I can relate to.

Ex takes 2 of DC on holidays in the summer. Once it goes over a few days, you can see he's not able & the parenting & engagement drops exponentially.

When he dropped them back last time, he dumped a bag of dirty clothes at my feet. Pretty much everything they'd taken with them. He was simultaneously giving out to them for not having told him they had clothes to wash 🙄

It was a relatively small thing for me but it enraged me he could do it, just drop filthy clothes back for me to sort. Not even able to organise a wash.

jackiebenimble · 01/01/2022 10:04

Mine is brilliant. Supports them and supports me in my own parenting. I can share my concerns and worries with him. We attend all parents evenings and football matches and host birthday parties together. No maintenance as we are 50/50. Agree joint punishments for naughtiness across both houses for consistency etc when needed. Hes a good guy. Hes a good dad. Just wasnt the right husband for me.

pumpkinpie01 · 01/01/2022 10:05

My ex was crap , put his social life above seeing them. He had them every Sunday for 5 hours and overnight on a Saturday 5 times in 7 years . He lived a 5 minute walk away and as the dc got older his attitude was ' they can see me whenever they want they don't need an invite ' . Except yes they did need to feel wanted and therefore actually invited. They are adults now and it's really affected my dd20 he never asks her how Uni is and goes months without calling her , it's quite sad.

EarringsandLipstick · 01/01/2022 10:11

@jackiebenimble

Mine is brilliant. Supports them and supports me in my own parenting. I can share my concerns and worries with him. We attend all parents evenings and football matches and host birthday parties together. No maintenance as we are 50/50. Agree joint punishments for naughtiness across both houses for consistency etc when needed. Hes a good guy. Hes a good dad. Just wasnt the right husband for me.
That's great to here. It's a sad reflection that I read that post going 'really?'

But actually I know 2 separated / divorced fathers who are extremely involved parents so I actually do know it's possible. I just am so used to my rubbish & controlling ex that it seems like an impossibility.

KurtWildesChristmasNamechange · 01/01/2022 10:11

Exh input goes from 'you need to keep me up to date on every minuscule thing in DC lives or you're being purposefully obstructive' to forgetting that he's having them and not turning up until I call and remind him. Either way it's never his fault always mine.

Only DD11 sees him now and he's flakier than ever now he's in a new relationship. Saw her for 2 hours over the entire Christmas school holidays and festive period. And then he wonders why when he does call and want to engage she's not interested.

He's never paid a penny in CM in all the time we've been separated. I used to bring it up a lot initially but he called me money grabbing blah blah blah lambasted me to everyone we knew saying I saw DC as free income, and bizarrely they agreed with him Confused

So yeah. I stopped bothering with that and have supported them myself 100% since we separated years ago. On the VERY rare occasion he's bought something (new pair of boots or school coat), he doesn't let anyone forget it, certainly not DC. It's rolled out every time he feels badly done to.. 'and after I just bought you some new boots...'

Last month DD11 came home early from his in tears, told me he'd made her feel bad that he'd bought food in for her tea, like feeding her is special treatment. He'd said 'I bought sausages in and cooked your dinner and this is the thanks I get?' (because she wanted to continue playing on the Xbox and he wanted to check his fifa cards or some such nonsense.) DD told me she'd said that he kinda has to feed her because that's just standard and that's why he'd brought her home early. He's also threatened to not see her again/take her home early if she doesn't 'behave'. I had MASSIVE words with him about using visitation as a weapon and holding it over her.

There's SO much more but I don't want to out myself.

To the outside world he's a devoted dad, very present in their lives. But we all know that's bullshit.

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