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Can ex force me to use him instead of nursery?

30 replies

Unexpectedlysinglemum · 22/02/2024 00:18

I'm due to start work soon after mat leave.
Ex has a day off midweek and has been visiting baby that day to take him to park or soft play etc. for 3 hours - never has done a full day - dont feel happy with him in my home (emotional
Abuse bullying etc). He often cancels or is late which is annoying but manageable when I'm free on mat leave. but not good enough when I'm at work. A couple of months ago I raised a concern that he hasn't done long enough days and is very unreliable and I will need to use nursery when I'm at work on this day if things don't improve. Nothing has changed and so I have told him we will need to do contact on another day as I will need to use reliable Childcare when I am back at work or my livelihood is at risk . Today I have got a letter from a lawyer saying I must keep the status quo and allow my ex to do the child care all day (which he has never done before) on that day and I must not put baby in nursery on this day. She assures me if ex is ill he'll arrange an alternative (who? A stranger?)
Ex and I split when pregnant and he has no child care experience or sensible relatives to help - he also doesn't have parental responsibility.
Am I able to just say no to this? Do I have to give reasons and evidence? I will offer contact on another day when I don't have to be at work and need reliable childcare? (It's not possible for me to swap days).

OP posts:
TooOldForThisNonsense · 22/02/2024 11:04

Tatonka · 22/02/2024 02:07

How about then set some strict ground rules that he needs to live up to. It seems to me the DC would be much better having a day with their father than at nursery

And then if he doesn’t live up to it and the OP risks her job and livelihood?

Illpickthatup · 22/02/2024 11:07

TooOldForThisNonsense · 22/02/2024 11:04

And then if he doesn’t live up to it and the OP risks her job and livelihood?

Exactly. She's already given him plenty of opportunity to prove he can be reliable and he's failed to do this.

Milkand2sugarsplease · 22/02/2024 11:10

We learned very early on that you can get a solicitor to put pretty much anything in a letter if you pay their bill!! Doesn't mean it stacks up in reality or you have to follow it.

With his background and him having no PR, book your nursery place, go back to work and don't think twice!!

Let him have access another day (that suits you as well as him).

TheFretfulPorpentine · 22/02/2024 13:19

Tatonka · 22/02/2024 01:50

Surely your DC would be better off spending the day with their father than nursery? If he doesn't have much experience, he'll learn. I don't understand the issue tbh

Why would a child be better off with a flaky dad than in a nursery, with trained staff and other children to play with?

Unexpectedlysinglemum · 22/02/2024 22:14

Thank you everyone x

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