Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Parenting

For free parenting resources please check out the Early Years Alliance's Family Corner.

Parents taking over parenting

199 replies

TalkToTheHand123 · 23/10/2022 09:35

I'm starting to lose my rag.

I split up with my ex about a year ago now and with the ex being very unreliable, I've had to rely on my parents for help as I work full time.

I used to just stay over when dd6 was with them sometimes instead of travelling backwards and forwards, but started to get annoyed with their soft approach to parenting and their interference when I was being firm with dd6, so I stopped staying over. (My dad would let her read at half eleven at night).

I was over there yesterday and was being firm with dd6 as she'd been to gymnastics (arranged by my parents, but which I had agreed to) and I wanted her to get changed straight away and wouldn't let her out of her room until she changed clothes. She did her typical stomping and screaming to get my parent's attention. My dad started shouting up the stairs to tell me I was doing it wrong and causing her to scream (they've been in a 1,2,3 magic course and think they know it all now). I just walked out.

Now I've just received a message to say they've taken her out for the day so won't be in.

Is it me or what? Should I not be able to have a say where dd6 stays or goes? This is my second day off out of three and had plans with her and they've just totally screwed it up. They spent most of my life trying to control me and now they are doing it with my daughter. I'm so annoyed.

OP posts:
Smineusername · 02/11/2022 08:47

Yeah this is not good enough. As a single mum you get help with childcare. You need to use paid childcare and/or change your working pattern because at the minute you are not available to parent your only child and that is just not acceptable. The kid comes before work. Sort it out

crowsfeet57 · 02/11/2022 08:48

She loves it when I turn up and likes me taking her out and doesn't mind me having her when others aren't making it difficult

Is this for real? You sound like a favourite aunt or a neighour with a puppy.

Parenting is about more than giving birth and if you think her bad behaviour and temper isn't a direct result of you dipping in and out of her life then you're deluded. You need to start putting her first and giving her a routine she can depend on or you're going to be back on here in a few years asking how to deal with an uncontrollable teenager,

GreenFingersWouldBeHandy · 02/11/2022 08:51

I think your DD's head must be all over the place. She barely sees you, barely sees her father (how often?) and you're now arguing with the two people who are offering her some stability and normality.

You need to sit down with your parents and agree a way going forwards. You're her Mother, but you're acting like a sulky child with your parents who are bending over backwards to look after your daughter!

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about these subjects:

LannieDuck · 02/11/2022 08:53

I'm confused by your working hours.

Do you work 3 days a week? If so, why aren't you able to have DD the other 4 days a week (so 8 days in the last fortnight)?

DeeCeeCherry · 02/11/2022 09:01

Ekátn
Op, when I became a single parent I had to change jobs because the shifts wouldn’t work

Same here. I didnt much like the job I took on but when life circumstances change, needs must

OP if you're working 12 hour shifts and obviously you have to sleep in between, you're spending no time with your DD. Your parents are parenting her.

Unless you are actively looking for non-shift work then you need to let your parents get on with raising your child as, you're not doing it.

Margot78 · 02/11/2022 09:32

Please don’t shut her in her room if she won’t get changed. It’s controlling and escalating things unnecessarily and probably frightening a child who clearly has enough to deal with, poor thing.

Battyfumworts · 02/11/2022 09:41

TalkToTheHand123 · 28/10/2022 16:24

Aww @Violashift your comment has helped me a lot thanks.

@Loachworks I don't willingly hand her over, I do so out of necessity, ie when I'm at work or plans to go out drinking.

@Goldbar why would I pay expenses when she's at my parent's? I agree though, I'd be up the creek without them. My dad also pays for my cars and car expenses, so can't kick off too much or else I would have to pay for that myself or start getting buses. I'm a bit more chilled out about things now though and gives me more time to do housework or go out shopping or drinking.

I get the child benefit as I put it in my name when I wasn't working much as I thought I needed it for NI credits a couple of years ago. I let my ex claim child tax credits as he was working and needed the money. I also keep the benefit as he would just waste it. I buy clothes and food and other bits and bobs now and again for them when he's really struggling.

@Aquamarine1029 What are my bad choices?

Anyways, I took her out today to the pub (where there is a play area and I can have a carvery 😊) and have her tonight as when I took her back to her dad's he said he needed a break due to her behaviour. She came without any fuss which was a surprise. So nice to have some time with her and I will drop her off at my mam's in the morning before work.

There's no set routine due to my hours, but I don't think it makes much of a difference as her behaviour was the same before when ther was routine.

She's a happy child most of the time, just has a bit of a temper and emotional when she has to do things she doesn't want to.

Going out drinking is not “necessity” it’s choice. You ARE willingly handing her over and making excuses to suit yourself.

Only you can sort it out, but you don’t appear to want to. Many people have to make sacrifices to raise their kids the way they want, sacrifices, not excuses. I’ve had 2 nights out in the last 5 years and only 1 was drinking, I didn’t then go complaining about what the grandparents decided to do.

Frankly, it sounds like your job is more important and you are utterly taking advantage of your parents while slagging them off in the process.

Battyfumworts · 02/11/2022 09:43

Lwren · 02/11/2022 07:35

This can't be real.
Nobody is so much of a ungrateful dickhead to parents who give free childcare, pay for things including a car. I'm not having it.
Your parents sound like saints.

Seems some people don’t know how lucky they are 🙄

TheWomanTheyCallJayne · 02/11/2022 09:56

TalkToTheHand123 · 31/10/2022 16:20

Yes 2 or 3 night in a fortnight, but that was because I got screwed over by my parents and ex. I would have had her more if they hadn't.

They may be having her more at the moment but she is still my daughter. I've raised her 90% of the time from birth up to about a year ago when me and the ex split up and hopefully have her more once things settle down.

When I say they can do what they like with her, I mean take her out for activities. I got annoyed because I would have plans and they have messed them. If it was the other way round I would check with them first. I just think it's common courtesy.

My daughter isn't angry with me at all. She wouldn't have been upset when I'd left otherwise. She loves it when I turn up and likes me taking her out and doesn't mind me having her when others aren't making it difficult.

Again, there's no reason for me to pay them, they wouldn't accept any money anyways. They don't need or want it.

How on Earth did your parents screw you over? They have been providing free, regular, pretty well full
time childcare and you mum was even giving you money. Hey they’re the ones screwing you over?

PurpleWisteria1 · 02/11/2022 10:07

Not bad OP, not bad at all. 8/10 with half those marks for longevity.

Tillow4ever · 02/11/2022 10:17

I opened this post thinking you were going to be completely reasonable in your request - your child your rules so to speak. However, with every update you have given, I’ve never seen someone as entitled or unreasonable as you. By the update where you said your dad pays for your car I started to think that this post cannot be real, because no-one is this entitled surely?

I am going to reply assuming you are genuine though. GET YOUR SHIT TOGETHER OP.

Sort yourself out now for the sake of your daughter. Step up, and fucking parent her for gods sake. What is wrong with you? If you work 8-8, use breakfast club before school and drop her off before work. After school use after school clubs and then either a childminder or if your parents agree, they pick up from after school club til you get home. When you get back, you pick your daughter up straight away and take her home. If the school can’t accommodate changing days each week, pay for breakfast club every day, or ask your work for set days.

No more overnights at your parents. Full stop. Your daughter needs you and needs the stability of knowing she will be in her own bed every night.

Aak your local council for access to their “Early Help” team. They can be brilliant at helping you out. The school may be able to help with this.

You sound angry and beyond strict - almost abusive. I’m presuming you are taking your frustrations out on your daughter, and maybe once you don’t have to deal with your parents anymore, you won’t be so angry. But look at parenting courses and find better ways to manage your child’s behaviour that doesn’t involve trapping her in a room.

Stop taking your parents money. Are you not embarrassed over this? Not only are you not paying them for the huge amounts of childcare they are doing (just because they are family, doesn’t mean you don’t have to pay them - it’s different if it’s maybe one day a week that they offer to do, or just an hour after school each day, but you’re leaving your daughter virtually full time), but you’re actually taking money off them for your car. If you can’t afford the payments on your car without their support, you cannot afford that car. Get rid and buy a cheap runabout. Or just get rid and use public transport if that is an option.

If your ex is flakey, get to court and agree fixed visitation. I suspect what it actually is though is that you’ve left him to drop everything at short notice to fit with the days you are working that week - so he doesn’t get set days. That is not fair on him. Arrange for set days and you sort your childcare around that. I imagine it will be a lot simpler for him, and less likely to say he can’t, if he knows he has her every other weekend (and he takes her to gymnastics on his weekend) and say Monday/Tuesday after school/overnight whatever you agree. Then if he can’t collect etc HE arranges childcare.

Get into a routine. Establish boundaries for everyone. Let your parents just be grandparents, not her parents. You step up and do your part. You don’t necessarily need to change your job, but you do need to change your attitude to your daughter. She isn’t a part time responsibility. She’s your daughter and you need to be there for her all the time. If you have a day off, you do school runs, you cook family dinner to eat together, you take her out to the park to play after school, etc.

And if you can’t do all of that, ask your parents if they want to become her legal guardians, let them adopt her, and then stop confusing the poor girl. Although you should have made that decision when you fell pregnant, not when she is 6 years old.

And as someone else said, don’t ever have another child. Not unless you’re willing to put someone else first. Becoming a parent means your wants and dreams get pushed back to make your child your number one priority. It sounds to me like you want to live your life like a single, child-free person but have your daughter for aesthetics when it suits you.

ZeroFuchsGiven · 02/11/2022 10:26

PurpleWisteria1 · 02/11/2022 10:07

Not bad OP, not bad at all. 8/10 with half those marks for longevity.

tbh I'm really not sure, she has a lot of threads about this. I would like to hope she was a troll though.

butterfliedtwo · 02/11/2022 10:39

She loves it when I turn up and likes me taking her out and doesn't mind me having her when others aren't making it difficult

What the actual fuck? Who talks like this about their own daughter?

You're lucky your parents have stepped into a parenting role because you obviously aren't putting her first. On top of that, you have the audacity to complain about what they do when you leave your child with them/don't pay them anything. And they pay for your car.

If this is genuine, you need to wise the hell up. This is infuriating to read. Poor child and your parents, frankly.

PurpleWisteria1 · 02/11/2022 10:42

ZeroFuchsGiven · 02/11/2022 10:26

tbh I'm really not sure, she has a lot of threads about this. I would like to hope she was a troll though.

I know but that’s what I mean about longevity. Some of her posts ring bells all over the place. Interesting read though.

QuizzlyBear · 02/11/2022 12:20

If your father's truly a narcissist, I get the impression the apple didn't fall far from the tree...

Beachloveramy · 02/11/2022 12:58

@NerrSnerr why would you assume OP only works two days? Full time would be 3-4 12 hour shifts.

I think the best thing would be to speak with work and try to arrange working the same days every week so both you and your parents know where you stand and you can then make her appointments for your days off. For example work Thursday, Friday, Saturday so you are doing majority school runs and your DM can still have her gymnastics time.

Also is it possible to pick her up after work and drop her back in the morning on some days so she is not staying over as much and you can still see her most days?

I worked in care when my DS was that age and I was a single mum - I’ve been where you are but now I have more children and DH I’ve got set days and a new job where I finish by 6pm and can pick them up. It works much better.

NerrSnerr · 02/11/2022 12:58

Beachloveramy · 02/11/2022 12:58

@NerrSnerr why would you assume OP only works two days? Full time would be 3-4 12 hour shifts.

I think the best thing would be to speak with work and try to arrange working the same days every week so both you and your parents know where you stand and you can then make her appointments for your days off. For example work Thursday, Friday, Saturday so you are doing majority school runs and your DM can still have her gymnastics time.

Also is it possible to pick her up after work and drop her back in the morning on some days so she is not staying over as much and you can still see her most days?

I worked in care when my DS was that age and I was a single mum - I’ve been where you are but now I have more children and DH I’ve got set days and a new job where I finish by 6pm and can pick them up. It works much better.

Two days in the week because OP said she didn't take her daughter to gymnastics which suggests that she works on a Saturday too.

ZeroFuchsGiven · 02/11/2022 15:03

PurpleWisteria1 · 02/11/2022 10:42

I know but that’s what I mean about longevity. Some of her posts ring bells all over the place. Interesting read though.

Good point! Some will indeed get a good posting history behind them before they go in for the kill!

Jjones8 · 02/11/2022 22:45

Why would you not let her out of the room until she changed her clothes? I’m not surprised she threw a wobbly. Pick your battles wisely - whether she changes out of gym kit is truly not important. Sounds like the childcare arrangements with your parents simply is not working and you may need to make other plans.

TheGander · 02/11/2022 22:51

So easy to call people narcissists when they don’t entirely fall into line… I’d say your parents aren’t firm enough with you let alone with your daughter.

ButterflyBiscuit · 03/11/2022 00:22

I dont think OP has posted today...

SleepingStandingUp · 03/11/2022 10:37

She loves it when I turn up and likes me taking her out and doesn't mind me having her when others aren't making it difficult.* you sound like the fun aunt

TalkToTheHand123 · 04/11/2022 12:47

I don't hand over parenting willingly, I do it out of lack of current options due to work.
Home is at mine, but at the moment due to my work and wanting my daughter to have time with my ex and parents, it's shared as best I can due to all things considered.
I can't pick up after 8pm as they live 30min drive away from my work and then another 30mins to get home. I would though, but my parents go on and on about how it's too late to be taking her home on a night time (this is even though my dad will let her read at 11:30pm to stop her kicking off).
I didn't walk out on my ex, he walked out on us. I was only really staying with him for my daughter.
I don't feel I need to change jobs, ina few years she'll be a bit more independent and won't need my parents to be involved as much.
I wouldn't say it was a warzone, it just got a bit heated for a few days.
Custody would be a bit extreme. I still get to see her, just haven't as much as I would have liked recently.
She doesn't seem emotionally distressed, she's quite a happy child just has a fiery personality at times.
If my parents were experts they wouldn't have gone on a course. I had a period of time where I felt useless, but do we not all have these moments? Even May Poppins had her moments.
The 1-2-3 magic seems quite logical but not much of a game changer. It does have some decent points which I will use, but my main error is not time keeping on a night time. If I start the bedtime routine too late, I cause trouble for myself.

I stayed over the other night and just observed. It was a suprise visit. My daughter was doing bobbing for apples and this was at 8.15pm. They struggled, but I didn't interfere only until my mam had given up with my daughter's disobedience. She asked me to read a story with her and then she went to sleep.

In the morning, I tried to get her out of bed without any kickoffs but was unable, then my mam tried but gave up. I eventually got her up and sorted by myself.

I was working usually 8-8 Sunday to Wed which worked quite well, but this was on a relief work set up and wasn't reliable as there was a recruitment drive so I accepted a permanent position, but hours are a bit dodgy. Some 8-8, some 10-8, some 8-5 but only on a weekend. Work days change each week.

I had more holidays than I thought so have put them in to have more time with dd6 without stopping my parents or ex having her.

Giving up the financial help from my dad would just be cutting my nose off to spite my face. I would love to not be financially dependent on them and it is a bit embarrassing, but it's not like I'm begging or they can't afford it. If it was the same scenario with my daughter, I'd happily help her.

The aunty comment was unwarranted I reckon. I was only explaining I have a good relationship with my daughter usually.

I was in the room with her when wanting to get her changed. On reflection it wasn't the best idea as it played into her and my parents hands, but I was fed up of her bad behaviour and I'm only human. It's not how I usually do things, but I think showing her when I'm to be taken serious is a good and respected strategy and certainly in line with the supernanny shows I've watched over the years.

She's never had a social worker and no professional has ever suggested one for me.

OP posts:
Whoops12 · 04/11/2022 13:22

I'm sorry @TalkToTheHand123 it sounds tough. But look at the number of replies here that say the same thing?

Can you honestly, hand on heart say that this situation is the best for your daughter?

Good luck, consistency really is key. In the parenting techniques, in your presence and in your relationship with her.

BeanieTeen · 04/11/2022 13:38

She's never had a social worker and no professional has ever suggested one for me.

Slow clap…

You say don’t want to change jobs - if you really cared to make things better you would look to do so. It doesn’t matter if in a few years time you won’t need the same level of childcare from your parents, the damage to you and your daughter’s relationship will be done. You’re her mum in name only right now - you may see the PP comment of ‘fun aunt’ as unwarranted but it sums it up perfectly. You are not a parent. You have a good relationship you say - maybe - but it’s not a mother/daughter relationship, so not really good enough is it? And she will grow up feeling the fall out of that, and resentment no doubt. But you don’t really seem to care. Nothing you have said gives the impression that you take your daughter’s feelings into any account. It’s all about you.