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.

Male here, Needing advice on ex and our child

27 replies

Mike29uk · 08/11/2022 19:12

Good afternoon :)

I am new on here and have never posted so please accept my apology if this is the wrong thread but I’m struggling to find a new post link.

i just need some advise regarding my ex who I have a 2 1/2 year boy old with ( I am male btw)

so me and my partner split up when my child was 6/7 months, for the first 10 months after moving out I went down every night after work till about 11pm to help with things.

also paid rent for the first 11 months then Money went down and I’m still paying well over what I should be, I would go down at all hours of the night if I was needed and my ex was struggling through the night.

my partner also dropped my child to my work during the week on my lunch and I walked him to nursery 2/3 times a week. Which eventually I had to stop as my work started getting a bit funny about me leaving 2 / 3 times a week.

i have had my child every weekend Friday -till Sunday evening without fail since he was born also once a weekday on a Tuesday till about 7:30/8ish. Which I cannot complain about as I love spending time with my child as I don’t live with him, this isn’t my problem and I would still love to live with him but you will realise why I can’t further down the post.

the problem I have is the contact with my ex partner and how I feel anything I do or so is wrong,

I couldn’t pick my child up the right way without being told “ oh no not that way “

or when I used to get home from work I’d say I’m just having a quick shower I would then get a reply of …
” why should you get to shower when I haven’t had one all day I’ve had a child to look after “

my ex constantly watches “ advice videos on Instagram or TIK TOCK and how to talk your child and how to raise them”

For example if I say “ you love your food don’t you “ to my boy.

my ex partner will then say to me “ oh don’t say that because it might put him off his food “
or if I say “ come on … let’s put your pj’s on now “

my ex will reply “ no don’t mention PJ’s or night time because he won’t do it , you have to say “ I’m here ready for you when ever you want to put your pj’s on “

i work 5 days a week full time, even if I am ill and I mention this the day I am due to have my son I will get a message back “ your still having your son even if your ill because I’ve had too when I’m ill so you can too “

my ex works 2 1/2 days a week and on those days the boy is at nursery for.

i get phone calls at work “ can you take tomorrow off , or can you leave work now and have your son cos he’s ill “

over the past 2 years I’ve counted 25 times or more I’ve had a phone call or a text on the day my boy is due to go back home on the Sunday saying

“ can you have him an extra night and take him to nursery tomorrow I’m knackered “

or

“ can he stay with you again tonight because I’m tired and got loads to do here “

but as soon as I say, I’ve been invited to a party Friday I get shot down and my ex will say “ no I’ve planned something and it’s the weekend and your time with him “

or I will be told I’ll have to have him on the Sunday night too because I’m not seeing him on the Friday.

even if I suggest popping round to see him for an hour I will be told no because it would be confusing for him if I just popped in on a day I don’t usually see him.

anything I do, is wrong or I have to make up for it if I don’t see him.

If I suggest 6 o’clock on a Sunday I will receive a text at 5 saying oh can it be 7 tonight instead I’ve got loads to do.

i have apologised for maybe being loveless and could have shown more affection but I just felt so drained by it all But my ex partner just doesn’t apologise or see she is doing or done anything wrong and makes me constantly feel bad.

Is this controlling behaviour? Lots of family members mine and her family have said it’s a sign of it yes definitely and her dad also said she has always had to have it her way and will never admit wrong doing.

has anyone ever been in a similar situation or any advice you could send my way that would be really really helpful.

Thanks in advance

OP posts:
MolliciousIntent · 08/11/2022 19:14

Is there a court order in place? Are you paying maintenance via CMS? Are you on the birth certificate?

DarlingDarwin · 08/11/2022 19:16

What advice are you looking for?

BritishDesiGirl · 08/11/2022 19:17

Please seek legal advice immediately. Your ex partner is playing you like a fiddle. It's not fair that she thinks she can dictate everything and you have to blindly agree.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about these subjects:

TourmalineGiraffe · 08/11/2022 19:19

Legal advice for what exactly?

MolliciousIntent · 08/11/2022 19:20

TourmalineGiraffe · 08/11/2022 19:19

Legal advice for what exactly?

Presumably for a court order so his ex has to stop dicking him around?

TourmalineGiraffe · 08/11/2022 19:22

🙄ok

Mike29uk · 08/11/2022 19:42

Hi guys thank you, there is no court order in place,

and as for for Advice, I just mean where do I go from here and how is the next step legal advice?
i have had advice from family members and friends but nobody has been in this situation just though maybe seeking advice on here or reaching out to someone who may have had a similar issue

yes I am on the birth certificate, and no I pay by b-transfer every month.

the frustrating thing is we can really get on at times but I just start to think is that only because she’s keeping me happy as part of the game she maybe playing.

OP posts:
PoseyFlump · 08/11/2022 19:46

i have had my child every weekend Friday -till Sunday evening without fail since he was born

Bloody hell. Well I suppose some of that time was in lockdown but still seems very unfair. It's not always the blokes that are dicks. I've known people of either sex in the same situation. The dominant person gets their way.

RoseBucket · 08/11/2022 19:49

Swapping a Friday for a Sunday isn’t unreasonable and popping in for an hour on your off days would be irritating.

25 says over two years isn’t unreasonable you need to take you share.

The rest some of it is ridiculous, the PJ thing and food thing for example, and it’s not unreasonable to not agree set times of handover for both of you and stick to it, unless special occasions or emergency.

Mike29uk · 08/11/2022 19:50

And don’t get me wrong I love it, if I could have him 7 days a week I would.

its little Things that upset me like if I have him and he’s feeling poorly, I will always say to the mum he’s really not himself shall I bring him home as naturally the child would be more comfortable and happy at home with the mum.

but I’ll always get a reply of “ he can be ill with you aswell “

and it’s not because I don’t want him when he’s ill I just think naturally he might be happier at home where he lives if he’s poorly.

OP posts:
RoseBucket · 08/11/2022 19:50

Sorry to agree set times.

RoseBucket · 08/11/2022 19:52

you need to share when he is ill, you can’t just decide it’s best to have him when he is well and mum takes the poorly times.

DeeofDenmark · 08/11/2022 19:52

I don’t see any reason why he should be happier with his Mum if ill, it sounds like you have a more or less 50:50 split of time with him at yours. Why are you paying maintenance though if this is the case?

Mike29uk · 08/11/2022 19:54

Thank you all taken on board :)

I’m not complaining about having my child at all extra days or hours by the way. It’s the hypocrisy that is the frustration. Because some days it’s ok to pop in for an hour, she only ever says no if I have disagreed with something.

OP posts:
Mike29uk · 08/11/2022 19:58

Totally get it and I don’t decide to take him
home like I said I’ll always speak to the mum first :)

OP posts:
MolliciousIntent · 08/11/2022 19:58

Mike29uk · 08/11/2022 19:50

And don’t get me wrong I love it, if I could have him 7 days a week I would.

its little Things that upset me like if I have him and he’s feeling poorly, I will always say to the mum he’s really not himself shall I bring him home as naturally the child would be more comfortable and happy at home with the mum.

but I’ll always get a reply of “ he can be ill with you aswell “

and it’s not because I don’t want him when he’s ill I just think naturally he might be happier at home where he lives if he’s poorly.

I'm 100% with her here. It's your job to look after him when he's sick just as much as it is hers.

Cotswoldmama · 08/11/2022 20:01

I think it sounds like everything needs to be made formal. You need to have your child for set days and if he's ill on those days you need to stay home with him or find a family member to. If he's ill on the day he's with your ex it's up to her to take time off work. It sounds like you see him a lot close to 50/50 maybe you could look into shared custody with the change over day being Wednesday. That way you take it in turns having him for the weekend. It would also mean you wouldn't need to be paying money to your ex, it sounds like you're paying more than you need to.

Imnothereforthegiggles · 08/11/2022 20:01

This reply has been deleted

This has been deleted by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines.

Mike29uk · 08/11/2022 20:01

Yes of course I totally understand :) I don’t every decide to take him home or say he “ should” be with you. I’ll just suggest do you think maybe it’s best him being at home if he’s poorly.

OP posts:
MolliciousIntent · 08/11/2022 20:02

Your home is his home!

cofeetablebook · 08/11/2022 20:03

Typical MN. Getting detailed by something they imagine might offend them 🙄

OP speak to a lawyer. She is manipulative and you are letting her get away with it.

Mike29uk · 08/11/2022 20:03

Totally agree :) I’m not here to argue or say I’m right I’m just here for advice

OP posts:
Imnothereforthegiggles · 08/11/2022 20:05

This reply has been deleted

This has been deleted by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines.

Imnothereforthegiggles · 08/11/2022 20:09

This reply has been deleted

This has been deleted by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines.

Scirocco · 08/11/2022 20:15

It sounds to me like you're trying to be involved and to share responsibilities, but that communication issues are really hindering that. You and your ex need to be able to communicate about parenting, discuss how to split time, change plans when needed.... If the two of you can't do that, then your son's going to grow up with his parents fighting and pulling in two different directions.

I'd suggest trying to talk with her about the communication issues, and telling her what's happening in your thought processes, and asking her to explain hers too. It sounds like the two of you have tendencies to make assumptions about each other's intentions.

Swipe left for the next trending thread