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Relationships

Mumsnet has not checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. If you need help urgently or expert advice, please see our domestic violence webguide and/or relationships webguide. Many Mumsnetters experiencing domestic abuse have found this thread helpful: Listen up, everybody

advise about dd and her ex

15 replies

lovebeinganana · 02/03/2012 19:41

My dd lives with me and my dh and her son. Ex sees dgs for 5 hours on Sat. his choice to see him for this amount of time. He was not been a good dad when living with us wanted nothing to do with son.

Today he has got nasty again with dd, all contact is through text he will not speak to her. For several weeks he has said he has to change day to Sunday because of work. dd is reluctant to do this, but if he gives her enough warning usually does, has said no probably twice because she has already made plans.

Dgs has been very poorly for just over a week so didn't see his dad last week.

Today he says he wants dgs on sunday as he has to work on Sat dd says no too short notice as she has plans, and she doesn't know if dgs will be well enough to go out, ex would not want him if he is ill, he says told her earlier in week which he didn't. He got angry saying her poxy family not important more important son sees him. He then rants about having to ask how son is using facebook yesterday, this was a one off dd phone not working (couldnt charge) so before battery died dd texts ex to warn him not to text her and if he needs to contact her to do it through email on face book I see nothing wrong with this as a one off. He could have text me or used land line but he doesn't want to do that.

He then tells her she should be grateful for the money he gives her so in temper dd says stop paying i will go through CSA, his reply I am going to reduce my hours so can claim legal aid then you wont get as much and although he didn't say it we assume he was threatening to try and get more access although he doesn't want this really but is a way to get at dd.

one question could he do this - the legal aid thing.

I want to tell dd not to antagonise him as he will want to get at her I feel she should let dgs go on Sunday if he is well enough perhaps compromise and suggest reduced hours so she can stick to her plans as well but the last time I said something like this she got upset and said I was taking his side. Dd suffering depression so I know his threats even if idle threats really upset her.

Any advise how I can encourage dd not "to rock the boat" without appearing not to support her.

sorry so long

OP posts:
lovebeinganana · 02/03/2012 19:50

Know its long but any advise?

OP posts:
thenightsky · 02/03/2012 20:04

Shock that the child's father doesn't want him if he is ill. What. A. Twat.

Not sure of legal issues re going part time to avoid paying - why would he not want to pay for his own son.

I feel angry for your DD and sad at the same time. Sad

FlatCapAndAWhippet · 02/03/2012 20:36

My advise is to go through the CSA. It will at least make things more official. The situation currently has no direction and for want of better words "ground rules", everything seems open ended. There is also no consistency for your GS.

I eventually, after a year of abuse and threats from XP regarding stopping maintenance payments and him shouting and screaming over contact dates with DD, went to see a solicitor who wrote to him explaining that his behaviour was not acceptable, the implications if he were to continue behaving this way and suggestions of when he was to have contact dates with DD. It was suggested every other weekend overnight and for a few hours after nursery once or twice a week. I also went to the CSA who awarded me significantly more than he was paying me every month. I honestly didnt care whether it turned out to be significantly less either, I just needed to stop all the threats and aggression from him.

Our relationship is far from friendly but doing what I did gave boundaries and everyone then knew what was expected of them. Most importantly of all DD sees her Daddy every other weekend....occasionally in the week but that is another story.

Continue in the way you are and the situation will only continue and that is grim for everyone.

lovebeinganana · 02/03/2012 21:29

Dgs does see his dad every week unless he is ill or dad is ill, it is only last couple of months that he has had to change day because of work and as I said dd has only refused couple of times either through too short notice or last week because dgs was ill.

Dd wouldn't stop dgs seeing dad even though life would be easier if he disappeared, dgs is 3.3 and hates going to dads he says every week he doesn't want to go cries all the way. If we are out and he recognises any roads as being near dads he will say please don't take me to daddys, he never speaks about him wont say what he does with dad and never mentions him from one week to the next.

OP posts:
ChitChatFlyingby · 02/03/2012 21:34

If dgs is reacting like this, why on earth would you want to encourage your DD to 'not rock the boat'?!

I think she should be very firm with the routine. It will do more harm in the long run if her ex changes days whenever he wants to.

I would be VERY concerned about dgs' reaction to going to his fathers. It doesn't sound like he is having a nice time at all. Sad

lovebeinganana · 02/03/2012 21:43

The reason I say don't rock the boat is that I worry he will do something out of spite like go to court to get more access even though he doesn't really want it, then dgs may have to spend more time with him. I agree dgs doesn't seem to be having a god time ex will text dd after visits asking has he told you about today or has he told you what fun we had but dgs doesn't say anything and dd always tells ex no.

I assume dgs is too young to make a decision about seeing ex I always though children had to be 8 before they can refuse to go.

Anyone got tips how to make ex disappear lol.

OP posts:
FlatCapAndAWhippet · 02/03/2012 21:50

oh no Sad poor little boy

lovebeinganana · 02/03/2012 23:03

Yes it's awful but we can cope with the 5 hours he is away don't know how any of us would cope if it was any more.

OP posts:
hairytaleofnewyork · 03/03/2012 06:37

" we can cope with the 5 hours he is away don't know how any of us would cope if it was any more."

What do you mean by this?

Why won't your daughter change your sons day with his dad to a (as a regular arrangement)?

What has maintenance got to do with him seeing his son

I'm going to buck the trend - I think some of your comments sound like you may all be allowing your own feelings about your dgs father on to their relationship.

Clearly he does want to see his son as he does so each week.

Yes, he sounds arsey - all the more reason for the rest of you to smooth the waters rather than ripple them - for the sake of your DGS.

This is between your dd and her sons father - you need to keep out of it.

hairytaleofnewyork · 03/03/2012 06:43

"Anyone got tips how to make ex disappear lol."

This isn't funny. When your daughter made a child with dgs father, they were tied together for ever.

Instead of making silly comments like this you need to stop meddling and let your adult daughter deal with this.

BoneyBackJefferson · 03/03/2012 11:13

readoimg through this IMO certain bits are the DGS picking up on the OPs and P's daughters attitude to the Ex.

It sounds to me like you don't make it very easy for him at all.

I also wonder that if this is the way things are now what things where they like when they both lived with you?

BoneyBackJefferson · 03/03/2012 11:14

sorry that is barely English.

fortyplus · 03/03/2012 11:36

I think I'd be asking 'Does daddy hurt you?' Sad

lovebeinganana · 03/03/2012 23:58

Wanting ex to disappear may have been a bad joke but I'm sure I'm not the only person who thinks life would be easier without an ex.

Boney, when ex moved in with dd we had extensive alterations done to the house so that they had their own lounge, bedrooms were in a different part of the house to mine so that they had independence/privacy. I had no idea how bad things were between them for a long time,dd kept it from us because she was embarrassed. DD began spending every evening in our lounge with dgs, I repeatedly told her to go and sit with ex, eventually she told us he had said he didn't want her or dgs in the room as he needed his space. I was shocked, sometime later my dh heard ex say this to my dd. He refused to sleep upstairs had an air bed in lounge. Dd slept above this room and could hear him talking to OW allthough he denied it, he eventually moved in with her. At the time dd had pnd he offered no support.

Ex began to come home from work later and later, we usually ate dinner together (the only time we were all together) and he would arrive home after we had eaten, many, many times dgs would be in high chair ex would sit next to him and completely ignore him, not even hello when he arrived home.

Dd also kept from us how mean he was refusing to buy things for son, she recently told me that she would invite me to go shopping in the hope I would offer to buy things for dgs.

Hairy, ex does have a regular day when he sees dgs - Saturday. After Christmas ex told dd that he may have to work some Sat. could he change to Sundays when that happened, dd agreed. However 2/3 times he has not told her he has to work until Friday night and by then she had plans for Sunday so said could not change day, Twice dgs was going to birthday parties and once dd had arranged to take her elderly/poorly Grandma to see her sister and Grandma had especially asked to take dgs so she could show off her great grandson. I don't think this was unreasonable when given such short notice.

Hairy, just because he sees son doesn't mean he wants to, we have always felt he sees him because he would look bad to family/friends if he didn't. They all think the sun shines out of his backside and he wouldn't do anything to change that. He has often mentioned to dd he is having a family party or going to some family event he never suggests taking son with him. His sister recently got married he asked dd to take son to the reception at 5, from 4.30 he repeatedly text with excuses to delay the time until it was to late to take him.

I loved my dd ex, I was delighted when they got engaged and he moved in. He changed totally after dgs was born, I personally think he couldn't stand not being no.1 in her life anymore, he has always been egocentric. He became so nasty and still is that I wonder if this is the real him and before was an act.

The posters who say it's none of my business and should leave it to dd and ex, it's not that easy when you live together to ignore someone who is upset. We are supporting dd in her battle against depression, she needs someone to talk to and I am pleased that she can talk to me.

The posters who say dgs is picking up on our feelings, I can honestly say, hand on heart that we have never said anything and would never say anything bad about ex in dgs hearing. We are well aware that dispite everything he is his dad. When he is older dgs will make his own judgement and decision about seeing his dad and we will support what ever he decides.

Sorry long but wanted to answer posts.

OP posts:
hairytaleofnewyork · 04/03/2012 23:06

He sounds awful.

But you all sound quite dysfunctional.

"The posters who say dgs is picking up on our feelings, I can honestly say, hand on heart that we have never said anything and would never say anything bad about ex in dgs hearing. We are well aware that dispite everything he is his dad."

But of course, children do pick up on what's going on - even if it's unsaid - and from a very young age.

I hope your daughter and her ex can find a way to co- parent.

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