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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

Is mine a modern morality tale or something more private?

48 replies

LauderSyme · 05/08/2013 20:08

I would be very interested to hear what you think of my story.
I grew up not knowing who my natural father was, believing that he never knew of my existence. I went to work at 16 and worked, more or less without pause until the age of 36, when I had my son. I am a single parent and chose not to return to work but to care for my child full-time. Since June 2010 I have claimed income from combined benefits of, currently, £18,936 per annum of which £10,920 directly pays rent in Greater London. I intend to return to work full-time when my son starts school in September 2014, and to continue working until at least 2040.
Early last year I was able to write to my father and introduce myself. I asked him to meet me; he did, and we?ve had lunch together maybe ten times, twice with my son. In our first few meetings he told me that he met me as a baby and ?did wonder? if I was his, and that my mother told his then-girlfriend T, that she thought I was his daughter. T is his wife of 37 years, B and W are their adult children.
Last week I received these text messages from him, ?Perhaps it?s time for some home truths. I would be happy for you to meet my family but they do not want to meet you. Here?s a simple explanation why: both B and W are about to buy houses, they will pay a combined total of £21,500 in Stamp Duty. A good wheeze invented by the Labour Party to get the south of England to pay their constituent?s taxes for them. That?s real money paid by real people. Come back to me when you have got a job?....?Still £21,500 will keep you going for another year?....?You are not contributing and they are contributing the money that pays you the equivalent of the national average wage without the inconvenience of getting your arse out of bed in the morning. How do you expect them to see you? Get real.?
I?d like to know what you make of it, morally or otherwise. Thank you.

OP posts:
perplexedpirate · 05/08/2013 20:15

Oh, Lauder! What an utter, utter twat.
Put this idiot and his snobby family firmly behind you and concentrate on you and your little boy.
It's clear who the people with no morals are in this little tale and they just don't deserve to know you.
FWIW I haven't seen my father since I was about 3. He is nothing to me, a stranger. It's time to make this spineless bigot a stranger to you too.

akaWisey · 05/08/2013 20:15

How much did your 'dad' give your DM in child support all those years OP?

Am keeping my counsel right now.

mcmooncup · 05/08/2013 20:18

Please don't feel like you have to justify your decision to take the early years off with your child to these idiots.

I am in shock people could be so cold, callous and judgemental. It is a blessing that they have not been part of your formative years.....just think you could have turned out just like them.

mcmooncup · 05/08/2013 20:19

Good point aka

You could send him a bill for all the failed child maintenance payments.

MissStrawberry · 05/08/2013 20:21

Don't be so daft as to believe the reason his other children don't want to see you is because you are currently staying at home to look after your child.

HollyBerryBush · 05/08/2013 20:22

Talking about money is always vulgar, however you must have discussed your income with your father for him to tell his children and for them to draw the comparison.

But I think that is an excuse on their part as they probably do not want to share their father - and as I said money is going to be a factor if he acknowledges you with regards to inheritances. They won't want a three way split when a two way split is more lucrative.

Roshbegosh · 05/08/2013 20:23

Ha ha mcmooncup yes, send him a bill. You could defend your life decisions or tell them they can kiss your arse.

VivaLeBeaver · 05/08/2013 20:27

Lauder, your dad sounds like an arse. As do your half siblings.

I'm sorry but they do.

You don't have to justify yourself at all. If they
Really want to judge someone who probably hasn't had it as easy as they have then they're not worth knowing.

If I were youi wouldn't want to see my dad again and I'd write in great detail telling him. Telling him what a pathetic disapointment he is.

ALittleStranger · 05/08/2013 20:28

I'm in shock. This isn't modern morality. Yes attitudes towards people on benefits have hardened, but people are normally much more tolerant if it's someone in their own circle. This accounting is very cold and very callous. There is something very odd, and yes very private going on here. I just cannot believe that his DCs would refuse to meet you because they've done the stamp duty maths. He's fishing for excuses and being purposefully cruel. What kind of screwed up personality says this to their own daughter? I'm actually outraged on your behalf that he's such an arsehole. I'm sorry that this is who your biological father has turned out to be.

boysrock · 05/08/2013 20:31

Nice text back suggesting that had he been around for your childhood you too would have had the advantages of b and w. So perhaps would also be able to buy.

Thats one hell of a stamp duty. Whats the threshold these days ?

AKissIsNotAContract · 05/08/2013 20:32

Your dad is a cunt. I sympathise, mine is too. Best thing I ever did was cut him out of my life.

CookieDoughKid · 05/08/2013 20:33

I'm sorry but I think there is more to it as to the reasons why your father doesn't want you to meet them. What was he like during your visits??

jelliebelly · 05/08/2013 20:33

What has he been like otherwise? I mean during your lunches etc? I am wondering if it was actually him that sent the messages or one of his children or his wife who aren't happy at you appearing on the scene - is that possible do you think?

boysrock · 05/08/2013 20:34

Might also explain why your dm didnt have anything further to do with him and probably protected you. Have you mentioned any of this to your dm? He sounds a horror btw and cowardly hiding behind a text.

Glup · 05/08/2013 20:36

Hmmm. So your mum basically didn't tell you who your father was? I suspect it's because she was shielding you from this utter arse.

Balls do his other kids know about you! Drop contact with the tossed.

LEMisdisappointed · 05/08/2013 20:37

Launder - i am so sorry, what an utter cunt. Delete his number, you don't need a prick like that in your life. Wanker!

You have done your bit, you have paid your taxes are entitled to whatever financial assistance you are receiving, you intend to go back to work when your children start school - you are exactly the sort of person the benefits system is there to support. My DP pays his taxes I am more than happy for the small proportion of it that goes to help folk in your situation.

There was clearly a reason your mother kept this fuckwit out of your life, good call!!!

ImperialBlether · 05/08/2013 20:38

I imagine his children don't want a three-way split when he dies, as others have said.

Why were you so open with him about your finances? I think you should keep them private unless you're actually living with someone.

I'm so sorry he turned out to be such a selfish idiot.

ALittleStranger · 05/08/2013 20:43

To be fair to the OP she hasn't said she did disclose that much detail. It's perfectly reasonable for her to have told him she's not working and he may have drawn his own conclusions about exact amounts based on the Daily Mail.

People's love of inheritence never ceases to amaze me. Sometimes it's nice to be a raging lefty and find the whole business a bit mucky and immoral. It makes me remarkably relaxed.

Hassled · 05/08/2013 20:46

I can't believe this is coming from the half-siblings; if they have any concerns at all it will be about the inheritance. This is coming from him, and this is exactly why your mother was not forthcoming about the details as you grew up. She had him sussed, I reckon.

I'm sorry - this is must be hideous for you.

TerrysNo2 · 05/08/2013 20:50

Sounds like you are better off without such a judgemental and unsupportive person in your life. I wonder if its the full story though, do you know for sure he has told his children about you?

£8000 pa in London sounds like you're really living the high life Hmm

I am sorry because you deserve better.

Seabright · 05/08/2013 21:08

It's not you, it's him. Sadly being someone's blood-relative does not make them a nice person.

CrabbyBigBottom · 05/08/2013 22:39

Shock Shock Angry

What an absolute fucking tosser! I'm so sorry that you've had to experience this nasty fucker of a man. If I were you I would block his number, delete all his details and consign him to the past where it would be better if he'd stayed. It must be very hurtful and disappointing for this to happen when you hoped to get to know your father and build a relationship with this part of your family, but it's probably better that you find out early on what an absolute wanker he is (and if he's telling the truth then his kids sound the same), before you've invested much emotion in this. It's his ignorance and nastiness, nothing to do with you. Move on and leave this tosser behind.

joanofarchitrave · 05/08/2013 22:48

Yes. I wonder what B and W were doing when you were 16 and working... still at school perhaps, at university? You paid for their education with your taxes.

That's kind of how it works though, we pay for each other when we need it. Funny how when we start denying that anyone other than family is worth our support due to our moral superiority, we quickly start excluding people even from that tight little group. Whereas if everyone is our brother and sister, it all gets a lot simpler.

NotSuchASmugMarriedNow · 05/08/2013 22:53

hmmm, i'm not 100% sure it was him that sent that text either. Can you copy it back to him asking him if he sent it before you decide what to do next.

sonlypuppyfat · 05/08/2013 23:05

'Get Real' ? oh he sounds just lovely, he's judging you when he walked away from you when you were a baby.

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