Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

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

XH girlfriends coming before the kids

31 replies

torontonian · 21/03/2017 18:06

XH never came to DD baby checkups (he left 2 days before she was born) or engage with her at all. DS was 2.5 yeatd at the time and he was adamant to get 50/50 and overnights right away for DS but didn't really care much for DD.

18 months later, schedule is progressing and they go every second weekend, 2 weekdays/1 overnight.

XH broke with OW and has a new girlfriend. He has introduced her to the kids and left DS alone with her but had not found worth of mentioning to me she even exists. I would like to have a simple "hi"/10 minutes conversation with her if she is going to be around my DC but I don't know how to bring it up since he has not said a word about her.

The other issue I have that makes me really angry is that he puts the girlfriend before the kids. One day I was caught in the office/transit and I called to let him know I would be 30 minutes late. When I got home and called him, XH told me that the DC were at his friends house and I needed to go get them. I don't drive, XH's friend doesn't live in the subway line, it is a 45 minutes walk one way, winter time (below 0ºC) and 8:30pm. To be fair, his friend has 2 babies himself, and it was bedtime...Anyway, I was furious he drop the DC off at a friends house because "he was going out" and could not postpone for half an hour when I had called to let him know.

The second situation comes with Easter. He has been bothering me to get a holiday schedule for Easter for 2 weeks because he wsnts extra time with the kids on holidays. There are only 2 days when daycare is closed and one if this days the kids will be with me and the second day shared according to regular schedule so I proposed one day each. Now, he has planned a getaway with the girlfriend and he wantd me to take the kids both days and the overnight before plus the overnight after so he can have a week for himself. I am really pissed that he tries to be dad of the year and then he does this. Kids are 4 and 1.5. He really has ple ty of time for himself as I am the default parent. I do all daycare dropoffs (2 non accessible subway stations away), make the doctor appointments, have to take the fay off when they are sick, ... and then I need to hear that he deserves 50/50 when he alwayd puts himself first.

So I guess my questions are:

  • How to manage been hurt and angry becaude of this behaviour?
  • AIBU if I say that I don't want to switch days but will gladly take the kids for the full week? (he won't get days in exchange)
  • How do I bring up meeting the girlfriend? Or should I even try? (she is staying overnight when the kids are there and DS has been left alone with her).
OP posts:
Disappointednomore · 22/03/2017 13:41

Hmm let me rephrase in that case - the person left holding the baby when the music stops (predominantly the mother) would be subject to the full force of the law were she to abandon her child.

boolifooli · 22/03/2017 20:10

OP what will you do if you meet her and don't like her?

torontonian · 22/03/2017 20:43

boolifooli I don't think I can judge much from a 5-10 minutes greeting, I am not going to interview her, but I would like to put a face and a name. I can't explain better. I don't want to meet XH's girlfriend, I want to meet my DC's "acting" stepmother.

OP posts:
torontonian · 22/03/2017 20:46

I have asked DS is she talks with him and if he likes her, if she is nice. The first time DS she didn't talk to him, so I felt skeptical. Second time DS said she is nice and that made me feel better. I just want to think that she is warm and will make my DC feel welcome.

OP posts:
torontonian · 22/03/2017 21:08

I agreed to not extra time in Easter and have the kids 2 of "his" days (including an overnight) but XH is pissed because I didn't say yes to the four days he is asking for.

we should be able to exchange days, we did it before, and you should be able to work with me on this and not tell me that you already have plans and that there’s no flexibility. Hmm

I am soooo Shock and Angry

I want to be firm but not bitter. What do you think of the following?

^[...]Regarding switches, I get one free night a week, so it is not surprising that I have plans for my only free time, nor something I need to give you account of.

You are putting your own leisure above your kids, that is on you, not on me to cancel everything when you decide to bail. The schedule is set from here until they are 18, so it is easy to foresee and plan around.

I have already offered to have the kids on xx and xx.

Obviously if you are not going to show up, I will be there to pick up the pieces. Parenting is a lifetime responsibility, not a hobby you can skip when inconvenient.^

OP posts:
Disappointednomore · 23/03/2017 00:16

Hi I think you need to pare it right down to take it from being a dialogue or a judgement. Just a sorry no can do this time.

New posts on this thread. Refresh page