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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

Struggling

11 replies

Movingon1611 · 24/07/2017 15:10

I just can't work out this whole co-parenting thing. I am trying so hard to make it work for the DC but I'm really struggling with my own emotions about it.
Yesterday exh was supposed to have the kids for the day. The first time on his own since he left in April. He's had them on 2 other days but the OW was there then.
He'd told me he'd be round at 11:30 because he was coming from OWs which is about 45 mins away and he couldn't possibly leave any earlier.
He showed up at 12:15. He then proceeded to ask me what I thought he should do with them.
He lives in a houseshare so he can't take them to his house.
He took them out. He then showed back up at mine at 3! He'd had them for just under 3 hours.
Admittedly our 3 year old was tired, I said surely that's more reason for him to find his own place to live. He then expected to be allowed to hang out in my house for the rest of the day- I was going out in the evening. Had I not been going out he admitted he'd have dropped them off and gone home or back to OWs
Apparently I need to decide what's more important to me, him spending time with the kids or not. He has no intention of finding his own place any time soon as then he'd have much less spare income each month so I should allow him to be in the house in order to see the kids.

He then said that it's OW birthday in a few weeks and they want to go to the cinema in the evening with all the kids.
Our 3 year old has never been to the cinema. I don't want her first trip there to be without me.
Also, we've never celebrated my birthday really because exh doesn't see the point in birthdays so he never arranged anything- we always just got a take away, that I paid for.
If I never got a birthday with my husband and kids why should she? I know that makes me sound really petty but it grates on me so much.

Finally, they keep planning days out with my kids to places I suggested we go to when exh was still here. Was always told they were too far away, too expensive, too much effort, days off are for relaxing not for doing etc
It's like he's now purposely choosing the places I'd asked to take the kids

He's living the life I should've had, the days out I should've had, with my kids and his girlfriend

They've only been together since March, I found out in April. It's all so raw and rushed but if I say anything then I'm labelled as jealous

I know he can do whatever he wants with the kids on his time and I really want him to spend time with them.
I just wish it didn't hurt so much

OP posts:
Justhadmyhaircut · 24/07/2017 15:19

Make plans yourself for that first cinema trip....
Stop letting him in your home. .
Not suggesting your dc are anything but lovely but 3 d in a new relationship isn't a romantic mix. . .
If he is so thoughtless with his partners they won't last long. .

I know it's shit - been there with exh and his new gf years ago. .
She did see him for who he really was - and married his mate!!

TheSparrowhawk · 24/07/2017 15:47

For your own sanity, you have to find a way to detach from this useless fuckwit. You're not with him any more and you should have no interest whatsoever in what he does with his life. It's up to him to sort contact, to turn up on time and figure out what to do with his children. If he asks you, just shrug. Not your problem.

WhateverNameIsStillAvailable · 24/07/2017 16:17

Oh it must be do hard but try and do loads with the kids and when he has them go out.

I'd take your youngest to the cinema beforehand so you get to be the one to take him/her first 😀

Maybe you could let him stay at yours while you go out if that's acceptable to you or would it make things weird for you?

It's up to you though not him.
If you don't want it tell him he can take them out for the day but must be on time and it's not your problem that he hasn't got a proper home.
Like I said it depends on what he's like and how raw it is for you to see him in your house.
For the kids sake I'd probably do it that way but honestly it's not up to him to day suits h a stupid thing. Just trying to use emotional blackmail on you that's just low.

He has to decide whether he wants to see his kids or not and if he does he needs to be there on time.

Try see it from the children's point of view.
Try to forget about him.
You'll meet someone when you're ready who will treat you exactly how you deserve to be treated.
Xxx take it hour by hour, day by day.

thestamp · 24/07/2017 18:27

Oh my goodness. I can so understand how you feel. And I really admire you for coming on here to try to sort your feelings, rather than just allowing them to overtake you / allowing the children to see them.

I really, really think you need to sit down and work out a plan for how you are going to talk to your ex less. He should not be lingering in your home, asking you things. He should not be telling you of the plans he has with the children + OW. That is HIS life. It has nothing to do with you.

It sounds like he is looking for your approval, and/or he gets a sick ego boost from sticking the knife in by telling you of his plans. It's unfortunate but many men blather on like this and seem to have zero insight into how it makes others feel.

Some tips that I've had to use with my ex, who I had to cut out of my life as much as possible:

  • Write a 6-month long spreadsheet of when you have them vs. when he has them. Include exact times for pickup and dropoff. Have him initial the rows where his times, including pickup arrangements, are detailed. You can use Google Sheets to do this.
  • Arrange handover of children at school, or a neutral location like a playground, or, at worst, he needs to collect them from the doorstep. He may not come into your house. Notify him of this nicely, but briefly and in a businesslike way, via email: "Hi Ex, I'm sure you will agree that the interests of the children's mental health, it is important that contact arrangements are consistent and predictable. In this vein I want to reset expectations for when you collect the children. In future please collect them from (detailed description of where - including "from the front door of my home" if needed) at the agreed time in the contact spreadsheet (include a link). If you are not able to collect them at the agreed time, we will wait for (x) minutes, after which time your visit with the children will be cancelled and notated as missed contact on the contact spreadsheet." -- something like that.

And reply or drama that comes back from him, ignore it. Until he asks a question that you can answer with a fact, like what time, where, etc., ignore ignore ignore. He will quickly get the gist of things.

If he does attempt to talk about OW plans, respond with silence. No questions. No anything. If he keeps going on: "OK, must be going. (kiss children, start to shut door) Have a nice time!" (shut door).

Do not allow space for him to talk at you about his new relationship. If he asks you where to take the children, respond with a puzzled look, and after a pause: "I don't have any suggestions. Perhaps you could Google it? Have a nice time!" (shut door).

This will be a slog for you because you are still emotionally very raw and, of course, trying to learn how to completely disentangle yourself from this person you thought you knew. I completely identify with that. It is very hard. Be gentle on yourself and recognize that you're going to need a lot of practice and time to get used to this whole new world you're in.

It does hurt. It's OK to hurt. You are going to stop hurting as you gain more and more distance. Ime, the grief of a marriage ending is a lot like a bereavement. You learn how to live with it, but it is part of you. I try to treat that mourning part of myself with care, love and attention, and if I have a bad day, I forgive myself for it and try to be tender towards myself.

Sending you my love.

Lovemusic33 · 24/07/2017 19:53

My ex is living in a bedsit so we have the same issue. I have tried to be sympathetic nod flexable but it means that I never get a night without the dc's as they can't stay with him, he has started bringing them home early. I now ask him to look after them at mine one evening a week so I can go out but he complains if I'm back any later than 10pm so it doesn't really give me much time to go out.

Ex also has a new woman, this doesn't bother me ( I have met her, spoken too her and she's welcome to him ), when he has them she is always with him.

Movingon1611 · 24/07/2017 19:59

Thank you all. I am working on limiting my contact with him, he definitely gets pleasure out of rubbing it in my face I have no idea why, it's sick

I dont have anyone in RL who's been through this so no one understands really.
I'm so fed up of having to act grateful when he does have the kids- I do it every day and get no thanks in return.
He's done my head in today about this whole birthday outing- he says he's making an effort for her because she makes him happy. Implying that for the whole of the 12.5 years we were together he wasn't happy which I know isn't true.

I'm trying to keep conversations to be purely about the kids, to be adult but he just goads me all the time which makes it so hard

OP posts:
whatsmyname2017 · 24/07/2017 20:00

My ex pleads poverty all the time. He started refusing to have the kids overnight as he couldnt afford to buy beds for them. He soon changed his tune when I explained he would have to increase his maintenance payments.
Do not let him hang around your house. Have set times he must pick up and drop off. If you suspect he may drop them early, just make sure you're not in.
You can't do anything about his plans with the kids when he has them but remember, he will be trying to impress this OW. It won't last.

Movingon1611 · 24/07/2017 20:04

I don't mind him taking the kids to her house to play with her kids or to the park, something like that.
It's the fact that every time he has them it has to be some grand gesture of a day trip- theme parks, zoos etc
Imo he should be saving his money to get his own place, the kids just want to be with him they don't care where they are so there's no need for him to be splashing the cash

OP posts:
Lovemusic33 · 24/07/2017 20:33

The best thing you can do is not let him see that your upset by these things even though your pissed off and upset (that's the reaction he would like to see). I just grit my teeth and try not to to cause any arguments.

Him hanging around at yours should be stopped unless he's invited, surely he can find somewhere to take the kids, it's summer, tell him to bring a picnic and take them to the park or to visit relatives.

whatsmyname2017 · 24/07/2017 20:44

So if he doesn't have them overnight, I assume he pays you the maximum maintenance? Does he not understand that if he gets his own place he can have them more, therefore pays less to you?
It sounds like its an excuse to have his cake and eat it. He's living it up like a teenager and being an occasional Dad.
Start laying down the law. Do NOT allow him to sit in your house anymore and make sure you are getting enough money from him.

Movingon1611 · 24/07/2017 21:23

He pays me £42.69 a week in total. That's what CMS said he had to pay.

We don't have any relatives nearby to visit, hes NC with all his family anyway.
It boils down to the fact that he can't be arsed to actually spend time with them unless it part of the big show for the OW.
My DS whos 9 has said how different his dad is when she's around- he says his dad doesn't shout at him and isn't as strict in front of her so that's good

OP posts:
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