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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

Ex doesn’t want to be a father

5 replies

BigRedLondonBus · 18/06/2019 11:06

Please don’t judge me as I am already beating myself up about this.
My ex hasn’t been absent from my children’s lives for 2 years. No contact whatsoever. He left when I was pregnant with the youngest (4 in total) as he was unhappy with the unplanned pregnancy. Recently he contacted me out of the blue. He asked to see them again, said he had changed, said he was going through a mental breakdown at the time (I know he has mental health issues) and is now better. Told me he wanted to be there and be a dad and be in their lives. Due to lack of help and support I foolishly let him see them again. Well he has seen them once and after I asked him when he would next like to see them, he said in 3 weeks time. I questioned that as it seem a long time away and didn’t really make sense as he isn’t working or anything like that. He couldn’t see a problem with it. I asked him if he wanted to be a dad and have regular and consistent contact as 2 of our 4 children have sen and need consistency and he told me he will “think on it” well that was yesterday at 11am. I messaged him after saying why didn’t he think about it before seeing them again (I mean he has had 2 years to think about it!) and he didn’t respond. I sent him a message this morning asking if he had made his decision and again no response.

I obviously have the answer by the lack of response but now I have to explain to my children that he has gone again. I honestly am so angry with myself for allowing him to treat them this way yet again. How do I explain this to them? Do I just wait till they ask about him? He is never getting another chance to see them again I am now closing the door for good but he should at least have the decency to tell me he doesn’t want to see them.

OP posts:
Isadora2007 · 18/06/2019 11:09

If they’ve only seen him once I can’t see it being a huge deal to the kids really. Their lives haven’t changed so they will probably just ask a few times and you can just say “I don’t know” and change the subject. He’s no loss to you or them. What an arse though.

BigRedLondonBus · 18/06/2019 11:12

I hope you’re right. Can’t help but feel like I’ve let them down with him rejecting them again.

OP posts:
Flamingobaby37 · 18/06/2019 12:11

You haven't let them down he has. You did the right thing. It is so sad some parents just dont care and can walk away like this. Just bee the best parent you can be and that will be all they need Flowers

BigRedLondonBus · 18/06/2019 18:10

Thanks. Hopefully they won’t take it too hard. It really is disgusting how some men walk away.

OP posts:
JustmeandtheKIDS2 · 18/06/2019 18:28

It is sad but it's better that he walks away rather than being in and out of their lives or just being a constant negative input in their lives. Don't be angry with yourself, just move on. X

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