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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

Husband has ‘secret’ child

105 replies

Hesthedad · 25/09/2019 14:53

A woman has contacted my husband on FB to say that he is the father of her 12 year old. She admits that she wanted a child but not a partner so she didn’t tell him when she was pregnant but now the daughter wants to get to know her father.
My husband seems to just believe her - I feel we should ask for a DNA test but he seems convinced.
We have been together for ten years, married for eight and have two children. He wants to meet the girl but the whole situation just makes me feel sick. It’s all so out of the blue.

OP posts:
81Byerley · 25/09/2019 17:09

I had a similar thing happen in my family, but my children found out after they were grown up. They were delighted to have another brother. There's that part of this story to think about.... but only after a DNA test.

MyCatHatesEverybody · 25/09/2019 17:13

This is his business and unfortunately nothing really to do with you.
It seems like he may have his daughter after all, why does this concern you?

Is it possible for someone to truly think like this? Confused

mumofthemonsters808 · 25/09/2019 17:18

Another vote for a DNA test before any relationship begins

bobsyourauntie · 25/09/2019 17:19

It's sad for your H and the child that this woman kept the child a secret from him for so long, but things can be fixed if all parties want to. I can understand your fears and you are allowed to have them, you are only human and a lot of people don't like change or fear it. Just try and park the fears for now because you are worrying about things that haven't yet happened.

Your DH should take a DNA test. He is not denying paternity or calling her a liar, but any sensible person would want it confirmed before getting emotionally involved with a child. Anyone could name him as a father to their child and ask for maintenance etc, so to protect himself, and to get PR if he wants them (assuming the ex would amend the BC), then he really does need to prove he is indeed the father.

Cloudyyy · 25/09/2019 17:20

Oh my gosh how absolutely gutting!! I’d be so heartbroken by this. I really hope you’re ok OP and getting support!

OldWoodenBoxInTheCorner · 25/09/2019 17:25

Is it possible for someone to truly think like this?

No, some people are just pricks who like to say konwlingly cruel things in the hope it will hurt the intended recipient.

slipperywhensparticus · 25/09/2019 17:29

He has always wanted a girl? Do you think this is why he wants to just accept it? Pre teen girls can be a nightmare not a daddy's little girl anyway

reginafelangee · 25/09/2019 17:38

You need to support your husband and sons with this huge change in their lives.

ymf117 · 25/09/2019 17:49

Another vote for a DNA test for everyone's sake. If the child isn't his then you are putting something huge on your DC when there is no need to and the daughter needs to know the correct truth also. What ages are your DC OP? Are they "ready" to hear something like this?

I think the daughters mum needs to take some major accountability because her actions are disgusting. She is only thinking about herself, her daughter second and then doesn't actually care about your family. If she did then she would have said something before your DH went on to marry and have a family none the wiser until she feels he should know based on her questions. Sounds very much like she wanted a baby from a nice man for when her DD asked one day.

Also don't know you are getting comments about stumping up 12 years of CM I don't know, your DH shouldn't be expected to pay anything previous to what he knows and by the sounds of it I think your husband would have much rather had the time with DD instead of the money he has "saved".

Serous chat with DH needed, offer support to him if you feel you can but ultimately a DNA test to be fair on everyone. Diving in head first puts potential DD above the welfare of his definite DC.

Millie2016 · 25/09/2019 17:52

Another one saying a DNA test is non-negotiable. It’s madness to do anything until you know for sure. If it is his child the mother should be fine with it. Nothing to hide and all that.
Sorry OP.

perfectstorm · 25/09/2019 17:57

It could be a positive, OP? Nobody's cheated, nobody's let you down, and your two boys are possibly going to have an older sister to love them and make a fuss of them. Nobody is going to love your younger child any less for being a boy. He's a unique human being, not simply his sex.

I do appreciate that this is a shock, but you said yourself that the woman doesn't want money, doesn't want anything from your husband or your family. A twelve year old child wants to get to know her father and her baby brothers. That could be a lovely thing for all sides.

Step parenting can be awful, but it can also be fantastic, and you don't have the usual acrimony of a split, and children whose lives have gone horribly awry, to navigate.

Might it be feasible to seek some counselling, at all? Is there a charity that can do that, or can your health visitor refer you? It is such a huge change, but handled well.... well, all babies benefit from more people in the world to love them. Your sons may have a big sister to enhance and enlarge their worlds. It could be a good thing.

I send Flowers because I appreciate that it has to be a shock, too!

Hopoindown31 · 25/09/2019 17:57

Two things:

Is he listed as the father on the birth certificate? If so, it might be difficult to avoid liability given the age of the child.

A reputable DNA test is required, check that the provider is legitimate.

salmonrose · 25/09/2019 18:02

I feel sorry for the girl, you sound hostile to her existence already and she is innocent. She can't help that she is a girl and you have boys and your DH wanted a girl. She can't help it if your MIL will like the fact that she is a girl. She can't help it that you and your husband didn't know of her existence.

I understand that you feel vulnerable, and of course a DNA test is needed but please keep an open mind about this girl, she is vulnerable too.

Heymummee · 25/09/2019 18:46

I’ve been in an extremely similar situation. We found out about DP’s daughter completely out of the blue when she wanted to know her dad. I was floored by it and didn’t know how to cope. It sounds awful now, but I didn’t want a stepchild and I was angry. She’s 14 now and we found out about her around 8 years ago.
Through no fault of our own (her mum arranging times for us to spend the day or the weekend with her and then changing her mind) we’ve barely seen her and it’s difficult for DP because he feels like every time we do see her we are back to square one. It was a massive adjustment for our son too and the older he gets, the more confused he is about his sister’s mum and what her relationship was with his dad (clearly can’t tell him it was a ONS but he’s bound to figure it out one day).
We’ve done the very best we can to support her emotionally and financially, but now she’s getting older she doesn’t want to come and see us. I did tell DP to expect this to happen and if that’s her decision he needs to respect that, but at the same time to keep the door open.
I recommend a DNA test. Also take contact etc one step at a time. Despite being related, there were no huge rushes of love which is what DP expected and it’s been a lot of hard work to get to know her and try to build the relationship they lost out on for so long.
Feel free to PM me if you want to talk to someone who has been (and still going through) the same thing. Good luck

category12 · 25/09/2019 19:01

It's a really tough one to swallow, OP, I'm sorry.

I would look for a few counselling sessions for yourself to talk through your feelings and to really be honest in confidence with someone - I think it would be a mistake to say everything you might want to say unfiltered to your dh right now.

You could also look at some family sessions for your dc when it comes to discussing it and introducing a sibling. Assuming the dd is really his, your dc have a right to know their half-sister and it's in their interests that it's handled as well as possible.

Heartburn888 · 25/09/2019 19:08

Defo get a dna test. If all she wanted was a child and not a partner then she may of had multiple partners to help her achieve what she wanted

babba2014 · 25/09/2019 19:20

The girl’s mum has probably done you a favour as you got to live all these years as a family without knowing about or needing to provide care for your stepchild (something that is difficult by any measure). - TeddyBear

I don't know how anyone can come to this conclusion.
The girl's mother has done absolutely no favours to anyone.
She's allowed a child to come into the world with full knowledge she will miss several years of binding with her father.
She has allowed OP's partner/husband to go and move on with his life, possible marry, have kids... with full knowledge that her own child can demand access to her father (rightfully) but at the same time disrupt another family.
The right thing to do was to tell him he's having a baby and that way, whether he chose to be in the baby's life or not, he would be able to tell future partners so that those partners can decide whether they want to be with a man who already has a child or not.

That woman's actions are awful.

OP I really feel for you, your OH and the potential the daughter as well as your own children. A DNA test is needed and if your OH thinks otherwise then maybe he knew about her all along. I can't imagine this is going to be easy for you.

Coyoacan · 25/09/2019 19:32

I feel sorry for the girl, you sound hostile to her existence already and she is innocent

That's a bit rough. The OP is still in shock. Obviously the OP needs to come to terms with this.

OneForMeToo · 25/09/2019 19:45

You need a dna test before anything. Honestly though this would rip my family apart I wouldn’t be able to stick around playing happy families with a new child just shoved into the family to act as if they had always been apart of it.

Might seem harsh but not something I signed up to.

littleorangecat22 · 25/09/2019 19:54

Not sure why this would rip anyone's family apart. Nobody cheated and the DH hasn't lied. The only person in the wrong is the mother.

Beansandcoffee · 25/09/2019 20:00

The husband might have had protected sex using a condom. It could have split or the woman could have used artificial insemination a little later. Let’s not automatically assume the husband had unprotected sex.

As he has missed 12 years of the child’s life he might not have any interest in seeing his child. There are many situations where children do not know/meet their father. I think the woman of the child was incredibly cruel and deceitful. I also feel for the op - we can’t all be so magnanimous like some of the peeps are suggesting on here.

Cloudyyy · 25/09/2019 20:07

Ye but it’s not about someone being in the wrong, it’s about the hug impact it will have on the whole family. OP didn’t sign up to be a step-parent and it is a monumental shift in family set-up and dynamics that will change so many things logistically, financially and emotionally from now on. I would be totally floored by this to be honest. OP didn’t choose to have a man’s second family and accept all the drama that entails. It’s a big thingn.

category12 · 25/09/2019 20:08

It says in the opening post that her dh wants to meet the child.

OneForMeToo · 25/09/2019 20:11

Because I wouldn’t of married and had children with my dh, had he already had a child. Although unknown the whole relationship would feel built on a lie, then there’s getting to know this new person and frankly protecting my children from any drama the new comer May bring would be my priority not handholding and fake smiles.

Charley50 · 25/09/2019 20:16

It wasn't built on a lie; he didn't know he had a child!