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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

To break up with stepdad who ds calls dad?

15 replies

Roberts25 · 22/06/2021 21:18

I left my sons father 2 weeks after he turned one, for the month or two before he turned one he was around for around 2 weeks. Since we havent seen him since he left and never returned. No contact. He didnt want to come to court to arrange contact, i arranged the court paid 2k in fees because he wouldnt give address ect and had to get private investigator ect i knew he had no intention of being consistent which is why i went through court and proved me right he didnt show up. So thats that. Cort agreed for no comtact. Ive made a life story book to show him his whole family, but since hes only 4 and has no idea who his biological father is, i am going to wait until after chriatmas to explain it to him.

Anyway since ive had a new partner for 2 years and my son has started to call him dad. Hes lovely but honestly theres nothing beetween us its just settling for a safe person and its mutual. Theres no sex, no kissing, sleep in a bed together mabey once every 2 weeks with no touch. Ive asked him why and told him multiple times we need to try harder and have more fun but nothing in return. I book fun things to try to gain some romance and intimacy but he just doesnt try, with my son on the other hand he tries so hard and loves him. But tbh i dont. Im pretty fed up of him making me feel worthless.

Now im in this trap and have been for a year of feeling guilt that he will have lost two fathers 😔 and i keep on trying for his sake but im forcing it really hard now. I explained this to him before and he said he had no idea i felt that way and would try harder but honestly its just been worse since that day and somehow managed to give actual less effort.
Im an advocate for if you are happy your children will be and mirroring a relationship you wish for them, but my guilt here is insane.
Any advice, either advice to work it out or the opposite welcome. Would love to find someone in my situation.

OP posts:
Roberts25 · 22/06/2021 21:22

Some things ive tried;
Bought him a voucher to go to a fun activety a year ago, still hasnt booked it.
Asked him to do couch to 5 k with me. No
Asked him to go to the gym with me. No
Ask him every weekend to go on a walk with me. No
Ask him to sleep over more often. No
Suggest cinema, going for a weekend away. No
Asked him to take SUP lessons with me. No.
Running out of ideas.

OP posts:
SilverGlassHare · 22/06/2021 21:26

Tbh I’m seeing red flags with a guy who pays loads of attention to,your child but doesn’t seem interested in you physically or show you any affection. Fuck that anyway - your son needs a male role model who shows his mum love and respect.

66babe · 22/06/2021 21:27

I think you could give your son just as happy a life on your own as this one you have now
You and your son could do all those things and build lovely memories
You are not happy ... that will affect your demeanour and joy in life .. your son will pick up on that
Let him go if he's not meeting your wants or needs
You don't need a man to be happy

delilahbucket · 22/06/2021 21:27

You know you need to end this relationship and the longer it goes on, the worse you will make it for your son. The younger he is, the easier it will be to deal with. Perhaps your son and partner can still meet up after you have split. It doesn't sound like he wants to be together either.

AnneLovesGilbert · 22/06/2021 21:31

It sounds miserable and you’re only two years in. When it all go so horrible wrong?

Just make the break. Your son will get over it.

30degreesandmeltinghere · 22/06/2021 21:41

My ds had been with his sf since birth. I threw him out when ds was 3 and 8 months. I won't lie op. It was tough.. Ds cried every night for 13 weeks. Absolutely had me on my knees... I married my now dh when ds was 7 and they are extremely close. Ds has no memory of my ex...
No regrets though.

greymayday · 22/06/2021 21:43

your son needs a male role model who shows his mum love and respect.

This from @SilverGlassHare is a fantastic point. Your son might not realise now, but if you carry on this relationship as your son grows he will be of the age where he can see that his mum is unhappy in her relationship.

@66babe is right - you can provide your son with the happiness and love he needs but only if you yourself are feeling happy and loved, and it doesn’t seem like this man is doing that for you Flowers

Roberts25 · 22/06/2021 21:45

Thank you this has given me so much hope @30degreesandmeltinghere

OP posts:
30degreesandmeltinghere · 22/06/2021 21:48

Ds and dh are very alike. Even look alike!! Quite bizarre tbh!

Roberts25 · 22/06/2021 21:54

Thank you everyone. But honestly how do i explain this to my son?

OP posts:
66babe · 23/06/2021 08:20

You don't have to explain anything . He's 4 .. just love him and give him fun filled days ..
If he asks where he is .. you say he's at work or gone to his house
Maybe we can call him later for you to chat .. shall we finish the jigsaw now ?

Something like that

Opentooffers · 23/06/2021 08:50

If you are asking him for sleepovers, that doesn't sound like he's living with you, so this should be easy to end. Really, you should of corrected your son the first time you heard him call him dad, not play along with him. You've known for a year that this isn't right, that's half your relationship.Was he calling him Dad a year ago? Why didn't you end it then?
It sounds like you introduced them too soon. Take longer next time. It's about time you let your DS know that he is not his father, which you should of done from the start and this is why the guilt now.

Roberts25 · 23/06/2021 09:21

@Opentooffers introduced at 3 months. Totally why i feel guilt. I think my initial thought was we were going to last and if we had children of our own i didnt want him to feel left out or something. h
He was also doing family work at school during the time so was talking alot about family, now looking back i should have followed my gut and explained then. But too late now.

OP posts:
LoopTheLoops · 23/06/2021 09:59

I don’t think you can stay with someone for your child especially given he is not even the father, and I wouldn’t keep their relationship up after you split either as that won’t last, he is only 4 he will get over it, and please don’t bring another “dad” in for him, you can have a relationship without them becoming your sons new daddy.

Branleuse · 23/06/2021 10:05

Better to do it when the kid is only 4 than to do it when theyre older. The younger they are the more they adapt usually

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