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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

Am I in the wrong?

38 replies

confused2023 · 28/03/2023 04:34

My children have recently had a parents evening. We have always ended parents evening with a meal out somewhere (sometimes McDonalds, sometimes the local pub depending on what the children want) as a 'well done'. I am divorced from their father but we still do it together as it is important to me that they see we can co-parent and spend time together once in a blue moon when it is about them.

I have been with my current partner around a year. Everything is going well (or so I thought). He has met the children, they really like him and he's great with them. After their parents evening last Autumn the boys wanted to go to McDonalds so it was me, them and their dad. I have no recollection of oh mentioning anything at all about it at the time but he would have known. This evening they asked to go the local pub so we did. I told my oh that we had been (I think I mentioned to him last week that this was likely to happen) and he is now not talking to me. I'm assuming it's because of the meal but that is just a guess as he won't tell me what I've done to upset him.

Am I wrong going out for a casual meal with my children and their dad? It was about them having a great parents evening. It was an early dinner where we were home by 6 o'clock. We drove separately. No alcohol was drunk. My thinking is that them seeing us being able to do things like this for them can only be a positive. I would understand my oh not being happy if it was just me and my ex husband going for a meal somewhere. That is something that would never happen though. Am I in the wrong for doing this? Thank you.

OP posts:
CuriouslyDifferent · 28/03/2023 07:51

If you had something along the lines of being with your current partner for 5 years, and he felt excluded from both the parents evening and the meal, then I’d have more sympathy.

But it’s still a new relationship and all he is seeing is you had a meal with your ex. So he’s either the jealous type, feeling like he is still ‘on approval’ from you etc.

im not entirely sure - was it kept secret from him, or does it just appear that way to him? Again this could be complicating matters for him.

either way, be blunt, you co parent, the Ed will be around for as long as the kids are growing up - and trust me, he doesn’t want an arsehole ex floating around rather than one it’s easy to get along with.

confused2023 · 28/03/2023 09:13

Thank you all. He has not shown any signs of jealousy before this. He was aware that we sometimes do this and this is the first time he has reacted in this way. It was definitely not hidden from him. He does have a lot of other things going on that he has to deal with at the moment which I know is causing a lot of stress. I am not making excuses for him as I strongly believe he was out of order and I have made that clear to him. A talk is in order to make it clear that I find this behaviour unacceptable and that my parenting methods will not change. Thank you again, it's easy to doubt yourself sometimes.

OP posts:
ImAvingOops · 28/03/2023 09:46

I'd throw this one back in the sea - nothing worse than a jealous sulker!
This refusal to discuss what he's sulking about has 'controlling arsehole' written all over it!

DustyLee123 · 28/03/2023 09:48

YANBU. You need to consider the relationship as it is abusive, and I assume you don’t want your kids to witness or learn it.

whattodo1975 · 28/03/2023 09:51

He's being a proper baby, with the whole not talking to you thing, being unhappy with something is one thing. Being unhappy and refusing to say is very childish.

Nopinnogin · 28/03/2023 09:53

Trying to co parent amicably is great! Much better for your kids. It’s objectively the right decision. If your partner always controlling?

SlouchingTowardsBethlehemAgain · 28/03/2023 13:22

Do not accept this shit. Let him know your kids come first, always, or he can fuck the fuck off.

ChangedmynameagainforChristmas · 28/03/2023 13:48

If your partner has never behaved like this before and he has issues going on in his personal life which you know about then why the hell are you asking us on here when you should be asking him?
It stinks of disloyalty to me talking about a person behind their back when there is probably a simple explanation (which you probably also know about)

sealon82 · 28/03/2023 17:18

You've done nothing wrong. My husband occasionally does things with his ex wife and daughter (example, they went to Nando's at Christmas together after watching her school play)
Your boyfriend needs to grow up and the fact he is giving you the silent treatment is wrong, that would really put me off.

Justkeepingplatesspinning · 28/03/2023 17:29

You are doing parenting brilliantly, and please don't let your DP try to change that. If he has a problem with you going to parents evening together and having tea after, he's going to have an equally big problem down the line when it comes to taking them to uni etc.
If he doesn't like that you co-parent then he has to either accept it or leave. He knew that you co-parented when you got together (or soon afterwards) so this isn't something you hid from him.

FictionalCharacter · 28/03/2023 18:10

MayhemMostly · 28/03/2023 06:41

personally I'd include my OH if he wanted to come, ie invite him then it's his choice if he wants to meet us all at the pub or not.

I wouldn’t. The evening is for the kids and their parents. Besides, the OH is a big sulky manbaby who doesn’t sound mature enough to participate in something like this in a civil way.

Allthecheeseplease · 28/03/2023 19:27

MayhemMostly · 28/03/2023 06:41

personally I'd include my OH if he wanted to come, ie invite him then it's his choice if he wants to meet us all at the pub or not.

I agree with @FictionalCharacter I wouldn't and don't invite my current husband all the time as it is lovely for the kids to have time on their own with their parents when co-parneting is amicable. I am a step parent too and neither myself or my husband would ever act like your OH @confused2023 Massive, massive red flag.

confused2023 · 28/03/2023 20:39

Thank you. I really appreciate all comments and am taking them on board.

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