So long story short:
Was married to ExH for 10+ years, had our Dd. Later found out he began an affair during my pregnancy and carried it on for first year of DDs life before I found out.
We then split. The OW was married and chose to stay with her then DH.
2 years later they split and my exH and the OW got together. Moved in together 6 months later. My Dd was still young so pretty much accepted it at face value. My Dd sees her as a SM type figure and they seem to be pretty well blended.
I'm over the cheating and the breakdown of the marriage. Spent 8 years single (a bit of dating here and there when Dd was with her dad but nothing serious and nothing she was aware of).
2 years ago I met my now DP and I've never been happier. Waited a year to introduce them and even then did it gradually (ie they met a year ago and they see each other maybe twice a month, he's only every stayed over 2 nights while dd has been in the house).
The problem I'm having is that she's adamant she doesn't want to see him more regularly, never wants him to live with us etc.
When I ask her why, it doesn't seem to be anything about him personally (and she said she likes him). She says she just prefers it being the 2 of us - it's all she's known her whole life except the last year.
I've constantly reassured her that she's still my priority, always will be, that I won't love her any less etc etc, but she's not having it.
The bit I'm really struggling with is that she keeps talking about how brilliant her dad's partner (the woman he had the affair with) is. How much she loves living with her etc but that she just wants me to be on my own.
It's taking every ounce of my willpower not to say anything - and I never ever would bad mouth either of them in front of my daughter. She's oblivious to the history and I want it to stay that way.
Anyway, this is just partly a rant at how unfair it seems that they've moved on and playing happy families etc while I'm expected to remain alone and see my DP when Dd is at her dads.
It's the only option I can see for now and would never not put her first - I'm just so frustrated by the unfairness of it all.
I'm pretty sure if this had all happened when my Dd was younger she'd have accepted it better but it's almost as if the fact it's been just the 2 of us for so long, that she struggles with the change even more.
I guess the other thing I'm wondering is whether it's likely if there's a level of maturity she might reach where me she realises that it's unfair for her dad to move on with his life while she doesn't want me to? Like at one point when she's out with her friends all the time & has her own bf etc that it might dawn on her that I'm sitting home alone while her dad is cosied with his gf?
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Relationships
Is there an age where dc are more likely to accept a new relationship?
highlo · 02/04/2024 19:00
highlo · 02/04/2024 19:05
@WarshipRocinante it's so so tough isn't it. Takes everything in me not to tell her why it's so unfair for her dad and his gf to move on happily and 8 years later I'm still not "allowed" to.
My Dd is 9 (almost 10)
Dareisayiseethesunshine · 17/04/2024 09:42
Does she have a friend who's dps are still together? Maybe she is feeling a bit envious of someone right now. My dc were 4,6 and 7. But they have no df in the picture... Now 15,17 and 18. Pretty much plain sailing. Even with my older teens who lived pt until 12 and 14 and chose to be here full time. My dh even collected them... Honestly never had any issues... Fair enough your dd is just 9 but she can be told her df has a plus one. ...
MidnightPatrol · 17/04/2024 09:51
You have to remember what a massive deal this is for your daughter. She has not chosen this relationship with a new man, you have.
To suddenly find that her time with you involves this new man - to actually possibly have to live with him… it’s huge isn’t it?
Imagine if a strange man moved into your home, when you didn’t want it to happen. And she has no escape from this if both parents have live-in partners.
Yes it’s annoying your ex has done this - but she’s never known any different, she won’t remember her Dads’s partner not being in her life.
Id argue you can live a ‘full life’ without moving a new man into your home while your child lives there.
Her dad has her 50% of the time - that gives you loads of 1-2-1 time with the new man.
That she is so upset about going to her dads + doesn’t want your DP moving in + going into those early teen years…
Overthebow · 17/04/2024 10:14
I can see her point if she’s had 9 years of it just being you and her in the house that’s a long time and her whole life. She’s reached or reaching puberty, of course she doesn’t want a man in the house living with her that she’s not related to. It would be pretty unfair to force this on her now, the time to do it would have been when she was much younger and could grow up with him, this age and up is just not fair on her.
EditedWhatNoRaisins · 17/04/2024 10:19
Sorry if I've missed it but has she had any sort of counselling? It sounds like she could do with a neutral third party to talk through her feelings about the situation.
ColourByNumbers88 · 17/04/2024 10:37
Have no advice but totally get where you are coming from. I'm nearly 5 years separated and see ex getting on with his life while it feels like we are left to pick up the pieces and hold it all together, quite often to the detriment of our own lives. Why is she anxious about going to her dad's house?
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Singleandproud · 17/04/2024 10:59
I think it's very different when it's the dad that has a new partner, DD says visiting her dad is like going to see an Uncle and Cousins, she likes his new partner and her family but it's a visit.
She says if I had a partner it would be very different because it's just our space it's where she's comfortable and it tracks with conversations and comments made by secondary school pupils I used to teach. They liked their Step-Dads but it changed their dynamic in the home, things like moving about the house after a showering, having the routine and traditions they shared with mum changing even if it was for the better like moving into a bigger house and for some of them Step-Dads had been around for a long time but lots of the issues which hadn't appeared at a younger age reared their head when they were older,not just about Step-Dads but of the overall break up of their parents relationship, having to visit, not having a base etc. I remember one saying to me she wished her mum and Step-Dads could be together as he makes her happy but live separately so she still had time and space with mum.
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