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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

Would welcome any thoughts/advice please...............

7 replies

talie101 · 20/04/2008 12:13

Have put this on several different threads to hopefully get varying points of view........

Can any of you tell me why my exh behaves the way he does.

Left me for ex-girlfriend nearly 4 years ago, was extremely verbally abusive and once physically abusive in front of the children, which has had a big impact on their lives and shows in the behaviour that they display.....he continually refuses to accept that he played/s a big part in the problems they have. He has minimum contact with the children because of the above. I have worked really hard with Psychologists etc to get the children to a stage where they are now staying overnight with him alternate weekends, happily.

A year ago he began texting me saying he regretted leaving me, he wished he could turn the clocks back etc and generally mixed my emotions up all over again (at this point I believe I still wanted us to be a 'family' again).... I had my suspicions he was playing with me though so I asked him outright if he wanted to come back to us...no reply! Confirming to me he was playing games.....I told him not to play games, informed his girlfriend to tell him to stop etc. He then told me had no intention of coming back but just wanted to make sure I would turn up to Mediation!

For the last 6 months he has agreed to work with me at the childrens pace, there was no more abuse and the children have come on leaps and bounds....we have even laughed and joked together when he picks them up.

For the last 2 months though he has begun texting me again saying he had told his girlfriend he was going to leave her, that he regrets leaving, asks me about my sex life and about where we went wrong etc. I got the impression he was testing the water to see if I would have him back.....I told him I had moved on and that I would never trust him like that again. The texts have stopped, he now brings his girlfriend to plays and to my door when he collects the children, which has totally upset the applecart and problems have started again, the abuse has started etc. He is now taking me to Court and fighting for more access.

I just don't understand! I have asked him to meet with me (even before the Court issue) but he always has an excuse..... I asked him to meet me face to face but he flatly refuses and would rather go via the Courts because he knows that he has power over me that way and that the law is on his side and he will get most of what he demands.

Why does this man not want to be amicable and sort things out without Solicitors etc...we have been through this process once before and both agreed that they just enflame the situation and cause a lot of unnecessary expense! Why does he continue to play mind games and try to bully and manipulate me? Why does he not accept the part that he plays in the damage that is happening to the children?

I feel so depressed that we are moving backwards and not forwards.

OP posts:
KatieScarlett2833 · 20/04/2008 12:18

Sounds like petty retaliation for you daring to decline his wondrous offer of taking him back. He wants you to still want him IYSWIM, it makes him feel secure.

Well done for declining. He'll probably calm down a bit once his ego has recovered.

stirlingmum · 20/04/2008 12:20

He sounds very insecure to me and just wants to know that you want him.
I wouldn't even answer his texts etc and would let him believe that there is someone else wonderful in your life.
He is trying to mess with your mind - dont let him!

KatieScarlett2833 · 20/04/2008 12:27

Great minds Stirlingmum.

Are you in Stirling or is that the name of your child Stirlingmum? If you are in Stirling, hi from a Fifer. If you actually are Stirling's mummy, then kudos on the cool name.

beaniesteve · 20/04/2008 12:31

Hiya

I don't understand this bit

"The texts have stopped, he now brings his girlfriend to plays and to my door when he collects the children, which has totally upset the applecart and problems have started again, the abuse has started etc. He is now taking me to Court and fighting for more access."

He has stopped hassling you and stopped suggesting that he leave his girlfriend, infact he now (from what you say) seems to be more keen to involve his girlfriend in other parts of his life, including his children's? So this is good - no?

What kind of abuse has re-started? Is he continuing to be physically or mentally abusive towards you and the children but not by text? Then how, in public?

stirlingmum · 20/04/2008 12:33

Hi Katie - Yes I am close to Stirling.
Hi to Fife!

KatieScarlett2833 · 20/04/2008 12:38

I love Stirling, I have to go there quite often for work also think there are much better shops than Dunfermline. Still trying to pluck up the courage to set foot in the Ann Summers shop in the centre, though. I just KNOW my MIL and her ladies will have chosen that exact day to make their weekly trip to Debenhams....

littlewoman · 20/04/2008 16:02

He clearly wanted to see if you would take him back and was edging away from his girlfriend in preparation for this. The fact that you turned him down has made him feel stupid and has knocked his ego. Bringing the girlfriend with him to the door is his way of saving face, implying "it was a blip, I didn't want you anyway. I'm madly in love with her" (clearly he's not though!).

The rest is a bit confusing. No way is a court going to give extra access to an aggressive and abusive father, surely? If he was only ever aggressive and abusive to you, then your children aren't in any danger are they, so you don't really have the right to stop him seeing them. They did witness abuse towards you, but they won't witness any more of it as you are no longer together, surely?
Not trying to annoy you, just trying to get a picture of what your worry is really, because it isn't very clear from your message. Sorry.

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