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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

Anyone else's child absolutely hate their dad???

9 replies

MorningSunDew76 · 07/10/2024 22:11

DD despises her dad.. I don't blame her, he's abusive and has been to both her and me. I feel like a fraud telling her she should have him in her life and encouraging her to see him... I have for years been under the scrutiny of the family court which has been his chance to perform woe is me and I'm a dutiful dad etc.
DD is 6, 7 next year and I want to put my head in my hands and cry when I think of the next 4/5/6 years like this before the family court actually consider her views.
DD tells me routinely she can't wait for him to die and to cut him out.
How do you put coping mechanisms in place to deal with this?
Did forced contact benefit your kids at all?
I'm at a loss.

OP posts:
Ozanj · 07/10/2024 22:14

Keep a diary. Get a therapist (social services will recommend) and just keep your social worker in the loop so they can keep evidence too. That way when he cocks up at least there’s a paper trail. I feel for you though - it’s absolutely awful to be in this position

MorningSunDew76 · 08/10/2024 11:30

Thank you. I keep a detailed log of everything.

OP posts:
AgileGreenSeal · 08/10/2024 12:09

I feel for you, OP. “Contact at all costs” seems to be the only way the courts approach this sort of situation. In a case I’m close to a 4 yo said she wished he was dead or that she herself was dead, so she wouldn’t have to go anymore. She repeated this to the GP. Nothing was done to help her. Was turned down by CAHMS. SW made light of it. No one cares. 😞

category12 · 08/10/2024 12:22

I don't think you should "encourage" her to see him or tell her she needs him in her life. It kind of undermines the validity of what she's feeling and what she knows to be true.

I think you should just be solidly in her corner. Obviously not badmouth him, but I think you should just be factual about it. "Daddy has court agreed access, so we have to go" or something.

I hope it's supervised. Sorry you're both going through this.

MorningSunDew76 · 08/10/2024 20:58

It's so soul destroying. It really is

OP posts:
Lostmymind11 · 08/10/2024 21:33

My 6yr old also hates his dad. His dad was also abusive to me and him. He hasn't seen his dad for a year now and luckily dad hasn't tried to see him either in this time. Any mention to my son about his dad and he goes into complete meltdown

Quitelikeit · 08/10/2024 21:35

Does she have to see him

MorningSunDew76 · 08/10/2024 22:56

Yes. The court decided that overnight contact was in her best interests. Unfortunately, it's not been successful for the past few weeks as she's so traumatised and distressed at handovers that neither of us have got her to go. He used force the last occasion which resulted in the police being called.

OP posts:
HardToUnderstand · 08/10/2024 23:16

I have walked that same road and it is hell. I'm so sorry you are enduring this.

It won't last all the years you think it will. The main thing is to be very careful not to be accused of parental alienation, which is a very popular false accusation these days.

My ex accused me of parental alienation because DC didn't want to visit and the judge almost fell for it, saying I have to send them regardless of their wishes . we had a final hearing and I was able to explain that I had tried but it had been detrimental to DC, giving examples, which luckily turned things around and the contact order is centred around what the children are capable of doing. They are front and foremost in all the decision-making.

When they criticise their father, my job isn't to agree that they are right (because, let's face it they are!) - it is to be a listening ear and say things like, "Oh, really? Gosh. That must be difficult/annoying/frustrating". And then move on.

They don't feel undermined or told that their assessment is inaccurate (because it isn't) but they also don't have one parent badmouth in the other, not only is bad for the child even if it's true - because they are after all half of that parent and sometimes no matter how bad that parent has behaved, they're still loved by the Children - but also his dangerous in a court because it can be misconstrued as alienation.

It's so painful to go through this, but I would say that my DC told me, by trying to push them to go when they can't face it, I'm leaving them with nobody in their corner. They needed an adult on their side that way and I explained it to the judge who thankfully understood. But they did have to jump through the hoops of having tried first and that was the worst time ever, for all of us.

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