Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Please or to access all these features

Step-parenting

Connect with other Mumsnetters here for step-parenting advice and support.

Frustrations, squabbles and unfit mothers

10 replies

InnocentRedhead · 21/11/2010 23:22

Ok, i get the feeling this is going to be a long post but there is a good few months frustation going to come out now. I will try and tell it as objectively as possible, as i wasn't on the scene until a certain point which i will mention so this is what i have heard from DP.

Well, i love my DSD to pieces, she is a fantastic little character, can be a little sh*t sometimes, but im sure most 19m old can be. I have a lot of love and time for her and she loves me back too which is a bonus, i am quite often favourite over Daddy! The only problem is DSD mother, she is a nightmare, (IT ISN'T JUST ME THAT THINKS THAT IT IS EVERYONE AROUND HER). I'll explain...

To begin with she didn't have the best of conceptions, she lied to DP when they were 'together' that she was on the pill. They weren't really together, well she saw they were, he was doing what he had to do, and in his eyes they were SWOI, to keep a roof over his head as he had moved in with her out of desperation (lot of trouble in his past). When she fell PG, DP had just got his life back on track and had moved out. She actually admitted to him that she wasn't really on the pill and had trapped him!! And she isn't the brightest bulb in the box to get back at him to try and hurt him and say this to do just that.

During the pregnancy, he did the whole Dad thing, whilst not leading her on, he went to scans etc. She didn't do Ante-natel classes seeing as she had already done it 4 times before. However this is one thing that started in the PG that is a recurring thread. MONEY! She always asked for it and if DP wouldn't give it she would say things like 'Well you need to support your daughter'. (veaing in mind she was still in the womb. The sad thing is though she spent any money during the PG on cigarettes and alcohol. One incident during this time was when she was 8 months PG she went into DP place of work p*ssed up and being abusive. The manager had to actually order her from the premises.

At this point she hasn't even being born and i wasn't even on the scene but it does build up!

After the birth up until 5 months they shared the parenting between the two of them. However she was still doing the same things that she was doing throughout the PG. Basically all she is about is the money and she saw DP had (obviously) a soft spot in regards to my DSD, his DD, and gave her the money... Which at the time he was on jobseekers. And i know you shouldn't listen to what you hear on the grapevine, but all she was doing on this money was drinking it away.

After 5 months DP basically had DSD full time until she was after 1yr. Mother saw her only one a week. The circumstances behind this happening too are horrible: she rang social services and told them she couldn't cope anymore and told them to 'dump her on DP'. That wasn't the only time she pulled that stunt either, has happened twice since.

Meanwhile at the time DP was with his ex. DSD mother did everything she could to cause as much sh*t between them, abusive messages on facebook and things like that until it escalated. One day whilst DP was at home DSD mother came round with DSD to 'dump her on him'. She saw that his Partner of the time was there, she stayed calm and didn't say anything even when she was having abuse hurled at her. Then with DSD in her arms she swung for her!!! DP ex did nothing! But what sort of Mother does that with their daughter in their arms?!?!

Moving on, something that happened when DSD was 8 months old. DP took her to the clinic, DSD mother knew about this. Well when DP got to the clinic with DSD, while in a room playing with her, he was told by the clinic he was not allowed to leave with her until the police came!!! Mother had reported DSD kidnapped by DP!!! At the time courts had said that DSD mother had residency too. Courts are a further story. The police had to take DSD away from DP. As you can imagine he was distraught!!

Anyways, onto the courts issue. 7 times in 18 months. I don't know the ins and outs but a few incidences such as outside the court when DSD mother was crying to DP saying you can have her as long as i can still get child benefit and Child tax credits! This really is what it's about to her - MONEY!

I have noticed i am making more notes of what happened now, but it really is a lot and i just wanna get it off my chest

CAFCAS report in DP favour
Made DP life hell
People say she still loves him
Wants money for everything - doesn't just ask, she tells. 'I need food, what are you going to do about it'
Money for xmas presents
AND she has still called the CSA - no more handouts to her from now on

But WHY does she have to make my life hell, she has put a lot of strain on our relationship too! Also when DSD is round at ours she sometimes talks to her mother and one thing she said (she didn't realise she was on loudspeaker) 'I hope you treating her like rubbish' (she obv called me by name)

DSD also called me mummy the other day but i correct her and make it clear i am not!
It's not a jealousy thing though that she thinks im taking her daughter away from her - i'm not, nor do i wish to!

What can we do to stop her causing hell!

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
InnocentRedhead · 21/11/2010 23:22

Bloody hell, thats long

OP posts:
christmasheave · 22/11/2010 10:04

Phew. It sounds like everything is very messed up and it is very sad when any parent doesn't act in a child's best interests. The most unfortunate part in all of your story is what is happening to that little girl, so please keep in mind the good you are doing by being there.

Best advice, but the hardest to take is to detach yourself from what she says about /to you. She is not being unpleasant about you because of YOU, just because you are with her ex. Its hard, but keep in mind that the best thing for the LO is for her to have calm and stability so you need to provide that.

I'm not clear from your post whether DBD is living with you and DP at the moment or whether she is with her mum. Also, what access arrangements are there? Does everyone keep to these arrangements?

TBH there is not a lot you can do to stop someone behaving the way that they do. The best you can hope for is being able to manage it as well as you can. If you're not already, keep a record of all contact with ExP, dates, times and what was said and done.

WildistheWind · 22/11/2010 10:27

CH speaks a lot of sense here- However hard it is you have to raise above it all and try and concentrate on your relationship with LO and make her happy with she is with you.

I feel for you as we have been through years of hell with similar behaviour from the Ex minus the physical violence. This is a clear case of parental alienation and emotional abuse.

And yes- record everything that is said- emais along with dates, they might come in handy.

Are you trying to get a residence order ?

You seem to be a good parent to your DBD and that can only be good for her.

InnocentRedhead · 22/11/2010 19:32

Hey guys, thanks for the kind words of support. You are right about just providing a stable home for her and show her love and affection. I just try my best tbh.

DSD has residency at the moment with her mother, this is because the last court session DP couldn't take residency over her due to work. (If he had residency DSD mother would never see her daughter as she would just say to DP; 'well you have residency'). Now me and DP are in a stable home, if it goes to court again (which it is more than likely to) we are going to fight for residency, and more than likely get it because of all the past times at court.

The access arrangements are basically DP has DSD on his days off. This has started to become when i have my days off also so i am parenting while DP is working. I do enjoy it and the time me and DSD spend together so it's no burden. A further issue on this is whenever DP or I take her back to her mothers, she cries poverty and she asks, well tells, that we ned to give her money.. For food, electricity, etc. Referring to the OP on what she actually spends it on.

And yeah i will definately keep a record of everything that is said on the emails, etc.

It is lovely to hear though what i am doing with regards to DSD is good and right, all i want for her is stability and to feel loved!

OP posts:
InnocentRedhead · 27/11/2010 17:51

Social services are now involved again, apparently mother cant cope and tried to get herself sectioned last night and rang NHS direct to say she wanted to kill herself. DSD is in our care now, where she is best off and belongs

OP posts:
notremotelyintofootie · 27/11/2010 17:54

Oh dear, well I'm glad dsd is safely with you and hopefully her mum will get the help she needs!

mjinsparklystockings · 27/11/2010 18:20

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

christmasheave · 27/11/2010 20:37

Oh dear. Thank goodness that your DSD has you and her dad to take care of her. Hope it all works out for you.

GILLIEPOPS · 25/01/2011 19:35

oh my my innocent redhead - it was like i was reading my own history - a very long and stressful one - sometimes losing sight of the real victims - our stepkids!!!

myself and my partner endured years of what you have described, and with social work involvement too - i would just like to say to you and your partner, keep doing what you are doing, be there for her and fight for her - it was so frustrating for us at times and felt like there was no end and all the justice went to the "birth mother's" no matter what

  • but we won in the end and now our 2 children (my step-children) have been living with full-time since December 2009 and we were awarded custody/residence last april

keep fighting and never give up hope xxx

InnocentRedhead · 26/01/2011 06:15

Well, i didn't give up hope and even though you can't erase the past there seems to have been a breakthrough.

She has now accepted me as part of DSDs life and has said to DP not to fuck the relationship up as what happens will affect DSD. She is so right but it just hurt that it took her a while to realise this!

Still have bad times with her but now she has accepted me it is a big step forward

OP posts:
New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Swipe left for the next trending thread