Giant leap backwards for him... don't know if to be angry or sympathetic...

[Madelinesnotapumpkinanymore]

I need a bit of a rant and I'm sorry but I think it's going to be long... So as you know, DH decided that the "dating" scenario he had with his DD on a weekly basis was all bollocks after taking her to Paris and her then not wanting to see him at all.
He told her that if she wanted to see him then he would be very happy but that he had to have a family life with my DD and I and couldn?t wait around then drop everything at her whim. He has been texting her on a weekly basis telling her what he/ us are up to each week/weekend and letting her know that she is welcome to choose to be a part of it. Sometimes it?s visiting family, sometimes it?s sitting in with TV and pizza, sometimes it?s a trip to the park etc, etc. Not always with my DD and I but it often is. He says he loves her and hopes she's well.
Every week he either gets no response, or a response saying something like "I'm spending time with Mum" or "It's my friend's birthday". He's been really strong and recently said to me that he had realised he had to snap out of his depression about it all and enjoy all the things he does have in his life. He's been really good and things have been getting back on track. We?ve started making some family traditions/ routines of our own and the improvement in my DD who had been incredibly down about the whole thing has been noticeable. One of our routines is going for an early dinner and ?wine o?clock? at the local pub at 4pm on a Friday as that is when he clocks off. We?ve been playing snap/ pairs etc. and then coming home and reading a book together before DD has her bath and bed.
Soooo? today I took DD out for soft play and lunch with two of her little friends and I had coffee with the Mum. DH is off work so I felt like I should have arranged something he could be involved in but the Mum wanted to talk about her recent separation so I couldn?t really, and I did explain that to him.

He made an appointment that he needed to have with the bank for 1pm and we planned to all be back here to have our Friday dinner routine as normal. Then he text me (after he?d got back home from the bank ? a 20 minutes trip from town on foot ? I had the car) saying he was going back out in to town because his DD had asked to meet him there. He said he?d spend a few hours with her and be back for dinner (don?t know what time he was thinking but by this point it was already 2.30pm so def not back for 4pm) he said he had invited DSD out for dinner with us but she didn?t want to come. I was immediately furious ? this sets us back by months! Him jumping as is her whim (she was given all options to see him back on Tuesday and didn?t respond) spending ?alone time? with her, PLUS reneging on our plans in favour of seeing DSD. I was getting all angry then he text about half an hour later saying as he was leaving she text to ask him to bring all the clothes that are still at our house. He said he was sad that he was only getting to see her because she had an ulterior motive. Now rather than angry? I feel so sad for him. He?s been doing so well and now we?re right back where we started. I feel disappointed, useless, futile, sad? and also a bit angry. I text him and said although I realised it would never be the same as having his own DD - My DD and I were really looking forward to our Friday night dinner and that we love to spend time with him and he is dearly loved. I?ve had no response and now DD and I are sat wondering what?s happening (well, she seems quite happy watching TV but you know what I mean!) I?m furious with DSD!!! Has she no idea how heartbreaking it must have been for him to have to go in to her room and bag up all of her clothes after not seeing her for about 7 weeks then take them to her in town and walk back alone? it?s a fucking joke how cold she is. I actually don?t think she has a human heart. Part of me wants to tell him how disappointed I am in his behaviour, the other half wants to hug him and hug him. What should I do?

[Madelinesnotapumpkinanymore]

Sorry - that's five days isn't it! Obviously it was half term so it isn't always that much. But the previous weekend it had been: tea/dinner with all of us on Friday night at 4pm, lunch with all of us and my sister and her son (previously very close to DSD) on saturday, Dad free all day for her on Sunday, alone. She didn't even respond.

Sorry - in answer to questions: She is 13. And the paris trip was a weekend that DH took DSD and her best friend on in place of a week that he and I had planned to take her and her BFF on but I renegged because DSD said she wasn't ready to see me and said she was very angry at both DH and I still, so as the holiday was due to be spent with my aunt at her house, I decided it was too awkward and so DH organised a holiday at the exclusion of me. After the holiday, DSD started to ignore his texts etc. and he hasn;t seen her since until today (it was in Oct)

[lunar1]

taketwo, no i meant that a child shouldnt need an invitation so see their parent.

Madeline, I am not really sure if i should reply or not as you are obviously just letting off steam and need a place to vent. Just as i am sure you are not a complete inept, unfeeling, child hating, man stealing whore, I am also sure there must be more to your DH's dd than a cold girl without a human heart.

She sounds like a girl being pulled apart by the adults in her life. It really sounds like you need outside intervention and i really feel sorry for all of you in this situation. you have to stop comparing your perfect DD to your DSD though as that is a really horrible attitude.

[allnewtaketwo]

But if the NRP doesn't extend an invite, and the child doesn't come voluntarily, then what??

[brdgrl]

you have to stop comparing your perfect DD to your DSD though as that is a really horrible attitude.

Lunar, you're projecting. The DSD is acting and has been acting like a pretty vile human being...among other things, by cutting off all contact with the DD, her sister. OP hasn't put forth the view that her DD is 'perfect'...but she's certainly entitled to note the fact that her DD is also a child of a 'broken home' and not given the same latitude and allowed the same appalling behaviours.

[Madelinesnotapumpkinanymore]

My DD isn't perfect - who is?! But what i am trying to say is that although the excuse for DSD's horrible behavious is always that she is "from a broken home" - my DD (as many other people's children are) is quite able to function as compassionate human being without constantly punishing and testing those around them. It's incredibly sad, don't you think..? Being a child, it's not DSD's fault - but it is the case. However you dress it up.

I would LOVE LOVE LOVE outside intervention. DH has been trying to get it for DSD since he and Mum split up back when she had just turned 8. But Mum has always resisted. His big regret is that he didn't go to court or doctors before DSD reached "gillick competency" to ensure that DSD received help, but he only seemed to gain insight in to what was happening when it was too late. Mum refuses any counselling or input from anyone else. Despite the fact that DSD is rapidly going of the rails. I see no excuse for that.

[Madelinesnotapumpkinanymore]

She doesnt need an invite - she has a key! She is told weekly that she is welcome to come here whenever she pleases. Because DH knows she is worried about so many things, he gives her a warning as to what activities and presence to expect on any given day so she can opt in, or out, of what ever she likes.

[allnewtaketwo]

No doubt if OP had said that her DH doesn't invite his daughter over then that would also be wrong

[Madelinesnotapumpkinanymore]

Absolutely Allnew - and believe it or not, it has been me all the way through encouraging him to keep up the advised text message even when he has been in the "anger" stage of the grief cycle and telling him how he will regret it if he lets his temper get the better of him and stop reaching out to his DSD. Don't know why i bother.

[maybenow]

she's 13 - it's a horrible age, and she's clearly quite damaged. Not all children of 'broken homes' suffer such damage, but some do, it's not fair to compare.

all you can do is keep the door open for her if she decides to come back when she has matured a bit.

Is your dh as upset as you are about how she treats him, if he's able to deal a bit better with her coldness then that's good, she might come round. It doesn't sound like her mum's helping, whereas you and your DD's SM obviously have a good relationship.

[maybenow]

It's totally understandable that you'd want to protect your DH from this, but unfortunately you can't.

[Madelinesnotapumpkinanymore]

Thanks Mybe - it'sa unny thing. I am protective towards him, but the scond he is negative or angry towards DSD, I'm the first oerson to come to her defence about how it's not her fault, she's a child etc etc... it must be totally confusing for the poor man!! He deals with it well outwardlybut has become very withdrawn and shows a lot of symptoms of depression.