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.

Winter clothing

77 replies

Anuta77 · 02/02/2019 16:17

We live in a northern country where it's cold pretty much for a about 6 months. Typically in winter, children wear their winter jacket, snow pants, a neck warmer, warm gloves, warm socks, etc. And typically, they just live the house dressed up wherever they go.

So it's the third winter at least that I see SD (who's now 12) coming to our house underdressed. Her parents come from Cuba, but it's not an excuse, the've been here for 8 years. She comes EOW.

She wears thin low socks, thin pants, no leggings, often doesn't bring snowpants, no scarf, thin gloves, not very warm jacket.... And obviously, she freezes. I often lend her my son's or my things, but this year, I don't have snow pants her size. She has warm things at home apparently, but her mother never checks if she's well dressed. I sometimes remind my DP to check if she takes snow pants, but I can't start enumerating all the winter items she needs and sometimes, he picks her up from mother's friend's house or the mother brings her, so he can't check how she's dressed.

Now, I'm thinking, is the mother supposed to check if her daughter is dressed appropriately? My mother always did and I do it with my son. I even do it with SD, but when I have to dress my 1 y old and fight with my 10 y old, I miss some items and last time we went to have an activity outside, she just wanted to go home because she was cold.

DP used to justify the ex by telling me that his daughter is like him, never cold, but SD is afraid of him, so she doesn't complain to him. And he doesn't say anything to his ex. We try to tell SD to take winter things, but she's still a child and she forgets.

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
PolarBearDisguisedAsAPenguin · 02/02/2019 16:20

I think you should be buying her winter clothing to wear whilst she is with you. I suspect her mother doesn’t want those clothes lost or damaged, as they are expensive, and that is why she doesn’t send her in them.

Anuta77 · 02/02/2019 17:00

No, her mother just doesn't check, because SD comes with other (indoors) clothes. Children (and adults) wear their normal winter clothing wherever they go, why going to our place should be the exception?

And why should her clothes get damaged or lost (?!) more than they would in school? She comes Fri evening and leaves Sun afternoon!

The ex accused me once of not caring for SD because once she didn't change her panties after a shower and came back home with dirty panties. How about taking care of her own daughter?

OP posts:
PolarBearDisguisedAsAPenguin · 02/02/2019 17:03

Children (and adults) wear their normal winter clothing wherever they go, why going to our place should be the exception?

It clearly is the exception though and it sounds as if it is intentional.

And why should her clothes get damaged or lost (?!) more than they would in school?

I didn’t say the view was logical or reasonable but was suggesting it as a reason why she wasn’t dressed appropriately when she visits you.

How about taking care of her own daughter?

And where is her father in all of this? He needs to take responsibility for the time his daughter spends in his care.

Giesabreak · 02/02/2019 17:08

Why is your SD afraid of her father?

Chucklecheeks1 · 02/02/2019 17:44

What are you expecting DM to do when SD is with you and her dad? Do you not provide her clothes when she is with you both?

Anuta77 · 02/02/2019 17:45

Maybe "afraid" was not the most appropriate word, but she hates being scolded (not that he scolds her a lot), so she avoids it at all costs and as I've noticed with freezing, she just doesn't tell him, so he has no idea. And maybe, she doesn't want her parents to fight either.

About her father taking responsibility, he does check sometimes, but other times, he has to pick her up from his ex's friend's or boyfriend's house where SD goes with her backpack, so he has no control about what she's wearing. His ex is the one who's present where SD gets dressed. And yes, my DP is not the person who pays attention to the smallest details and as SD didn't complain to him about cold, he had the impression that she was fine.

OP posts:
SoyDora · 02/02/2019 17:46

The most worrying thing in your post is that your SD is afraid of her father. Why?

goldpendant · 02/02/2019 17:48

Totally on her father to provide winter clothes that live at your place. If he's not proactive on this you need to give him a kick.

NorthernSpirit · 02/02/2019 17:49

If she comes EOW you should have appropriate clothing at your home for her.

Your home isn’t a hotel she visits.

I’m a SM - kids get sent to us in Winter wearing shorts and flip flops. IMO it’s not appropriate but I can’t control what mum does.

We have everything they need at ours. Yes - it goes home and might not be returned but it’s the kids stuff.

Anuta77 · 02/02/2019 17:49

I do not expect DM to do anything when SD is here, but as I mentioned, children should leave their houses appropriately dressed. I don't see why it's ok to let the child leave the house dressed like it's fall and freeze on the way. She recently came directly from the car and asked me to warm her feet. What was she wearing? 2 pairs of thin socks inside winter boots? So she did get dressed, but not appropriately! That's the whole point here.

OP posts:
Drogosnextwife · 02/02/2019 17:55

Sorry I can't even read past the parts where you are saying sd wpuld get a calling for telling her father she was cold, WTAF!
Sorry why is her father not buying her clothing to wear while she is at yours. Her dm probably doesn't send stuff because she's worried it might not come back and is presuming, you know her actual father will buy her things she needs for his house.
I feel so sorry for your sd that she can't say she is cold for fear of being given into trouble. Fuck that!

Drogosnextwife · 02/02/2019 17:57

Scalding, not calling

Anuta77 · 02/02/2019 18:01

You can feel bad for her all you want, my DP is nice with her. I find that he could discipline her more, but she's very sweet with him and he doesn't see how she behaves in his absence. I have no idea why she doesn't tell him that she's cold or her mother. That has nothing to do with my original post.

OP posts:
Anuta77 · 02/02/2019 18:02

I never said that she would be scolded for being cold! I said that I have no friggin idea why she doesn't tell her father and just tried to guess based on her other behaviours.

OP posts:
budgetneeded · 02/02/2019 18:02

a close friend of mine (the grandma) has clothing issues related to divorce (son and ex dil have 50/50 custody) and my friend the has them before and after school on all if the son's weeks.
she goes to garage sales and stocks up on supplies of all sorts as the mom can not be trusted to send the kids appropriately dressed for anything. the mom is of the impression it is the child's responsibility to dress themselves (imagine what they had on for school picture day or what they remember to pack for soccer practice).
so my suggestion to you would be second hand, fb sale items that don't break the bank. resale or donate when outgrown.

SoyDora · 02/02/2019 18:03

Yes, she should make sure her daughter is dressed for the weather. But she doesn’t. So what can you do except provide her with adequate clothing when with you?

Racecardriver · 02/02/2019 18:13

Surely she doesn’t need to wear snow pants, thick jacket, scarf etc for the car journey to your house? I don’t understand why you don’t provide adequate clothing. You would expect her to bring a pillow with her. I don’t see how outdoor clothes are any different.

goldpendant · 02/02/2019 18:47

BUY HER SOME WARM CLOTHES AD LEAVE THEM AT YOUR HOUSE. Forget what her mum does or doesn't do, it's irrelevant. At your home she needs to be appropriately dressed and that's on her father, and you to an extent too.

Snappedandfarted2019 · 02/02/2019 18:57

You should have warm clothing for her at you’re house. My ds hs warm clothes at his df aswell as my house.

mayathebeealldaylong · 02/02/2019 19:00

@goldpendant
^^
This!!!
You Post OP makes me so Mad!!!
Bloody two grown adults in a house having a child every weekend but can't buy any extra clothes for her to keep at yours! Has to be the mothers fault!
Ffs.
You know how to fix the issue but don't want too, that's the bit that pisses me off along with the DP was excuses!
Buy warm clothes, and remember he will to forget the small stuff with your lo too and I bet you won't be making excuses for him then.

Rubusfruticosus · 02/02/2019 19:02

You should provide clothing for her at your house. Can be second hand or you can sell it when she outgrows it to buy more, but you should have everything she needs there.

Anuta77 · 02/02/2019 21:00

mayathebeealldaylong ,

my post makes you so mad??? Because I dare criticising an ex who critises me?

Do you know how to read? She comes EOW, from Fri night to Sun afternoon, that's 2 days per month. And warm clothing is for OUTSIDE. So if she goes OUTSIDE when she leaves her house, why is she going OUTSIDE underdressed???

We have days when it's -20C for Christ's sake.

You judge me? Well, I've been dressing her up with our clothes, because in reality, it doesn't matter if she wears my son's neck warmer or my leggings or socks, at the end, I'm the only one who cares that she's not cold.

OP posts:
SavoyCabbage · 02/02/2019 21:13

I get what you mean. It’s like she’s come without shoes on her feet. And you are having to buy her shoes to wear for a weekend every four weeks and she’s got shoes at home.

She should have her outdoor things with her when she gets to your house as she’s been outdoors.

Her father needs to either:
Make sure she does have her existing outdoor clothes with her when she comes.
Or
Provide her with outdoor clothes for at your house.

Anuta77 · 02/02/2019 21:13

Buy warm clothes, and remember he will to forget the small stuff with your lo too and I bet you won't be making excuses for him then.

This comment is totally ridiculous. Not only you seem to have reading comprehension (because I say that I watch what my children are wearing and DRESS SD TOO!), but you are trying to make me feel bad bringing in my LO?

OP posts:
Anuta77 · 02/02/2019 21:16

Yes SavoyCabbage, it's exactly my point, because she does bring indoor clothing and panties.

OP posts: