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DP insists on sleeping with DSD

285 replies

Lena007 · 06/09/2021 13:03

It doesn't sit right with me.

Have been together with DP 1.5 years. He has one 8 years old DD. We live separately but there are talks about us renting together in the nearest future.

DSD is with her dad 50% of time, just various days/ times/ nights. All fine.

She is a lovely girl, we all spend some time together but most of the time she spends with DP on their own. I spend some time with her too, just the two of us to slowly build a nice relationship.

Whenever I am at DP's and stay overnight when DSD is there I am expected to sleep in the spare bedroom so they can share the bed in the master bedroom. DP calls it 'their room' ie his and DSD's. It has been going on for over 6 months.

Initially I thought, ok, she needs to adjust and settle in the new place and accept the fact her dad is in a new relationship (first relationship after he split with her mum), but that's not that. She says one day she would love to go on holiday with me and DP but of course she is having one room with dad and I can sleep in another hotel room. DP just changed subject because he had seen shock on my face.
On the same day she says to DP that she wants to sleep in the spare bedroom on her own, to which DP replied ' No. I'm never going to leave you like that ' and he insists he sleeps with her whenever she is at his. I have heard her saying it at least 3 times. They stay up late watching tv/ netflix cuddled up on the sofa then they both go to bed together. I'm sat on the second sofa and then go to bed there on my own.

I've raised it with him and he says it is him who wants to sleep with DSD, not her. He says he loves her so much and misses her, that he loves failing asleep and waking up next to her and he isn't going to do anything about it because it is just a way it is and he wants to sleep with her. Then I've said it doesn't make any sense for me to stay overnight at his when she is here, I would rather be at my own place if I've to sleep on my own anyway. He says that he doesn't want to spend less time together and he wants me to be a part on their lives and be here when DSD is here too, and that he would expect me to behave like an adult, not to be jelaous and just understand and accept it because he would. I have told him I thought it was only a temp solution and in standard relationships adults sleep together instead one adult being delegated to the spare bedroom when children are here. He said that we aren't in a 'normal' relationship and will never be because he doesn't get to see his DD every day.
I would understand it if she needed to sleep with him, but no, it is him insisting on it.

He says if we rent together this will change and he will be going to sleep in DSD bedroom sometimes and I won't have to sleep in the spare room. But it still just doesn't feel right.

Aibu?

OP posts:
Youseethethingis · 12/09/2021 19:41

Maybe the grown adults that can't sleep alone were the 8/10/12 year olds that couldn't sleep alone?
The ability to self settle just never kicked in? Or was allowed to kick in in some kids cases.

KylieKoKo · 12/09/2021 19:46

I can sleep without dp but I miss him when he goes away. I don't think it makes me pathetic and needy I just love my partner and like having sex with him and cuddling up in bed with him. I wouldn't want to be in a relationship where I didn't like these things.

RandomMess · 12/09/2021 20:08

I'm so glad DD now has her own room and sleeping in her own bed because it was what she wanted and she was no longer wanting to co-sleep.

It sounds like her Dad liked the closeness of co-sleeping and just isn't accepting of his DD growing up.

His DD clearly is very securely attached and hence very ready to be alone!!

Well done op not easy to tackle that. What has your DP said about her being thrilled to have her own bedroom and to sleep I her own bed?

bringincrazyback · 12/09/2021 21:17

@KylieKoKo

I can sleep without dp but I miss him when he goes away. I don't think it makes me pathetic and needy I just love my partner and like having sex with him and cuddling up in bed with him. I wouldn't want to be in a relationship where I didn't like these things.
Agreed, simply missing one's partner when they aren't there isn't needy, it's part of love. I was talking about when people say they literally can't sleep, or function generally, unless their partner is there. That I do find needy unless there is a specific reason.
Marcee · 12/09/2021 22:16

Being blunt people co-sleep with their kids.

Different cultures have different rules.
In the past when there were overcrowded houses and people had large families co-sleeping was normal.

To me the first post reads as the OP isnt happy that this girl is getting in the way of her relationship.
Its not healthy to force a kid to co-sleep if they dont want to, but her partner has listened and made adjustments according. But people are still insinuating the partner had bad intentions

Name12341 · 13/09/2021 09:28

Does she sleep in the mums bed at home? If so I can see why she'd be the same at dads.
Our 8 year old quite often comes into our bed, she's scared of the dark and is happy to be in her bed when her 6 year old sister is in the room while they go to sleep but if she wakes up and her sisters asleep she doesn't like it so comes in with us.
Dad probably does need to start working on getting her to sleep in her own bed at the start of the night at this age though even if he's sitting with her initially if she's scared of the dark. Has the other bedroom been done out as her room with DSD picking her bedding and cuddly toys and a night light? If not that's probably the best place to start so it's a more positive transition.

RandomMess · 13/09/2021 09:41

@Name12341 the DD wants to sleep on her own in her own bedroom that's why it's an issue.

Lena007 · 13/09/2021 10:33

DSD sleeps with her mum too. She has her own bedroom at her mum's but has slept 3 times there on her own as her mum wants to sleep with her too because....(Watch that space....) she is scarred to sleep on her own Hmm

This is what DSD told me at the weekend.

It is some screwed dynamic going on there putting DSD in the role she shouldn't be in. I can only influence what is happening at DP's home and encourage DSD to speak up about what she needs but I know she would feel guilty for refusing to sleep with her mum.

@RandomMess

DP was surprised at how happy and excited DSD was over the fact she could sleep on her own. I don't think he realised it was a 'big thing' for her. He didn't say anything but I could tell it was a big change for him too and not easy. He was waking up like 50 times at night worried if she is okay on her own.

OP posts:
RandomMess · 13/09/2021 10:54

They sound a pair of very anxious parents!!!

MusicTeacherSussex · 13/09/2021 11:36

This just gets more worrying doesn't it

IM0GEN · 13/09/2021 11:57

I think the chiod is being used as a pawn in a power game between her parents . Both mum and dad won’t let her sleep alone because they “ need her”.

Mum because she is “ scared “ and dad because he doesn’t want to “ leave her “.

They both want the child to choose then and reject the other. How can poor mum sleep when child is at dads ? The child feels guilty for refusing to sleep with mum, so how does she feel leaving mum overnight?

And the dad wants to reinforce that he needs the child to cuddle / sleep with and not @Lena007.

I don’t think it’s about the parents anxiety. Of course it may manifest in the child as anxiety, but I think that would be effect and not cause.

I don’t think it’s about sexual abuse ( I might be wrong of course ).

I think it’s about control and using the child to punish the other parent. This is abusive of course and very damaging. And the poor child has no refuge as both parents are doing it.

Lena007 · 13/09/2021 12:15

@IM0GEN
I haven't looked at this from the angle you presented. I didn't even think of that. That's an interesting point.

What would happen if this just continued on both sides because DSD wouldn't want to hurt any of them by refusing to co sleep? Surely it would need to stop at some point?

This dynamic changed now because DSD will no longer co sleep with her dad (apart from when she wants to occasionally) but it isn't because she insisted on it, it is because someone intervened and altered the dynamics. What is it going to do to the power game, if this is what is happening?

OP posts:
JustSayingItHowItIs · 13/09/2021 12:26

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JustSayingItHowItIs · 13/09/2021 12:29

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RandomMess · 13/09/2021 12:42

Very good point IMOGEN how does her Mum sleep when her DD is at her Dads.

It's horribly unhealthy and weird.

Marcee · 13/09/2021 13:12

[quote RandomMess]@Name12341 the DD wants to sleep on her own in her own bedroom that's why it's an issue.[/quote]
She mentioned it once, which op picked up on.

She hasnt said she doesnt want to, just for some reason didnt want to that time.

WoMandalorian · 13/09/2021 13:25

@Marcee the DSD said it on at least 3 occasions in front of OP. Who knows how many times she asked to sleep alone when OP couldn't hear

"On the same day she says to DP that she wants to sleep in the spare bedroom on her own, to which DP replied ' No. I'm never going to leave you like that ' and he insists he sleeps with her whenever she is at his. I have heard her saying it at least 3 times."

cadburyegg · 13/09/2021 13:25

This is extremely weird. Parents might have wobbles about babies and toddlers moving into their own rooms but 99% of the time they accept the time has come. Insisting that an 8 year old sleeps in with you is insane and a red flag. My two dc are 3 and 6 and my 3 year old ends up in my bed most nights and the 6 year old does if he's had a nightmare or whatever. I would never insist on them coming into my bed (and in fact I do my best to discourage it, like most parents)

marmaladehound · 13/09/2021 13:36

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FFSFFSFFS · 13/09/2021 13:40

I would run

And report to social services.

Looot of damage being done to that little
Girl

marmaladehound · 13/09/2021 13:42

@IM0GEN

I think the chiod is being used as a pawn in a power game between her parents . Both mum and dad won’t let her sleep alone because they “ need her”.

Mum because she is “ scared “ and dad because he doesn’t want to “ leave her “.

They both want the child to choose then and reject the other. How can poor mum sleep when child is at dads ? The child feels guilty for refusing to sleep with mum, so how does she feel leaving mum overnight?

And the dad wants to reinforce that he needs the child to cuddle / sleep with and not @Lena007.

I don’t think it’s about the parents anxiety. Of course it may manifest in the child as anxiety, but I think that would be effect and not cause.

I don’t think it’s about sexual abuse ( I might be wrong of course ).

I think it’s about control and using the child to punish the other parent. This is abusive of course and very damaging. And the poor child has no refuge as both parents are doing it.

I think you have a good point. When I heard about the mum also co sleeping with DSD and for her own needs I did wonder about the relationship between the mum and dad and how that works, the break up etc. The poor girl needs them to stop!
Lena007 · 13/09/2021 13:56

@JustSayingItHowItIs

Thank you for calling me a liar and for saying that I'm 'sick in my head'.

I don't have any interest in posting on anonymous forum and lying. What would be the point in that? I could have just disappeared instead calling NSPCC and trying to get DP to understand he isn't doing it right. Yet I'm still here listening to what is being said and trying to help DSD

OP posts:
marmaladehound · 13/09/2021 14:00

[quote Lena007]@JustSayingItHowItIs

Thank you for calling me a liar and for saying that I'm 'sick in my head'.

I don't have any interest in posting on anonymous forum and lying. What would be the point in that? I could have just disappeared instead calling NSPCC and trying to get DP to understand he isn't doing it right. Yet I'm still here listening to what is being said and trying to help DSD[/quote]
Her posts have been deleted.

My mind boggles with what some people think is acceptable to post and accuse others of!

Lena007 · 13/09/2021 14:34

DP has an OK relation with his ex, although she hasn't got over the split which happened 2.5 years ago.
They both are flexible in terms of looking after DSD to suit their working arrangements; DSD's mum works part time.

DP still is on the mortgage on the family home, where ex and DSD live at the moment. He drops off/ picks up DSD and always has her even when mum tells him last minute that he is to have her because she's getting nails done or similar. It doesn't happen often so not a big deal.

DP still has a key to the property and she wants him to come over to fix things when needed. She also used to give him food/ cakes but DP stopped taking these when I said it was crossing a line a bit and made me feel uncomfortable. He said he didn't want to be rude and not to take them but then didn't want to eat them either.

DP's ex is very vocal, shouting, names calling etc. This is my personal opinion after hearing her on the phone to DP/ seeing txt messages and adding 2 and 2 together from what DSD and DP said. Ex would accuse DP of abandoning her and DSD, about not being there 24/7 if something happens or breakes. All his fault and he can only fix it by getting back with her. Saying this, she sometimes goes from one extreme to the other and wanted to speak to me a few weeks ago to say thank you for being with DP now as she no longer has to and that she wasn't happy with him anyway. Hmm

She was extremely reliant on DP to do everything for her, and still occasionally demands he does some things for her. I have to say he manages it v well, there are boundaries in place and I feel he is trying to keep it separate from our relationship so it doesn't affect me really.

To DSD she is lovely and nice, plays with her a lot and they overall have a very nice relationship, from what DSD says.

OP posts:
Cavagirl · 13/09/2021 15:09

She said it was one of the best days of her life when she could decorate this room and make it her own. When we were shopping she asked me a few times if this is for real, and if does it mean she can now sleep on her own? It's like your dream comes true and you still can't believe this is happening! She was so excited and happy, but also so relieved (so was I tbh) that finally someone heard what she was asking for.

This is utterly heartbreaking. So excited because she can sleep on her own Sad No matter what happens with your relationship, you did a good thing OP.

Does she have her own room at her mum's?

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