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Step-parenting

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Date night with CSA

86 replies

mommabear2386 · 05/10/2021 14:58

we have heard back from CSA and mum has to pay wait for it.... £38 a month for SD to live with us full time. She only wants her EOW, Christmas Eve and day alt years and 'maybe during the holidays but we'll see'
She has cut her phone off and stopped her pocket money and gave it to her brothers as 'they will be doing more round the house' and also stopped her earning a little bit of side money with her auntie (home business) as she's not 'trustworthy or reliable' funny that Suddenly the case isn't it.

So we have got her a contract, upped her pocket money with us (stopped her brothers) my friend has taken her on for babysitting one afternoon per week so she's got her earnings back. Just a massive F U to mum, anything you break we will go out of our way to fix for this girl. (If anyone has read my previous thread it's all because SD has dated challenge Step fathers behaviour)

And the £38 is now paying our date night meal out 🤣 and we are going to make sure she knows it!

OP posts:
Fluffypastelslippers · 05/10/2021 21:53

@sassbott

God people are stupid.

This family are paying for the child’s clothing. The food. Housing costs. Phone bill. Pocket money. All costs of having a child with you pretty much nearly all the time.

And you’re somehow picking apart the OP is making a flippant comment about where the £38 is going? When I’m pretty sure that it will be costing 100’s more to look after this child.

Should they draw a neat little spreadsheet. Allocating the 38 to xyz cost associated to the DSD. Then from elsewhere ensuring 38 quid is being spend on date night? Would that make it better?

Honestly. Some people. This board seems to be getting worse

People are stupid?

Yet you fail to see the issue isn't where the money is going but the pathetic little comment about making sure she knows about it Hmm

sassbott · 05/10/2021 21:58

Yes. Who cares about what the mother thinks? She’s abandoned her child. And a bunch of vipers on here are obsessed about the mother finding out how the OP is spending the 38 quid.

thats the part that bothers people in amongst all of this?

Seriously? And the SM should have a think?

Stepparents really are the lowest common denominator on here. @mommabear2386 100 lines for you as punishment Grin

Theunamedcat · 05/10/2021 22:00

I was with them until they removed the allowance from the son then your lowering yourself to mum/stepdad level

That's the unfair part the rest is just...

timeisnotaline · 05/10/2021 22:02

@Bananarama21

Why is the brother being punish though i don't get it.
I’m not sure having exactly the same pocket money as you did last week is the same as being punished. I’m sure they can see the difference in treatment at their mums.
SpaceshiptoMars · 05/10/2021 22:15

@Theunamedcat

I was with them until they removed the allowance from the son then your lowering yourself to mum/stepdad level

That's the unfair part the rest is just...

I would post the link to the previous thread, but the OP might not be doing that for a reason.

The situation at the Mum's is pretty dire. Way too many kids for the bedroom space, emotions running high. Mum financially dependent on abusive new partner with joint infants. My guess is they've chucked the teenage daughter out on the least excuse to free up a bedroom for the younger ones. Teenage sons are keeping their heads down, making nice with their SF, and collecting pocket money that has just been denied their sister.

Pinkspecs · 05/10/2021 22:21

"God people are stupid.

This family are paying for the child’s clothing. The food. Housing costs. Phone bill. Pocket money. All costs of having a child with you pretty much nearly all the time.

And you’re somehow picking apart the OP is making a flippant comment about where the £38 is going? When I’m pretty sure that it will be costing 100’s more to look after this child.

Should they draw a neat little spreadsheet. Allocating the 38 to xyz cost associated to the DSD. Then from elsewhere ensuring 38 quid is being spend on date night? Would that make it better?

Honestly. Some people. This board seems to be getting worse"

No not stupid just don't see the point in tit for tat.
I finally received a payment after a decade of nothing, am I going to say I will spend it on a date night to 'wind the ex up'
Nope wouldn't even acknowledge it.
Someone has to be the grown up when you are dealing with useless ex partners, so I decided to do that.

WeepySheepy · 05/10/2021 22:23

OP and her partner are clearly better parents than mum I just think there's no point making sure she knows where the £38 has gone. She doesn’t care. You've been the better people it would seem so don't stoop to her level (well it's not her level as she seems to have just abandoned her child not sure as can't see the thread).

Hope you loved your date night and had bubbles or whatever it is you love

timeisnotaline · 05/10/2021 23:47

I hope the mum regrets this one day. I can’t imagine treating a child like that.

RedMarauder · 06/10/2021 06:28

@Bananarama21

Why is the brother being punish though i don't get it.
He isn't being punished. He's got an increase in pocket money from his sister moving out. This money is coming from his mother via his step-father.

As the OP, his step-mother, and his father now have the full-time responsibility including financial responsibility for his sister they are spending their money on her.

sassbott · 06/10/2021 07:13

Nope nope nope. This SM is getting judgement because the pocket money that was due her SD has been funnelled to her brothers. This house has correspondingly said, ‘ok well if SD’s allowance is going to her siblings, we will try and make this fair and balance it out because it isn’t right. And if we continue to pay her brothers our pocket money, we contribute to the inequality, so we will level it out and make this fair and redirect the monies.’

I would do the exact same. This isn’t ‘punishing’ anyone. I would explain to the brothers that I do not agree with this imbalance and that what’s happening is that it’s being corrected so that all children are treated ‘the same’.

Then the mother is paying a pitiful amount in CSA, (on top of the child effectively being pushed out) and the Op is getting criticised?

This thread resounding proves two things to me.

Golden uterus’s really can do no wrong.
SM’s are screwed (even if their reaction is totally human), the judgement piled on them is harsh and disproportionate.

This woman is housing, clothing, feeding and making a home for a child that isn’t hers. I cannot imagine the trauma the child has gone through and continues to go through. On top of that the mother has effectively cut her off financially, removing pocket money and the small means by which she was earning extra income. The OP has worked out a solution to replace all of that.

Do you realise how powerful and supportive thag is to this young child.

Who gives a flying f what the mother thinks/ feels? Why is the mother the primary motivator when she’s a terrible mother?

Only on here would a poster get roasted on that? Vs a look at the wider picture of what has gone on and how severely the mothers behaviour will have impacted this child.

Op, I think what you’ve done is wonderful.
Walk around with a sandwich board ringing a bell if you feel like it. You’ve done an amazing job and I hope your SD is ok x

Bigeggsinapackoften · 06/10/2021 07:15

The father is housing, clothing, feeding and making a home for his child.

And withdrawing pocket money from his other children.

Pinkspecs · 06/10/2021 07:22

"Golden uterus’s really can do no wrong.
SM’s are screwed (even if their reaction is totally human), the judgement piled on them is harsh and disproportionate."

Golden uterus Confused
Hope that isn't implied to me after me saying how my ex hasn't paid for a decade....

I am a step mum too, again maintenance is nothing to do with me it's between my DH and his ex. All I want to know is he's paying it.
If my DSS was to move in with us after his mum was being rubbish I certainly wouldn't be broadcasting that the CM is going on a date night.
Like I say someone needs to be the grown up here.
Tit for tat is a way of adding to the drama which doesn't help anyone, most importantly the kids.

sassbott · 06/10/2021 07:58

No this family is housing, clothing and feeding this child. One of the family is a woman who is not related nor has any PR or legal responsibility towards them.

It’s funny how often threads on here pile in on situations where a SP’s involvement (normally a SM) enables a nicer / bigger house but if it isn’t quite to the exacting standards of examples like providing a bedroom for each child (but the resident children have a bedroom each), then they are met with backlash. With the assumption being that if you’re with a person with children, how dare you not provide for them equally. Otherwise why are you with them? How selfish of you. You’re damaging the children, leave.

Yet in this example we have a SP stepping up and helping provide and now it’s only the fathers responsibility? Such hypocrisy.

Make your minds up won’t you.

Pinkspecs · 06/10/2021 08:15

Stepping up and helping to provide is nothing to do with playing tit for tat games though is it?
Which is what people on here have been saying isn't the way to go about things..
Also no one told OP to leave.

You seem to be venting alot and adding more to the story that isn't there but nevermind.

I can't just agree with people because they happen to be a step mum like me.
Anyway I am off to work with my 'golden uterus' who knew there were so many benefits to having a first child with an absent father who only started paying maintenance after a decade in dribs and drabs through force and has nothing to do with his kids, what a misogynistic take on things to tell a woman she is actually at a benefit when they clearly aren't. Gross.

WeepySheepy · 06/10/2021 08:17

@Bigeggsinapackoften

The father is housing, clothing, feeding and making a home for his child.

And withdrawing pocket money from his other children.

I think mum is giving more money to the other children as she's taken away DDs. So it's just making sure his children have the same pocket money.
MadamMedea · 06/10/2021 08:18

@Pinkspecs

I have to agree with PPs it sounds tit for tat. Saying you are spending the CSA on a date night sounds really cringe and you sound as bad as them.
I’m what way is being a bit petty about paltry child support ‘as bad’ as throwing a teen girl out of her home for not submitting entirely to the will of her stepfather? Like, how whack do your morals have to be to think that…?
neededafart · 06/10/2021 08:18

You sound as bad as each of other with the ridiculous point scoring.

Bigeggsinapackoften · 06/10/2021 08:19

But from his sons point of view, he has withdrawn money he was paying them.

Way to make a point via the children, which is childish and not very fair.

Golden uterus owner here. He never paid maintenance. Hardly ever had them. And hasn’t had more children.

I just think the op is being incredibly petty.

And at the end of the day if you get with someone with children you need to be cognisant of the fact that you might end up with those kids full time for a variety of reasons.

The dad isn’t doing anything extraordinary.

And if the mum has been assessed at that level of CMS payment, what’s the drama?

timeisnotaline · 06/10/2021 08:20

@Bigeggsinapackoften

The father is housing, clothing, feeding and making a home for his child.

And withdrawing pocket money from his other children.

He’s just reiterating to his children that they should all be treated fairly, I call it excellent parenting.
Fluffypastelslippers · 06/10/2021 08:21

@neededafart

You sound as bad as each of other with the ridiculous point scoring.

This.

Nobody is being anti step parent or even suggesting OP is wrong in her actions, it's the pathetic addition of the letting the mum know how the money is spent that is bothering me. It's unnecessary and brings OP down to the level of a bloody high school child.

WeepySheepy · 06/10/2021 08:22

But from his sons point of view, he has withdrawn money he was paying them. then he can explain it to him. Maybe draw a diagram.

timeisnotaline · 06/10/2021 08:39

@WeepySheepy

But from his sons point of view, he has withdrawn money he was paying them. then he can explain it to him. Maybe draw a diagram.
@Bigeggsinapackoften yes he can do some basic arithmetic and logic. Last week you got x+ y = z. This week you get z. Your sister also gets z. Who gets more? Is anyone being unfairly treated? Of course they are well beyond this in school maths (op gave their ages in the first thread) but can’t hurt to revisit the basics. Their mum could do with some serious revisiting of the basics, like loving and caring for your children.
vivainsomnia · 06/10/2021 08:45

Sorry OP but I agree you sound as bas as you describe mum and it makes me wonder whether might have a very different account of the situation.

Even if said tongue in cheek, even thinking if telling her the maintenance money goes to pay your night out is just low and immature. It's stupid too considering mum will just think 'so what, I'm now better off all together and you have to pay more'.

Stopping the pocket money to the brother is horrible and gives plenty of ammunition to mum to show that their dad give preferential treatment to his daughter, IE. doing exactly what you accuse their SF of doing.

It's a war between parents that the kids are using to their benefit. Not healthy on either side.

vivainsomnia · 06/10/2021 08:47

It's not about the total money you get, it's about what you get from each parent.

It's the sane attitude that if the rp income I created and so can give more to the kids, maintenance should be reduced?

If mum wants to give more to the boy, maybe because he is picking up more chores, what has this got to do with dad?

WeepySheepy · 06/10/2021 08:49

Stopping the pocket money to the brother is horrible and gives plenty of ammunition to mum to show that their dad give preferential treatment to his daughter, IE. doing exactly what you accuse their SF of doing. it doesn't because mum has stopped giving the money to the SD so she would be a massive hypocrite to drag the pocket money into it. This way one parent pays one and the other pays the other.