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Step-parenting

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Struggling with jealousy with school events

208 replies

toro21 · 16/06/2024 16:59

Backstory, DP he has a 4.5 year old from a previous relationship. DSC is starting school soon so they have a lot of events coming up (around 4 before the first day).

I’m glad that they are amicable enough to do this and respect that he is a good dad but each time something comes round I become so withdrawn and down for days.

Please knock some sense into me as I feel like ending my relationship. I don’t feel that I can carry on feeling so low when each event looms and for so long afterwards.

OP posts:
Disturbia81 · 16/06/2024 20:18

I would leave if it bothers you so much. Don't take that amicable relationship away from that child, they benefit so much from seeing their parents get along and no animosity.
Also.. how old is he with an ex wife if you're only 22?

EllieQ · 16/06/2024 20:26

toro21 · 16/06/2024 19:27

@MissJoGrant

He has DC EOW. He may seem like an active dad on the face of it, and I don't mean to be goady, but he does very little parenting when he does have DC.

He will say that I am hostile but I think I've just had enough. I'm cooking, cleaning, getting up with DC, reading to DC playing with DC whilst he often just ignores.

I love his child but this is so thankless. Any concern I raise is a direct attack on his parenting or lack thereof.

So he’s not really an active dad, is he? He left his wife and found another woman to do the hard work of parenting. Knowing this, why did you suggest having a baby to him?

excelledyourself · 16/06/2024 20:30

Genuine question, OP.

You clearly don't respect your partner as a parent. Perhaps rightfully so. But why then have you chosen him as the father of your very own child?

Did you actually want a baby with him, or did you just want a baby?

Perhaps something to do with your own childhood and something you should talk through with someone before having a baby for the wrong reasons.

dunkdemunder · 16/06/2024 20:39

toro21 · 16/06/2024 17:58

Hi pondering, think you may have missed the point of the post. All I've asked is that they don't attend together, ie drive together, sit together etc. I don't think that is unreasonable

You are being so unreasonable it's verging on insane.

It's amazing that they are amicable. The CHILD is the priority.

I'm so sorry you are pregnant as I think you have some work to do on yourself before you can be in a relationship let alone be a parent.
Please find some way of accessing therapy. You can move beyond this irrational jealousy. It's only going to ruin relationships if you don't.

Whattodo2024 · 16/06/2024 20:43

I don’t think you have the maturity for this.

TryingToBeLogical · 16/06/2024 20:43

OP, I feel for you, because when deep, old insecurities are re-triggered, it doesn’t matter whether you’re being reasonable or not…the pain is the same. You FEEL that you will be doomed to last place with this DP, that whenever his Ex turns up and needs something, you will be dropped like a hot potato, your needs unmet, your existence unimportant, unwanted even. If your dad wasn’t around when you were growing up, I can see how this might bring back those very sad feelings and make you expect that outcome.

You feel this even for reasonable situations, like them attending a school function together as friendly co-parents (not as an intact family pretending you don’t exist…or do they behave like a couple? Is your DP trying to make up for his past poor parenting by going back in time and re-creating a happy intact family with his Ex for an evening? What does his behavior suggest? Do you feel the Ex is wanting to play happy family too, what is her behavior like? Or is she simply amicable and appropriate? All of these factor in to whether you will be able to deal with the situation or not.)

There are some things that I know I could never be comfortable with in a relationship, because of my own upbringing - even if they were innocent and appropriate. They would simply be too triggering for me. I’ve worked hard to understand these limitations and respect them.

It feels horribly unfair when you see an important person in your life treat someone one way - treat them well - and you think, “ok, if and/or when I’m in that same situation, that’s how I will be treated, too, because that is fair and I am equally deserving, too.” Then, when the day comes, you find yourself treated totally differently. The rules have changed, or at least don’t apply to you.

I imagine, now that you are faced with the prospect of being the mother of his child, you have a very strong fear that you won’t receive the same consideration and loyalty that he is now giving to the mother of his existing child. In other words, that you and your child may have that role, but not get to occupy it as fully, in fact finding someone else already in that spot taking priority and his loyalty. I’m talking about how it FEELS to you. Regardless of what is right, co-parenting wise, you don’t want to spend your life FEELING anxious and angry. It may be that this is too hard for you, even if his co-parenting with the Ex is appropriate. (And if it’s not - if they are still enmeshed in other, less appropriate ways - you need to decide if this is something you want to spend your efforts fighting).

I don’t have an answer, but trying to understand the origin of your feelings is a first step. So is figuring out whether your DP has any sensitivity to your fears. If he’s not excited you are pregnant, that’s not a good sign. You don’t deserve to get the leftovers of someone’s emotions. Perhaps he will be more excited to look forward about it with you, after this very significant period of his older kid starting school has calmed down a bit. Maybe it’s just a very, very focused, reflective time for him that he particularly wants to get right. But that means waiting to see, and I imagine that will be hard for you.

Please find support with friends and extended family right now, disengage as best you can from the co-parenting situation, and look after yourself while you work to understand your feelings. Good luck.

Meetingofminds · 16/06/2024 20:45

You need to organise counselling asap and wirh through if he is just spending too much time with his ex or your stuff from the past is clouding your judgment.

Decompressing2 · 16/06/2024 20:51

I'm sorry he sounds like he is using you as a live-in nanny. You have every reason to feel jealous about his ex - because he is acting like he is still in a relationship with her.

sadmum27 · 16/06/2024 20:52

You need to see the EW as the mother of his child not a potential threat to you. That's if there is no reason to doubt your partner of course. But judging by your posts it sounds like it's all about you and your insecurity.

My ex and I attend school events and sporting stuff for our joint dc. We are both remarried and everyone gets along. It's the best possible scenario you can hope for in this situation. Ultimately the child is the priority, not you. I hope you aren't making your jealously obvious the to child. That would be deeply unfair.

It's a shame you're pregnant as a clean break would probably be the best thing for you. You can't cope with the fact he had a life before you so you clearly need someone with no baggage. Good luck with that.

If you choose to go ahead with the pregnancy you will always be linked to this man and by default his kid who will be your child's sibling and by default again, it's mum. So I suggest you do some work on yourself and your insecurity. Do better for the kids involved in this.

Ohnobackagain · 16/06/2024 20:56

@toro21 you’re not there to parent his DC when he has the DC. Take yourself out and leave him to it - he needs to step up, never mind everything else.

Friendshipover5 · 16/06/2024 20:58

I’m sorry you’re feeling this way, but you are being completely unreasonable. I wholeheartedly HATE my DD Dad, but I talk to him when we meet for drop off/pick ups, DDs sports day is this week and we will be attending together so DD sees us both supporting her. I put my feelings aside for DD, and I know ex-DP isn’t fond of me either! It’s what you do as a parent.

Noseybookworm · 16/06/2024 21:05

toro21 · 16/06/2024 17:58

Hi pondering, think you may have missed the point of the post. All I've asked is that they don't attend together, ie drive together, sit together etc. I don't think that is unreasonable

It's very unreasonable. They are the child's parents and they always will be. They are presenting a united front for the sake of their child. They sound sensible and grown up about it. I think you need to get some therapy, you're well out of order here and that's worrying considering you're expecting a baby yourself.

TayceOnToast · 16/06/2024 21:05

This is a very tough situation but you sound like a smart, level headed and very self-aware 22 year old to me! I’m 36 and it took me 4 years of being in blended family situation to have the kind of awareness you seem to have straight off the bat. Your gut knows best!

Power to you girl, wishing all the best for you and your baby. Xxxx

TheFormidableMrsC · 16/06/2024 21:07

anotherglassofsomething · 16/06/2024 19:52

I split with my ex when my son was 2 and we coparented well until he met his now partner and mother to their child.
She made him delete and block my number and only contact her instead of him for child arrangements, she would be at the door for drop/pick ups not him and he wasn't allowed to speak to me or see me ever again and I've not seen him in over 20 years.
Our son is in his 20s now and tells me all the awful hateful things she told him about me and how he always felt in the middle and wasn't allowed to mention me to them.
It's not nice and he learnt to lie to keep everyone happy just telling everyone what they wanted to hear.
Don't mess with this kids childhood because he'll carry those memories for life.

This has happened to my son. He no longer has contact with his father because OW was so consumed with jealousy. Ex is weak and has done as she asked. My son has had to have a lot of therapy.

OP, you need to terminate and end the relationship. Men with children are not for you.

TheFormidableMrsC · 16/06/2024 21:08

TayceOnToast · 16/06/2024 21:05

This is a very tough situation but you sound like a smart, level headed and very self-aware 22 year old to me! I’m 36 and it took me 4 years of being in blended family situation to have the kind of awareness you seem to have straight off the bat. Your gut knows best!

Power to you girl, wishing all the best for you and your baby. Xxxx

No she really doesn't.

AnneLovesGilbert · 16/06/2024 21:11

TheFormidableMrsC · 16/06/2024 21:07

This has happened to my son. He no longer has contact with his father because OW was so consumed with jealousy. Ex is weak and has done as she asked. My son has had to have a lot of therapy.

OP, you need to terminate and end the relationship. Men with children are not for you.

She doesn’t “need to terminate”. She has options but it’s not for you or anyone else to insist she ends her pregnancy and her boyfriend is not your ex. Projecting doesn’t help anyone.

Worried8263839 · 16/06/2024 21:11

toro21 · 16/06/2024 19:27

@MissJoGrant

He has DC EOW. He may seem like an active dad on the face of it, and I don't mean to be goady, but he does very little parenting when he does have DC.

He will say that I am hostile but I think I've just had enough. I'm cooking, cleaning, getting up with DC, reading to DC playing with DC whilst he often just ignores.

I love his child but this is so thankless. Any concern I raise is a direct attack on his parenting or lack thereof.

This is the issue. The ex and his co-parenting is another. This is the life you'd be setting yourself up for. Whilst being a step parent has many pitfalls, one major benefit is you get a good idea of the type of dad your partner is before you decide to have a child with them. He has shown you what type of dad he is and you've decided to get pregnant with him. The mind boggles.

ThunderQween · 16/06/2024 21:16

TheFormidableMrsC · 16/06/2024 21:07

This has happened to my son. He no longer has contact with his father because OW was so consumed with jealousy. Ex is weak and has done as she asked. My son has had to have a lot of therapy.

OP, you need to terminate and end the relationship. Men with children are not for you.

She doesn't need to do anything

You take care OP. You own your life. Be free and happy.

BigPussyEnergy · 16/06/2024 21:18

You are in no way mature enough or tough enough to be a step parent. It’s brutal, unrewarding and fails the vast majority of the time. Something like 75% of second marriages end in divorce.

Please think twice before bringing a child into this mess. Your boyfriend has his kid once a fortnight and you still kick off when he spends time with the child and their mum.

FWIW my XH just came round for dinner and we’ve spent a few hours chatting to our DCs, including jokes about when we got divorced and reminiscing about previous holidays etc

My boyfriend is 100% fine with this, and in fact came round for dinner with us all a few weeks ago! Because that’s what mature grown ups can do when they put their egos aside. Not everyone is going to be ok with that level of familiarity, but honestly you’re being ridiculous. And don’t blame your hormones, what a cop out. Own your feelings and try to work out why you feel so threatened by this. Your insecurity isn’t someone else’s problem, unless your BF and/or his ex actually want to rekindle things. In which case leave them to it.

But if it’s early days for your pregnancy you need to think very carefully about worst case scenarios here - what happens when your child and his other child are both with him, and he spends time with the ex?

TayceOnToast · 16/06/2024 21:21

TheFormidableMrsC · 16/06/2024 21:08

No she really doesn't.

Ok 😂

Bemusedandconfusedagain · 16/06/2024 21:21

It might be worth you looking into some counselling to help you through this and all the feelings it is bringing up. Being pregnant makes you a priority for counselling on the NHS.

Wimpeyspread · 16/06/2024 21:25

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fruitbrewhaha · 16/06/2024 21:28

Oh blimey, that went downhill fast.

You’re young OP. You should be having fun and discovering life not looking after someone elses
child and getting the hump when his parents spend time together.

I wouldn’t carry on with the pregnancy or the relationship.

Daisys24 · 16/06/2024 21:32

At first I thought you were being very unreasonable. But reading all of your responses and your previous post in January now I don’t. I don’t think this situation is going to change though. You are very young and you really need to consider if this is a life to bring a new baby into but you knew this 6 months ago. Maybe being young and naive (not a criticism as I’ve been there) you thought his attention would come to you if you had his baby and now your pregnant and it hasn’t worked out like you thought.

Meetingofminds · 16/06/2024 21:34

You are 22.
Dont let this be your life op.

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