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Weekends with step kids are boring

133 replies

Navigatingstepparenting · 17/05/2026 10:39

Aibu?

Been together 6 years, live in seperate houses mainly because he has a 4 bed house but won’t have his children share who visit maybe every other weekend these days. My two children can’t share due to my youngest a disability. His mother owes them house and she is apparently told old to sell this house and get a bigger one, told us when she’s dead then we can do what we want but she doesn’t want to. Also financially I would actually be skint living with him.
Anyways his kids are now 12 and 14. They come roughly every other weekend now when I have my kids rather than every weekend. Which I am happier about as means that we get the every other weekend without my children and his and can just relax and chill like we use to when we first got together as he use to have his kids Sundays and Mondays every week but that changed to every Friday and saturday. Unfortunately I will still book my weekends away on my child free weekends and it’s upto him whether he stays at home with his kids or comes with me and he choose to come with me. So I think naturally they now come every other week. But this is now my dilemma. His kids will stay awake a lot durn the night (says he can’t control this because their mother allows it.) and then they sleep u til like 1-2pm. My every other weekend with my children we have to to be quiet until 1-2. Usually I have a lie in Saturdays so they are happy in the room they have to share the 2 nights we are here but then I get up and we don’t do breakfast or lunch until they are up, we just sit and watch tv, play iPads and do nothing with our day or go out and do nothing fun because we wait for them to get up and then they don’t even want to go out. I then get grumpy and in a mood because I’m like this is just boring, he believes it’s doing my kids good as believes over the years they have been too spoilt with weekend to zoos and theme parks etc as his kids didn’t and holidays abroad etc. but I’m bored at home, I also don’t want my eldest wanting to live with his dad because we do nothing. Today I have made plans as he went to work at 7am and his kids let themselves out when they wake up and that’s wrong because I am treating my kids to a day out, well yes unfortunately I am because I have to do something with them! But we can’t make any noise and wake his precious children. I’d i stay at home the weekend we get moaned at that we aren’t spending time together as a family.

I take my kids abroad most years, his kids don’t have passports and that’s a him problem I can’t be expected to pay for them aswell as me and my kids. But I am putting £30 a week into an account same as him to do weekends away in this country with all our children! That’s great but we have done one and have another booked and one of his kids is saying she may not come as it’s too childish. We go to like park deans. But she had a blast last time, and we’ve said we are open to ideas to suit everyone. Anyways he doesn’t really like to go spending on them park days etc but has said this time we can take food to cook and use the money to d a theme park or something to make her want to keep coming. Sorry but she’s just being ungrateful on my eyes. Her mother doesn’t take her away we are trying to do something every other month and it’s not good enough. But he just tells me I am making them the enemy and I’m being harsh. Like err no. She’s being ungrateful.
Now refusing to eat dinner if I cook it, although it’s cooked the exact way he does it.

All his kids did was spend all weekend upstairs anyways! Like what’s the point in coming over? The youngest was because she wanted her friend over Friday night which disturbs everyone as they can’t be quiet. But he thinks it’s great because the friend is allowed to stay here and not the mothers and that he could win the battle with her wanting to move on here.

I get staying home is great we save money but I’m bored of it. Step

OP posts:
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Figcherry · 18/05/2026 11:31

Move in with him, save us taxpayers £25k a year.
Why should we care about the effect on your dc, you don’t.

MiaKulper · 18/05/2026 11:58

She's already living with him but has her own place so she can receive £4400 a month in benefits.

Aussiemum87 · 18/05/2026 12:16

What? Stay in your house. He sounds awful , and you are bowing down to everything he wants. Stand up for yourself , and more importantly , stand up for your kids. You don’t need a man this badly.

havingoneofthosedays · 18/05/2026 12:18

If you are not use to seeing the OPs threads, they have a habit of not answering questions, and certainly does not take any advise on board. I think this is what they want:

  1. To move in to his large house, with separate room for her children
  2. His children don’t stay ever but could occasionally visit, perhaps a shed in the garden for them to sleep in?
  3. Keep the 25k tax payers money she gets every year but not pay towards the bills in the boyfriend’s house.
  4. Have him to pay for her car when it breaks down, but can comfortably afford to go on multiple holidays a year.
MiaKulper · 18/05/2026 12:32

I currently recieve around £4400 a month.
12 x £4400 = £52800

Teainapinkcup · 18/05/2026 12:39

Navigatingstepparenting · 18/05/2026 10:57

@Besidemyselfwithworry I currently recieve around £4400 a month. My Pip is £570, my son DLA is £570, carers allowance, 3 bedroom home rate, LCWRA and UC is approximately £2400 a month. Plus CB and CSA.
I would lose the majority of the £2400 a month because of his earnings! As he has also said we would have to split any UC 50/50. As apparently why should he not gain anything out of us moving in as all the bills go up. Which I would be paying those increases but he doesn’t see it that way. The majority of my UC is mine and my son’s disabled elements however he doesn’t understand that.
he is very frugal, he doesn’t do dishwashers and tumble dryers which I have as a necessity due to my disability so that’s a lot more running, he doesn’t see my kids clothes and clubs as joint so that I have to find somewhere. His water bill double last year but apparently that was my fault for living there for a few weeks in Easter rather than his daughter actually lived there and was having 2 40 minute showers a day.

my kids love staying there, mainly when his kids aren’t as we don’t have to be silent. I don’t see why if we lived together my kids are there 26 days a month, his 4 days… they can share for the 4 days. Whilst my kids need seperate rooms and it’s part of my youngest issues. When they aren’t there durn the week he allows my eldest to stay in his youngest daughters room so my kids are seperated.

he doesn’t want to pay the divorce fee, and he believe if she files he can try and gain the debt money back as it proves if she files that he didn’t choose to end it all. His mother is in agreement too. Something about when he divorced his first wife, the kids mum, she tried to take him for this and that so he had to get rid of money or something.

thing is he can be lovely, any issues I have he is there and sorts them, needed to change my car he put the £2000 extra on his credit card, my car breaks he pays for it, the kids need to get their hair cut he does it, the youngest is having a meltdown he deals with it. There is so many good aspects, he takes one of my kids to a club thing every Wednesday, every Tuesday he takes the other to football, he is there for them, he’s who they message and ask to come to school plays and things and he does his best to be at everyone. We have discussed living together this year, however we cannot find a solution for the sleeping arrangement. I have suggested building an extension on the house, or we convert the summer house to a room for one of the kids. He’s suggested getting a caravan on the drive for a kid. But we have to iron out this whole kid thing first. An d frankly I don’t know how. Suddently the last 2 months it’s all about ‘his girls’ and things but realistically it’s all just words. I have been taking his eldest out every week doing homeschooling, and to hair appointments etc as her mum doesn’t. But that’s over looked. His kids can never do wrong, he’s just bought the 14 year old a box of about 40 disposable vapes.. because apparently he’s better getting them from him than some dodgy bloke. He wants to be their friend not their parent. But will parent mine as he says he can’t undo the mistakes with his and he doesn’t get a day because they live with their mother primarily. Again there is issues there but he doesn’t go to social to get them living with him etc and even his mum said we don’t want the eldest moving back in with you.

last weekend I said I was going to stay home as we have coughs and colds and he gets really ill if he catches it, his response was well if you do I won’t be impressed we aren’t seeing you, he wants us there with him and his kids,

move on, do not move in with this man! Think about your independence and your kids. This relationship is not a good one.

arethereanyleftatall · 18/05/2026 12:56

MiaKulper · 18/05/2026 12:32

I currently recieve around £4400 a month.
12 x £4400 = £52800

After tax… so £72k before tax. Plus free this and free that.

flowerworld · 18/05/2026 13:13

At 12 and 14, I think this is the age they start being more independent, going out with friends and less days out with the family.
Of course they should still be included, plan in advance, make clear plans, pick a mix of things that everyone enjoys. Make it clear they need to be up at X time to leave. If they don’t want to go then leave them at home.

Navigatingstepparenting · 18/05/2026 14:44

@MiaKulperwe don’t live together, I stay at his maybe 3 nights a week. Sometimes less. We have already spoken to UC as we have seperate bills, seperate rent ent.

@havingoneofthosedays

  1. would be nice to live together yes.

  2. didn’t say it would have to be his children in the garden summer shed or the caravan, this is his suggestion. I have suggested an extension or converting the loft.

  3. not that I want to keep all that money. My pjyaical bills for my rent, food, etc is £2800 a month! Living with him I would happily pay half
    for all the bills I have never said I wouldn’t, I have disputed that he feels entitled to half any UC we would get when in fact the UC elements are mine and my children’s elements. I am more than happy to pay my way. I currently pay for all
    oyr food every weekend we are at his Inclusing his children’s, I pay his car insurance every month,

  4. don’t want him to pay for my car when it breaks down I have said he can be lovely on the respect he is there instantly wanting to help and gave that as one of the examples. I would ask my dad if I had to, but I’m sayin my partner is there when needed. And I listed a lot of other reasons on how he’s there but obviously they weren’t looked at.

i want this to work, and as I have said when his children are not around it works perfectly. How do I get him ti see that maybe just a few of his rules around being quiet until they wake at 2pm etc are just a little u manreasonable! Am I being unreasonable and should just accept we have to be quiet or is he being unreasonable. Me and my kids go to Dubai for 3 weeks in the summer, so maybe when he has to deal with it all on his own and he doesn’t have us around he may realise actually he needs to sort his shir out and appreciate what he has and the family he has that want to spend time with him. If I felt my kids were unhappy I would end it now, my kids are perfectly happy and want him in their lives

OP posts:
MiaKulper · 18/05/2026 15:09

we don’t live together, Yet in March you posted that you did.
would be nice to live together yes. Why? You're not happy with his parenting.
He came on one holiday abroad with me and my kids as he just needed a breakaway, I paid for him as it was a last minute add on. The state gives you money for you and your children and you pay for his holiday - 3 weeks in Dubai was it?

Navigatingstepparenting · 18/05/2026 15:44

@MiaKulperno he didn’t go to Dubai. Me and my children are going and he will be stuck at hime with his kids. And he’s not happy about it. It’s actually a holiday gifted via inheirtance not money from the state used.

Because when his kids aren’t around there isn’t really any issues. So why not live with him for the sake of 4 days.

we had moved our stuff, but then wgen finances and money etc started happening I didn’t give up my rental property.

OP posts:
MiaKulper · 18/05/2026 15:57

Because when his kids aren’t around there isn’t really any issues. So why not live with him for the sake of 4 days. His children are part of the package.

TFImBackIn · 18/05/2026 16:00

You're living on benefits and going to Dubai for your holidays? Are you trying to get people riled here? I'm all for people being looked after financially but something is surely going wrong here.

MiaKulper · 18/05/2026 16:01

Living on benefits and renting a house paid for by the state while living with her partner whose DC she doesn't like.

BudgetBuster · 18/05/2026 16:02

Navigatingstepparenting · 18/05/2026 15:44

@MiaKulperno he didn’t go to Dubai. Me and my children are going and he will be stuck at hime with his kids. And he’s not happy about it. It’s actually a holiday gifted via inheirtance not money from the state used.

Because when his kids aren’t around there isn’t really any issues. So why not live with him for the sake of 4 days.

we had moved our stuff, but then wgen finances and money etc started happening I didn’t give up my rental property.

Because when his kids aren’t around there isn’t really any issues. So why not live with him for the sake of 4 days.

What a fucking disgusting comment

Shocke · 18/05/2026 16:14

And we’re paying for his fucking car insurance! You’ve got some brass neck OP

arethereanyleftatall · 18/05/2026 16:38

‘I am more than happy to pay my way’

is this some kind of a joke?!? Op - YOU don’t pay for anything. The tax payer does.

the fact that you want his kids to essentially not exist is truly disgraceful.

I thought he was vile from the first post, and worse as you went through. Now I still think that, but also think the two of you deserve each other. You’re both kinda nasty.

loveawineloveacrisp · 18/05/2026 16:38

Navigatingstepparenting · 17/05/2026 11:13

@notatinydancerdoesnt like us staying home, he wants us to all be together as a family.
well he saw the kids from 4pm Friday up until bed last night.

I mean, you're not really a family though if you don't live together. Don't make your kids suffer because of the situation.

arethereanyleftatall · 18/05/2026 16:40

TFImBackIn · 18/05/2026 16:00

You're living on benefits and going to Dubai for your holidays? Are you trying to get people riled here? I'm all for people being looked after financially but something is surely going wrong here.

Seems like an inheritance which needs to be spunked immediately so that she can still claim 4 grand a month. For the first time in my life, I will be voting conservative at the next election.

letmebetheone · 18/05/2026 16:41

TFImBackIn · 18/05/2026 16:00

You're living on benefits and going to Dubai for your holidays? Are you trying to get people riled here? I'm all for people being looked after financially but something is surely going wrong here.

To get the mount of PIP the OP gets she must need a lot of help with her care and mobility. Likewise the amount of DLA the child gets means he must have a lot of care needs.

Yet she can manage get on a plane to Dubai as a lone adult with 2 children, one of whom has care needs, whilst struggling with care and mobility needs herself. Miraculous!

MiaKulper · 18/05/2026 16:43

...he doesn’t see my kids clothes and clubs as joint so that I have to find somewhere.
Your children aren't his so why would he be paying for their clothes and clubs?

Navigatingstepparenting · 18/05/2026 16:49

@letmebetheoneyes because my dad is coming. It’s his inheritance he has used for us to go

OP posts:
Navigatingstepparenting · 18/05/2026 16:51

@TFImBackInyes my dad got inheritance. He is taking me and the kids on holiday. Like my grandad would have done if he was still alive.

OP posts:
Navigatingstepparenting · 18/05/2026 16:53

@MiaKulpernot saying he has to, but he would have no choice if he took half the UC as that’s disability UC

OP posts:
MiaKulper · 18/05/2026 17:27

Navigatingstepparenting · 18/05/2026 16:53

@MiaKulpernot saying he has to, but he would have no choice if he took half the UC as that’s disability UC

Why would your partner get your disability UC?