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Woman Hates Living According To Husband’s Selfish Ex’s Schedule, Plans To Give Hubby Ultimatum
Woman Hates Living According To Husband’s Selfish Ex’s Schedule, Plans To Give Hubby Ultimatum

Woman Hates Living According To Husband’s Selfish Ex’s Schedule, Plans To Give Hubby Ultimatum

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In today’s world, many blended families find ways to coexist without members causing too much trouble to each other. Time management, setting expectations, and other strategies help them to do so. At the same time, there are also blended families whose members struggle to figure out their roles in each other’s lives.

Like the one from today’s story. On paper, they look like a perfectly functioning family – a man who shares his kids with his ex 50% of the time while living with his wife and their small child. Sadly, their reality is way more chaotic than that. In fact, the man’s current wife is thinking about leaving.

More info: Mumsnet

RELATED:

    While some blended families find ways to coexist, unfortunately not all do

    Image credits: Alena Darmel / Pexels (not the actual photo)

    A man has two kids with his ex-wife of 5 years and a kid with his current wife

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    Image credits: freepik / Freepik (not the actual photo)

    His ex is a nurse, so her schedule can be quite messy, so both he and his wife agreed to accommodate it

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    Image credits: Keira Burton / Pexels (not the actual photo)

    The problem is that his ex never informs them about her schedule ahead of time, making chaos of their lives

    Image credits: PicassoDiBablo 

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    The chaos is so frustrating that the man’s current wife is considering leaving him if he doesn’t convince his ex to be more accommodating, like they have been to her

    The OP’s husband shares two kids with his ex of 5 years. Around 2 years ago, said ex finished her nursing studies and she has been working in the National Health Service (NHS) ever since. 

    Since the exes share the kids for 50% of the time, when the woman started her job, her ex-husband agreed to accommodate her shifts.Nursing shifts are usually flexible in the sense that they can range from 4 to 16 hours. So, you might see why it might require accommodation from other people. 

    The OP agreed to the accommodation, and let’s just say that eventually, she came to regret this decision

    The main problem that arose was that the ex-wife never gave her schedule ahead of time. The most she has given them is a day’s notice, which isn’t much when you need to prepare for taking care of kids. 

    If the family asks the woman to send over her schedule, oftentimes she simply ignores this request or says she “forgot” to do it on time, which frustrates the OP even further. 

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    All this instability causes chaos in their family and surely is not beneficial for the kids.Schedulesand routines are important for children, as they can make them feel safe and comfortable, and be aware of what is coming next and what they should do. In this story, not only the kids that OP’s husband had with his ex are affected, but their 2-year-old daughter is too. 

    Plus,routinesaren’t only beneficial for kids, it’s good for the whole family too. For instance, it helps parents to be at least a little bit less overwhelmed during busy or stressful times of the day. Plus, it also helps with time management – knowing that a specific activity fits into a certain time slot can make it easier to plan other activities around it.

    Image credits: freepik / Freepik (not the actual photo)

    Yet, in the case of this story, it’s hard to keep up their routines when they never can be sure when the kids will be at their place. Since these kids are pretty young, 7 and 10 years old, planning for them is a necessity. The parents can’t simply, for example,leavethem home alone for a couple of hours.

    Meal planning is also a nightmare – the couple can never be sure whether they need to prepare food for three people or five people. 

    No wonder the author hates this whole accommodation – she has to base her whole life on her husband’s selfish ex, who clearly doesn’t respect their time. 

    To make matters worse, her husband doesn’t really want to create any waves. He wants to have an easy life and worries that if he complains too much, the ex will stop letting him see his kids. 

    This bugs his current wife so much that she is considering giving him an ultimatum – either he does something about it or she’s gone because she can’t live like this anymore. 

    Of course, she also asked the online world whether this sounded unreasonable and became today’s OP in the process. She got the answer from Mumsnet users that it doesn’t sound unreasonable at all. The way she’s living seems irritating at least – accommodating someone who basically doesn’t respect you is not a way to live. 

    Well, of course, it’s sad that the relationship has reached the point where an ultimatum is needed. What we can only hope is that an ultimatum will work and this insufferable situation will soon be fixed.

    The woman asked the online world whether this was an overreaction to her current situation and got the answer that it wasn’t her husband’s ex is being overly selfish

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    Ugnė Bulotaitė

    Ugnė Bulotaitė

    Writer, BoredPanda staff

    Read more »

    I am a writer at Bored Panda. I have loved creating and writing down stories about people and things since I was little and I think this passion led me to get degrees in sociology, communication, and journalism. These degrees opened various paths for me, and I got a chance to be a volunteer in the human rights field, and also try myself out in social research and journalism areas. Besides writing, my passions include pop culture: music, movies, TV shows; literature, and board games. In fact, I have been dubbed a board games devotee by some people in my life.

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    Ugnė Bulotaitė

    Ugnė Bulotaitė

    Writer, BoredPanda staff

    I am a writer at Bored Panda. I have loved creating and writing down stories about people and things since I was little and I think this passion led me to get degrees in sociology, communication, and journalism. These degrees opened various paths for me, and I got a chance to be a volunteer in the human rights field, and also try myself out in social research and journalism areas. Besides writing, my passions include pop culture: music, movies, TV shows; literature, and board games. In fact, I have been dubbed a board games devotee by some people in my life.

    What do you think ?
    Trillian
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    There needs to be a custody agreement. She does not have the right to withhold contact (and I doubt she would try given her work schedule) but yes, both parties need to be able to plan.

    Tiger
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    SDC? DSD? DSC? Can we please stop with these weird and awkward abbreviations, folks? It makes it so much harder to read and understand the story. The abbreviations are incredibly cringy too (who tf refers to their family as “dear husband” “dear son” etc every time they talk about them?). wtf does SDC mean? Step-dear-children?

    Reta Murphy
    Community Member
    11 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    DH = D******d DSD=Diaper s******g daughter DSS = Diaper S******g Son Just make up your own names for the stupid abbreviations and use them. People will quit. lol

    Load More Replies...
    A girl
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I am a step parent of adult kids who have their own kids. We watch one on a scheduled basis. Fine. Last weekend we unexpectedly got the other three. Impromptu babysitting is maddening. Mostly because it wasn't an urgent need, it was because their dad "needed a break"

    KatSaidWhat
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Ex needs to get actual childcare in place. She is taking advantage and being disruptive. I have all the respect in the world for NHS nurses, they have one of the toughest jobs in the world - but get your s**t together and get some daycare.

    Sally Horrocks
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Nurses very often work 12 hour shifts. A 7 to 7 shift means leaving the house at 6.30 or earlier and getting home at 7.30 or later. Professional childcare isn't usually available at these times.

    Load More Replies...
    Angie May
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Can anyone explain all the weird abbreviations in this post?

    Juley Clark
    Community Member
    Premium
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    DH= darling husband, DD= darling daughter DSD= darling step daughter, DSS darling step son, SDC = Step darling children which I think she is using to show she does love the children like they were her own,

    Load More Replies...
    Amanduh
    Community Member
    7 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    No one can live like this.

    valerie speed
    Community Member
    11 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    The ex wife's shifts are arranged on a monthly basis . She needs to share this or a proper arrangement agreed in court. You are not her unpaid nanny and are under no obligation to look after her children. You husband has that responsibility

    Debby Keir
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    She's either really disorganised (rare for a nurse) or she's just having a larf. Most will usually get their rota at least a week in advance, often a month at a time. It can change with emergencies, but that's life. Your husband has joint custody. She's the one who needs the childcare as well. Agree to fit in with her schedule on the understanding that NOTICE is given, and allowance for occasional, but not regular 'emergencies'. She needs him more than he needs her and the kids deserve stability and both of them.

    Kristen Woehlke
    Community Member
    11 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Its time! I like a little structure in my life. I make lists and plans. This would make me say "alrighty husband! Take care of this mess because I can't take it! Either you do, or I walk and take our child with me. This is NO way to live! I can't even plan a proper meal because of this!"

    Lena Flising
    Community Member
    11 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    She surely can't deny the father custody of HIS children, especially since it's HER that is disrupting the children's lives. HE ought rather to be able to deny HER custody, until she has sorted her schedule properly.

    Ruth Watry
    Community Member
    11 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    If ex cannot handle a schedule, maybe she needs to give up custody

    valerie speed
    Community Member
    11 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    It's an unworkable situation. You need a legal custody agreement.

    notlikeyou1971
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    It's NOT unreasonable at all. She has no right to be inconsiderate and make you disrupt your whole life because she refuses to release her schedule. Walking into a mystery/ surprise every single day isn't fair and your husband expecting you to deal with it is unreasonable and selfish. He wants an easy life? Well he's not going to have an easy life being selfish and spineless. He's going to end up divorced if he doesn't start thinking of you and your daughter and make a proper schedule for the children showing up and stop making you just rearrange your whole life because he's too much of a coward to ask for her schedule and some consideration and consistency. There's either going to be a schedule with advanced notice or his spineless a** can find himself awfully lonely when he's single again. Give him the ultimatum! Since he's a coward, I believe it's the only way to get through to him . Either the schedule WITH NOTICE is disclosed or this ends . Don't let his spineless a** squirm out of this either and BELIEVE ME he's going to try. Put your foot down or this will never end. Do you want to live in discomfort, resentment and misery forever? Only YOU can stop this!. He's inconsiderate of what you want and need and you need to fix it or be stuck in this situation.

    Voice of reason?
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    This is unacceptable. I don't know about NHS, but most nursing schedules are posted 4-6 weeks in advance minimum. Some are posted six months and more out. She is clearly just very unorganized and needs to have firm boundaries set. She cannot keep the father from seeing his children, he needs to get serious with her about expectations for days, or just stick with a set schedule and then she'll need to sort childcare if needed and might not see them on some of her days off.

    Mike Loux
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Just f*****g go, already. He's never gonna change. Rip off the hairy band aid.

    Lee Gilliland
    Community Member
    Premium
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Get a lawyer NOW. This needs to be settled quickly and legally. Do NOT allow.the ex-wife to skate.

    Anton Swanepoel
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    There are more acronyms in this post than in the US f*****g military. I'm tired of having to constantly stop to look stuff up so I know who the writer is talking about. Otherwise, she not being unreasonable, and needs to have a serious talk with her husband about his ex-wife's behaviour.

    Tabitha
    Community Member
    1 year ago (edited)

    This comment is hidden. Click here to view.

    SEVENTEEN CHILDREN? Didn’t anyone else notice that? Ten daughters and eight sons?W T Actual F? Didn’t they have any other hobbies? Cripes. They need to come to SOME kind of consistency here with that many kids—-and they need to do it ten minute ago. But if I was OP I would RUN! Right now, before he starts turning her into a brood mare too and has seventeen more kids with her!

    Trillian
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    There needs to be a custody agreement. She does not have the right to withhold contact (and I doubt she would try given her work schedule) but yes, both parties need to be able to plan.

    Tiger
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    SDC? DSD? DSC? Can we please stop with these weird and awkward abbreviations, folks? It makes it so much harder to read and understand the story. The abbreviations are incredibly cringy too (who tf refers to their family as “dear husband” “dear son” etc every time they talk about them?). wtf does SDC mean? Step-dear-children?

    Reta Murphy
    Community Member
    11 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    DH = D******d DSD=Diaper s******g daughter DSS = Diaper S******g Son Just make up your own names for the stupid abbreviations and use them. People will quit. lol

    Load More Replies...
    A girl
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I am a step parent of adult kids who have their own kids. We watch one on a scheduled basis. Fine. Last weekend we unexpectedly got the other three. Impromptu babysitting is maddening. Mostly because it wasn't an urgent need, it was because their dad "needed a break"

    KatSaidWhat
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Ex needs to get actual childcare in place. She is taking advantage and being disruptive. I have all the respect in the world for NHS nurses, they have one of the toughest jobs in the world - but get your s**t together and get some daycare.

    Sally Horrocks
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Nurses very often work 12 hour shifts. A 7 to 7 shift means leaving the house at 6.30 or earlier and getting home at 7.30 or later. Professional childcare isn't usually available at these times.

    Load More Replies...
    Angie May
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Can anyone explain all the weird abbreviations in this post?

    Juley Clark
    Community Member
    Premium
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    DH= darling husband, DD= darling daughter DSD= darling step daughter, DSS darling step son, SDC = Step darling children which I think she is using to show she does love the children like they were her own,

    Load More Replies...
    Amanduh
    Community Member
    7 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    No one can live like this.

    valerie speed
    Community Member
    11 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    The ex wife's shifts are arranged on a monthly basis . She needs to share this or a proper arrangement agreed in court. You are not her unpaid nanny and are under no obligation to look after her children. You husband has that responsibility

    Debby Keir
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    She's either really disorganised (rare for a nurse) or she's just having a larf. Most will usually get their rota at least a week in advance, often a month at a time. It can change with emergencies, but that's life. Your husband has joint custody. She's the one who needs the childcare as well. Agree to fit in with her schedule on the understanding that NOTICE is given, and allowance for occasional, but not regular 'emergencies'. She needs him more than he needs her and the kids deserve stability and both of them.

    Kristen Woehlke
    Community Member
    11 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Its time! I like a little structure in my life. I make lists and plans. This would make me say "alrighty husband! Take care of this mess because I can't take it! Either you do, or I walk and take our child with me. This is NO way to live! I can't even plan a proper meal because of this!"

    Lena Flising
    Community Member
    11 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    She surely can't deny the father custody of HIS children, especially since it's HER that is disrupting the children's lives. HE ought rather to be able to deny HER custody, until she has sorted her schedule properly.

    Ruth Watry
    Community Member
    11 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    If ex cannot handle a schedule, maybe she needs to give up custody

    valerie speed
    Community Member
    11 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    It's an unworkable situation. You need a legal custody agreement.

    notlikeyou1971
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    It's NOT unreasonable at all. She has no right to be inconsiderate and make you disrupt your whole life because she refuses to release her schedule. Walking into a mystery/ surprise every single day isn't fair and your husband expecting you to deal with it is unreasonable and selfish. He wants an easy life? Well he's not going to have an easy life being selfish and spineless. He's going to end up divorced if he doesn't start thinking of you and your daughter and make a proper schedule for the children showing up and stop making you just rearrange your whole life because he's too much of a coward to ask for her schedule and some consideration and consistency. There's either going to be a schedule with advanced notice or his spineless a** can find himself awfully lonely when he's single again. Give him the ultimatum! Since he's a coward, I believe it's the only way to get through to him . Either the schedule WITH NOTICE is disclosed or this ends . Don't let his spineless a** squirm out of this either and BELIEVE ME he's going to try. Put your foot down or this will never end. Do you want to live in discomfort, resentment and misery forever? Only YOU can stop this!. He's inconsiderate of what you want and need and you need to fix it or be stuck in this situation.

    Voice of reason?
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    This is unacceptable. I don't know about NHS, but most nursing schedules are posted 4-6 weeks in advance minimum. Some are posted six months and more out. She is clearly just very unorganized and needs to have firm boundaries set. She cannot keep the father from seeing his children, he needs to get serious with her about expectations for days, or just stick with a set schedule and then she'll need to sort childcare if needed and might not see them on some of her days off.

    Mike Loux
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Just f*****g go, already. He's never gonna change. Rip off the hairy band aid.

    Lee Gilliland
    Community Member
    Premium
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Get a lawyer NOW. This needs to be settled quickly and legally. Do NOT allow.the ex-wife to skate.

    Anton Swanepoel
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    There are more acronyms in this post than in the US f*****g military. I'm tired of having to constantly stop to look stuff up so I know who the writer is talking about. Otherwise, she not being unreasonable, and needs to have a serious talk with her husband about his ex-wife's behaviour.

    Tabitha
    Community Member
    1 year ago (edited)

    This comment is hidden. Click here to view.

    SEVENTEEN CHILDREN? Didn’t anyone else notice that? Ten daughters and eight sons?W T Actual F? Didn’t they have any other hobbies? Cripes. They need to come to SOME kind of consistency here with that many kids—-and they need to do it ten minute ago. But if I was OP I would RUN! Right now, before he starts turning her into a brood mare too and has seventeen more kids with her!

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