Am I expected to set up my kids’ rooms at STBX’s house?

[Anonymous]

STBX rented a big nice house. It has enough rooms for the kids to each have their own. But he hasn’t done anything to the rooms so they don’t stay over there.

He does not have a positive relationship with them. For their privacy, I’ll just say they’re in therapy for stuff he did before he moved out and that he has not attempted to address or repair.

My attorney insists I need to stay out of things, but does anyone else think I need to be proactive and send over stuff or prompt him to set up spaces for them? I don’t want to make things easier for him after how he’s acted, but I also don’t want to get in trouble for not being proactive or cooperative.

For what it’s worth, he makes 6-8x my salary and this is not a money or cash flow issue as far as I can tell.

[Anonymous]

No, he needs to learn to parent.

[Anonymous]

omg NO

stay out of it

you guys are divorced. it is not your job to decorate his house

you have boundary issues

[Anonymous]

OP, you know the answer to this. Please stop with the lame excuse that you don’t want to come off as not being cooperative. You’re looking for permission to engage and you’re not going to get it.

Stop engaging and managing this for him. Your kids will be fine.

[Anonymous]

This is his house. You don’t control his house.

STOP.

[Anonymous]

Listen to your attorney.

[Anonymous]

Definitely not. It would be weirdly enmeshed. No more wife-work! Let him learn or fail. It sucks for the kids but it's better in the long run for him to get it together or give up.

[Anonymous]

Wow OP the fact that you would post this question despite advice to the contrary from your lawyer suggests you need some therapy yourself.

[Anonymous]

Absolutely not. If your kids are upset about the lack of stuff in their rooms, they need to address those complaints to him. This is not your problem to solve.

That you already asked this question of your attorney and they gave you an answer and you still want to do this says that you need to work on detaching.

[Anonymous]

OP, is anyone suggesting to you that you have an obligation to make his house more welcoming for your kids so that they want to go there? Is your ex saying this or implying it in some way? Have your kids brought it up? Are family or friends making passive aggressive comments about it?

If so, I get why you might be feeling this pressure, especially if your relationship with him was abusive in any way.

But everyone in the thread, and your lawyer, is correct. Not only does this obligation not exist, but you NEED to stay out of it. If he does nothing to make his house a home for your kids, then he will reap the consequences of that. Your job is to focus on yourself and your kids, make your home what it needs to be to help them through this process, listen to your lawyer, and get your own ducks in a row.

And if anyone is suggesting to you that you owe this to him, distance yourself from that person (unless it's your kids, in which case their confusion is understandable and you should gently explain to them why you cannot help with this even though it is undoubtedly hard for them). This is not a reasonable ask, if it is indeed an ask anyone is making.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, is anyone suggesting to you that you have an obligation to make his house more welcoming for your kids so that they want to go there? Is your ex saying this or implying it in some way? Have your kids brought it up? Are family or friends making passive aggressive comments about it?

If so, I get why you might be feeling this pressure, especially if your relationship with him was abusive in any way.

But everyone in the thread, and your lawyer, is correct. Not only does this obligation not exist, but you NEED to stay out of it. If he does nothing to make his house a home for your kids, then he will reap the consequences of that. Your job is to focus on yourself and your kids, make your home what it needs to be to help them through this process, listen to your lawyer, and get your own ducks in a row.

And if anyone is suggesting to you that you owe this to him, distance yourself from that person (unless it's your kids, in which case their confusion is understandable and you should gently explain to them why you cannot help with this even though it is undoubtedly hard for them). This is not a reasonable ask, if it is indeed an ask anyone is making.

Yes, his attorney sent my attorney an email earlier this month saying I was being hostile and uncooperative.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, is anyone suggesting to you that you have an obligation to make his house more welcoming for your kids so that they want to go there? Is your ex saying this or implying it in some way? Have your kids brought it up? Are family or friends making passive aggressive comments about it?

If so, I get why you might be feeling this pressure, especially if your relationship with him was abusive in any way.

But everyone in the thread, and your lawyer, is correct. Not only does this obligation not exist, but you NEED to stay out of it. If he does nothing to make his house a home for your kids, then he will reap the consequences of that. Your job is to focus on yourself and your kids, make your home what it needs to be to help them through this process, listen to your lawyer, and get your own ducks in a row.

And if anyone is suggesting to you that you owe this to him, distance yourself from that person (unless it's your kids, in which case their confusion is understandable and you should gently explain to them why you cannot help with this even though it is undoubtedly hard for them). This is not a reasonable ask, if it is indeed an ask anyone is making.

Yes, his attorney sent my attorney an email earlier this month saying I was being hostile and uncooperative.

Ok, then FOLLOW YOUR ATTORNEY'S ADVICE.

He makes tons of money. He can buy furniture, hire a decorator, etc.

The only exception I could see is if you somehow agreed to give him some of the kids' stuff that is in your house. But your attorney does not seem to think that is the case. Follow his advice.

I don't think you know what it means to be divorced.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, is anyone suggesting to you that you have an obligation to make his house more welcoming for your kids so that they want to go there? Is your ex saying this or implying it in some way? Have your kids brought it up? Are family or friends making passive aggressive comments about it?

If so, I get why you might be feeling this pressure, especially if your relationship with him was abusive in any way.

But everyone in the thread, and your lawyer, is correct. Not only does this obligation not exist, but you NEED to stay out of it. If he does nothing to make his house a home for your kids, then he will reap the consequences of that. Your job is to focus on yourself and your kids, make your home what it needs to be to help them through this process, listen to your lawyer, and get your own ducks in a row.

And if anyone is suggesting to you that you owe this to him, distance yourself from that person (unless it's your kids, in which case their confusion is understandable and you should gently explain to them why you cannot help with this even though it is undoubtedly hard for them). This is not a reasonable ask, if it is indeed an ask anyone is making.

Yes, his attorney sent my attorney an email earlier this month saying I was being hostile and uncooperative.

SO WHAT????? WHO CARES?

[Anonymous]

Why would you do this? It's better for you the longer kids don't sleep there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, is anyone suggesting to you that you have an obligation to make his house more welcoming for your kids so that they want to go there? Is your ex saying this or implying it in some way? Have your kids brought it up? Are family or friends making passive aggressive comments about it?

If so, I get why you might be feeling this pressure, especially if your relationship with him was abusive in any way.

But everyone in the thread, and your lawyer, is correct. Not only does this obligation not exist, but you NEED to stay out of it. If he does nothing to make his house a home for your kids, then he will reap the consequences of that. Your job is to focus on yourself and your kids, make your home what it needs to be to help them through this process, listen to your lawyer, and get your own ducks in a row.

And if anyone is suggesting to you that you owe this to him, distance yourself from that person (unless it's your kids, in which case their confusion is understandable and you should gently explain to them why you cannot help with this even though it is undoubtedly hard for them). This is not a reasonable ask, if it is indeed an ask anyone is making.

Yes, his attorney sent my attorney an email earlier this month saying I was being hostile and uncooperative.

That’s because your ex asked for that. It doesn’t make it true. It’s still just a bully calling people names.

- lawyer