am I crazy? or is he?

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stcar
stcar Posts: 207 Member
My son was about to walk to his dad's to pick something up, I tell him to take the dog with him so she gets a walk, My ex husband (his dad) tells him he doesn't have to bring the dog and tells me I'm being rediculous. Ummm, I asked him to walk his dog, not carry a 50 pound sack of bricks cause I like to torture him.

I think he needs to stop trying to be his buddy and remember our rights as parents, also that when he's in my house, it's my rules.

Anyways, just wondering, am I crazy and being "mean" by asking him to take his dog on the walk he was already going on???
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Replies

  • katiepie111
    katiepie111 Posts: 83 Member
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    no!
  • annabellj
    annabellj Posts: 1,337 Member
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    how long have you been divorced? never been where you are but it sounds like he doesnt want to parent. the dog needs the walk also, you are right! and as pet owners our kids need to learn responsibility for them. dont take it on yourself. it will teach him better lessons and maybe you can tell ex that your house, your rules, or if possible sit him down and try to co parent even though you are not together the child will get much more out of life if you are a united front.
  • PedmomJill
    PedmomJill Posts: 505 Member
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    1. Who's dog is it? If it's your sons he should be walking it.

    2. Who cares whose dog it is? You're the mom and you told your kid to do something! Grrrrrrrrrrr parents that try to be more buddy than parents are just asking for trouble. This is coming from someone who was a totally "mean mom" when my 22 year old was young, and I can't tell you how many times he's thanked me. And I'm not kidding. He just told me he got such a great review at his job-his boss actually TOLD him to thank his parents for raising him with such good morals and ethics lol.
  • arewethereyet
    arewethereyet Posts: 18,702 Member
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    My son was about to walk to his dad's to pick something up, I tell him to take the dog with him so she gets a walk, My ex husband (his dad) tells him he doesn't have to bring the dog and tells me I'm being rediculous. Ummm, I asked him to walk his dog, not carry a 50 pound sack of bricks cause I like to torture him.

    I think he needs to stop trying to be his buddy and remember our rights as parents, also that when he's in my house, it's my rules.

    Anyways, just wondering, am I crazy and being "mean" by asking him to take his dog on the walk he was already going on???

    No. (will keep all comments to myself tonight as I am having a bad 'middleofthedivorce' moment):grumble:
  • rileamoyer
    rileamoyer Posts: 2,411 Member
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    Sounds like a reasonable request to me (unless the dog is 200 lb uncontrollable critter and your little guy is 60 lbs) ;0
  • stcar
    stcar Posts: 207 Member
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    thanks all, sometimes I just need to hear that I am doing the right thing. we've been divorced for 9 years, my son is a big strong football playing 11 year old and our (rather, his) dog is a small puggle!
  • stcar
    stcar Posts: 207 Member
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    1. Who's dog is it? If it's your sons he should be walking it.

    2. Who cares whose dog it is? You're the mom and you told your kid to do something! Grrrrrrrrrrr parents that try to be more buddy than parents are just asking for trouble. This is coming from someone who was a totally "mean mom" when my 22 year old was young, and I can't tell you how many times he's thanked me. And I'm not kidding. He just told me he got such a great review at his job-his boss actually TOLD him to thank his parents for raising him with such good morals and ethics lol.

    This is great to hear and what I'm hoping for :)
  • fit4mom
    fit4mom Posts: 1,352 Member
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    It seems to me there are implications of you being over protective. But in this day and age I just don't think you can be. Oh and what ever issues you had are probably still in the back of his mind and because of the divorce his reasoning's are probably amplified. Acting in love toward him as the father of your child and not reacting to critical behavior/comments is a good way to go. I get it's easy to retaliate and be mean back but it reeks havoc on the kids. It's already tough on them to have to live 2 separate lives and then in most cases both parents want nothing to do with the other and the kids feel like they have to live secret lives that they CAN'T (only point making not yelling) tell either parent about. I.E. What happens with dad/mom, good times even, stays with dad/mom. And because the parents hold a grudge the kid gets the cold shoulder when it comes to discussion of this part of their lives with their parent. I mean feeling guilty that you have a relationship with your parent is no fun. This is only my advice, what I experienced growing up. Not saying this is your situation. Sometimes this does occur as it did with me. To this day my parents still look at themselves as having been the victim and having done no wrong. My siblings and I paid the biggest price. I just wish even having been divorced that they could have shown kindness to one another instead of battling it out all the time and us kids constantly dodging the missiles.
    I don't take either side on this subject I just feel for kids. In general (and I saw this with my friends of divorced parents) pride got in the way of parenting and it ruined their lives. At 30 yrs of age were still putting the pieces of our lives back together that were tore apart unintentionally by parents that did not pay attention and humble themselves to see that it was affecting their kids. Be blessed and I wish you the best. You are right that it is your house and your rules but take care that children feel pain when their parents fight even divorced. The standard gets so skewed when you live in 2 separate places and causes internal conflict.:flowerforyou:
  • koosdel
    koosdel Posts: 3,317 Member
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    Yes.
  • Contrarian
    Contrarian Posts: 8,138 Member
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    Next time, make him carry the 50lb bag of bricks so he can compare.
  • gymshoe42
    gymshoe42 Posts: 97 Member
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    unless it's miles and miles and miles to his dad's house, I don't see anything wrong with you telling him to walk the dog. It's his dog, walk the darn thing. Your ex just may not want the dog over ....
  • lmelangley
    lmelangley Posts: 1,039 Member
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    How is your relationship with your ex? Can you have a reasonable discussion with him when your son isn't in the room? I think maybe you should take to him about the fact he's undermining your authority when you ask your son to do something at your home and your ex says he doesn't have to. Also puts your son in an awkward position. Let him know that you don't always agree with all of his rules but you respect that they are his rules and so will back him up when your son is at his house, and would like the courtesy returned.
  • dimpleschick
    dimpleschick Posts: 85 Member
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    Yes.

    Ah, the man's point of view. (from Kooldell)
    As for me, (woman's viewpoint who has been down the same road you are on), I am wondering why your former husband wants to continue disagreeing with you. Let your son go to his dad's and walk the dog later. Maybe the dad doesn't want the dog at his house. Maybe it would interfere with the plans he has for the time he spends with his son. Who knows? Don't let it bother you.
  • fit4mom
    fit4mom Posts: 1,352 Member
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    How is your relationship with your ex? Can you have a reasonable discussion with him when your son isn't in the room? I think maybe you should take to him about the fact he's undermining your authority when you ask your son to do something at your home and your ex says he doesn't have to. Also puts your son in an awkward position. Let him know that you don't always agree with all of his rules but you respect that they are his rules and so will back him up when your son is at his house, and would like the courtesy returned.
    That's what she said (in a more wordy statement) :D
  • lor007
    lor007 Posts: 884 Member
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    Next time, make him carry the 50lb bag of bricks so he can compare.

    I used to do this, but it was bags of seed or feed instead of bricks. I wish my biggest chore as a kid was to walk the dog.
  • pumpkinmoccasins
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    If he's going to walk there anyway I don't see why it's a big deal to take the dog in the first place...
  • stcar
    stcar Posts: 207 Member
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    It seems to me there are implications of you being over protective. But in this day and age I just don't think you can be. Oh and what ever issues you had are probably still in the back of his mind and because of the divorce his reasoning's are probably amplified. Acting in love toward him as the father of your child and not reacting to critical behavior/comments is a good way to go. I get it's easy to retaliate and be mean back but it reeks havoc on the kids. It's already tough on them to have to live 2 separate lives and then in most cases both parents want nothing to do with the other and the kids feel like they have to live secret lives that they CAN'T (only point making not yelling) tell either parent about. I.E. What happens with dad/mom, good times even, stays with dad/mom. And because the parents hold a grudge the kid gets the cold shoulder when it comes to discussion of this part of their lives with their parent. I mean feeling guilty that you have a relationship with your parent is no fun. This is only my advice, what I experienced growing up. Not saying this is your situation. Sometimes this does occur as it did with me. To this day my parents still look at themselves as having been the victim and having done no wrong. My siblings and I paid the biggest price. I just wish even having been divorced that they could have shown kindness to one another instead of battling it out all the time and us kids constantly dodging the missiles.
    I don't take either side on this subject I just feel for kids. In general (and I saw this with my friends of divorced parents) pride got in the way of parenting and it ruined their lives. At 30 yrs of age were still putting the pieces of our lives back together that were tore apart unintentionally by parents that did not pay attention and humble themselves to see that it was affecting their kids. Be blessed and I wish you the best. You are right that it is your house and your rules but take care that children feel pain when their parents fight even divorced. The standard gets so skewed when you live in 2 separate places and causes internal conflict.:flowerforyou:
    thanks for sharing this with me, my parents are still together so it's nice to hear a point of view from this angle :)
  • stcar
    stcar Posts: 207 Member
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    Yes.
    you sound super reasonable, thanks for chiming in lol
  • crochelle17
    crochelle17 Posts: 93 Member
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    hmm.. i would be happy to be ur kid if the only chore i had to do was walking the dog! We had a huge chore list growing up, dad ran a lovely tight ship.. everyone pulled their weight
  • LosingWeight2012
    LosingWeight2012 Posts: 62 Member
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    In this day and age i wouldnt let my child walk down the road alone. If they did they better take a dog, stick, or something. Its a crazy world. I dont get the comment about you being over protective. I never let mine leave the yard alone unless i walk them there.