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Psychological Retraining

CastleJJ's picture

Today, BM emailed DH, notifying him that SS asked to do a few single day basketball "camps" which are $15 a piece. BM told DH that she doesn't know how many SS will be able to do since he is also currently in the middle of soccer season. BM said that she was "just keeping DH updated," but I know that by including the dollar amount, BM is sniffing for reimbursement or half from DH. She doesn't keep DH updated unless there is something in it for her. At this point, SS is currently simultaneously enrolled in soccer three days per week ($90 for the season), foreign language lessons every Saturday ($45 per lesson), pre-season football conditioning, and now basketball camp ($15 per session). And BM isn't telling SS "No" to anything; if he wants it, she just enrolls him. And we haven't paid for a dime of it. 

For those of you that may be new to my story, DH used to pay half of all extracurriculars. The issue then became, BM was over-enrolling SS in all of these activities, without consulting DH, and then asking for reimbursement after the fact. We were like a walking ATM, handing out cash whenever BM said so. Plus, BM would then use those extracurriculars to deny or limit visitation or guilt DH into giving up his visitation so SS could participate. That's actually why the courts denied DH's request for extra summer visitation, was due to SS' sports and BM's argument about how important they were to SS. It was an absolute shit show. So, during our court battle, our attorney told us to stop paying half. He advised us that if BM wasn't willing to co-parent and actually try to coordinate these sports with DH's visitation and consult us first financially, then we shouldn't have to pay. There are arguments in our state that CS covers extracurriculars and other arguments that it doesn't, but our attorney said "If it's not ordered, don't pay it." Plus he said "Why contribute to sports that BM is using to prevent visitation and PAS SS." So, with that guidance, the next time BM asked for money, we said "No." BM then responded with "It is unfortunate to see that your willingness to financially contribute to your son only occurs during an ongoing legal battle. I will make note for future reference." That was the end of it and BM has never directly outright asked for money again. 

When I can tell BM is hinting for money, I tend to feel guilty. Like it's $15, but that's not the point. It's the principle and the precedence that reimbursing BM once will set going forward. If we give her $15 now, she will continue to ask and the costs will only go up and up. I know that DH pays CS and I know that CS is supposed to pay for his portion, not the whole equation, but BM has programmed us so well over the years to correlate financial contribution to being "good parents." I sometimes feel like paying the bare minimum is negatively impacting SS. DH told me not to feel guilty because BM would bleed us dry financially if she could and it still wouldnt be enough to make us "good parents" in her eyes. BM does make significantly more money than DH, so I think that is also why I feel guilty, because the split isn't necessarily 50/50 financially. 

I came across another email today from BM from years ago, again, arguing about sport costs and BM said "SS constantly asks us why he has to go to your state to visit, yet you never come here. It is supposed to be about YOU being involved in SS' life, not SS being involved only in your life. You can't put the job of being a parent on the child. SS notices how you use your PTO and how you spend your money. Your money and free time is never spent on him. He knows he isn't the priority." I felt guilty after re-reading this because it seems like BM is so concerned about SS and makes me question if she is right and we are all wrong in our approach, but then I remind myself that BM is the one who moved 6 hours away and took SS away from a regularly involved father and then limited and withheld visitation unless it was on her terms. If she was so concerned about SS, she wouldn't have done that and she wouldn't fight DH tooth and nail about increasing visitation. I have to remind myself that it isn't reasonable to drive long distance to attend sporting events, doctor appointments, school functions, etc. I have to remind myself that this isn't our burden to bare because we didn't make the decision to move. 

I guess I'm just looking for validation that we aren't the deadbeats I keep feeling we are for not paying half of all extracurriculars or contributing more toward SS' life. 

Comments

notsurehowtodeal's picture

Stop thinking this way! You have no reason to feel guilty! SS is way overscheduled as it is, and he is not being denied any activity because BM can't afford it. BM chose to move away in order to limit SS's time with DH. And there is no way a child has any understanding of how Dad spends his time or his money when he doesn't live with him. All of that nonsense was coming directly from BM.

Your BM was never had SS's interests at heart - only her own. You and DH do a great job handling the situation. As they say, stop "borrowing trouble" and don't give another thought to paying anything above child support.

dragonfly878's picture

SS is the victim to his mother. Period. Don't let her gaslight you into thinking otherwise... you have a life outside of SS. She seemingly doesn't. That's her choice- and the fact that you choose to have more kids, live in a different state, have jobs, etc and not spend your life jumping through BMs everchanging hoops is not your issue. The woman sounds like she has a personality disorder... that's entirely on her.

notarelative's picture

Whether DH is paying or not, BM is over scheduling.

 SS asked to do a few single day basketball "camps" 

Really? SS11 found out about these camps and requested them. Unless he found out about them when BM left the brochure on the kitchen table, I don't buy it. This is all BM (in my opinion).

dragonfly878 hit it perfectly.

Winterglow's picture

"SS notices how you use your PTO and how you spend your money. Your money and free time is never spent on him. He knows he isn't the priority"

This is utter crap and you know it. How old was the kid at this point? 5? 6? Do you really think a kid of that age would reason like that? Especially when he was made such a fuss of when he was at your place. He was thrilled to be there and enjoyed every minute. I very much doubt that it ever crossed his young mind that he wasn't "the priority".

lieutenant_dad's picture

A loving parent doesn't ship their child 6 hours away and then work to legally cut off contact with the other parent.

You've said it before: BM wanted a free sperm donor. She thought she got one and didn't anticipate DH trying to stay involved. She is going to keep twisting the situation because she initially didn't get what she wanted. If she can't have it her way, then she'll make everyone - SS included - suffer for it.

You already know that if DH took regular PTO to go visit SS that BM would then start yelling about how it's "her time" or it "makes SS feel bad" or it "embarrasses SS because he has to explain why you're only sometimes around", etc. You two could live next door to SS with 50/50 and BM would STILL say that somehow it was having a negative impact on SS.

You can't win when the rules always change. All you can do is stop playing. If she hints for money, my only suggestion is to start throwing half into a savings account so that if she manages to convince a judge that you owe her, it's available. If that never happens, then you'll have a nice vacation fund to celebrate when you don't have to deal with her anymore.

justmakingthebest's picture

SS constantly asks us why he has to go to your state to visit, yet you never come here. It is supposed to be about YOU being involved in SS' life, not SS being involved only in your life. You can't put the job of being a parent on the child. SS notices how you use your PTO and how you spend your money. Your money and free time is never spent on him. He knows he isn't the priority."

Holy Crap. I think BM2 wrote almost the exact same email to my DH. Same situation- She move 1300 miles away. She over enrolls him in activities. She does everything in her power to stop visitation, yet DH is the bad guy. Yep... there must me some book or class I missed as a BM on how to emotionally destroy your children's father. 

CastleJJ's picture

Yeah we have hundreds of emails like this with the same kind of guilt trip shit. This type of communication is the crap that psychologically messed DH and I up for years because it was CONSTANT. 

thinkthrice's picture

"Why contribute to sports that BM is using to prevent visitation and PAS out skid(s)."   Took me a loooooong time to get this message through to Chef.

Overscheduling activities is a win/win/win for the HCGUBM:

1.  Makes her look like an  "involved caring parent" (TM) Thus the term "soccer mom."

2. Can milk biodad for more $$$$

3. Skid can't bond with biodad/SM and their family if skid is kicking/ bouncing/ throwing a ball around.  Bonus:  it's time wasted ferrying skid back and forth to activities.

CastleJJ's picture

Your forgot #4: Inexpensive daycare after school hours since BM (rather her GF) just drops SS off for his one or two hour practices or activities and picks him up when done. Then it's immediately shower, eat, and bed. This way, BM can ensure that she only sees SS for two to three hours a day instead of five or six hours. Heaven forbid BM actually has to parent. 

simifan's picture

In truth I would guess SS loves coming to visit. It's probably his only time to relax.

CastleJJ's picture

LOL whenever we ask SS about his extracurriculars and scheduling, he responds with someone like a full-time job. "How am I supposed to do that on top of everything else? I'm already way too busy. I don't have any time left." That is because he goes straight from school to sports practice or an extracurricular and then comes home, eats dinner, does homework, showers, and goes to bed. He has no time to play or be a kid. 

We always have to remind SS that he is a kid. His only "job" is to try hard in school. The rest doesn't matter unless he wants it to matter. Hell, when I was his age, my only concerns were going to school and then figuring out what I was going to play, eat, and do after school. 

CastleJJ's picture

Thank you everyone for the validation. DH and I were both psychologically and emotionally abused so heavily when BM lived local to us years ago that it has taken years on mental retraining to realize it isn't us. I am usually pretty good with it but sometimes stuff like this pops up and triggers me, making me doubt everything. 

advice.only2's picture

You aren’t dead beats, in fact I would question that the money even actually goes towards the extra-curricular.  Case in point, when DH and I got married he was paying half of Spawns dance tuition.  This included all the extra fees that come when it’s performance time.  Well then Meth Mouth got Spawn in acting lessons (out of town), taking private vocal lessons (out of town), and private violin lessons.  She began hinting about needing reimbursement for half of those costs as well and started talking about new head shots for Spawn as well as taking her to auditions (out of town) etc.  Pretty much she was hinting at around 500.00 extra dollars per month in extra-curricular, this was outside of CS.  I flat out told DH no, we didn’t have the kind of extra money and if Meth Mouth was determined to turn Spawn into the next Jon Benet that was on her.  Well wouldn’t’ you know shortly after that is when Meth Mouth and her ex split and she got busted for the first time and come to find out her dance tuition was not being paid…DH had been giving Meth Mouth the money, she was just using it for drugs.   I don’t think the BM is a drug addict (maybe), but if she sees an opportunity to get any extra money out of your DH I’m sure she will.   Using “for the good the child” is absolute bullsh@t.

CastleJJ's picture

At least our BM, when requesting funds for extra curriculars, attached the payment confirmation reciept from whatever sports league SS was enrolled in. She would always pay the full cost upfront and then ask us to pay half and we used to agree, as long as proper proof was provided. DH never provided funds without adequate documentation. We weren't about to give BM extra money ahead of time that could not be accounted for. 

Our issue with BM was more the overscheduling aspect and never consulting DH on enrolling SS; she would just do it and then ask for money later and then make us the bad guys if we said "No" or couldn't afford it. When BM started using extracurriculars to deny visitation, that was our hard line. 

Ispofacto's picture

This isn't about SS or money, this is about BM's addiction to narcissistic supply. Like any addict, give her the drug she is craving and she wants more. Narcs are black holes of need. She will never be satisfied.

Without a mirror, the narcissist doesn't exist. People are needed to validate their existence, in many forms: apologies, explanations, gifts, monies, praise, acknowledgements, attention, etc. When it comes to money, the amount isn't really relevant, it's the "getting" that matters. The money is an acknowledgement of her superior parenting dominance and status as primary, 'owning' something that someone else cares about.

In the case of the ECs specifically in this case, the added benefit is she gets to play the who-loves-you-more game. As if any kid in his right mind would want to be overscheduled like this, if given a choice.

Please don't respond at all. ignore this and all other requests.

 

thinkthrice's picture

Or stick to the boiler plate "thanks for the update. "  lol

Rags's picture

costs of extracurriculars for SS.

The Judge gave us direct clarity. CS is the NCP's entire contribution for support of the kid under the CS order... except for any other specifically defined cost categories. In our CO, that included only half of all medical expenses not covered by medical insurance (e.g. Rx glasses, Co-pays, Dental procedures, etc..)

CS covers all legal support obligations including extracurriculars owed by the NCP unless others are included in the CO.    In my layman's opinion and our specific experience of course.

In your case, I would advise that DH take that stand that if BM signs the SKid up for tons of extracurriculars, DH is already supporting that in his CS payments.

PERIOD! DOT!

Have DH roll up a copy of the CO and continuously beat BM about the head and shoulders (figuratively of course) with that fact. 

"Great, I am happy to contribute in providing those opportunities for my kid in the CS that I pay you.  However, none of those activities can interfere in my visitation time and if you do not surrender my child per the visitation schedule I will smack you with a contempt motion every time my kid is not available per the visitation schedule. Have a great day. Buh-bye."

Dirol

Or, in far less words... as thinkthrice advised "Thanks for the update."