Hey Roz!
I wanted to share my story with you. I’m dating a wonderful guy and he has a 5-year-old son. He was in a long-term relationship with his son’s mother and they recently broke up before we met. I ask him if he still loves her and he said he is “not in love” with her. Now that she knows we’re dating, she calls him all the time and demands that he spend extra time with their son, TOGETHER! I don’t have a problem with him and his relationship with his son. But I’m afraid she using the boy as bait to keep him at her beckoning call. Should I stick around and see what unfolds?
Signed,
*Donna is Down
Hey Donna,
Thank you for asking. First off let me say that you are brave to ask this question. Do know that you are not alone in this matter and that many women are dealing with this complex issue. While we’re taught in society to submit to instant gratification. The gratification matter have also affected people in dealing with personal and intimate relationships. We rush into relationships that we think are idea at the moment and many time it ends up with egg on the hurting partner’s face.
Unless you found your ideal “soul mate” partner you should strongly feel compel to not to rush into a relationship. Now with that out-of-the-way let me say that adding a child into the factor is a dot.com situation! Yes I said it. Let me clarify a few things. *You didn’t say how long you were dating him. So I’m guessing it’s less than 3 months. You also stated that they “recently” broke up… The word recently in your dilemma means 4 to 5 months ago. I’ll be nice and give him 6. Lastly, you all havent set up time together and really get a sense of where this is going. For him it may be “I’m just having fun now”. Or I want to get over my ex, so I will focus my time on someone else who is available but not necessarily the greatest choice. I got to keep it real ladies….
On top of that, it seems like before you can show and differentiate if you like ice cream and he prefers frozen yogurt, you all haven’t begun a huge argument over that or anything else to really get to know each other. He already took the minuscule issues out of the equation and brought you bigger ones like his Baby Momma Drama. That’s not a good look. Why would you want to be put in a situation where you have to stress over something like this at a moment in your life?
I think dating with children especially small children is a complicated matter. You have to be involved with each other on a higher level before you can set out and tackle the problems in your relationship such as constraints. Now there are other situations that wouldn’t necessary relate to your main issue. Such as a baby momma or father that lives in another country or has moved on into a serious committed relationship with no ties to the other partner except with connection of the son or daughter they share.
From what I read above. Your partner’s ex still has feelings for him ouch! And to make matters worse she is not ready to let it go. She also knows that he is dating consistently and therefore feels that she has priority over you when it’s really the child who have overall priority. You can’t blame her for this outcome. It work dual ways for both parties. If your new boo isn’t ready to stand up for the relationship you all share then it is safe to assume that he’s scared. Scared of losing visitation rights or his place back in her heart if needed to be. Things can change but why take a chance on something that isn’t guarantee and out of your control?
WHAT CAN YOU DO? Well you have free will. You can choose to stick by him and let it play out. And I know you hoping it will play out in your favor. Or you can start dating with a 2 to 1 ratio, but make sure that other guy is just as wonderful as the guy you’re holding out for. Otherwise it wont work. The last option is to take it for what it is. If you receive more disappointments from the situation than victories, you’re probably better off making a clean break now.
Don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying that you should be 100% biased towards men with children. Children are a gift. They are a wonderful addition to the world. But know that you need to be at a happy place with yourself. Having a successful relationship with yourself is key. When you’re happy you can share your happiness with others and at the end never feel depleted or defeated. Dealing with a Baby Momma who won’t let go is a defeated situation. Especially if your partner is confused about everything or need “time” to sort it out. It is your responsibility to know when to hold and when to fold. And sometimes that means to run Anna Mae! And once you fed up with the antics you will no longer want to eat the cake.
Whatever you decide, I wish you the best in your journey. Know that it will be a situation that requires healing and in the end the scab wounds will show a well needed lesson.
Love and Light,
Roz
*the names have been changed to protect the embarrassed.
Roz Quartz 