X reached out to me yesterday about some concerns about one of our kids with remote school.
I don't know how to co-parent with this person.
Her accusations over the last year, up to just 2 weeks ago, linger. I have zero trust. Absolutely zero.
It goes beyond the accusations. The way she twists things. For example, several months ago, she was suggesting I should not have weekdays with the kids because I couldn't pick them up at school every time, and I pointed out that the kids mentioned other parents were driving them home on her days, so I didn't see why if I needed help to pick them up sometimes it was a reason to limit my time. My X's reaction to this? She emailed one of the parents, said I have concerns and about who was picking up my kids and could she please respond so that I no longer had concerns.
I never asked her to contact this parent. It is the parent of one of my kid's friends. And now this person has the impression I am some insistent crazy father.
There's all kinds of subtle manipulative things like this that have happened. I haven't posted most of them. It's as if my X doesn't hear the words I say, she just assumes I am saying something else. Either that or she is just manipulative and petty. I don't know and the effect is the same.
Regarding her school concern, my XW always has had a way of dealing with people in this way. It's not unique to our D or me specifically. When she wants something, she will act as if she is seeking dialogue, when in fact she is looking to convince others that she has the right view point. I've seen her do this with family and friends before. I have no doubt in this situation she has some idea about what to do (homeschool? change schools?) and is only reaching out to me because she has to.
I don't know if she's a master manipulator. She is certainly controlling. I think it's just her way of interacting with the world. I do not look forward to having to interact with her.
I am speaking in absolutes, and I don't like to do that anymore. But it's how I feel.
Just to add some color, she also insisted recently that I reimburse her for a $1 bank transfer fee immediately. I am paying high 4 figures in support yet a $1 fee is worth more discord I guess...
I've mentioned before I have a strained relationship my parents. I have a couple good friends where I live now, although my X has driven a bit of a wedge with mutual friends. It is a lonely feeling to be a single dad with a hostile co-parent.
I'm just super super frustrated. I can tolerate it and it's not going to show up in how I interact with her. We have to start co-parenting counseling soon per court order and I have zero faith that X is going to have any interest in doing anything other than what she thinks is best.
