'My boyfriend is leaving me alone with his 3 kids for 10 days - he didn't even ask me'

The woman is furious with her boyfriend after he announced he was going on a work trip for 10 days and would be leaving her to look after his three kids - without asking her first

A woman has been left seething at her boyfriend after he told her he's heading on a 10-day work trip next week - and will be leaving her to look after his three children by herself. The 39-year-old mum-of-one explained she's been living with her boyfriend, 50, for over a year now and they have his children over every other week as he splits custody with their mum.

And rather than leaving his three children - who are aged seven, 10, and 14 - with their mum for an extra week, the man has decided they'll still come to his house while he's away on his trip, but his girlfriend will look after them by herself. However, the dad failed to ask his partner if she was okay with watching his brood, and just sprung the news on her one week before he was due to leave.

In a post on Reddit, the woman fumed: "My boyfriend and I live together and have been together for a year and a half. I have one four-year-old daughter, he has three kids that are here every other week, ages seven, 10, and 14. The seven-year-old and 10-year-old have behavioural issues and ADHD. They are quite a handful for me, who's adjusting to life with four kids when they're over. And I've had trouble bonding with them. I've caught the 10-year-old stealing from me a few times, and the seven-year-old is super hyperactive and needs consistent attention and he's super loud.

"My boyfriend just told me he's leaving on a 10-day work trip, and five of these days his kids will be here. He is leaving this coming week. He hadn't asked if this was okay with me, he just told me this is what's happening. When I asked why I was the last person to know, when I should be the first because I'll be watching his kids, he tells me referring to them as HIS and not OURS is toxic ...

"He volunteered to be one of the guys that goes for this work trip, he's a general labourer. I'm dreading these five days watching all four kids. It's an absolute madhouse and I'm still trying to adjust to this new life with four kids as we haven't lived together long. Am I the a**hole for wanting his kids to stay at their mothers for those five days? Or for him to come home on the week they come?"

Commenters on the post were firmly on the mum's side, as they said her boyfriend should have spoken to her before expecting her to take care of his kids. One person said: "You aren't their parent. They should stay with their mum those days if he's out of town. This is something that should have been discussed," while another said: "The purpose of the kids being there is to spend time with their father, while he is actually parenting. If he isn't home, there is no point."

A third posted: "His custody time is for him to spend with his kids. They aren't coming over to see you (no offence). I can't imagine their mother would be thrilled with him dumping his responsibility on someone he's only been with for 18 months. He needs to either speak to the kid's mother and shift his custody weeks, arrange alternative childcare, or tell work that he cannot attend due to having to parent his kids. He's a general labourer, not a specialised engineer. They can easily find a replacement. Do not back down on this."

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