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Unusual living situation - does anyone know of a similar one?

(16 Posts)
sodapop Mon 21-Nov-22 17:19:57

I agree with others Nanamar if it works for you all then it's a good thing. Well done for putting your grandson at the heart of things.
Enjoy your life with your family now and I'm sure you will all sort things out when it becomes necessary.

Lathyrus Mon 21-Nov-22 13:21:55

Gosh. I know lots of ‘unconventional’ families/living arrangements I was part of my one once😬

Whatever works.

Ro60 Mon 21-Nov-22 10:44:35

I know of a divorced couple who split the house in two (unsure of the details) but it works for them.
Sometimes they attend events together too.
It's worked for them for the last 20 years.

icanhandthemback Mon 21-Nov-22 09:42:21

I think it is actually very adult of you all to come to an arrangement that suits your DGS and yourselves, Nanamar. Oh that more people could put the children first in a divorce. It might be unconventional but that doesn't really matter. Prince Andrew and Fergie seem to have made it work as parents regardless of what the world thinks of them as people and their girls seem lovely as a result.

Baggs Mon 21-Nov-22 09:39:57

I expect that the variations in "unusual" living situations are as varied as they are in "usual" ones so in your place I think I'd just get on with today and not worry about several years hence.

GagaJo Mon 21-Nov-22 09:31:52

My DD and DGS live with me. Moves should be underway for her to get her own place, but our move from overseas back to the UK when she was pregnant made it hard for her to live independently at the time.

At the moment, it works-ish. I'd like them to move out, but also know it'll be a sad day when they do, because I'll miss living with DGS. I have no desire to live with him once he's a teenager though! I'll also relish the clean and tidy house once they're gone.

There are a myriad of ways to be a family. As long as everyone involved loves the child, it's a family, regardless of relationships or even being related. The idea of the nuclear family is not universal and based on DGS's school, isn't even the majority.

Nanamar Mon 21-Nov-22 08:31:45

We each “own” a third of the property; the way the title is written is that the property cannot be sold unless all three of us agree to do so OR the one who wants to sell buys out the other two so he or she becomes sole owner and can then sell it. I’m the only one of us who has the financial assets to buy the others out if it ever came to that. I just wondered if anyone knew of a similar situation involving exes who still live on the same premises in order to co-parent.

Oopsadaisy1 Mon 21-Nov-22 08:06:03

As long as your home on the property is in your name and the surrounding land is owned by you, then if either of the others want to sell up then you will be ok. But if they want to sell and you have to move as well then I do worry about that aspect.

Apart from that, you are doing what is right for your grandchild and that can’t be a bad thing.

Nanamar Mon 21-Nov-22 07:40:46

DH was a sports junkie - another expression!

FannyCornforth Mon 21-Nov-22 06:14:36

Nanamar

Yes stella1949 is correct. Pinch-hit means to fill in when needed - I think it’s a sports term - maybe baseball?

Yes, it’s a substitute batter in baseball. You live and learn!

FannyCornforth Mon 21-Nov-22 06:13:23

Do you mean ‘pitch in’?

Nanamar Mon 21-Nov-22 05:33:01

Yes stella1949 is correct. Pinch-hit means to fill in when needed - I think it’s a sports term - maybe baseball?

AussieGran59 Mon 21-Nov-22 05:25:46

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

stella1949 Mon 21-Nov-22 05:05:34

AussieGran59 I imagine that pinch-hit means that the OP helps out where needed.

Nanamar I wouldn't say that your living arrangement is not "normal" in that not a lot of people would live that way, but if it works for you, that's fine. Sounds like the little boy is being looked after by people who love him, so that's OK in my book.

I'd be more concerned about the future arrangements for you. You say that you all live together because you couldn't afford to have separate homes - so how is that going to work in the future , when DS and / or his ex gets a new partner ? And maybe they want to split and live separately ? Where would you fit in that scenario /

I assume that you contributed to the purchase of the house you are all living in , and that everything is legally documented. Otherwise you could end up losing out . See a lawyer and make sure that everything has been done legally - you need to protect your future .

AussieGran59 Mon 21-Nov-22 04:44:48

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Nanamar Mon 21-Nov-22 04:42:17

If you’ve read and recalled my previous posts, you know that I live with DS, his ex-wife, and DGS who is six. After DH died, DS and his ex wanted to move from the east back to the west coast of the US and I had nothing to keep me in the east so I moved as well. There was no way that the sale of two homes in the east would financially support two homes in the west so we purchased one home and we live on the same property that has two dwellings. DGS understands as much as he can that his parents are divorced; his parents share responsibility for him and I pinch-hit as needed. We do some things together and some separately. I would say we are not really a family in the typical sense - almost more like housemates who have some level of kinship and whose commonality is the care of DGS. I have been warned that things will get more awkward if/when DS or ex-DIL develops a relationship - that doesn’t seem to be happening yet at least but I’m realistic in the sense that I know this arrangement may not be forever. It will more than likely change once DGS reaches late teens if not before. Does anyone know of any similar situation and how it’s worked - or not?