Hi Jenny
You will never get the answer as to why he can’t just stop despite gambling bringing him down to levels he hates and your CG possibly will never be able to tell you – that is addiction.
If his parents are ‘managing’ his wages and not giving him money or clearing his debts then it is unlikely they are enabling. Treatment includes learning to handle money but it doesn’t come easily as money is a mere tool to gamble with.
I don’t understand his £100 – £1000 distinction – gambling with £1 is the same as gambling with a million – it activates the gamble-brain and it is that which causes the poor behaviour and helps the addiction grow.
Nobody can judge you whether keeping his number or not is right; you are gaining knowledge, you are ahead of him in understanding; you are making your choices and that to me is your recovery.
Australia sounds a big step but I loved it when I went there and would have probably emigrated if I had gone when I was younger. There probably will be a battle if you decide to emigrate but from my own experience I know the courts put the child first and if you are acting in their best interests then I think you will have a good prospect of success. I think it is important to keep an accurate journal of your CG’s behaviour towards your daughter for anything to do with the courts in the future.
Break ups are terrible Jenny but you do get over them and you can live a better life because of the experience. Make the bad times work for you or time is wasted.
Keep posting
V
