Consider the following scenario:
A decision needs to be made about which secondary school your daughter will attend. You and your ex-partner had, when you were still living together, discussed the desirability of sending your daughter to a private school. Your ex-partner is hanging onto those discussions and wanting you to pay half of all the private school fees. Since the separation you find yourself in diminished financial circumstances, and don’t feel that you can afford to pay half of the private school fees. You tell your ex-parter that you believe that the local State secondary school is, now, your preferred choice. Your ex-partner accuses you of placing your own desires ahead of your daughter’s best interests. He/she tells your daughter about this dispute. Your ex partner then offers to pay all of the school fees. You are aware that your daughter is quite upset about the dispute between her parents and she is presenting, to you, as confused and unwilling to commit to either parent’s proposals. However, your ex-partner claims that she has, consistently, been telling him that she really wants to attend the private school that this is what had been planned before you and your ex-partner separated.
How might you best deal with this situation?