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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Controlling or not?

140 replies

SkinnyP · 12/10/2024 17:43

Husband moans a lot. Moan moan moan.
Last night 16 year old DD wanted to go to a concert in the next town around 5 miles away.

She hardly goes out, she's at home a lot so she asked if I could take her and pick her up at 9pm. I said yes.

My husband is my DD step dad. I car-share with my Husband. He rang me at work absolutely fuming that I had agreed to take her and pick her up. Saying she's 16 needs to make her own way etc. She gets anxiety getting the bus etc.

I said I'm taking her end of story, she doesn't ask often.

My DD then rang me as he told her that I couldn't take her as he was taking the car and he wouldn't be home. I told her to ignore him and I would be taking her.

I was absolutely raging. I still am today. I haven't spoken to him hardly! He then asked "you due on your period or something?"

I'm starting to resent him.

We are out tonight for a preplanned meal. Already he's moaned about someone has messed with the wing mirror in the car, I was cold so had the heating on, he moaned at that cos he was 'burning up' so turned it off, then the sat nav women was annoying!

I feel like I'm walking round with a cloud of doom over my head. I feel like I'm going mental.

OP posts:
bringmorewashing · 13/10/2024 16:53

He sounds extremely mean and controlling. FWIW my DH would offer to pick our DD up himself in this situation, and wouldn't comment on heating temp unless he was really uncomfortable! We also share one car. He's far from perfect, but this stuff is so petty. I'm sorry you and your DD are having to deal with it.

My dad was similarly miserable, and when my mum kicked him out the mood in the house lifted I was 16 at the time. I'm sure your DD would thank you when she's older if you decided to do the same...

Terrribletwos · 13/10/2024 16:43

@SkinnyP
Well, after your update you definitely need to leave him.

Can you set things in motion? Do you have a place to go to?

GabriellaMontez · 13/10/2024 16:42

He sounds intent on sucking the joy out of everything. How depressing.

And mean. He sounds very mean. Not attractive.

What is your financial situation?

SkinnyP · 13/10/2024 16:36

It makes me sad reading these that other people's husbands are not like this.

Here are a few things I recall. That I’m always being told I exaggerate, he says it’s not a big deal is it? Says am
I still mentioning things what have upset me, then he says to other people, she thinks we’re the only people that bicker and argue.

Everyone thinks he’s lovely, very few know what he’s like at home.

So we had the car situation with my DD.
The heater situation where I was cold.
Get told about wrecking the sofa when sitting on it.

Get moaned at for driving places when I apparently don’t need to go there. Or I could go somewhere closer to home.
Told me one year how much money I was allowed to spend on presents, when I challenged him on it, he said well you’re not deciding.

Took the car off me once and said get your own car.

Stepchild came up who’s now a young adult. He started shouting at him for something so my DD got into a row with him sticking up for him saying this is why he doesn’t come round because you shout.
I do all the cooking and food shopping.

He had cleaned downstairs and because I then went into the kitchen to make a home made cheese pie he moaned because he had cleaned! I said I’m a big girl I will clean up after myself.

When my Nan was dying. I asked him to come to the hospital to support me. He wouldn’t and started shouting at me saying he carried his grandads coffin. My memories of just before my Nan died is him shouting at me.

My grandad who is elderly and on his own, his dog had died at home. My mum rang me and said what happened so I offered to go straight round to help. We were about to have lunch, so he said oh well I’m eating now and not waiting because I’m starving.

Went out for a meal with friends. I went a different way home as I was driving, not that much different probably about 5 minutes extra, because of the slightly longer distance he went on and on and on about he couldn’t believe I had gone that way all the way home in front of our friends. Even my male friend said gosh you’re not still going on about that.

Looked at the miles once on the dashboard and said god we’re have you been in the car. Obviously checking the mileage.

I could go on. But this is normal, and couples argue, and I take things to heart and I exaggerate and make things into a bigger deal than they are.

OP posts:
itsmylife7 · 13/10/2024 16:25

Come on OP, do you really need other
women to tell you his treatment of you is absolutely awful?

Which it is.

5475878237NC · 13/10/2024 16:10

SoDemure · 12/10/2024 18:57

He sounds controlling and miserable.

But you also need to address your DDs anxiety about getting the bus (although no harm in pickingher up from the next town late at night). But anxiety over taking the bus generally is also concerning.

The bus can often be a scary place for a lone female traveller. Full of teen boys on their phones playing loud offensive violent rap when I was on town buses recently.

Nothatgingerpirate · 13/10/2024 16:03

Oh, insight about the lift and the heater in the car?

Well, I don't have children and there is also only one car in the household.
My husband (thirty years older) does the driving here.
Any car ride is planned and agreed by both of us and as far as heater goes, if it goes on or if anything has been fumbled with, there is no reaction or a little joke.
No anger, no bullying, no women hating.
We both do our bit and are a team.

Please get away from him, you and your daughter.

Nothatgingerpirate · 13/10/2024 15:55

I got to
My husband is my DD step dad.
Enough said.
Not right on many levels.

bloss0mgirl · 13/10/2024 15:49

Reminds me of how my ex used to behave. Yes, this is controlling. One aspect of it is that you've slowly had your own sense eroded of just how bad this behaviour is. It will only get worse and only you can put an end to it. Good luck

CeffylCoch · 13/10/2024 15:35

Get rid of him, seriously. You will be so much better off without him. He sounds awful

J1Dub · 13/10/2024 15:22

He sounds like an absolute arsehole.

I do agree about satnav voices being irritating. 🤣

Terrribletwos · 13/10/2024 15:14

As well as the obvious controlling behaviour he is also mean with money in regards to complaining about 15 minutes car trips, Jeez!

Other's with normal male partners have stated what their partner would do and that's something of which you should take note but for it to be something you have to ask is itself a bit worrying. It's as if you find it difficult to ask yourself these questions and you somehow feel manipulated by him?

Anyway, you need to leave this "relationship". Can you get away from him? The sooner the better.

Dotto · 13/10/2024 14:52

SkinnyP · 13/10/2024 12:35

I'm just so upset for me and my DD.
Can anyone give me any insight how their husband/partner would have reacted to both the situation about the lift and the heater in the car? Just so I can get some perspective?

I always end up feel like I'm exaggerating or "carrying it on" because that's what I get told.

You are being abused.

My husband would have said "Brilliant, sounds like a good night, I'll make sure I'm back by X time so you can take the car"

Re the heater, if my husband was too hot in the car he would have removed his heavy coat. But you know he was just doing it to control you...

5128gap · 13/10/2024 14:52

Sounds like he'd like to be controlling and for his word to be law, but that you're sticking up for yourself and having none of it (good for you!). Which leaves him with no other weapon than moods and sulks and being petty over car heaters. If its not bad enough to want to leave him, then I'd suggest you carry on exactly as you are. He will eventually learn that no one cares about his demands and no one cares if he sulks when he doesn't get his way.

Ireolu · 13/10/2024 14:46

Not normal behaviour OP. He sounds malicious. Unforgiveable behaviour towards a child.

Therealjudgejudy · 13/10/2024 14:11

You need to put your daughter first and leave this abusive pos.

You are setting her a terrible example staying with him and forcing her to live in this dreadful environment

TheReturnOfFeathersMcGraw · 13/10/2024 14:01

My dh, who is a big worrier about money, but not tight, will drive into the city (30-40 mins each way) to pick up our 19 yr old son when the wait for the bus is more than 30 mins. He does the same drive later to pick me up from uni and we enjoy the time to talk.

His reaction is not normal and not ok

Talulahalula · 13/10/2024 14:00

SkinnyP · 13/10/2024 12:35

I'm just so upset for me and my DD.
Can anyone give me any insight how their husband/partner would have reacted to both the situation about the lift and the heater in the car? Just so I can get some perspective?

I always end up feel like I'm exaggerating or "carrying it on" because that's what I get told.

There is no sense of perspective here other than how you are experiencing the situation, which is that this man is seeking to limit your DD’s activities and social life; he is undermining you as her partner and also controlling your environment.

i cannot tell you how my partner or husband would behave as I don’t have one; having left my ex for similarly seeking to control my household and interactions with my DD. I will say this loud and clear, he has no right at all to reverse decisions you have made to support your DD. Genuinely, I wonder if her anxiety would lessen if this man was not in her space, criticising you and her. You need to get him out of your lives.

Strawberrysherbets · 13/10/2024 13:47

He is a truly horrible and keenly misogynistic cunt. Please save you and your daughter from his repulsive presence.

Stormyweatheroutthere · 13/10/2024 13:20

Me and dh had lived together a year. Been together 3....i shared dc with exh. One day a teen ds declared he wanted to live full time with us.
I rang dh and told him . He went to collect ds and all of his stuff. No conversation ever too place. He simply added ds to our home full time without a second thought.
Ime your man needs binning....

GabriellaMontez · 13/10/2024 13:20

SkinnyP · 13/10/2024 12:35

I'm just so upset for me and my DD.
Can anyone give me any insight how their husband/partner would have reacted to both the situation about the lift and the heater in the car? Just so I can get some perspective?

I always end up feel like I'm exaggerating or "carrying it on" because that's what I get told.

The lift.

He'd probably have said "do you want me to do one way"?

He's not her Dad. She's 15.

The heater.

He'd probably have pointed the fan away from himself or unzipped his coat.

His behaviour is not normal. You don't have to live like this.

BitOutOfPractice · 13/10/2024 13:15

How would my dp have reacted?

it wouldn’t have crossed his mind to even think twice about anything I do for my DDs. We also share a car. In fact he’d probably have offered do pick her up to save me the trip because he’s kind.

re the comment in the restaurant, he wouldn’t have said that because he’s not a dick.

re the temperature in the car he’d prioritise my comfort over his own and probably have Turned the heat up. He might have made a lighthearted comment about me being a chilly mortal and offered To let me warm my feet on him in bed.

He would never ever on pain of death ask if I was due on because a. He values his in life, and b He’s Not a misogynist

Hes just a genuinely nice bloke. And in return I’m nice to him because I like him. As well as love him. I wouldn’t like him if he behaved like yours has the last 24 hours.

FloordrobeIsGoingToGetME · 13/10/2024 13:12

My DH would prioritise DD's night out and safety,

My DH would be glad our DD had friends round.

My DH would put up with having the car heating on if I was cold, even if he wasn't.

Your DH sounds miserable, and bordering on controllingly abusive, OP.

Can you picture yourselves enjoying old age and grandchildren together?

OrangeRhymesWith · 13/10/2024 13:03

SkinnyP · 13/10/2024 12:35

I'm just so upset for me and my DD.
Can anyone give me any insight how their husband/partner would have reacted to both the situation about the lift and the heater in the car? Just so I can get some perspective?

I always end up feel like I'm exaggerating or "carrying it on" because that's what I get told.

I'm sorry you're second guessing yourself.

i, and my dh, and most of the people i know, would do the same as you and agreed to get dd. My dh is not my kids dad and he would offer to get them if i couldn't.

not because he's extra nice, because he cares about me and my kids and there's a basic level of decency.

your partner makes out that you're overreacting because he's mean spirited and thinks everyone else must be. You will never get him to see why you or your daughter deserve basic decency or kindness because at his core you're not as important as his petrol or his comfort.

any nice thing he does is transactional and with a view to getting something back m

you don't need 'a good reason' to finish it, you dont need to get him to understand or agree, you don't need his permission.

i don't really like you anymore is valid and enough. The whys and accusations and demands for explanations will explode because he'll be angry the subordinate has dared to challenge him but just stick with the simple fact that you don't think this is working

2Old2Tango · 13/10/2024 13:00

SkinnyP · 13/10/2024 12:53

No not at all. We both pay for the car joint account. We both pay for the petrol as it comes out the joint expenses.
But, if I say for example, I'm going to nip here, he will question me saying what you going all the way there for etc etc. Because of the petrol I'm using.
I asked to get a little run around he said no we cannot afford to run two cars.

Does he ask you if he wants to use the car to go somewhere, or is he the big Man who can do as he pleases?

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