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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

AIBU to feel hurt by my husband's list of faults?

487 replies

Timeforachange2026 · 21/06/2026 12:42

Dh and i have been on the rocks for a while. Had come to heads with a massive argument today and he decided to list all my faults during an argument. Below is the list

Don't pay him enough attention.
Don't mase him feel special enough
Am too soft with the kids
Am too boring. Don't have a social life (came up when he called me an awful wife, said I coukd be worse and be out drinking every night etc and he said ooh imagine if you had a social life)
Work too much (both work full time)
Put the kids before him
Put work before him
Don't do enough around the house (I do the washing, load/unload the dishwasher, do all school drop offs and majority of pick ups bar a few odd days. Also all household admin, bills, appointments etc.)
Never listen...this came from an argument where he was shouting upstairs to our eldest...I wasn't listening as it was a conversation between them and didn't hear my name mentioned...and he got thr hump that I didn't answer

In regards to making him feel special or pay enough attention, not sure what else he expects. We work full time, have two young children and various school activities. He finishes work earlier than me and moans i don't finish work at the time on my WFH days to spend time with him (i'm contracted to 5pm??)

Oh and I don't cook dinner enough.

If someone gave this as a lift of flaws...how would you feel

OP posts:
AMurderofMurderingCrows · 21/06/2026 19:56

First thing I would do is stop doing anything for him. No washing, no lunches etc.

Then tell him to move into the spare room or couch whilst he finds somewhere else to live.

Then the mumsnet ducks in a row and divorce.

Grey rock him all the way and only talk to him about the kids.

He's a disgusting, vile bully.

Triskellion75 · 21/06/2026 19:47

Tell him to fuck up and fuck the fuck off. Nasty, vile little pig of a man. Find your rage!

TeaCupTinsel · 21/06/2026 19:42

Timeforachange2026 · 21/06/2026 12:42

Dh and i have been on the rocks for a while. Had come to heads with a massive argument today and he decided to list all my faults during an argument. Below is the list

Don't pay him enough attention.
Don't mase him feel special enough
Am too soft with the kids
Am too boring. Don't have a social life (came up when he called me an awful wife, said I coukd be worse and be out drinking every night etc and he said ooh imagine if you had a social life)
Work too much (both work full time)
Put the kids before him
Put work before him
Don't do enough around the house (I do the washing, load/unload the dishwasher, do all school drop offs and majority of pick ups bar a few odd days. Also all household admin, bills, appointments etc.)
Never listen...this came from an argument where he was shouting upstairs to our eldest...I wasn't listening as it was a conversation between them and didn't hear my name mentioned...and he got thr hump that I didn't answer

In regards to making him feel special or pay enough attention, not sure what else he expects. We work full time, have two young children and various school activities. He finishes work earlier than me and moans i don't finish work at the time on my WFH days to spend time with him (i'm contracted to 5pm??)

Oh and I don't cook dinner enough.

If someone gave this as a lift of flaws...how would you feel

I'd photocopy it and attach one of those copies to divorce papers and have him served.
Utter bellend!

So sorry OP, how cruel (and untrue!)

whippersnapper55 · 21/06/2026 19:27

OP you don't need to keep defending yourself. There's nothing wrong with you and everything wrong with him. He's a controlling bully.

All you need to do is tell him if you're so awful he's free to leave. Make yourself an appointment with a solicitor and get your ducks in a row. Then file for divorce - you don't need to ask for a divorce or tell him you want to split, just file it and then tell him you've filed for divorce.

Just imagine the peace and freedom of living without him there - this is what you and your children need.

Dumbledora8 · 21/06/2026 19:26

OP, he sounds like an abusive piece of shit. It's almost like he is trying to find a way out and projecting all of his shit onto you. I'd bin him.

Luddite26 · 21/06/2026 19:25

Sassylovesbooks · 21/06/2026 13:05

The day a man calls me thick and stupid, is the day I'd be walking out the door. It appears to me that you have learnt to modify your behaviour, to try and appease your husband so he doesn't criticise you. You don't talk to other people, because you worry he'd criticise you for having a conversation. You likely don't have much of a social life (aside the time factor) because if you did, he'd criticise the fact you're going out.

The reality is, it would make no difference what you did or said, your husband will always find fault with you. He's nasty, abusive, controlling bully, who has slowly eroded your self-esteem, and you haven't been aware.

Sadly, OP, this will be your life forever more, because he won't change. You can't change him, but you can get yourself and your children out of the relationship. Seek legal advice, without his knowledge and get your ducks in a row.

You deserve far better than your husband.

This nails it for me. I'm sorry OP. What a wanker. Get out asap. LTB.

Dumbledora8 · 21/06/2026 19:24

SunnyRedSnail · 21/06/2026 13:12

And you choose to have children with this prick because...?

Is this really the best that you can come up with ffs

Pistachiocake · 21/06/2026 19:21

Did someone recommend he do this? A friend who thinks they're a therapist? Or worse, a real one? Just seems a very strange thing to do.

Wadsworthy · 21/06/2026 19:19

I notice his list is mostly about you not making him feel special.

Honestly, what an utter arse of a manchild.

MMUmum · 21/06/2026 19:11

Timeforachange2026 · 21/06/2026 12:53

Also to add...he moans i don't have a social life. But he goes out every Saturday for his sporting event so I have to work around that.

He says I can't talk to people as all i do is stare at a computer all day, but when he calls me thick and stupid because I do something differently to how he does (there's not two ways of doing something in his mind, there is his way or the wrong way) I don't really want to talk to people as i'm worried he will complain about what i say

He calls you WHAT now ??? The only reason you would be thick and stupid is if you stay with him any longer, bet he'll be gobsmacked when he finds out you've managed to talk to a divorce lawyer🙂

bellhawk · 21/06/2026 19:09

Can you stay with a friend or relative to have some space away from him (even just for one night)? It might help you to process all of this and think about what you want to do next. I struggle to see from his list what he thinks you are doing 'good enough'.

MMUmum · 21/06/2026 19:07

Timeforachange2026 · 21/06/2026 12:42

Dh and i have been on the rocks for a while. Had come to heads with a massive argument today and he decided to list all my faults during an argument. Below is the list

Don't pay him enough attention.
Don't mase him feel special enough
Am too soft with the kids
Am too boring. Don't have a social life (came up when he called me an awful wife, said I coukd be worse and be out drinking every night etc and he said ooh imagine if you had a social life)
Work too much (both work full time)
Put the kids before him
Put work before him
Don't do enough around the house (I do the washing, load/unload the dishwasher, do all school drop offs and majority of pick ups bar a few odd days. Also all household admin, bills, appointments etc.)
Never listen...this came from an argument where he was shouting upstairs to our eldest...I wasn't listening as it was a conversation between them and didn't hear my name mentioned...and he got thr hump that I didn't answer

In regards to making him feel special or pay enough attention, not sure what else he expects. We work full time, have two young children and various school activities. He finishes work earlier than me and moans i don't finish work at the time on my WFH days to spend time with him (i'm contracted to 5pm??)

Oh and I don't cook dinner enough.

If someone gave this as a lift of flaws...how would you feel

SCRIPT!!! he's found someone else to 'make him feel special' he sounds like such a child

BettyBoh · 21/06/2026 19:04

My husband was brought up by a narcissist mother who neglected him but has re-written history since that she was the best mother ever (she forgot the bit where she ran off with another man for 18 months). He tried this kind oh thing on me once. We had some therapy, discovered his trauma and his mother lies and he has made a lot of progress.

andthat · 21/06/2026 19:02

Ceramiq · 21/06/2026 16:25

Two problems here: your husband wants more of your time and exclusive attention (this is good! he loves you!) and you are legitimately way too busy to give it to him (very bad). Answer is to outsource some of the things that keep you so busy, either to him or to someone else.

Your bar must be seriously low if you get ‘he loves you!’ from that list of bullshit.

He doesn’t even like her.. let alone love her!

FizzyPopLove · 21/06/2026 19:02

What a repulsive little man - listing your faults like this.

Does he ever say anything positive about you? To you?

He’s really nasty.

You will never please him and no doubt you will twist yourself in knots trying to please him for the rest of your life.

Please leave him. Focus on you and your dcs.

And for the love of god, ignore the ‘marriage therapist’ on here who clearly enables nasty pieces of work like this in real life. Awful. I pity their clients.

Venicelagoon · 21/06/2026 19:00

Then if he complains that the meals too simple you say its so you can put him first. And make him do his share.

Venicelagoon · 21/06/2026 18:58

Just one bit of advice.....try making really easy meals and sit with your husband in the evening regardless of how tired you are. Also present him with a similar list of his faults as you see them.

DavidStopActingLikeADisgruntledPelican · 21/06/2026 18:54

He's given you a list of your “flaws”, things that you can’t easily change- you can’t suddenly stop working full time, prioritising your job or your kids, develop a better social life if he’s out all the time… basically he’s done this because he knows you can’t change most/all of these things, and the reason is that in all likelihood he’s cheating on you or planning to. And it’s all your fault because you are so flawed and a bad wife. Been there, seen that. I mean, he might not be, but I wouldn’t be surprised at all.

Anyahyacinth · 21/06/2026 18:48

AlexStocks · 21/06/2026 13:25

I'm a marriage therapist and I really think you both need marriage counseling. He's telling you something is wrong.

I wish every man and woman knew that something like 60% of couples have a significant dip in marital satisfaction with small kids.

The biggest flag is he feels you put everything, even work, in front of him. He's saying he needs you. It's a shitty delivery, but that's the underlying message.

As parents, you two need to be Hella united. Get united. He's going to have to give as well because there's a near zero chance he doesn't have his own hand in things going sideways.

I'm sorry ...but trying to destroy someone as a call for help? Nonsense

He is an abuser...you don't take that to joint therapy...you get safely away

Such dangerous thinking in your post

Easilyforgotten · 21/06/2026 18:48

I am completely baffled by the mental gymnastics that turn a man who tells his wife that she is thick and stupid into a victim who loves her and is crying out for her attention.
He is setting her up to fail on every level, and she can't do right for doing wrong. Whatever is going on with this man, the bottom line is that he is deeply unpleasant at the most generous assessment.
Agree with all the others that you need to start considering a life apart, because being together sounds awful for you.

thepariscrimefiles · 21/06/2026 18:44

AlexStocks · 21/06/2026 13:25

I'm a marriage therapist and I really think you both need marriage counseling. He's telling you something is wrong.

I wish every man and woman knew that something like 60% of couples have a significant dip in marital satisfaction with small kids.

The biggest flag is he feels you put everything, even work, in front of him. He's saying he needs you. It's a shitty delivery, but that's the underlying message.

As parents, you two need to be Hella united. Get united. He's going to have to give as well because there's a near zero chance he doesn't have his own hand in things going sideways.

Please tell me you're joking and that you're not really a marriage therapist. Who are your clients? Tradwives? Her husband is abusive. Women should never attend marriage counselling with their abuser.

When he says stuff like this:

He says I can't talk to people as all i do is stare at a computer all day, but when he calls me thick and stupid because I do something differently to how he does (there's not two ways of doing something in his mind, there is his way or the wrong way) I don't really want to talk to people as i'm worried he will complain about what i say'

Do you really think that OP should be trying to save her marriage? He has told her that literally everything she does is wrong. How on earth is OP's marriage a safe place for her and her children? If you really are a marriage therapist, you're in the wrong job.

Jamlighter · 21/06/2026 18:44

Get rid, no ifs no buts.

ConstantlyTired312 · 21/06/2026 18:40

Timeforachange2026 · 21/06/2026 13:48

We have done marriage counselling in thr past and don't think we got a lot out of it.

It feels like he wants me to fundamentality change who I am

If i do something wrong (in his view) and I apologise, but explain why I did it, thats ne being defensive and argumentative. However if I do just say sorry and won't do it again, that's me being dismissive and not taking it seriously

His good points ... he will cook dinner most days of the week, but will moan about it. Will cover if i have to travel with work although that is far less often than he does anything.

Sorry, but 'cover while I travel for work' is just parenting his own children!

My ex told me that he didn't feel like he was the most important person in my life - my response was that my daughter would always be the most important person (he's not her father, and an ex because he started being very positive about Reform....)

OP - if you've tried counselling and he still speaks to you like this, you need to get an exit strategy in place. You sound like a wonderful mother and will find life so much easier on your own

Kdubs1981 · 21/06/2026 18:39

A woman putting her children first? The horror… he sounds like a prize twat. What are his faults? Apart form the twat-factor, obviously

Politygal · 21/06/2026 18:38

AlexStocks · 21/06/2026 13:25

I'm a marriage therapist and I really think you both need marriage counseling. He's telling you something is wrong.

I wish every man and woman knew that something like 60% of couples have a significant dip in marital satisfaction with small kids.

The biggest flag is he feels you put everything, even work, in front of him. He's saying he needs you. It's a shitty delivery, but that's the underlying message.

As parents, you two need to be Hella united. Get united. He's going to have to give as well because there's a near zero chance he doesn't have his own hand in things going sideways.

A marriage therapist? I hope you are truthful with your male clients and tell them when they are coercive, unpleasant, and dont deserve to be married to the women they are abusing. Because that's what it is. This woman needs to leave.