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How do I talk to dh about this?

39 replies

Howmanysleepstilchristmas · 29/10/2018 22:34

Dh will comment on things I haven’t done. Tidying kids toys, ironing clothes before putting them away, house admin he’s mentioned we need to do etc. He does it in a way that makes me feel undervalued. He’ll often swear and be quite abrupt.
I used to work full time and earn more than him. I paid more towards bills so we both had the same amount spare. Then he became the biggest earner by a long way, but worked longer hours (48 a week). My shift pattern changed so I couldn’t do school drop off and pick up from after school club. I had to leave work. I’ve been helping dh out in his business unpaid for 28 hours a week. He now pays all the bills and gives me £100 a week (goes on food and dc). He has said that he gives me a fortune for hardly any hours so is paying me to do everything around the house and expects better. We have 4 dc. Whenever I’m home, so are they: I can’t keep on top of everything. Should I be able to? I honestly don’t know. He’s commented that the house is his, not mine, as I don’t pay for anything. That upsets me. I used to, but gave up my career to support him, and I miss it! I’m going back to my career in a few months on my old hours, but I’m not sure I can save our relationship. I’ll still earn less, and still fall short on the housework front. I feel like he doesn’t respect me at all anymore. He gets angry if I try to talk to him about it and says I’m having a go at him. I don’t mean to, I just want to feel like he recognises what I do (all childcare, washing, cleaning [not enough admittedly], household admin, cooking []no ironing though!]) and respects me. Admittedly I’m over sensitive as I’ve always been independent before and my career was a part of who I am. How do I fix this?

OP posts:
Yonijust · 29/10/2018 22:37

I would start by getting this moved to Relationships. You have a whole load of stuff that needs sorting.

I know what I would be doing.

2cats2many · 29/10/2018 22:39

What a crap situation. There is no way I could tolerate that level of disrespect and being undermined.

If he won't listen to you, will he go to couple's counselling? If you get a good one, they will help to facilitate the conversation so you have a better chance of being heard.

If he won't go, or if he will and it doesn't work, you have to ask yourself just how much of this belittling and bullying behaviour you are willing to put up with and what it will take for you to stand up for yourself.

theworldistoosmall · 29/10/2018 22:41

He's a cunt,
He's treating you like a slave.
28 hours of free work. Fuck that. Quit.
£100 a week is financial abuse.
House is his? hahaha he's a fucking tool, you're married. It's joint.
Leave him and have a better life without him. You don't deserve to be treated like this.
I really detest the cop-out that I work long hours ergo I don't have to do anything around the house. These tossers forget when they are sad bastards living alone they will have to do it all by themselves.

queenjosephine · 29/10/2018 22:46

What theworldistoosmall said ☝🏾

LexieLulu · 29/10/2018 22:48

Show him this thread... I'm sure the responses will open his eyes

Howmanysleepstilchristmas · 29/10/2018 22:53

He wouldn’t consider counselling. He says he’d be better off living alone and paying a cleaner (mid-argument, if I try to discuss it when we aren’t fighting he’ll say I’m bringing things up again and he didn’t mean it: he feels like I’m taking a dig at him/ trying to start an argument. I’m not, I’m trying to prevent future arguments. I’m just not very good at that! Communication isn’t my strong point). I’d just like advice on how to talk to him about it, if anyone can help? I do struggle picking up social cues/ knowing when to talk/ stop talking!

OP posts:
Howmanysleepstilchristmas · 29/10/2018 22:55

Can’t show him this, he’d hate that I’d told anyone (if any of you knew me/ him I wouldn’t have but I really want to fix this).

OP posts:
cestlavielife · 29/10/2018 22:57

Let him live alone and pay a cleaner

Go see a lawyer.
Stop working for him for nothing

Finfintytint · 29/10/2018 23:02

I couldn’t put up with this. You don’t deserve this at all.
Does he love you, respect you, acknowledge your efforts? Doesn’t sound like it.

theworldistoosmall · 29/10/2018 23:07

There is no talking to him because he doesn't care.
He's right and that's all there is to it.

He wants to live alone. Tell him fine then. Go and live alone and pay for a cleaner. Watch how quickly he backtracks.

And no counselling wouldn't be advisable anyway. He's a bully and financially abusive.

I know you don't want this advice because you want to fix the relationship. But the reality is, it can only be fixed if you are prepared to shut up for the rest of your life and do exactly as he tells you. Is that what you really want? To be controlled, undervalued, disrespected? I very much doubt it. You cannot change him. Only he can do that and he won't because he doesn't value or respect you. If he respected you he wouldn't treat you like he does

RandomMess · 29/10/2018 23:07

You'd be happier divorced and may be better off with at least 50% of the assets, child maintenance plus he should have the DC Every other weekend?

AnyFucker · 29/10/2018 23:09

He despises you

How can you not see this ? Confused

Brazenhussy0 · 29/10/2018 23:12

Oh you’ve got yourself a right arsehole there. And your confidence sounds shot to pieces.

No more talking with him. Just leave. I promise you will be in a much better place mentally and emotionally without this bellend pushing you down to the ground.

timeisnotaline · 29/10/2018 23:15

Tell him you’ve been thinking about it and he’s right - he should live alone and pay for a cleaner. Do no work for his business unless he will pay you.

RyderWhiteSwan · 29/10/2018 23:18

Sadly, AnyFucker is right Sad

HildaZelda · 29/10/2018 23:21

Go and see a solicitor OP. I'm sorry but he's a cunt.

ReanimatedSGB · 29/10/2018 23:21

This is an abusive man who is going to get worse. I bet he fucking came in his pants when you had to give up work, he will have been dying for something like that to happen. Men like him really don't like or respect women, and yet they seek out successful, independent women to date and marry, because their ambition is to crush those women into a state of utter submission.

Get some legal advice and some support from friends, and divorce the fucker.

Vegetablegarden · 29/10/2018 23:23

How can you fix this?

You mean, how can I turn DH into a nicer more appreciating person?

You can’t.

I’d start by not helping his business. Concentrate on you, building a new career, the kids, friendships and getting help and support elsewhere.

What will he do if you do this? Why aren’t you doing this?

Call women’s aid or a solicitor to discuss financial abuse and other things you are concerned about.

TheSheepofWallSt · 29/10/2018 23:27

Call a solicitor.
Call women’s aid if you need to.
Divorce him and take the fucker for everything you can.

He sounds like a prize cunt- do your kids a favour and get out of a marriage that is basically a life of drudgery and abuse.

gottastopeatingchocolate · 29/10/2018 23:27

Oh dear, OP.

Has any other human being ever told you that you are a poor communicator? If not, please don't believe him. It's control.

I feel certain that you can't fix this, or prevent further arguments. It's not you. It wasn't me, either, but it took me way too long, and an escalation of abuse, for me to stop trying to fix things.

Read the book "Why does he do that?" (apparently there is a free download available). Talk to someone in real life. Consider calling a local organisation that supports domestic abuse.

Riv · 29/10/2018 23:31

He can pay for a cleaner, but he'll still have to cook and wash or pay someone to do it. Then what about the childcare he'll need to do or pay for (50 / 50 minimum surely?) or maybe the child maintenance he'll have to pay. He's a parent now, "living alone" won't be like being single.
Then there's employing someone to do the 28 hours a week that you do.
Maybe show him the finances of all of that.

Incidentally I think national minimum wage for someone over 25 and working 28 hours a week is around £219.24. More than double he's "giving" you.

Riv · 29/10/2018 23:32

Freedom Programme for you maybe

eggncress · 29/10/2018 23:36

Get your ducks in a row.
If you divorce him you will be better off. You are entitled to half the house ( at least ... more if the kids live with you), half any savings, half the business, half his pension.
Get copies of paperwork regarding the above ( starments, payslips etc) and keep them somewhere safe outsidebte house.Get a free half hour with a lawyer (many offer this... phone around) to find out your legal position.

He obviously doesn’t value you.
Tell him his £100 is an insult.
Stop working for him.
Tell him he needs to acknowledge the value of what you do around the house and with childcare
Insist he does his share of housework so you can have some ‘me’ time like he does .
Remind him you are facilitating his career
Remind him you are doing the work of a nanny and housekeeper which would be costing him a fortune.
If he gets stroppy/ angry at you telling him this remind him you are his wife and all money and assets are joint and he needs to stop taking the piss.
If his attitude doesn’t change it’s probably time for you to go back to the lawyer to get the ball rolling.
Probs best not to tell him you’ve seen a lawyer ( don’t give him a heads up)

Nanny0gg · 29/10/2018 23:43

So the hundred pounds isn't even for you?

That has to feed and clothe you and your children.

Let's start with financial abuse...

pickingdaisies · 29/10/2018 23:43

Not sure about the social cues OP, do other people tell you this, or is it just your 'd'p who wants you to shut up?
Regardless, he should not talk to you or treat you like this. Who decided you would work for him unpaid, and also do all the housework?
No point trying to get him to see sense, he's getting a kick out of treating you like this, it's time to think this through, coldly and calmly. How do you get yourself out of this?

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