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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:
SirVixofVixHall · 29/10/2018 23:47

He is paying you £3.50 an hour, roughly. Hardly a fortune...and that is also going on bills anyway. I think he was jealous and resentful of your prior higher earnings and is now enjoying crushing you.
Do you really want to stay with him ? He sounds horrible. It doesn’t sound like a partnership, you are a skivvy. I think when your confidence is boosted by being back at word he might do an about turn as he will be afraid of you throwing him out. I would throw him out anyway if I were you !

sidesplittinglol · 29/10/2018 23:47

Next time he brings it up just ask him:

You're at work all day, why are we not rich

Italiangreyhound · 29/10/2018 23:48

It's a horrible situation and he sounds like a horrible man.

I;d be talking to a solicitor and wanting to end the marriage.

Build your own career. He is selfish and demanding.

PoppyField · 29/10/2018 23:53

You don’t have a communication problem, you have an arsehole problem.

This man has no respect for you. He shuts you up, shuts you down and shows you absolutely no respect. And it is clear you are afraid of him. You don’t deserve to live like this. This is not ok.

He is an abuser.

Your home will be a lot happier for you and your children without him in it.

KumquatQuince · 29/10/2018 23:54

What everyone else has said.

He is abusive and controlling. Throw him out. You are definitely not being over-sensitive.

areyoubeingserviced · 30/10/2018 00:01

It pains me when I see these threads
Useless men who have little respect for their wives and don’t even appear to like them
Your husband is an arse of the highest order

CantGetDecentNickname · 30/10/2018 00:45

This:
*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)*

Dear OP, your comment about not picking up on social clues / knowing when to speak and when not to speak worries me. It is up to you when you speak or don't - please don't allow others to think they have a "right" to control you. Please follow the good advice above. I think a lawyer would advise you not to leave the house, particularly since your children have to have somewhere to live. I can only advise a short-term coping strategy of avoidance as much as possible (leaving the room if he looks as though he is going to start an argument) and speaking to him only when necessary. Try to stay calm if he does start going on at you. Arguments don't get very far when only one person is arguing so staying quiet in the heat of one can help a bit. Once you have had some legal advice, you can clearly and calmly state that you are tired of living with someone that seems to hate you and you feel it would be better for both of you if he was to leave. Repeat this calmly, asserting that you have given the matter much thought. You can also state that you will be seeking a fair settlement with an appropriate amount of maintenance, home for you and the kids, part of his pensions (if greater than yours) etc. Ask him to move out a.s.a.p. and give him a deadline - think 2 weeks? Do not share a room with him any longer (tell him it is the start of a legal separation) and make sure you have given any important personal possessions that you don't want harmed to a friend for safekeeping.

It is possible that this will shock him into seeing that his behaviour is unreasonable. If he doesn't want a separation, tell him that you cannot continue as you are and you will be going through with it (please stay as calm as you can while you say this and sound like you mean it) unless he comes to counselling with you immediately. Even then, tell him he has 6 months to sort himself out and go back to being the decent person he was originally or it will definitely be over. At the first sign of him reverting to nasty behaviour or not attending sessions, tell him that his one and only chance will be gone.

If he wants out, this could be the chance he has been waiting for and he may then leave. If this does happen, you will not have to look forward to him coming home to be nasty each day and feeling like you are treading on egg-shells all the time. You friends will come round and support you. Basically, you are already in the role of single parent and will be surprised by how well you will come without him bringing you down. Please be strong - he is trying to convince you that you "need" him. You don't. Good luck Flowers

toherdoor · 30/10/2018 01:03

You'd be better off without him. He's financially abusing you. He's absolute utter prick.

TheDowagerCuntess · 30/10/2018 01:17

Nobody is going to advise you on how to stay shackled to man who can't stand you.

How do you stand him?

Stompythedinosaur · 30/10/2018 07:31

Don't believe the things he says about you, they aren't true.

He sounds awful.

MaverickSnoopy · 30/10/2018 07:44

Gosh - he is awful - this is abuse.

How kind of him to pay you £3.57 per hour. Well under the minimum wage if he were to employ someone properly. And you don't even get to spend it on you. He's basically given you just enough to pay for family essentials. What's even the point?!!

eggncress · 30/10/2018 08:11

He is abusive.
Get counselling for yourself if you think it will help you understand why you’ve put up with him but don’t go to counselling with him.
Evidence shows that abusers will manipulate the counsellor to make it seem like you are to blame so will be more damaging ( not to mention guilting you into staying with him even longer)

LettuceP · 30/10/2018 08:20

Oh good grief he is horrible! Please start thinking about how to get out of this relationship.

For context my DH works 60 hours a week and pitches in with housework (less than me because I'm on mat leave atm).
He is treating you like a servant and a seriously under paid one at that. He is a financially and emotionally abusive bully and you would be so much happier without this waste of space dragging you down.

7yo7yo · 30/10/2018 08:25

Nasty abusive piece of shit.
second getting your ducks in a row.
How old are your kids?
Don’t be the nice walkover that you’ve been.
If you leave get everything you and your kids are entitled to and talk to someone in real life.

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