Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Mum says I caused her divorce and I’m going to cause my own divorce too

324 replies

Molocosh · 17/06/2020 08:20

My mum has told me I caused her divorce and if I don’t look sharp I’ll end up divorcing my own husband for the same reason.

My son (age 2) doesn’t sleep, never has. He never goes to sleep until at least 10-11pm, sometimes after midnight. We have no child free time without him. Each night one of us takes him to bed at 8pm and has to stay there for hours while the other watches tv downstairs then goes to bed alone. When he wakes up during the night I get in his bed with him and end up falling asleep. My mum often jokes that he’s her revenge on me because I never slept either.

Unsurprisingly we don’t get the chance to cuddle or kiss or have sex, or even make eye contact and talk, because we constantly have a child with us. Apparently he’s been whinging that I don’t have time for him. So my mum has told me that my dad used to say the same thing, and then he divorced her. She said I destroyed their relationship because I didn’t sleep for several years so they had no adult time together.

Needless to say I feel like shit because I’ve been told that I caused my parents’ divorce. And now I’m worried about my own marriage because I thought we were coping the best we can with a crap situation - but he’s obviously unhappy and I don’t see what I can do about it? I have a child glued to me round the clock and I have no choice about that?

OP posts:
crazychemist · 17/06/2020 17:03

OP, you sound like you have lots of problems here, I’m sorry you’re finding it so tough and have so little support network.

I’d really suggest picking one issue that you want to tackle (I’m assuming you want to tackle something because you sound unhappy, if I’m wrong and you want everything to stay as it is, just ignore) and working on that for a bit.

Lack of local friends - it’s incredibly tough being a mum without a support network! I didn’t find “baby” groups a good way to meet other mums, as they are there to spend time with their small baby or with other mums they already know from NCT etc. However, church toddler groups and stay and play at the children’s centre were both very good for socialising - the idea is that you supervise as the children play with the toys, but as the kids are playing with each other, you can chat with the other mums and there’s often time for a cup of tea. Local mums can really help each other out quite easily, so you can offer a reciprocal arrangement for a play date so you can have some time to yourself and some time to spend with DH. If you’re offering to take their kid in exchange on a different occasion, you’re not asking for a favour, so it doesn’t have to be for anything special - just for a bath and a cup of tea on your own, or to watch a film at home with DH on a Saturday afternoon. It makes a HUGE difference to be able to do this occasionally. I know this isn’t an option for you right now, but something to bear in mind for September?

Sleep - you’ve had ten million suggestions here. I’ve got to admit, most are stricter than I would have felt comfortable with (no judgement on those parents, but I think if you’re not comfortable with a strategy, your DC will pick up on it so it won’t work well!). Your DS sounds like he would be resistant to an extreme change, and I suspect you’re feeling too tired/frazzled to want to deal with the consequences. Are there changes you would be happy to make? If he’s not going to go to sleep till late, there doesn’t seem to be much point starting his routine so early, it’s just a lot of stress. Are there any other small changes you feel up to making? Steps leading him towards independent sleep?

Molocosh · 17/06/2020 17:33

That’s a helluva lot of control for a two year old
He started making himself sick at one year old. He wants attention and knows he gets it if he’s hurt or sick. I’ve also seen him fake hitting his head then run to me saying Mummy I hit head. Or fake jamming his finger in the door!

OP posts:
BarbedBloom · 17/06/2020 17:50

I won't give advice on getting your child to sleep as I don't know much about that to be honest. But I do think you need to somehow find a way to rediscover intimacy with your husband. It could just be putting a film on for your son while you and your husband hold hands on the sofa. Or giving him a quick hug when you pass in the kitchen. Of course he may want sex, but even just a bit of physical contact like a hug or a hand squeeze is good for both of you and it is good for your son to witness a loving relationship between his parents.

I have quite a few friends who have divorced over similar issues. One found that by the time their child would sleep she felt like she was living with a house mate and it was too awkward to kiss and have sex. Another the husband had an affair. Third couple it was just down to the sheer stress of being exhausted all the time and being resentful of each other.

But all this being said, you only have your mother's word that your husband said anything at all. She could have asked him a leading question and then interpreted it in her own way. From her previous behavior this is entirely possible by the sound of it. She said the divorce comment to hurt you, why wouldn't she drive it home by misinterpreting what your husband said. Ask him and use it as a way to open a conversation.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

LadyEloise · 17/06/2020 19:31

Molocosh
A poster called girlswhowearglasses posted at 8.50 this morning about a sleep consultant she used. Personally that's what I would do. You really need to call in a professional.

icedaisy · 17/06/2020 19:47

Agree with @LadyEloise

There's a lot of advice here OP and it's hard to keep up but really this needs a sleep consultant.

That's one things you have not commented on as far as I can see.

DisobedientHamster · 17/06/2020 19:59

So what is your husband, your child's father doing, to address the sleep issue?

Molocosh · 17/06/2020 20:15

even just a bit of physical contact like a hug or a hand squeeze is good for both of you
I avoid hugging him in front of DS because he gets inappropriately excited given that our child is present. And I avoid hugging him any other time because he gets annoyed when it doesn’t lead to sex and stamps off in a huff.

So what is your husband, your child's father doing, to address the sleep issue?
He’s tried taking DS to bed instead of me but it makes no difference. Often I can hear him losing his temper upstairs and shouting so I end up going upstairs and sending him downstairs. He’s occasionally said “you’ve made him like this because of too much breastfeeding and cuddling, you should have let him cry from day 1”.

OP posts:
sunlightflower · 17/06/2020 20:52

Apologies if I've missed this somewhere OP but have you ruled out a sleep consultant? A few people have mentioned it. That's what I would do, personally.

popim · 17/06/2020 21:22

My first was like this and still is a tricky sleeper. Still doesn't sleep though consistently at 8 years old. Is resistant to go to bed and the first up in our house. No special needs, just doesn't need much sleep.

What I have learnt is consistent routine is key around bedtime and sleep. If I change something - say DC1 came into my bed one night and I let them sleep there, we have a week or so of disrupted sleep where he would keep coming in.

It didn't just resolve itself like e regime said it would and unfortunately took a huge toll on my marriage. We are now getting divorced and have slept separately for years.

Get a sleep consultant. They can guide you through the basics and help make some changes. It won't resolve it but will help long term.

Teenybooboo · 17/06/2020 21:51

@Molocosh sorry I haven’t read the full thread just your comments. I have to say I completely understand and sympathise with your situation.

I don’t want to scare you but I’m am in the same situation, except my son is 8 years old. Every night I take him to bed at 9pm and can still be up at 11pm with him ( currently lying in bed while he watches half hour of tv).

It all started for me when I went back to work full time when he was 6 months, I just couldn’t get up in the night with him, and then work a full day, so we ended up cosleeping. That had led over the years to the situation we are in now.

Others don’t understand and just say send him to bed and let him get on with it, but he just cries and cries or has a tantrum and hurts himself. He is scared to be on his own. It’s also down to me to take him to bed as he just won’t fall asleep with my husband. What is better is that he does sleep right through till 8am, so the getting up in the night has stopped now.

I really just wanted to say your not alone, sending you hugs and if you ever want to chat feel free to message me.

MostlyAmbridgeandcoffee · 17/06/2020 21:56

I think it would be worth paying for a good sleep consultant to come ASAP and help sort out the sleeping pattern so you can get your life back with your husband. Your mum totally unreasonable of course (but maybe it came from a good place).

mathanxiety · 17/06/2020 22:50

He wants attention and knows he gets it if he’s hurt or sick. I’ve also seen him fake hitting his head then run to me saying Mummy I hit head. Or fake jamming his finger in the door!
@Molocosh
You are aware of the problem. It's the attention you give him.
What are you doing about it?

How about a cheerful 'Whoops! That must have hurt!' And no more on the subject.

Wrt the sticking his fingers down his throat - do you still respond by running to help when you hear the choking noises?
How about only going up if you hear actual puking, and then only dealing with the mess, along with a reprimand to DS and escorting him back to bed with no more interaction?

I think you are feeling a lot of guilt about restricting attention to DS. He is dependent, yes, to a certain degree and in certain areas of his life. Physical dependence continues for many years.

But you need to encourage emotional resilience or his development as an individual will be compromised. You need to participate actively in moving him onwards and upwards, and to do this you need to break some of your own habits and critically examine some of your instinctive responses.

I highly recommend a book by Pamela Druckerman, an American living in Paris who chronicled her culture shock as she observed the French approach to parenting and sought to get to the bottom of American and French babycare practices.
In short, American (and British) = guilt, French= no guilt.
The book is 'Bringing up Bebe'.
I think you would find it thought provoking, maybe even inspiring.

Your relationship Sad
It is a huge shame that your H has chosen to apportion blame for the situation that has developed, and to arouse your protective instincts in dealing with DS. Your protective instincts are part of what is keeping you from establishing a healthy separation between DS and yourself, so he is actually making this situation worse.

He needs to promise no more shouting, expressions of frustration or anger when dealing with DS. He needs to acknowledge that the habit he has of apportioning blame for this situation is not helping to cure it, and recognise that you were doing the best you could with what sounds like a difficult baby. I have had one (out of five). They are nobody's fault, but there are ways of dealing with them that move everyone forward.

Unless your H correctly predicted how all of what you were doing way back when DS was a little baby would pan out, and offered to help establish a good sleep regimen for DS, he is just being mean to you, and the hurt his words are causing are a threat to your relationship.

The two of you need to sit down and talk about your needs when it comes to physical touch. Use 'I feel' sentences, with no blaming and a conscious effort to avoid the toxic 'You never...' and 'You always...'
It is very important that he understands that not every hand hold or meeting of eyes is a sign that you want sex. You need to understand that wanting a sexual relationship isn't a crime (though the way he is going about getting that is a problem). The way forward is to find a way to meet everyone's needs and the two of you need to create a safe space to talk about all of this.

This may sound odd or stupid, or even impossible, but bear with me...
Maybe having a realistic expectation that the two of you will have sex on a certain night every week he would be less inclined to hop on every little indication of togetherness you signal, which seems to result right now in frustration and resentment for him and disappointment at the misreading of signals for you.

Here's the weird bit - start by scheduling sex for, say, 11pm Saturday night come hell or high water, with DS completely ignored at that time. Build up to two scheduled nights per week, and take it from there.

For his part, he will return a hand squeeze or a smile or a back pat or a kiss on the cheek, or even initiate all of this with no expectation of sex to follow.

mathanxiety · 17/06/2020 23:03

I avoid hugging him in front of DS because he gets inappropriately excited given that our child is present. And I avoid hugging him any other time because he gets annoyed when it doesn’t lead to sex and stamps off in a huff

@Molocosh
The problem with the sexual response isn't that DS is present, unless he is throwing you on the couch and dry humping you, groping you, or tearing off your clothes.

The problem is that he is misreading your signals and not taking or offering physical signs of affection without linking that to sex.

mathanxiety · 17/06/2020 23:21

@Molocosh

Sorry to serial post, but wrt him staying up in his room at night playing with his toys or whatever, this is absolutely not a problem. It's actually a very good sign. It means he can be on his own, without you.

You are fixated on him sleeping 12 hours, which is clearly not going to happen any time soon, and your fixation is a problem because it has led to the very unhealthy nightly comforting to sleep palaver.
Let him be, in his room, if he wants to play.

You need to remove anything from his room that could be a danger to him. The wardrobe must go. If he uses something to hurt himself with, then take that away and tell him he cannot be trusted with it so he can't have it. Make manipulative behaviour something that has adverse consequences for him.

Like Vanessa George?

..some random...
You need to take a few deep breaths and take stock of your fears here. You are very isolated, and you are allowing your fears to get the better of you. You and DS both need human contact and you need time for yourself.

All babysitters are not Vanessa George. A babysitter need not be a 'random' either.
Start with someone who could come in as a 'mother's help' for an hour once a week, and work your way up to evening babysitting once a month. The helper would take DS into the garden or play with him in the house while you lock yourself into the bathroom or your bedroom and do not rush to the rescue no matter how much of a hullaballoo you hear. Warn the sitter that your DS is a dramatic child with significant verbal ability, and to make light of any histrionics.

twistwist · 17/06/2020 23:44

I think your marriage is already over then if he's solely blaming you for DS sleep and you don't care about what he wants because he's an adult that can look after himself, you're already both resenting each other.

Molocosh · 18/06/2020 00:04

The problem is that he is misreading your signals and not taking or offering physical signs of affection without linking that to sex
He isn’t misreading my signals. He’s just being ridiculous by interpreting every single touch as sexual. To the point that I’ve told him not to hug me because he’s incapable of hugging me without trying to rub his bits on me.

He isn’t helping the situation at all. For example: I have DS all night, all day until 6.30pm, so by the time we eat dinner I’ve had DS for 22 hours straight. I’ve washed him, changed him, fed him, been climbed on and clawed at constantly. I haven’t even been able to have a shit or a wash in peace. DH takes him to bed while I have a quick tidy round, put the washer on, watch tv for an hour then go upstairs to take DS back. And DH whinges “It’s not fair, you’ve had a tv break, when do I get a break?” He’s had a full nights sleep in peace, he’s had a shower and breakfast and lunch and several toilet breaks in peace, he’s sat at a desk all day in peace without being clawed at - he’s parented for two hours and he wants to know when he gets his break! And he wonders why I’m angry.

OP posts:
Molocosh · 18/06/2020 00:13

you don't care about what he wants because he's an adult
I’m tired and burned out. When I have any time to myself I literally care about nothing except having a wash and a rest. He’s had a full nights sleep and you think I should indulge him even further with the little free time I have, instead of getting my own sleep?

OP posts:
Mulhollandmagoo · 18/06/2020 00:23

With regards to your last two posts, what you need to do is fix this situation. Can I ask you what you hoped to gain by posting? You've had some amazing advice and support on here but you seem adamant to tell us why your husband is so wrong for wanting to be intimate with his wife, and that your son not sleeping and being incredibly clingy and constantly pushing your husband away is a life you're happy to live, but then you complain when he says he's not happy in your marriage

You're so tired and burnt out because you're getting no sleep at all because your son absolutely dominates your house from 8pm-midnight, that is your main problem, it's why you're so exhausted, and why you're at the end of your rope with everything. You and your husband need to work out a plan going forward, have you even spoken to him and told him how you feel? Have you told him everything you're telling us? And asked him for some help and support? Or are you just assuming that won't work so not even trying it? You need to find a way forward none way or the others this isn't healthy for you, your husband or your son

mathanxiety · 18/06/2020 07:16

He isn’t misreading my signals. He’s just being ridiculous by interpreting every single touch as sexual.

Yes, he is misreading your signals. You signal affection or the need for emotional support, he reads sex. Hew doesn't give sex free affection gestures to you. He doesn't give emotional support. He initiates sex.

You do not see sex as an emotional connection or a gesture of affection right now because the nature of your relationship with DS is so physical that you just want some mental peace, not more physical touch.

mathanxiety · 18/06/2020 07:26

Can DS be plonked in front of the TV while you go to the bathroom?
Can DH take care of him for 20 minutes in the morning while you shower?

What is all this clawing at you that you mention?
When does he do it?
How do you respond when he claws at you?

BendyLikeBeckham · 18/06/2020 07:29

Oh my OP. You really do have a DH problem here.

Never mind sleep counsellor, I think you need to go and get marriage counselling.

He sounds awful: sex pest, unsupportive with DS, selfish, stroppy, sulky, temper problem (with a 2 year old, how disgusting), bad father, reluctant to do his share of parenting, berates you for bf, blames you... Anything else? How is he with domestic chores, the mental load, and does he create extra work for you?

This attitude of his will end your marriage, not your son's sleep problems, or your lack of attention to his all important sex drive. I'm angry for you, OP. And your mum can stick her beak out. She doesn't know the reality of your life and has her own issues.

Russell19 · 18/06/2020 07:31

You have had some great responses here but you seem unwilling to take any of them on board..... which is sad. Not for your husband or you, but for your child. The current behaviour and sleep really need addressing.

ScissorsBike · 18/06/2020 07:34

Just sleep train him. FGS.

FusionChefGeoff · 18/06/2020 07:49

In my experience, you THINK you are following the sleep training advice but in practice it's very very hard for a sleep deprived parent to be 100% consistent for long enough for it to work.

Sleep consultants don't have any magic advice. But they aren't dribbling zombies who are so blinded by love for their children, guilt and a war crime level of sleep deprivation that they eventually give in to the extreme behaviour.

I would raid savings ask mum for a loan, do whatever you can to raise funds to get a professional in to help.

WeMarchOn · 18/06/2020 07:51

@CatteStreet As someone who is Autistic "Slightly spectrumy" is so demeaning to the Neurodiverse community