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We had a row last night

5 replies

ShadowsInTheDarkness · 08/05/2022 12:03

And I'm still feeling a bit conflicted even though on the face of it we have "made up".

Married 4 years, 2 DC. Had always been a stay at home mum. A few years ago I went back into education to retrain. I've started working alongside that and am about to pick up (fingers crossed) some really well paid flexible work. DH now also retraining.

The row started off being about the lack of sex. I'd said how it made me feel and got upset. DH chose that moment to say that I had been irritable lately. That one of the most attractive things about me had always been my attitude to challenges, that nothing got to me and recently I'd been stressed and grumpy.

We have talked lots and resolved it but that comment is needling at me. I'm still doing the lions share of the home stuff, the admin. The DC have SEN and so there's additional pressures there. We have had legal battles with my ex over the last year and I've spent a lot of time writing letters to his solicitor, researching our position etc. I feel as though I'm stretching myself to breaking point and that his preference would be me back at home and smiling constantly. He has pointed out that he never said that but I feel like it's inferred.

What happens when I do my PHD in a few years and Im commuting into London? Or if work pressures mount up. Or I go through menopause or suffer a bereavement? Am I going to be expected to ensure my stress or hormones or grief don't impact him? It's making me re-evaluate everything.

I know I've changed an awful lot over the last few years. I've become a person outside of our home, marriage and family which in my books is a positive and healthy thing. I've been on Mumsnet long enough to feel like I will back on here in 10 years time when this has evolved into a much bigger issue. What to do? How to address it now? Or am I overreacting?

OP posts:
KangarooKenny · 08/05/2022 12:05

Sounds like he threw that back at you to deflect from you complaining about your lack of sex life.

KangarooKenny · 08/05/2022 12:07

And you will change, so will he, you have to adapt as a couple.
If you’re concerned that this may end some day, have your ducks in a row in case.
But then I think everybody should permanently have their ducks in a row, comes from being married a long time !

Staynow · 08/05/2022 12:17

Is it you who wants more sex? I guess he's not loving the idea of sex with you if you're stressed and irritable all the time - and you're stressed and irritable all the time because yo're having to do it all - vicious circle. The obvious answer IMO is to get in some help. Get a cleaner twice a week, get someone to do the ironing. Relationships need time and effort and you both need to find the time to put that effort in.

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BeforeGodAndAllTheFish · 08/05/2022 12:24

Staynow · 08/05/2022 12:17

Is it you who wants more sex? I guess he's not loving the idea of sex with you if you're stressed and irritable all the time - and you're stressed and irritable all the time because yo're having to do it all - vicious circle. The obvious answer IMO is to get in some help. Get a cleaner twice a week, get someone to do the ironing. Relationships need time and effort and you both need to find the time to put that effort in.

These responses are just ridiculous and highlight how out of touch most mumnettere are.

"Just get a cleaner twice a week and pay someone else to iron."

Yeah. Because everyone can afford £60 a week for a cleaner and then whatever it costs to have each item ot clothing ironed for you

Utterly ridiculous suggestions are the height of mumsnet privilege.

Nanny0gg · 08/05/2022 12:45

BeforeGodAndAllTheFish · 08/05/2022 12:24

These responses are just ridiculous and highlight how out of touch most mumnettere are.

"Just get a cleaner twice a week and pay someone else to iron."

Yeah. Because everyone can afford £60 a week for a cleaner and then whatever it costs to have each item ot clothing ironed for you

Utterly ridiculous suggestions are the height of mumsnet privilege.

TBF Staynow didn't suggest a Spa Day to reconnect...

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