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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

to have zero empathy for DHs 'mid-life crisis'

455 replies

nincompoopascoop · 18/05/2014 22:42

I'm currently five months pregnant with dc4, who was a surprise, though we always planned on having dc4 at some point. Our other children are aged 6, 3 and 2 and DH also has a son from his previous marriage who is 8. Recently DHs behaviour has changed and I think it's a because he's made friends with a young (male) colleague who has expensive cars, clothes, holidays, night's out etc.

As examples - in the past three months DH has had seven nights out. More than he's had in the past three years. Now, while I have no problem with him going out per se, I think he's massively taking advantage of my good nature. He's arranged them and told me after the fact, expected lifts to get there, spent the day before shopping for a new outfit/getting his hair cut, stayed the night at his friends house 'so he wouldn't wake us' and not surfaced until the following evening because he's so hungover. Obviously its irrelevant now because I'm pregnant, but I haven't had a night out in four years and DH would be livid if it took days to have one.

He's volunteered for extra work which has meant working away with his friend, again - telling me after the fact. He and his friend have then been sitting in the hotel bar drinking the extra they've earned, while the kids and I are left home without a second thought.

His friend has made some - what I consider - really disrespectful comments about me. We're moving soon to closer to this friend and he joked to DH that he should leave us where we are and houseshare with him 'because he's fun and not just a freeloader' and then in the same conversation 'i guess I see why you'd pick her though, she does have a cracking arse.' DH hasn't pulled him up on this, which is out of character.

The final straw for me has been with regard to my dss. We've spent a great deal of money and time in court to achieve a court order as his mum was obstructing contact. As a result, we haven't seen dss for three months now. Finally last week we received good news and the first scheduled contact weekend is this weekend coming. However, DH came home from work on Friday saying he'd volunteered to go away (several hundred miles away) for a few days with work as of Tuesday, but it could end up oveerunning. I asked what that meant for dss and he said he'd tell exW/court he had no choice. His only concern was whether he'd get in trouble with court, not that it meant he might not see dss for several more months! You won't be surprised to hear that the friend has also volunteered to go...

Aibu to tell him to get a grip and realise he needs to face up to his responsibilities at home rather than making decisions like he's a single man?

OP posts:
Hedgehead · 19/05/2014 12:52

Afraid I have to jump on the bandwagon and agree with everyone else here. I would have FREAKED long before it ever got to this point.

My DH gets the occasional bromance period when he meets a new male friend but he always, without fail, introduces the new friend to me, takes me out with them, includes me in what's going on with their friendship. There has been one time in our marriage where DH's new friends have taken him clubbing til 4am and DH's phone battery has died or I haven't been able to get hold of him. But when this happens, I absolutely told him it is not okay to just "disappear" (and we don't even have kids yet!) And he never did it again.

If I were you (and this probably won't be the opinion of the masses) I'd get a friend/sibling/babysitter to look after DCs and I would follow them, or get a friend to follow them when they go out. See if they go where they say they're going, watch them in a club. The effort/expense will be worth it to understand what exactly is going on.

I know you're not even at this paranoid point yet.

Agree with the above poster that all this effort just to "relive youth" does not add up. There is somebody who is taking up his thoughts. It's very easy to be in denial about it as the spouse, if you trust someone completely. I have known spouses who have taken years to twig that their DH/DW is having an affair, despite everyone around them telling them THIS LOOKS REALLY BAD.

GoblinLittleOwl · 19/05/2014 13:27

Is he gambling? Poker school, casino? I know nothing about that world, but it seems as though there is some sort of addiction he just can't resist, which has changed his behaviour.

nincompoopascoop · 19/05/2014 13:29

Thanks for all your replies. There are definitely no drugs involved - he is very much a goody two shoes and would never try them or risk his job and reputation. Similarly if he had an OW or OM it'd massively affect hisccareer and I really don't believe he'd do it. I'm not in denial, I have no reservations about going it alone if need be and would without hesitation if I even vaguely suspected it.

If I said no to him working away or going out, he wouldn't go. For sure. But surely he should be capable of making decisions that consider everyone by now and I shouldn't have to tell him what to do? Thereby placing myself in position of nagging wife. With him not doing bedtimes etc it often makes no difference to me if he's here or not, in fact it's probably easier when he isn't, which isn't all that promising I guess.

He's decided not to go on Tuesday. Twatmate is also not going and there's talks of a few pints on Friday Hmm

ExW definitely did cheat, she's admitted as much to me.She said she was bored with him and think Twatmate makes him feel interesting and fun tbh. She stopped contact because she said he was putting his career first, which I agree with.

OP posts:
kinsorange · 19/05/2014 13:41

So his priorities are in the wrong order for definite.

whatever5 · 19/05/2014 14:14

OP, why would an affair massively affect his career? That seems very strange.

squoosh · 19/05/2014 14:14

Maybe he's a vicar.

nincompoopascoop · 19/05/2014 14:20

Because his boss likes his 'family man' image. He'd hate his new one and it'd affect his treatment of him.

OP posts:
YoureBeingASillyBilly · 19/05/2014 14:23

OP do you think there is a link between the fact he hasnt seen his son in 3 months and the new behaviour starting 3 months ago?

Miggsie · 19/05/2014 14:24

Oh dear - so you and the kids are just a way of him progressing his career - that is not very flattering!

He isn't a family man - he is a man who has got women pregnant and persuaded them to look after him.
Why this is admirable baffles me.

StanleyLambchop · 19/05/2014 14:25

She stopped contact because she said he was putting his career first, which I agree with.

And yet he still thought it was ok to go to work and then lie to EXW and courts and say he couldn't get out of it? I can't see how anyone could not agree with her, tbh. He is awful for even considering letting that poor boy down again.

QuintessentiallyQS · 19/05/2014 14:30

I think you should tell him to go flatshare with his new mate, and pack his bags.

You also know now the real reason why he is divorced, he pulled this shit with his first wife, and she went apeshit.

I think it is time you went apeshit and kicked him out. This is the only way he will start respecting you.

wheresthebeach · 19/05/2014 14:30

OP please take a deep breath. Review your posts. Do you really believe his version of all this? Really?

wowfudge · 19/05/2014 14:31

The OP has demonstrated she doesn't need anyone to do this on her behalf, but good grief, some of you rush to judgement about aspects of a couple and a family's life with nothing to base your comments on at all and I feel I need to point this out!

It does sound as though her DH needs to step up for his family, but just because she isn't a nag doesn't make her a facilitating doormat!

Icimoi · 19/05/2014 14:35

I don't get why having an affair would affect his work when he is already on marriage no. 2?

I don't want to increase the pressure, but I was faintly worried about the friend expressing an interest in having children. Are you sure he doesn't fancy having your children on a nice convenient part time basis?

Has he explained why he thought for one single moment that it was appropriate for him to go on Tuesday and lie to his son?

GrassIsSinging · 19/05/2014 14:38

There is no way - not a chance - that this determination to go out on the lash constantly with his bachelor mate is the whole story here.

There are so many red flags flashing its migraine-inducing.

YoureBeingASillyBilly · 19/05/2014 14:40

Hang on, so she stopped contact because she said he was putting his work before his son, you fought this for 3 months and have finally regained contact and he was going to tell her it couldn't happen because he had to work!? Seriously?

See i would think that excuse would be the most likely one to make her go ballistic and stop contact, possibly permanently because he is proving he really always will put work first. And also i would have thought that excuse would provoke a pretty "WTF" response from you after 3 months of fighting to get contact again.

So this makes me wonder what exactly is so important to him that his cover story is worth using despite the fact it risks massive consequences from both you and his EX.

I mean to accept those consequences this thing must be a pretty big deal for him to think it's worth it.

Do you really still think it's just going out for drinks with a friend? Really?

SnakeInMyBoots · 19/05/2014 14:41

He's a bit young for a mid life crisis.

Sounds to me like he's just a bit bored with home life at the moment.

Sorry op but you don't want to sound like a nag by asking him to stay in?! How is demanding a bit of respect being a nag.

tumbletumble · 19/05/2014 14:47

I think you need to have a bit more self confidence OP. When you are married to someone it's OK to say "I would prefer you not to do that" and it doesn't make you a nagging wife. Is it possible that he honestly doesn't understand how cross you are about his recent behaviour? Your latest post seems to imply you've never actually told him.

Time for a serious chat OP.

Takingthemickey · 19/05/2014 14:48

He's decided not to go on Tuesday. Twatmate is also not going and there's talks of a few pints on Friday

Really, really and you think all is right? So this extra job that is so important that he would cancel seeing his son, is no longer important and his twatmate would cancel on the job if your DH is not going?

JohnFarleysRuskin · 19/05/2014 14:49

Wow- I don't know how you square all this in your head, OP, but he really is acting like an enormous twat.

wheresthebeach · 19/05/2014 14:54

So did twatmate cancel going and you dh then changed his plans? Or the other way around?

StanleyLambchop · 19/05/2014 15:09

I wonder if the few pints on Friday will turn into an all night bender and he will be so hung over on the Saturday he would not be able to spend much time with his son?

EduardoBarcelona · 19/05/2014 15:10

i think you are being naive.
I would take a good look at his phone

drudgewithagrudge · 19/05/2014 15:59

I think your husband is a politician and in due course we will see a picture in the papers of you being the forgiving wife when his naughtiness comes to light.

parentalunit · 19/05/2014 16:47

You would not be unreasonable to go nuclear.