Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To think it’s over?

130 replies

MummyIsAFreeElf · 05/11/2017 01:52

I’ve been with my OH for 7 years. We have a 6yr old son, a 2 yr old daughter and a 15 month old daughter. I do everything. Cooking, cleaning, childcare, shopping, dressing, bathing, homework, school runs, bedtime. I’m also breastfeeding my youngest. I am a stay at home Mum and he works 9-5 Monday to Friday. He comes home from work expects his dinner to be ready for him coming in. Will walk straight in at around 6pm, without saying hello roll himself a cigarette make a cup of coffee and walk straight back outside to smoke. I think he should have a smoke before he comes in and I’m not going to begrudge him a coffee. He’ll then complain that dinner isn’t sitting waiting for him. I have two separate school runs. My 6 yr old is in a school an hours walk away with no buses and I don’t drive. He’s in school 9-2. My two yr old is in a preschool nursery programme 12.30 to 3. Takes about 20 minutes to walk to but an hour to get home as she refuses to use the buggy board or get in a pram. I then have snacks and homework’s to do when we do get home at around 4. While they are in school I’m making lunches, putting baby for a nap and doing laundry or cleaning. Dinner is on the table by half 6 every evening so we can have dinner baths and bedtime routines sorted by 8pm. Once all three children are in bed he goes out. For hours. He left today at half 7 and didn’t get back home until half 12. He’s normal out until around 11/12 every night. I don’t know where he goes and he won’t tell me. He barely interacts with our children and when he does it’s to tell them off or shouting for no reason. His temper is getting out of control. He only pays attention to me when he wants sex otherwise I’m ignored huffed at or shouted at for doing something he doesn’t like. I’m exhausted. Haven’t had a full nights sleep in 3 years. Haven’t had an evening off mummy duty since the end of June. The baby used to take a bottle but now blantently refuses because he stopped giving me one evening a week and one night out a month.
I have tried talking to him. Telling him what I need from him. I’ve kicked him out. He’s promised to change and has short term but then it goes straight back. I’ve been told his cheated on me but he swears he hasn’t. I’ve never fully believed him but I loved him and was willing to move past it for our children and because I wanted things to work out.
Last night I didn’t resist sex. I had an itch and it needed scratched. Sorry if that’s TMI but it is what it is. To begin with it was fine because I was able to switch off but in the middle of it, I came to the very hard realisation that it wasn’t doing anything for me. There was no connection. It’s the first time I have ever DTD and it have no meaning what so ever. I realised that I love him but I am not in love with him anymore. He isn’t remotely the person I fell in love with. It’s like every good redeeming quality he had is gone. I am devastated. But I don’t know what to do. I have only ever been with him. I don’t even know how to end it with him. So I have 2 Aibu questions.

  1. Aibu to think that there is anything salvageable? That if he really truly changed for the better and put my children and me before anything else in his life that we could work this out? Or is it really and truly over. Now that I’m not in love with him is that it?
  2. AiBU to ask for advice on how to break up with him? He has always been able to talk me round. Telling me that he’ll change but doesn’t. Or tells me I’m the only thing he has going for him in his life and he can’t live without me. That he has no meaning and would kill himself! I don’t want that guilt if he were to take his own life.
I know this is a really long post so I appreciate any one that has made it to the end. I literally don’t know what else to do
OP posts:
BastardGoDarkly · 05/11/2017 07:08

Well it certainly sounds over to me, he's never there!?

The kids will suffer much more with this day to day dismissal, than they would if he just pissed off entirely, you never know, he may even be a better dad to them part time?

notsohippychick · 05/11/2017 07:09

Oh sweetheart. You know what to do. Be firm, don’t be duped into thinking he’ll change. He won’t.

It sounds like you’re life won’t change that itch wothout him. In fact it will get better as you won’t have him to worry about. Your children will be fine, you don’t want them to grow up thinking this is how men treat women. He’s no role model.

Good luck and stay strong.

MissWimpyDimple · 05/11/2017 07:16

I’m also confused as to how you have enough money coming in to cover all of your bills and rent? Are you already claiming as a lone parent and he officially lives elsewhere?

Aside from that- yes. He has to go.

MrsSiba · 05/11/2017 07:20

Have you any idea where he goes every night? You sound like a brilliant mother, caring for your children singlehandedly and without a car. He seems to be an albatross around your neck. I'm staggered he expects you to be his housekeeper and thinks that is an acceptable way to treat you.
Seems you have made your mind up to leave him and it is the right thing to do. He adds nothing to the family. Can you tell him it's over and then change the locks?

You mention his aunt is supportive and thinks you should get rid. Would you be able to count on her now for support?

QOD · 05/11/2017 07:21

Life would be no different other than the annoyance factor by the sounds of it
Get him out. You are doing an amazing job alone already

pictish · 05/11/2017 07:30

"He has always been able to talk me round. Telling me that he’ll change but doesn’t. Or tells me I’m the only thing he has going for him in his life and he can’t live without me. That he has no meaning and would kill himself!"

Sure. That's why he comes in for his scoff and fucks off out again leaving you sitting on your own every night....because he can't live without you.
You'd be so much happier without him. He won't kill himself. Put the lazy, bad-tempered self-serving tossbag out.

dancinfeet · 05/11/2017 07:34

Be assertive and put your foot down. First with your husband who is treating you like complete rubbish (he is an arse), but also with the two year old with regards to walking home from pre-school and not gong on the buggy board or pram. Perhaps let them walk part of the journey (last 5 mins) but taking an hour every day to do a 20 min walk home from pre-school is ridiculous when you also have an older and younger child to deal with. Sometimes children cannot have their own way because what they want just isn't practical, and if that means walking home with a screaming toddler a few times until they get the message, so be it.

You sound like a great mum, and you really do not need the abusive husband as well you have enough to do without putting up with his crap as well.

Notanumberuser · 05/11/2017 07:35

The thing is - if the op is claiming as a single parent, then i have no sympathy for her (I suspect she may be claiming as a single parent)

pictish · 05/11/2017 07:39

P.s OP - years ago a wise friend of mine told me something that has always stuck with me. She said, "Never judge someone by what they say, but by what they do."

That applies here so completely. He says a lot about the strength of his feelings for you but what he actually does is fuck off out and leave you to it. Actions speak louder than words my friend and talk is cheap. It's easy to say the stuff that sounds good but backing it up with actions is rather harder and it is in this that he utterly fails.
The truth of his worth as a partner is right there. x

Belleoftheball8 · 05/11/2017 07:45

Best thing you could do is learn to drive op it will give you the necessary independence when taking dc to school but also when it comes to getting a job. You can then be completely reliant on yourself instead of your oh. I was also shocked how you can pay all the bills yourself I know i couldn’t without dh wage and I’m a sahm with three dc.

milkchocolatx5 · 05/11/2017 07:46

go through with what you already have decided, OP.

If they house is on your name, pack him a bag when he is at work in Monday and change the locks.

Don't have 'the talk' with him if you think he might be able to change your mind again.

missadasmith · 05/11/2017 07:48

agree, learn to drive if you can afford. And how on earth do you make a living as a Sahm of three young children? Is this a sustainable source if income?

pictish · 05/11/2017 07:50

Folks - OP didn't come on here to provide a breakdown of her finances and lifestyle. MYOB.

justilou1 · 05/11/2017 07:55

You'd get more from a Labrador. Get him out!!!

Notanumberuser · 05/11/2017 07:55

Pictish - either she’s got an independent source of income and is depleting that by keeping house on it, or she’s claiming as a single parent.

Neither of these options is wise.

olympicsrock · 05/11/2017 07:57

Agree with everyone else . By the way there is no need to give back your engagement ring - it was a gift and is now your property. Sell it to make your finances easier.

Assburgers · 05/11/2017 07:58

Don’t offer the engagement ring back. Sell it & buy yourself something nice. A breaking up present.

PoorYorick · 05/11/2017 07:59

Leave without a backward glance.

Laceup · 05/11/2017 08:02

I don't think he is your only problem....how come you haven't learnt to drive? While you are with him ,I'd be getting driving lessons in asap...also why is your son at a school an hours walk away? Is there no bus route? Could you not of picked a nearer school?.. are you married? Are you on the mortgages?can you get back to work to support yourself in readiness to leave...your circumstances are tieing you down as much as he is...a rediculous amount of traveling to schools ,must be exhausting you,when did he stop doing his share with the kids? You have 3 ...so did he help with the first and second and it stop at the third? When did he start going out at night a lot? After the first second or third child? Or has he always done this?depending on how long this has been going on ,will determine if it can be salvaged..my thoughts are.....he's gambling or in the the pub....he has n respect for you,so if he was cheating I think he'd be sleeping over at hers and not giving a shit about coming home each night..although I bet he is shagging around..

pictish · 05/11/2017 08:04

Besides anyway...the things he says regarding his strength of feeling 'for you' all seem to surround how he would be affected if you weren't there. It's not about who you are, it's about what he wants.

Bananasplit47 · 05/11/2017 08:06

Why are people suddenly jumping to the conclusion that OP must be fraudulently claiming benefits? Confused

Cheeseontoastie · 05/11/2017 08:08

Anyone else getting a HM stop fraud add when clicking on this post?

Laceup · 05/11/2017 08:09

Hang on..are you not living together...it dosnt say if you are in your op..or it dosnt make it clear...does he just have a bag of stuff at yours..and just come and go as he pleases

Cheeseontoastie · 05/11/2017 08:09

Because she is getting enough money to pay for everything? If she worked I'm sure she would have added that in the op of how hard she also works. She said she's a sahm. Not really a hard conclusion to jump to it is. And she said not really any family so where else is it coming from??

Bananasplit47 · 05/11/2017 08:10

Cheese that's because people keep bringing it up on this thread! Like ads for Eurostar come up if you go on a thread about a weekend in Paris.

Swipe left for the next trending thread