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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

my husband is being a dick

138 replies

TotHappy · 21/04/2018 12:33

I've posted about my husband before. We're not really very compatible and have had a rocky 10 years of marriage, bit love things about each other as well and wanted to make it work. So we had lots of ups and downs.
I feel like I'm nearing the end of my tether now and as close as I've ever been to asking him to leave - the trouble is, i cant understand how he thinks he's eight and he can't understand how i think I'm right. Meaningful discussion is very difficult because we're both utterly frustrated and pissed off with the other so not really listening. Some perspective would be useful as he definitely thinks IABU.

The issue is he thinks I am controlling and I think he is disrespectful. This manifests in lots of ways but one example is the row that blew up yesterday. He had planned to go out with a friend straight from work, said he'd only be half an hour then home. Yesterday morning i asked when he planned to be home and he said he'd prob stay about an hour then come home. I clarified so will you be home for tea? And he said yes.
After work he popped home first to change car for bike, me and dd were in the garden, it was literally 5 mins, he gave us both a kiss and i asked again when to expect him... He said an hour, but as he was cycling it'd be a bit longer so again I clarified 'about half 7 then? We'll have dinner for then' and he agreed.
When there was no sign of him at 7.45 i rang and asked if he was on his,way, he said no but he'd leave in 10 mins, is that alright? I said we're hungry and he said start without me, i said can't you cone now and he said no so i said fine, see you soon. I wasn't happy but i wasn't going to make a massively big deal it of it.
He came home at 8.30, so we'd finished tea, i was playing with dd before bed. He came in and put her to bed, i put the TV on, was on my phone. I was pissed off with him so didn't say much but didn't blank him, just didn't feel like a conversation. So he watched TV, we each made a few comments, etc. Late in the eve he asked if i was ok, i said yeah, I'm alright, he asked a couple more times so i said yeah, I'm a bit mis but I'm alright. He said is it because i spent Friday evening out with mate and I said it's not because you went out no, it's because you changed three times the time you were coming home and then didn't even,stick to the last agreed, it's,a very long time for me with dd by myself from 6.30am.
He followed,me outside for a smoke and was obviously fuming and in a nutshell saying that he went out, plans changed, so fucking what? He would never care if i did that', he would be happy for me, and what could have been a nice evening for us is ruined by me 'aggressing' him. I dont think i was aggressive at all, i was clearly pissed off with him and not in a mood for talking which i know seems passive aggressive but i didn't want to talk because he'd been drinking and i knew it would turn to a row. Which it instantly did. He created a row instead of just letting me leave it to simmer down and get my shit together. I said i feel disrespected because he's saying his time and convenience is more important than mine, if i dont like it - 'so the fuck what?'
I went to bed, took the car keys with me as he has a history of drink driving, he asked if i had them and i said yes, he said why, i said to stop you driving, he was enraged but said he wanted something from the car. I said id get it, he insisted, i said he could have them if he brought them back after he'd got it, he eventually agreed to this and did so after another long rant about how I'm belittling him, im controlling, i have no right to put him n that position.
I found a text this morning sent at 1am reiterating all that about me being controlling, belittling, ruining the eve. I'm sick to death of this shit.
AIBU?

OP posts:
Ilovecamping · 21/04/2018 13:38

I used to have the same issue DP going out for a few drinks and giving me time he would be home, then he would be late, usually because someone came into pub just as he was leaving and it would be rude not to stop and have a chat. Had to sit him down and point out he could be rude to me but not to a friend, and it didn’t take much to ring or send a text to let me know, he agreed with me, his attitude did change and we are still together. Sometimes we react instead of being rational, I used to react like you but I was the one getting upset, so changed my way of dealing with the issue.

JoanFrenulum · 21/04/2018 13:38

How bloody rude of him. If someone’s making your tea and looking after your kid, the least you can do is apologize if you’re going to be late, and it’s rude to keep changing the time, and extra rude to bitch you out about it afterwards.

DanceDisaster · 21/04/2018 13:39

I don’t think yabu. I think he is. The drink driving would be a dealbreaker for me anyway tbh.

geekone · 21/04/2018 13:39

Hmmm I think YABU simply because I would never expect one drink to take 30 mins hardly time to be there and also I would not have asked what time my DH was coming home. He normally volunteers that sort of info but on a evening out I would have just not bothered if he was late and I would never have phoned to check, I don't get that.
However your relationship doesn't sound great and it sounds mutually bad. Goading you later into an argument when unnecessary and then texting you when in bed just to make a point YANBU to be pissed at that.

Jenasaurus · 21/04/2018 13:43

I think the issue here is also the fact that you had been with your DC since 6.30am and were craving adult company or perhaps a break yourself and him having 2 nights out on the trot has irked you. To compound things he was late back so in your thoughts not even appreciating you giving up your ability to have some free time from the DC yourself.

TrappedWind · 21/04/2018 13:43

OP - FWIW I don't think you sound controlling. This is likely just part of a much bigger picture. Problem is, you only really talked about one scenario and sadly you set yourself up for criticism from other posters.

At the end of the day, if you share no common ground, irritate each other and fall out all the time then yes, I think you need to seriously think about staying with him.

You are probably stressed if you do the lions share of childcare and house stuff, is that correct? Does he pull his weight? Is he selfish in other ways?

AcrossthePond55 · 21/04/2018 13:44

He says he 'wouldn't care' if you went out and weren't home when expected? Fine, now you go do that and see if he means it. TBH, I never held dinner for DH if he was out seeing friends. Why would I? If dinner was at 5, then the DC and I would eat if DH wasn't home and he could either sort something himself or do without. DH was usually pretty good about giving me a rough estimate of when he'd be home though so I didn't need to worry about it much. This was pre-cellphone days and I think people in general were better about this as we knew our loved ones couldn't just pick up a phone with a 'where are you?' call. If you were late there was no way to contact you.

But all in all, I'd say it's time to give it up, or at the very least start living your own life without regards to his coming and going. And since it sounds like you're a SAHM, the first thing I'd do is try to get back in the workforce as earning your own money puts you in a much more powerful position. I've always worked and when DH and I hit a rough patch, many years ago, and I looked at him and said "Change or I'm done", he not only knew I meant it, he also knew I had the income to walk away with the DC without needing money from him to support us.

AjasLipstick · 21/04/2018 13:44

I also think you sound a bit cloying. A bit claustrophobic. Why don;t you go out sometimes? Get a bit of space away from the house?

I would feel so irritated if my DH kept checking and re-checking what time I'd be in! I like to have some freedom when I go out!

Ickyockycocky · 21/04/2018 13:50

Why don't you go out sometimes? Get a bit of space away from the house

Where has she said she doesn't?

LadyLapsang · 21/04/2018 13:51

Who goes out after work on a Friday night for 30 minutes? If your friend said they would meet you for 30 minutes and then go home, surely you would say let's do it another time. I would have just cooked for me and DD and if there were leftovers, he could have warmed them up when he got in, if he wanted them. What is the issue with drink driving? You mention he drives to work so presumably he is not banned from driving.

WhatsGoingOnEh · 21/04/2018 13:52

Every row like this boils down, past stuff about dinner and cars and bikes, right down to one thing: you're scared he doesn't love you any more, and you're worried about the future.

Why not face that fear and look at the future. If you were a single mum, where would you live? How would you earn money? Do you think he'd be ok about money, and seeing your DD?

With my first DH, I'd have acted like you did, calling and chasing up, etc. Because I never felt secure with him.

With my current DH, I'd have realised that no way would he want to be home after just 30 minutes. I certainly wouldn't! So I'd have invited a friend over with her DC and we'd have had tea all together, catching up and having fun without DH. Or we'd go out. Or I'd do us our favourite tea (that he hated) and put a film on.

I know my DH thinks I'm great - that's the difference. It makes everything easy.

Leaving is hard and horrible in many ways, but at least it's all contained in one experience. Not a tiny miserable constant daily drip-drip of unhappiness.

Limoncell0 · 21/04/2018 13:52

Hi OP, I'm sorry, but I think YABVU. It would feel too much to be constantly checking, "So you'll be in at 7.30 then?" He came in at 8.30 - it's not as if he crashed in at 2am! I think you need to relax because this kind of thing wouldn't surface as an issue in most relationships.

My DH travels with work or will often go out for a late meeting or something after work as he's in Piccadilly. I don't try and pin him down to a precise time he'll be in because I know it's hard to be clock-watching when you're out. If I've made dinner, I'll just leave it or put it in the fridge.

However, he's not a drinker and rarely comes in after 12. If he had a history for any kind of excessive behaviour, I might feel differently

On the surface, you do sound a bit controlling tbh. However, I think you may just be a bit lonely and looking forward to adult company in the evenings - which is totally understandable. Tell him this. It's hard day after day, occupying a small child and you probably resent that he can "swan about" and have that freedom without factoring your DC in.

He does sound quite disrespectful in the way he speaks to you though. Does he swear at you? That would upset me more than the being out.

And what is the drink driving about? That is a huge issue.

Notonthestairs · 21/04/2018 13:55

How is your child? I only ask because when I had young children I was dying for adult company and help with bedtime- my DH does long hours/works away and is rarely able to predict when he'll be home. It was hard.

But my kids are now older (8 & 10) and it so much easier - we eat when we want and his is on plate for whenever he gets in.

So you might have been unreasonable but I'm on the fence.

Drink driving is never ok - you need to report him if he gets anywhere near a car when drunk. You'll be doing him and everyone else on the road a favour.

0hCrepe · 21/04/2018 13:56

Dh and I had this kind of conversation in the first couple of years after kids. I can’t believe that after 10 years you’re still having that same conversation, I mean I learned quite quickly that out meant out for whatever amount of time and the time back answer was just flannel. No point in asking, don’t set up expectations that don’t need to be there.
We still have similar confrontations about other things though where he does something and upsets me, I tell him and he goes on the attack and is completely vile. It’s no fun.

AjasLipstick · 21/04/2018 14:01

WhatsGoingOn gives excellent insight OP/

KingLooieCatz · 21/04/2018 14:03

That would piss me off.

Other people's posts read as if you told him when to come back, but it was him that said he'd be half an hour (that was never gonna happen) and that he'd be home for food. And he kept changing his plans to make meal later and later to accommodate himself. He should have just said in the first place, you would know where you were and if I were you, could decide to cook an easy tea/get take away and get littl'un off to bed promptly and relax with TV and beverage of choice.

He's had a nice evening and left you dangling. It's not grounds to LTB by itself but the overall dynamic sounds really draining.

KarmaStar · 21/04/2018 14:04

You don't sound happy or compatible.
You both need to change or separate.
All this fighting is wearing you both down and not good for your dc.
Life doesn't have to be like this op,can you imagine another the years of this??until you really understand each others pov,nothing will change as you will both continue to feel they are the one in the right.

sonjadog · 21/04/2018 14:05

I think you were controlling and unreasonable. But I also think that this behaviour is a product of past experiences. It doesn't sound like this relationship is bringing out the best in either of you. Maybe it is time to call a halt to it?

Highhorse1981 · 21/04/2018 14:07

OP you are controlling.

I have been in a relationship with someone jut like you. Demanding very specific times.

It was s Friday night and he was going out for a drink, and you were making him commit in blood almost to times.

Put your dd to bed, have dinner on your own in front of your tv. Bliss!

He’s no angel though. The pair of you seem incompatible

Shimshiminysheroo · 21/04/2018 14:13

Sorry op I don't like the sound of him exploding and ranting at you, but equally, I long day with your dd? Constantly asking about times? Blanking him? I think you need to look not only to him but also at how you are communicating and what your expectations are in a relationship.

Whatabugashoo · 21/04/2018 14:17

Sounds like he gave you an unreasonable estimated time he would be out probably because he thought you'd be annoyed and he didn't want to deal with that and you did ask him three times like you had a bit of a problem with it.

He is looking out for him, making sure he gets his time out and having fun with friends and you seem resentful because you're not getting that because you're waiting for him to stay in with you.

You need to start looking out for you, make sure you equally get your time out, organise it with him. Either tell him "I'm doing xyz on Saturday so you need to be home looking after dc" or "we need a babysitter if we're both out" or "I want you to stay in with us and we'll do xyz". If he still doesn't respect your wishes/time then you need to make it clear you won't stay in this situation.

My dp is same but in the end I had to accept that he likes going out and I like staying in so who am I to make him stay in? I could go out with him but I don't want to. If you are different you need to work with your differences or separate.

QuiteLikely5 · 21/04/2018 14:17

Maybe he said half an hour to keep op happy? To stop her getting moody about it?

That’s precisely the way it looks. My husband has never once in all our years asked what time I’d be home!

Think about it if you were out with friends, relaxing etc and your partner kept texting asking when you’d be back. You really wouldn’t be able to enjoy yourself. He was trying to placate op but also thinking to himself that she shouldn’t be dictating his time at the pub

drinkingwinefeelingfine · 21/04/2018 14:21

The drink driving in itself would be a dealbreaker for me. Never mind the fact he has no respect for you. I could never be with someone who would get behind the wheel drunk. It's gross. End it.

BarefootMe · 21/04/2018 14:21

Keeping on asking him when he will be home is too needy and would probably come across as controlling. Adults need a bit of slack and to be trusted. If you feel he is untrustworthy, you won't overcome that by trying to arrange everything. Perhaps you could loosen up a bit - if he is out for part of evening with mate, for example, what difference does it make precisely when he will be back? Just enquire once, casually roughly what time if you do want to know, and leave it at that.

drinkingwinefeelingfine · 21/04/2018 14:22

I think it matters to the op when he's back as she wanted a break too.