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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

He left

438 replies

WhatIsHappiness · 06/06/2018 09:27

I've NC but I posted before about DH being confused, wanted a break, etc. This has been going on for 6 months, during my pregnancy, and last night he left us.
He said he needs space to think about what he wants but we are not getting divorced.

AIBU to tell him that I don't want him back? He made it clear that he doesn't want to separate so what is the bloody point of having a break? I still can't understand how someone could simply leave his DC (newborn and one in junior school) just like that!

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WhatIsHappiness · 06/06/2018 16:30

@BumpInTheOven @SnowGoArea why do they think it's ok to take a break in marriage?!!

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expatinscotland · 06/06/2018 16:34

I'm just glad you started this because well, look at all the support there is for you, because he's just treading a well worn path. He's just a classic spoony who basks in drama and bullshit. How immature. FFS, he's a grown man and a husband and father behaving like a 15-year-old.

The reason you need to stop covering for him is because you and your kids need support and protection - support from family, legal advice and financial recourse. Covering for him doesn't achieve this and well, he put himself and his needs first, you are putting your children's and yours first, too.

Lots of good advice on how to break it to your older child but he will be fine, as so many have told you here.

WhatIsHappiness · 06/06/2018 16:36

@Changingoftheguard The thread has definitely helped me think through this mess and realise it's not my fault. He put us in this, so we are the victim after all!

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lisasimpsonssaxophone · 06/06/2018 16:37

I’m so, so sorry OP. I hope it doesn’t make you feel worse to hear similar stories, but I went through something very similar with my ex (although we didn’t have children, which I know must make this a hundred times harder)

Mine made a new ‘friend’ at work too, and although he’d had lots of female work friends in the past I could tell immediately that this one was different. He didn’t tell her about me for at least a week, just claiming that I ‘didn’t come up’ (despite apparently telling her all about the holiday he had just been on... with me!) and he got very defensive when I questioned this.

We broke up just a couple of weeks later and he was dating her within weeks of the split. He insists that ‘nothing happened’ while we were together, like he thinks he deserves a fucking medal for managing to keep it in his pants for about three weeks Angry

letsdolunch321 · 06/06/2018 16:43

As you are married he has a legal right to help keep a roof over the dc heads until they leave full time education - this means helping with rent/bills/upkeep of dc’s

Please get a solicitor - some solicitors give you a half hour/hours consultation either free or for a fee mine was £60.00 - I wrote alist of everything I needed to know like paying mortgage/bills whilst only working part time (which I was at the time). This solicitor gave me direct answers to my questions.

If you do this make a list before attending to avoid time wasting.

Also if your dh tries to pull the wool over your eyes offering a stupid amount re bills tell him your get the CSA involved.

If I can be any further help let me know

PointyCabbageQueen · 06/06/2018 16:52

Goodness, I read the first page, and then the last, Im sorry things have moved on so fast.
I saw one comment saying you cant change the locks, and i dont see why you cant.

But obviously you need legal advice on this.

Aren’t men complete charmers.

A friend of a friend left his wife when she was pregnant, and then couldnt understand why is now ex wife, wasnt pleasant to him and his new wife... (it was an absolute total shock to her)

Movablefeast · 06/06/2018 16:53

Whatishappiness one of my oldest and dearest friends found her marriage was having problems and of course her husband (of about 17 yrs) let her do lots of hand wringing and was blaming her for it all when he moved out.

She soon found out he had been having an affair with a friend they had known their entire marriage for about 7 months!

He even on a family holiday encouraged her to leave with the kids while he "cleaned up and returned" their boat rental. Once she left, the OW joined him for the weekend!! Unfaithful and cheap!!!

They actually began their affair in the family home when she left them chatting one night in the kitchen.

Also this guy had held himself up as a great Christian!

When their penis wants to play they can justify anything. He of course rewrote history and said his wife had "chucked him out" and that the poor man had struggled with a heartless wife for years.

Well my friend has moved on and their divorce will soon be final. The first 12 months were the worst because she was betrayed by two people she completely trusted. But she is much better now and as it turns out her DH had been a control freak and a bully behind closed doors so she feels much freer and relaxed.

I am so sorry this is happening but take control of your own situation don't let him control the narrative. My friend told everyone the truth when they asked and put "adultery" down on her divorce petition, just in case he was unclear WHY she might want a divorce; because of course he told everyone he didn't want a divorce! Probably because he is so cheap and she is getting the (paid off) family home.

YearOfYouRemember · 06/06/2018 17:08

WhatIsHappiness.

You'll find happiness again and if you can get a few over your dickhead of a husband along the way, never mind.

Cuttingthegrass · 06/06/2018 17:29

The truth always outs in the end. I just wish I'd known MN back then. TBH he sounds like the controlling one not you. He's very up front with his demands isn't he.

Wants a break
Wants the kids on this day for this long

Interesting he didn't unpack his clothes after moving. Dear Lord he's planned this for a long time it would appear.

LakieLady · 06/06/2018 17:33

What a snidey, sneaky shite he is! He thinks he can get everything his own way, but hopefully, he's got another think coming. I'm really shocked that someone can do this when there's a newborn baby and you've all just moved house.

Definitely keep the door locked while you're home - after all, you don't feel safe on your own, do you? Wink Or fit a chain, if it can't be locked so he can't open it. He's left, and the family home is now solely your residence. How disrespectful to think he can waltz in whenever he likes.

Get online and request a form for claiming tax credits. If you're on mat leave you're bound to be entitled to something. Here's the link [https://www.gov.uk/qualify-tax-credits]

Ask him how much maintenance he's going to give you for the children. And when you've copied those payslips, go onto the CMS calculator, and if they think it should be more, email him their figure and tell him this is the absolute minimum you will accept.

I'm indignant with rage about him expecting you to lie to your oldest. Just because he's a lying toad, he shouldn't expect you to start lying too.

You're behaving with great dignity (unlike my friend whose husband did something similar, he told Dfriend who the OW was after about 2 weeks, of course she was a colleague, so friend stormed into the office and shouted out "Get over here you fat minger" before dragging her out into the car park and giving her a good slapping!) and you should be proud of yourself for that.

And definitely don't express so he can take the baby out. That's an absurd request.

Stay strong, OP, you've had great advice on here. And he doesn't deserve you - you're clearly far too good for him!

Iluvthe80s · 06/06/2018 18:21

Sorry you are going through this. As others have said you need to regain control. What do you want OP ? And yes absolutely get legal advice. You need to know where you stand. and get copies of any necessary paperwork you can Including passports bank statements etc

WhatIsHappiness · 06/06/2018 20:00

@Isadora2007 I must admit that my STBXH is a great dad, very hands on, etc. I mean, I thought he was a fantastic parent before leaving us. Needless to say, now I've changed my mind, how could he leave us just like that?!
Glad it has all worked out well in the end for you. There is a light at the end of the tunnel!

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WhatIsHappiness · 06/06/2018 20:02

@TwentyYearsAndCounting very good advice about keeping track of my good parenting in writing so he can't claim I'm not looking after kids well!

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WhatIsHappiness · 06/06/2018 20:10

@expatinscotland The older DC hasn't asked about his dad whereabouts yet but DH texted and asked DC to call him. I said that maybe it would be best if DC called DH only when DC asked for his dad, then he texted back saying "please don't deny me to talk to my DC". DC called his dad in the end, don't want him using it against me.
Before all of this happened, I've arranged to meet DH's cousin's wife tomorrow. I know she's basically related to him, but we get on well so I will tell her that he left. To be honest, I wouldn't mind if she shared with the rest of his family!

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WhatIsHappiness · 06/06/2018 20:13

@lisasimpsonssaxophone Oh not you too, I'm so sorry! It's actually helpful to hear other similar stories so it gives me hope that we will come out of this in the end.
I wish it happened before I got pregnant with our second DC!

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WhatIsHappiness · 06/06/2018 20:14

@letsdolunch321 Great tip about writing a list with questions so I don't waste time. I will start working on it ASAP!

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letsdolunch321 · 06/06/2018 20:15

Glad to be of help whatishappiness 👍🏻

WhatIsHappiness · 06/06/2018 20:15

@PointyCabbageQueen So charming, aren't they?!
I'm trying not to get bitter but I'm finding it very hard.

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WhatIsHappiness · 06/06/2018 20:19

@Movablefeast So sad what happened to your friend. How can they think it's ok to do whatever they want to their wives and then ask us to pretend everything is ok?
I don't think DH has had a physical affair while we were together, but it seems like they had an emotional affair based on the flirty texts I've read between them.

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WhatIsHappiness · 06/06/2018 20:20

@YearOfYouRemember I was crying so much after he left last night, but I'm now starting to see a light at the end of the tunnel!

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WhatIsHappiness · 06/06/2018 20:21

@Cuttingthegrass I just realised how blind I've been all along. I didn't even notice there was a reason why he didn't unpack!

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WhatIsHappiness · 06/06/2018 20:25

@LakieLady I forgot about tax credit. We didn't qualify for lots of things before because of our joint income. I will check it out.
I don't blame your friend, I'm tying to be calm for the DC but I'm finding it all overwhelming and stressful.

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WhatIsHappiness · 06/06/2018 20:29

@Iluvthe80s Ideally I would like things to be back to how they were before this all started 6 months ago, however I know it's impossible. DH said a thousand times that he changed, he's not the same, I can't control him anymore, I can't tell him who he should talk to (he's referring to when I found out he was flirting with his female friend from work, he admitted he crossed the line and obviously I asked them to stop texting each other). They are still in touch, the last text I saw was on Monday evening.

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Bekabeech · 06/06/2018 21:26

Don't forget Council Tax - it should reduce if he isn't living there.

WhatIsHappiness · 06/06/2018 21:44

@Bekabeech oh yes, forgot about council tax. Thanks for the reminder!

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