Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Think I’ve had enough.

129 replies

Boobiliboobiliboo · 09/02/2019 18:41

DH works from home most of the time for his own business. Sometimes needs to work away. I work full time out of the home in a mentally and emotionally demanding job. We have one 8 year old DD.

I tend to do school drop offs, DH does pick up and after school activities, unless he is away, in which case I manage my diary around pick ups as well. DH will usually get DD ready in the morning, but goes back to bed between stages (eg while DD is eating breakfast, getting dressed etc) so everything takes far longer than it should and we’re usually in a rush.

I cook 99% of meals, sort out food deliveries, washing, ironing, finances, do the books for his company, VAT and tax returns. I make 95% of DD’s packed lunches and deal with all the school stuff like PE kit, reading books, non-uniform days etc.

DH has for several years been a bit of a workaholic. For the past several months he’s barely managed to work 6hours on average per day, despite needing to work late regularly. Turns out he’s been going back to bed once DD and I have left, then getting up around lunchtime and starting work somewhere around 1pm. He says he can’t get going in the mornings, but it has absolutely nothing to do with him staying up online gaming until 3 or 4am. Hmm

On Saturdays DD has either one or 2 activities (one thing is every week, the other is fortnightly). Today it was both things. I was up before 8am to get ready. DD was up at about 8:15am. I had to wake him up at 9:15am and ask him to get DD some breakfast. I had to remind him of what she needed in her bag. He was such a mess that we ended up leaving late, and she was late to her activity. I spent the time she was there going to get things she needs for a show next week. I picked her up, took her to get lunch and then off to her other activity. She usually has a sleepover with grandparents once a fortnight and i meet them with her at a retail park between our homes. (Around 20mile drive.)

DH needs some new shoes, so asked if after DD’s 2nd activity could I detour to pick him up and he could get some shoes at the retail park. I told him what time we’d be there. He wasn’t ready. In the car he tells me that he’s emptied the dishwasher and put out the washing. I am not impressed. He said he has spent the day on his PS4. I say nothing.

When we get to the retail park I get DD’s overnight bag (which I packed with her) out and go to get her activity bag as she has an extra session tomorrow which my way parents are taking her to. It’s not there. He took it out of the car when we went to pick him up. He said he didn’t know about the session tomorrow, but I reminded him that it was him who told me about it last weekend as he found the letter in her bag. I said that I had told him my parents would be taking her to the activity and now he would have to make arrangements to get the stuff to her as he didn’t bother asking before deciding to take the stuff out of the car. He stormed off. I have moved the car and am sitting in the car park. We are meant to be going for food and to the cinema as he complains that I am usually too busy/tired to spend time with him.

I really don’t want to spend another 10 years putting up with this shit. I am so utterly fucked off that everything is down to me whilst he spends hours and hours playing games online, shirking his responsibilities and not even working full days. Any hint of criticism and the blame gets put onto me.

WIBU to go home and take a hammer to the PS4 and pack up his stuff? I feel I’ve lost all rational thought.

OP posts:
Heronymous · 09/02/2019 19:16

He sounds like a selfish prick OP and honestly it doesn’t sound like there’s anything worth trying to save here.

Boobiliboobiliboo · 09/02/2019 19:19

Was he always like this? Was there ever a time when he took responsibility for his fair share of parenting and housework? When did he start gaming?

He’s pretty much always gamed. Never to this degree though. It has come up during counselling frequently.

He worked away a lot when DD was small. It’s only since I’ve been back at work full time for the last couple of years that he has been home more and stepped up re DD. Housework he’s never been proactive about.

OP posts:
AmIRightOrAMeringue · 09/02/2019 19:21

Hi OP the thing that jumped out at me was when you've tried to talk to him he has said if he's depressed it's because of you, and suggested you're the one needing counselling. It sounds like he wants out as well. He doesn't seem to want to change or acknowledge there's an issue. You've tried talking to him and it's not helped. Unless he is willing to try counselling together I'm not sure there is much point in keeping trying. You've already said it's easier when he's not there

gobbin · 09/02/2019 19:21

Is he actually working? Could the PS4, lying around in bed and eating shit be masking the fact that he has lost work/contracts?

AnneLovesGilbert · 09/02/2019 19:22

It sounds exhausting Flowers

How much easier would life be if you only had to organise life around you and DD?

AnotherEmma · 09/02/2019 19:22

Sorry to say this but I do wonder why you had a child with a gamer who doesn't do his share of housework Confused

Bit late for that now though. But don't waste any more time with him. You've already had couples counselling and he hasn't changed - he's got worse - so I can't see it getting better.

katseyes7 · 09/02/2019 19:23

My ex husband was like this. Stayed up til god knows when in the mornings, then wouldn't get out of bed. When l was on an early shift and we only had one car, it was a nightmare. l had to leave the house at 6.3am, l'd spend most of my time up and down the stairs trying to get him out of bed.
Then when we had a car each, one day l got a call from his work at 9.30am asking if he was ok, because he hadn't turned in to work. They'd been ringing him, but no reply.l had to take my lunch break then and drive home, only for him to have a go at me for 'spying on him'. He was still in bed! And he was meant to start work at 8am. Said he 'had a migraine' which was rubbish. l told him that if he'd worked with me, he'd have been disciplined for his timekeeping, but he kept saying it "didn't matter" because he "always stayed late anyway." Trying to explain that they didn't work flexitime, and that timekeeping is a required discipline fell on stony ground.
When we were going to Relate, l raised this issue, and was told to "leave him to his own devices, if he gets the sack, that's his problem." Well, no, actually, it wasn't. lt would mean me working shifts to keep the both of us while he sat on his lazy arse at home.
Which is only one of the reasons why he's my ex. Apparently after we split up, his company were making redundancies. There were two people in the same role as him, and guess who got made redundant? Not the man who turned up on time every day.

lf your husband is depressed "because of you", then do him a favour and remove yourself from his life. Then he has no reason to be depressed. (l'm half joking, but he's taking the piss.) He's behaving like a fourteen year old. Do yourself a favour and leave him to it.

Boobiliboobiliboo · 09/02/2019 19:24

Unless he is willing to try counselling together I'm not sure there is much point in keeping trying.

We’ve tried that twice. Both times his view was that if I “got my injury sorted out” all would be fine. Now we know it’s never likely to be sorted out. I’m trying to come to terms with that. In the meantime he’s morphed into the equivalent of a stroppy, selfish 14 year old, which isn’t something I find attractive at all.

OP posts:
AnotherEmma · 09/02/2019 19:25

You don't say.

RandomMess · 09/02/2019 19:28

Is his issue with your birth injury that you can't have PIV sex or the fact you have struggled to come to terms with it?

The real issue is that you do the wifework whilst he's a sulking manchild.

Boobiliboobiliboo · 09/02/2019 19:31

He thinks I haven’t done enough to try and fix it. He doesn’t hear me when I say it would make no difference because o can’t fancy a 14 year old gamer who takes guck all responsibility.

OP posts:
Pumpkintopf · 09/02/2019 19:31

He says if he is depressed it’s because of me. And he won’t do anything about it.

That's really unfair placing the blame on you for his failure to function as an adult. He needs to sort himself out and I agree he should stop gaming as a first step.

jackstini · 09/02/2019 19:35

Not surprised you have had enough

You have been through some relationship changing things and I am not sure he is mature enough to cope with never being able to have penetrative sex again

He is obviously hurting, but acting like a teenager and not appreciating you are hurting more and having to put up with his crap

His behaviour is not acceptable and I would have banned the PS4 by now

Between you, you need to decide if these issues are dealbreakers
If so, it's going to be sad, but at least you can start to move on

JustOneShadeOfGrey · 09/02/2019 19:36

You need to slow down OP. You are doing too much and are at risk of making yourself ill.

Perhaps you could try a break away from him with DD on your own? No commitment to anything more than taking a break.

Another strategy could be him having PS4-free days. Can you talk to him about that?

Why is he blaming you for his depression? That sounds like someone who is struggling to admit to his own weaknesses or him knowing he needs help. Does he have a good friend you could talk to who could talk to him?

You should ring the counselling service and make an appointment for yourself. Talking it through with an impartial person may help.

🤗 💐

Figgygal · 09/02/2019 19:36

Jesus your updates just make it sound worse

Tell him to F off

Springwalk · 09/02/2019 19:37

I would take away all gaming and give him an ultimatum. He either engages with you and his child or some kind of separation is inevitable.

He could be just lazy rather this depressed, and given free rein to game all night and sleep alll day.

Possibly a gaming addiction though??

In the gentlest way tell him he is a total lead weight, and you are deeply unhappy.
Give him two weeks or another time line. If nothing improves you have your answer.

AmIRightOrAMeringue · 09/02/2019 19:40

Sorry for not reading properly! He sounds horrible OP to be honest, blaming someone for an injury. He is in control of how he acts and gaming all night isn't going to make you or anything between you better. I am not sure there is anything else you can do then. It sounds like you might be happier on your own

SnappedandFartedagain · 09/02/2019 19:43

There are a lot of kind people on here saying he may have depression - I reckon gaming addiction is more likely. He’s got into gaming and turned into a lazy bastard. Do the quiz on gamequitters.com and see what you think.

Whatever is wrong with him he needs to sort himself out as you definitely can’t carry on like this.

Springwalk · 09/02/2019 19:43

Do you think he blames you for the injury and therefore no PIV sex? Do you think indirectly this may be having a bigger impact?
I know this much be a very sensitive subject and I hope I haven’t hurt you by raising it. Did the counsellor help you both to stay intimate?
I just read your update

BrilliantDarling · 09/02/2019 19:44

He obviously must find your injury and inability to have piv sex a huge problem, I think you might be better to separate, sorry Op Flowers

Boobiliboobiliboo · 09/02/2019 19:46

Did the counsellor help you both to stay intimate?

She tried.

OP posts:
AnotherEmma · 09/02/2019 19:47

He was into gaming before the birth injury so I don't think that's the root cause. A more mature and supportive man would be able to cope without resorting to his behaviour and attitude. It's the attitude that stinks tbh.

MisstoMrs · 09/02/2019 19:51

Hi OP.

No useful advice, I’m sorry, but I wanted to say I had a similar injury, although somewhat recovered now and the damage it does to your marriage is unimaginable. What I hadn’t realised is that you are a different person afterwards. That has an impact on so many parts of your life. He may no longer be the right person for you but try and approach that with dignity, if you can. You cannot control how he will behave. I have nothing but sympathy for you.

SilverySurfer · 09/02/2019 19:52

Well he could be depressed (seems to be the excuse for all types of behaviour these days) or he could just be a lazy slob which I think is far more likely.

Whatever you ultimately decide in the future, maybe you could start by stopping doing his 'business' finances and everything else like cooking and washing.(since when was slobbing in bed and playing the PS4 all day and half the night a business? How does he find time to work?) Take a hammer to the PS4 or cut the plug off.

Good luck.

AmIRightOrAMeringue · 09/02/2019 19:52

For what it's worth I don't think I would be able to get past someone taking out their moods on me, for an injury I sustained when giving birth to their child, that they'd persuaded me to have. Yes it's going to be difficult knowing you can't have certain types of intimacy again but he doesn't sound like he's tried to work with you at all I'm sorry OP.