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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Controlling?

88 replies

dietcoke2020 · 04/05/2019 18:18

My dh doesn't like me taking our baby dd out at the weekend for an afternoon as he says he doesn't get to see her enough. I ask to do this less than once a month, is this unreasonable of me?

OP posts:
Offallycheap · 04/05/2019 22:40

You don’t need anyone else to believe you. You know.

And for what it’s worth, I believe you.

JessicaWakefieldSV · 04/05/2019 22:46

I believe you

Absolutepowercorrupts · 04/05/2019 22:51

I believe you, as soon as I saw that you posted "when I ask him" I knew that he would be abusive.

dietcoke2020 · 04/05/2019 22:52

Thanks everyone. I'm just not brave enough to mess up our lives

OP posts:
dietcoke2020 · 04/05/2019 22:52

Thanks everyone. I'm just not brave enough to mess up our lives.

OP posts:
SignedUpJust4This · 04/05/2019 22:53

Apologies for my earlier post. I pressed send too soon and then phone died. I was going to say that this man is a piece of shit and this sounds abusive but I see you've already been given some great advice. Stay strong OP.

JessicaWakefieldSV · 04/05/2019 22:58

I’m sorry to say, it sounds messy already, you’re just managing and carrying the burden of the mess. My mother stayed in a bad relationship for the sake of her kids, it ruined her life and affected her relationship with us. My siblings have almost no respect for her. Doing the right thing isn’t always easy, but find the confidence. Follow that link for the freedom programme, there’s help to navigate this if you really want it.

OnlyPostInEmergencies · 04/05/2019 23:11

I'm just not brave enough to mess up our lives.

  1. you wouldn’t be messing them up, you’d be improving them;
  2. I bet you could be brave enough with the right support.

No-one should need to ask permission to see their family. No-one. And it doesn’t matter that he uses guilt/sulking to pressure you rather than violence. He is controlling your behaviour to meet his own needs and it’s making you unhappy.

dietcoke2020 · 04/05/2019 23:17

How do you co-parent with someone like that though?

OP posts:
dietcoke2020 · 04/05/2019 23:18

Thanks for all being so helpful and kind by the way. I'm trying to think with a clear head

OP posts:
Absolutepowercorrupts · 04/05/2019 23:26

Op, I think you've realised that your relationship is one of coercive control. Please do the freedom programme, it will give you the tools you need to negotiate a successful break up. Co parenting can be done, it's not easy but it is definitely doable. Wishing you all the best for your future Flowers

nicenewdusters · 05/05/2019 10:19

OP. You asked how do you co-parent with someone like that. I think you use the skills/tactics/behaviours that you need to employ to leave him.

You take a purely adult position. You disengage as much as possible, so you are only left with the practicalities. Once you are no longer a couple the only focus and topic of conversation is your child. Anything else is ignored. Don't be drawn into anything about your past relationship.

Set up a separate email account for discussing arrangements with him as regards seeing your child. Block him on everything else. This way you don't have to worry every time your phone pings, you can keep it separate.

He may well use seeing his child as another way to try and control you. But he can only try. You can resist. It's bloody hard, but you can do this.

As for knowing your relationship is not right but not being able to fix it. These situations are very complicated. The behaviour is very subtle, it's a gradual creep, very manipulative. They do just enough to make you think they really care, and that in fact they're the victim when you don't dance to their tune.

It's almost a script. It doesn't matter if he knows he's doing it. He is. You've also now told him how he makes you feel. He hasn't stopped. He doesn't deserve you, or a family life with his child.

You're much tougher than you think. He's weak and pathetic.

Goldmandra · 05/05/2019 12:16

Your baby needs to grow up in a household where everyone's needs and wishes hold equal importance. If she grows up in your current household, she will learn that everything has to centre around pandering to Daddy and that will set her up to accept abusive relationships in the future.

She will still have to have contact with her father but her time with you will protect her from seeing his behaviour as normal and acceptable.

Be prepared that he may suddenly decide to get a lot more involved with her care if he suspects that you intend to leave. He may want to prevent you from claiming to be her primary carer.

There are lots of other aspects to coercive control, including deliberately eroding your self-esteem so that you don't believe that you deserve to be loved unconditionally or treated with respect. This can be done very subtly. Please find out more about coercive control to help you recognise what is happening to you and why you feel unable to challenge it.

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