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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Husband threw a boot at me in front of terrified kids.

145 replies

dogdias · 12/08/2019 21:26

This happened last night and I cannot stop thinking about it. It started out as a normal night, I was putting the DC (DD1 5,DS 4, and DD2 8 months) to bed and my husband was out picking up a takeaway for us both. He came back and we started eating and watching a film. I noticed he had something on his mind as he was quiet (he's usually sat making jokes etc) and asked if he was alright and he ignored me, so I asked again. He just gave a halfhearted yes and then walked off to the kitchen and came back with a beer. I ended up pausing the film and said "Something's bothering you, what is it? Did something happen at work?". He had depression a few years ago when DD1 was a baby and he lost his job and this episode reminded me of that and it scared me, he spent months just sat on the sofa staring into space and snapping when I tried to help. He ended up saying "Just put the fucking film back on or I'm going to bed." So I did and he just sat on his phone scrolling the whole time. Eventually the film finished and I was in the process of finding something else to watch but noticed he kept whispering "For fucks sake" and "Jesus christ" under his breath. I asked what was wrong and he said he was just going through the accounts and had realized how much money I'd been spending and had a go at me for wasting money. I quit work after becoming pregnant with DD2 but he works full time. I haven't been wasting money at all. He earns it but I do the budgeting and work out what the DC's need and also sort the bills. Baby 3 has been hard on us financially and the past month has been particularly tough as all 3 DC had growth spurts needing clothes, my car conked out costing loads in repairs, DS's bed collapsed, DD outgrew her buggy as well as lots of other stuff that has added up. All of the money spent was for essentials for the DC's but he was going on like I'd been spending it on spas and shopping trips for myself. None of it was spent on me, not a penny.

I asked him what he was on about and he ended up shouting that I buy too much and I'm never fucking satisfied and I should get a job myself instead of being a lazy bitch. He was quite loud and the two older DC came running down the stairs. I said to him we agreed I'd be quitting work when we decide to try for a 3rd baby and he just continued yelling. He just went on about how I'm lazy and spoil the kids but don't give a shit about him. I said "Shut up the kids have come down" and he screamed "Go to fucking bed!" at them. They both ended up in tears and clinging on to me but I took them upstairs. When I came down he continued to just scream at me and I just stood for a while thinking if I let him get it all out he'll calm down but it just carried on so eventually I ended up shouting back which I realize I shouldn't have done. He happened to be standing by the front door and without thinking he picked up one of his walking boots and threw it at me, it missed my head. I was stunned in silence and then he just went quiet and left the house. I then realized the DC had been standing on the stairs near the door and had witnessed it and after he had gone they came up to me crying. DS was physically shaking. After about an hour I calmed them down enough to put them back to bed and then went to bed myself but didn't sleep. I knew he was sleeping in the van outside.

This morning his van was gone, I took the DC and went to drop DD off at school and then after coming back he was sat in the living room with some flowers and a box of chocolates and DS ran upstairs when he saw him. I didn't want to continue arguing so I accepted the apology and got DS downstairs and my husband told him he was very sorry for upsetting mummy etc. Husband now doesn't want to talk about it again but I can't stop thinking about last night and my children's terrified faces. We argue quite often but this is only the second time it has been like this, the last time was back when DD1 was a baby and it took me a while to get over. It is bothering me even more now because my children witnessed it and were terrified. But I also akcnowledge my husband has realized he was in the wrong and is stressed about finances etc. I don't know how to handle this to ensure it doesn't happen again.

OP posts:
ImposterSyndrome101 · 12/08/2019 21:33

He was violent and abusive and that's never ok. Backing down to save an argument isn't helpful and just buries the issues instead of fixing it. If I were in your shoes I'd have asked him to leave until I was ready to have him back at all. It's completely unacceptable for him to behave like that at all and especially for the children to witness it.

Herocomplex · 12/08/2019 21:37

God that sounds terrible, I’m so sorry for you all. That can’t happen again, you need to make it very clear.

Marshmallow91 · 12/08/2019 21:38

How to ensure it doesn't happen again?

LEAVE HIM.

Your children are scared of this "man". Do you need any more of a reason??

Herocomplex · 12/08/2019 21:39

You just tell him, that can’t happen again. You did nothing wrong.

LouiseEH · 12/08/2019 21:39

You should have changed the locks when he was out.

PurpleDaisies · 12/08/2019 21:40

That would be a deal breaker for me.

Throckmorton · 12/08/2019 21:41

Leave him. The violence will get worse. if he was actually sorry he'd be willing to talk about it, go to anger management counselling, move out to give you space etc. He's not sorry.

It was you he threw the boot at this time - one time it'll be one of your kids.

NavyBlueHue · 12/08/2019 21:42

There’d be no coming back from this for me. He terrified your kids. We’d be done.

BlueSkiesLies · 12/08/2019 21:42

Deal. Breaker.

Throckmorton · 12/08/2019 21:43

Also, you can't ensure it won't happen again. This is the second time, so it's already happened again. It'll get more frequent, not less

Shooturlocalmethdealer · 12/08/2019 21:44

You want to make sure it never happens again? Then throw him out like he threw that boot at you. Chocolates and an apology is never enough. What happens next time he gets angry? Your children seen their father act this way. This is abuse OP
Protect your children and yourself immediately. There is no condoning this kind of behaviour.

Bodear · 12/08/2019 21:44

It’s happened twice now. It will happen again; unless you leave him.

Onemorecrisp · 12/08/2019 21:44

I wouldn’t stay with him it’s not fair on the children. He should have gone out when he first lost his rag and the children came down if he couldn’t control himself.

WifOfBif · 12/08/2019 21:45

Protect your children. They deserve to feel safe in their homes, this will effect them.

Leave.

WhoKnewBeefStew · 12/08/2019 21:48

Deal breaker for me too

LemonAddict · 12/08/2019 21:49

“We argue quite often”

My mum and dad “argue quite often”.

I remember as a kid finding it absolutely terrifying. I’m sure they thought my sister and I were unaware, but we were very much aware.

I remember seeing my dad drag my mum down the stairs, I remember my mum throwing a teapot of hot tea at the kitchen wall, I remember being in the back of the car as they screamed at each other and my dad grabbed my mum by the throat.

I got a job at age 14 and saved like fuck to move out - yes, at age 14 that was my goal, to get out as soon as I could.

I’m fairly low contact with them now. I wish they’d got divorced years ago, they’re still together. I don’t enjoy being in their company.

aweedropofsancerre · 12/08/2019 21:51

So this man terrified his kids, was violent to you and he skips in the door with flowers and chocolates which you simply accept and get the DC down so he can apologise for upsetting mummy. That’s it? And he doesn’t want to talk about it? Well I think when you put your DC to bed you tell him you want to discuss what happened as this is truly unacceptable and your priority should be to protect your DC. Not pacify an angry man

Giraffey1 · 12/08/2019 21:51

Flowers and chocolates just aren’t enough in my book. I think you need to have some time sitting down together and talking about what happened. He has to know he crossed a line here, and for the children to have been scared by it is quite shocking.

Giraffey1 · 12/08/2019 21:53

It’s not acceptable for him to say he doesn’t want to talk about it, I think you must insist. You can’t just brush it under the carpet and pretend it never happened.

Merryoldgoat · 12/08/2019 21:54

What do you mean by ‘argue quite often’?

My mum and stepdad argued all the time. No violence but big horrible shouting matches. I didn’t realise how badly they affected me until my recent bout of PND.

If you’re having frequent nasty arguments then you need to stop and work out what is going on.

I can understand the urge to chuck stuff (although I don’t) but he picked that fight with you and now doesn’t want to talk about it - it’s unhealthy and personally a red line would’ve been crossed for me.

Livelovebehappy · 12/08/2019 21:54

He threw the boot at you with the intention of it hitting you. A walking boot is pretty heavy and could have caused a nasty injury. So even though the boot didn’t make contact with you, the intent was there ; it’s physical abuse and there will be a next time when you might not be so lucky. I wouldn’t let him think all this can go away with flowers and chocolate.

MrsHound · 12/08/2019 21:55

@dogdias
Where do you live that your DD is in school?

LatteLove · 12/08/2019 21:55

*How to ensure it doesn't happen again?

LEAVE HIM*

This.

Calling you a lazy bitch was bad enough.

If you don’t leave him I’d at least try and get a job ASAP so you’re not reliant on him any more and can get your ducks in a row so you can leave when it happens again.

You’re already minimising what he did - there’s no way he did it “without thinking”. He made a conscious choice to throw the boot at you and did so in the presence of your kids. He’s a cunt.

hammeringinmyhead · 12/08/2019 21:57

Nobody should speak to you like that, let alone your husband. The fact that he terrified his children is the nail in the coffin for me. My DH would be so ashamed he'd leave voluntarily.

Iwantacookie · 12/08/2019 21:57

It's already happened again. This is the second time.
He blew he chance.
Leave.