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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Is this an emotional affair

188 replies

Stressedup · 22/08/2020 06:24

My partner talks to a woman online every day. Up to 10hrs a day chatting all through the day. He will stay up all night talking to her, even though we have a 7 month old.
So he sleeps all day and I am left with the baby.

He says they are just friends. But he has also called her beautiful and said her boyfriend was "so fucking lucky" and that if he was single he would probably be interested.
He tells me every day that she is nicer than me. He tells her every detail of our fights. He tells me she is more important to him right now because we have been fighting.

My mil (his mum) says I have no right to ask him to dial back the intensity of this friendship to save our relationship. He agrees.
We have been fighting but I am willing to do anything to fix this. He is not even willing to say he cares. He says staying is showing he cares.

They both say this does not constitute an emotional affair.
Aibu

Yabu= not an emotional affair
Yanbu= definitely an emotional affair

OP posts:
Palavah · 22/08/2020 12:04

He will stay up all night talking to her, even though we have a 7 month old.
So he sleeps all day and I am left with the baby

He isn't being much of a father now you love together. It will be worse when your baby grows up and his dad isnt lnterested on him and is contemptuous of his mother.

Either move up to Scotland if you have family support/prospects there, or chuck him out.

If he wants a relationship with his child then he will make it work.

Giraffey1 · 22/08/2020 12:14

How long has this been going on? What was he like before the chat started? Has he been a dick in other ways, too?
Regardless of the answers, he is treating you in a terrible way, and your and your child deserve better. He clearly doesn’t care a out or respect you and has emotionally checked out of your relationship.
And as for his mum who thinks what he is doing is ok .... WTF?

ThirstyGhost · 22/08/2020 12:16

No one deserves to be treated like this. He's checked out of the relationship completely and is effectively living with this other woman - albeit online. You need to find your anger at being treated like a complete doormat, find some self respect and leave. Go back to Scotland. Start over.

Crystal87 · 22/08/2020 12:25

Yes it's an emotional affair. He is horrible and so disrespectful of you. He's also stupid. Placing an online affair with someone he's unlikely to ever meet above his wife and child. He's living in fantasy land. Maybe it's his"safe" way of having an affair and he would never physically do anything in real life, but this would be enough for me to end a relationship.

PermaStress · 22/08/2020 12:45

She’s his only friend is he? Well you’re his only wife, and the baby is his only baby!

This is a damn good point and you could do worse than drill yourself on this repeatedly.

How many hours per week on average do you speak to your best friend? Now how about all of your friends? And what does that average out to per day? Because honestly, I doubt anybody has the time to spend 10 hours a day talking to their friends. I doubt even 6th form and uni students manage that!

I have always wanted my son to have a good relationship with his dad. I dont see my dad and my partner doesnt see his dad. We both agreed that he wanted to be better than them.

He might have agreed it in words but what he is doing with his actions is very clearly showing you that he would rather stay up all night chatting to somebody on the Internet than actually parent his son.

Whether or not your son has a good relationship with his dad isn't down to whether you leave his dad or not. It's down to how much his effort his dad puts, in regardless of who lives where.

Years ago a member of my family decided she didn't want her kid's dad to see them, and she put up all sorts of barriers. He spent all his time and money going through court in England, then again in Scotland to fight for access. Every week's holiday he had from work and every penny of disposable income was spent camping near where she'd moved them to, to get to see his kids. His kids are grown up now and they have a brilliant relationship with him, because he did what a father who wants to have a relationship with his kids will do.

Women shouldn't have to pander and cajole men to want to have a good relationship with their kids. They either want to, and will or they don't and we can't make them.

If I go home to my family I'm taking my son away from his dad and his loving grandparents. And he would see his dad at best once or twice a year

OK so for one, if you go to your family for support there is no rule saying you have to stay there long term. You can move back closer once you've got a job and so has he and the house/child support etc is all in place. We are recommending you go there because there are the humans who will support this mum with her baby while she is going through a break up.

If he has no job at the moment there is also no reason why if you decide to stay in Scotland, he couldn't find a job closer and move to be a shorter commute from his kid. That is down to him, not you. Just like the reason why this relationship is breaking down, is down to him, not you. Even if you moved to the Outer Hebrides, as long as you didn't block him, it's down to him, not you, how often he will see his child. If he phones and video chats once your son is old enough, if he visits twice a year, twenty or none, that is all down to him, not you.

vixxo · 22/08/2020 12:47

Why do you even wanting to save the relationship? He has clearly checked out and blatantly disrespects you. You should break up with him, it's a no brainer.

Wontonhope · 22/08/2020 15:59

The only reason it’s not already a physical affair is the distance and lack of money in order to make it a reality for him. He’s with you simply because she’s not available and is using you. You can’t make him be a good dad, he has already shown you he’s not. Leave if even for a week. Go visit your family with your baby, you’ll soon realise he doesn’t deserve either of you.

loudev · 22/08/2020 16:17

The sad thing about this thread is I don't think the op has any intention of leaving him..

DullDullWeather · 22/08/2020 16:34

lollll
When did all this emotional affair crap begin ?

Dear God almighty

Stressedup · 22/08/2020 16:45

I told him this morning that he cannot have a future with me and her both in it.
I hate ultimatums, I think they're not healthy in a relationship, but I see no other choice other than just leaving.

He's been shut up in the spare room since then.

I am listening to all you people saying leave. I've been one of them on other threads, but I didnt realise how hard it was when it's you yourself.

OP posts:
DBML · 22/08/2020 16:50

Op, he sounds like a waste of space and his mother sounds like a right idiot.

Think of how much better you could do!

Leave him to his online affair - seriously, how can he even think about job searching when he’s spending 10 hours and all night on the computer.

He’s a loser, so let Her have him.

DBML · 22/08/2020 16:51

Oh and mummy dear can take it up with him if she doesn’t get to see her grandchild enough...perhaps then she’ll decide that this “friendship” wasn’t a great idea.

Tappering · 22/08/2020 16:53

@DullDullWeather

lollll When did all this emotional affair crap begin ?

Dear God almighty

Since 1985 when research by Wright and Glass looked at different types of infidelity (Shirley Glass then went on to explore the term further in her book 'Not Just Friends').

Hope that helps and perhaps you might find it in you to post something supportive or constructive for the OP next time?

YoBeaches · 22/08/2020 17:00

He's been shut up in the spare room since then.

Online to her by any chance? Hasn't he by default made his decision? He chose to stay in the room rather than engage with you and seriousness of the situation.

He doesn't deserve either of you. Go to your family even if for a few weeks.

waitingforadulthood · 22/08/2020 17:02

Of course it's an emotional affair! But if you don't want to call it that- it's still a shit husband checking out of his marriage and responsibilities by staying up all night and sleeping all day - leaving all the work to his dw. He's over sharing relationship details with his friend and disregarding his wife's thoughts and feeling at best, completely disrespecting and goading her regarding her feelings at worst. He's a shit

RandomTree · 22/08/2020 17:07

Well done OP. Fingers crossed he comes to his senses and realised that you and your baby are more important to him than his online 'friend'.

doityourselfnow · 22/08/2020 17:51

He tells me every day that she is nicer than me. He tells her every detail of our fights. He tells me she is more important to him right now because we have been fighting.

That's emotional abuse.

LilyLongJohn · 22/08/2020 17:58

Well done op. Thanks

Lancrelady80 · 22/08/2020 18:11

So...

He's not parenting his child, thereby neglecting his relationship with baby and simultaneously leaving you literally holding the baby.

He tells you she's more important than you.

He tells you she's nicer.

He tells her she's beautiful and her bf is lucky.

He tells you he'd be interested in her if she was here.

He prioritizes time online with her over time with you (and your baby.)

He betrays you and your relationship by dishing every bit of private arguments to her.

He's a dick. Leave him. Mummy dearest agrees with him as "ow" is in USA...bet she'd sing a different song if she lived in the next town.

My gut instinct is that the girl involved thinks it's a nothing and just harmless flirting, and she's probably having a good laugh at his expense. But it's not harmless, as your partner can see. In fact, he's deliberately using it to hurt you.

Leave. In fact, don't leave. You stick your ground and boot him out until he can grow up enough to show you and the child you made together more respect, affection and care. He needs to realise that no matter what he thinks about it, this to you is a serious thing. If he can't accept that, he needs to leave you to get on with your life. You do not deserve to play second fiddle to a computer, let alone another woman at the end of it.

Lancrelady80 · 22/08/2020 18:15

He even sent her a picture of our baby despite promising not to as I really didnt want her to. I know its childish but I wanted one part of my life this bitch didnt have her fingers in. He initially lied about sending her a pic of the baby but then immediately admitted it because the promise was "stupid".

Just seen this...wtaf?! Why does she even want photos of you and the baby? I now have alarm bells ringing about this. It's the end of a computer. Cat fishing? What could be done with those pictures? What other pictures would "she" be asking for?

MiddleClassProblem · 22/08/2020 18:27

@Stressedup

I told him this morning that he cannot have a future with me and her both in it. I hate ultimatums, I think they're not healthy in a relationship, but I see no other choice other than just leaving.

He's been shut up in the spare room since then.

I am listening to all you people saying leave. I've been one of them on other threads, but I didnt realise how hard it was when it's you yourself.

But he doesn’t even know is she is actually a “her” or even if she is, that she is the her she says she is.

I think it’s worth him knowing that he might be throwing it all away over someone who could be anyone.

doityourselfnow · 22/08/2020 18:30

*But he doesn’t even know is she is actually a “her” or even if she is, that she is the her she says she is.

I think it’s worth him knowing that he might be throwing it all away over someone who could be anyone.*

WTF so you think "tell him it might not be who he thinks it is", it's not worth losing the marriage over that?

Surely it's the fucking intent that's the problem?

Kelcat9494 · 22/08/2020 18:32

After reading this I really hope his friend is a fella in fishnet stockings.

Leave, he's not a good partner or father and just because he lives with your son doesn't make him a good dad.

Go to Scotland and leave him with his "friend", you deserve better and can do better than this I promise.

GabsAlot · 22/08/2020 18:37

bur he doesnt have a relat9onship with is son living with him! hes check out

i have depression but i dont chat to men onlin e and then tell my dh how winderfuul they are

Autumnsloth · 22/08/2020 19:07

This is awful OP. What really stuck out was that he tells you that she is nicer than you?? First of all, any woman who spends all day chatting to the DH of a mum with a young baby is not a nice person, especially if she knows how you feel about it. Ultimatum is completely understandable. He needs to buckle up.

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