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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Boyfriend advice please.

122 replies

Sall85 · 31/08/2020 20:31

I have been with my partner for 4 years. We have lived together for 2. Very happy normally. A couple of months ago he was going fishing on his day off or so he told me. Long story short I found out he was actually going hiking all day with a female colleague. He didn't tell me because he thought I would say no!?
I completely lost trust in him and we nearly split. Iam still working on trusting him again. He just announced that about 7 colleagues are going camping in October for the weekend and one of them is this woman.
I have said absolutely not.. A deal breaker for me. He is adamant he wants to go.
I can see his point. I don't believe anything is going on with the woman and its a shame for him to miss out on the trip but I just can't get over what happened and that tjis woman was also in on the lie. And in fact has been bad mouthing me to people.
Please help mumsnet tears. Am I overreacting?

OP posts:
HollowTalk · 03/09/2020 11:57

Oh it's dump to dump this man and his creepy freaky family.

Imagine having a connection to those people for decades? They would hate you and hate you and then they'd expect you to care for them in their old age.

Time to move on, OP.

Cherryhill22 · 03/09/2020 12:01

Hmm. It seems that you have lost trust in him which means the relationship will struggle if you carry on without support. At the same time, you have no evidence that he is having any kind of affair. Obviously lying to you was wrong though. Perhaps you could arrange some kind of relationship counselling/ therapy through an organisation like Relate? I think it might help to have a professional to sort things out between you both

Brainwave89 · 03/09/2020 12:01

Your call OP. If he has been honest about this trip I would let him go, but note your concerns about this woman. If you say an absolute no and she is interested in him she can use this as leverage against you and undermine your relationship. Separating over a camping trip seems excessive.

SpaceOP · 03/09/2020 12:03

He lied because he knew I wouldn't like it him going out for the day with the woman he spends all day with at work on his one day off.

Then you really aren't compatible. You don't like it when he does stuff like this so he thinks it's okay to lie about it. No one wins here.

Sall85 · 03/09/2020 12:06

That's what he keeps saying. That splitting over a camping trip is excessive. But to me him putting this trip above my feelings hurt and trying to gain trust again seems excessive. The trip seems to mean so much to him.. I can't understand that.

OP posts:
hastingsmua1 · 03/09/2020 12:08

Ok, just going to be completely honest here. There’s fault on both sides and I do think you’re incompatible and should split up

You do sound controlling and you’re living up to the things the colleague said about you. Men and women can just be friends and socialise in a platonic way. Yet you’re banning him from seeing her, for no reason. You’ve even said this is something you will split up with your fiancé over. That’s OTT.

If they’re going to have an affair, you won’t stop it by banning him from going on this outing. He’ll find a way around it if he wants to cheat on you.

He probably does bitch about you to her and his mum. His mum also sounds overbearing. She clearly doesn’t like you. I wouldn’t want to marry into a family like this as it will just be years of stress.

MeanWeedratStew · 03/09/2020 12:11

Jesus, OP, do you feel you have to stay with him because he's gorgeous? You really, really don't. Good looks mean fuck all on a man this vile. You need to leave this prick immediately - there are actually decent men out there who know how to treat their partner in life. Your twatbag boyfriend is not one of them.

CuriousaboutSamphire · 03/09/2020 12:12

Ye gods, he is selling you the whole pup, isn't he?

It's only OK because he wants it to be. What do you want?

He has managed to get you tightly focussed on this one trip when it is behaviour as a whole you are offended by!

His lies
His removing your ability to make infotmed choices
His compartmentalising his life to your disadnvantage
His using his friends, colleagues and parents to put you at a disadvantage when it suots him

At best he is a man child who may grow up eventually.

At worst he is a selfish, manipulative twat.

Neither is particularly pleasant relationship material!

Thsi trip means so much because you are objecting to it. His pride in being a jack the lad, her indoors has no say, is being threatened.

Please, let him go on the trip and whilst he is there pack up all of his belongings and leave them at the front door. He can sod off to his mum's.

RantAndDec · 03/09/2020 12:19

Bottom line OP- You don't know whether he is unfaithful, or is planning to be. You may never know. But you DO know that he is disloyal. And that, in the long run, can be a bigger deal than infidelity.
He doesn't think the lie he told you is a big enough deal to warrant a change in his behaviour. He is not thoughtful, he is not kind. He ran straight back to his mother and very probably badmouthed you to her too about this (her reaction is bonkers otherwise.) You do NOT want to be tied forever to this bellend. You are worth so, so much more.

Loyalty is everything.

MaskingForIt · 03/09/2020 12:20

He’s just not that into you.

This relationship is already over and he is setting himself up with this other woman. He’s even asking your permission to be with her.

Take control and get rid of him. Plenty more fish in the sea.

NoPointInWednesdays · 03/09/2020 12:28

@Sall85 I could have written this myself 6 years ago. He would go on nights out with his pals and not come home, say he was going on a night out with work colleagues ( we both worked in the same place ) and I wasn’t invited, it was just a boys night, had to work late, was going to visit his parents but only wanted to go on his own to spend quality time with them but yet if I ever went anywhere he had to know where I was who I was with and if I didn’t answer the phone to him for what ever reason he would then phone the people I was with to speak to me ( including my 86yo grandmothers house when I went to visit her bearing in mind he never wanted to come ). Made the stupid mistake of going through with the marriage and 4 months after we did I caught them doing the deed ( a girl that we both worked with and I could tell she really liked him but I trusted him whole heartedly) we were divorced less than 6 months after we were married.

Now I have bought my own house, with an amazing guy and have a 2 month old daughter. Go with your instincts please don’t let him manipulate you. I was with him for 5 years so I know it’s hard to walk away and I’m not saying your bf has done anything...yet but for the lies to start with says to me that he’s not to be trusted. Hope your ok x

june2007 · 03/09/2020 12:32

If I wanted to go on a camp with a group of friends and my partner stopped me then yeas i would be upset. I can understand your upset about the day out but that this is in a group setting not one one one. If you want to carry on your relationship I would trust him and let him go. If you feal he really is having an afair or at least in danger of then cut your losses. Don,t not let him go then carry on if though everything is fine as it,s not.

reader12 · 03/09/2020 12:55

I think that, maybe unknowingly, he’s manipulating you into the role of controlling mummy number 1, to match his controlling mummy number 1, because that’s all he knows. In this world, he’s the innocent put-upon victim of a controlling woman and he never has to behave a grown-up or take any responsibility for anything. And by issuing this ultimatum you’re accepting the role he’s written for you. If he can’t recognises& talk about how unfair he’s been to you I don’t think you have a happy future together, no matter whether he goes on this trip or not.

thepeopleversuswork · 03/09/2020 12:57

@reader12

I think that, maybe unknowingly, he’s manipulating you into the role of controlling mummy number 1, to match his controlling mummy number 1, because that’s all he knows. In this world, he’s the innocent put-upon victim of a controlling woman and he never has to behave a grown-up or take any responsibility for anything. And by issuing this ultimatum you’re accepting the role he’s written for you. If he can’t recognises& talk about how unfair he’s been to you I don’t think you have a happy future together, no matter whether he goes on this trip or not.
Nail on the head.

If you marry this man you will spend your life issuing ultimatums, wiping his arse, generally being his keeper. And you'll be caught in an appalling triangle with his family.

And that's before you get to the trust issues which tend to suggest that you're not compatible anyway. The trip is just a flashpoint, underneath it you don't trust him and he doesn't appear to respect or value you.

Time to knock it on the head.

cattasaurus · 03/09/2020 12:58

just split up. If my partner said i couldn't go out for the day hiking then i would just say "my life my decision" likewise the camping he doesn't need to ask permission. If he wants to go he goes if you don't like that then it is either enough to end a relationship over or not. The last thing you need is for it to be brought up again and again under the banner of "trust issues". If my partner tried to control my life like that then i wouldn't hang around.

Zilla1 · 03/09/2020 13:15

Sorry to hear that, OP.
It looks like there's an onion ring.
Partners should trust each other and shouldn't be controlling.
But look at the next layer - the lie about spending the day and then the camping trip with that colleague. And that colleague who has criticised you and he's not been sensitive to your feelings nor, it seems, stood up for you with his mother and this woman.
Ultimatums aren't great but what would the alternative be here? Reminding him he can treat you like this. I doubt it will get better with this colleague, other situations or his mother. You're doubting yourself too which isn't great.

If you're a trainee solicitor then think about a negotiation with a counter-party. Don't let him shape the narrative or frame things so you are in the wrong.

See what he decides to do about the camping trip (no one needs to go on a camping trip with colleagues, especially that colleague) and don't fold or you will have a lifetime of feeling worse than this.

If you stay with him, you might need to give some thought to managing your in-laws so he has your back. It won't get better if you want children and are more dependent on him financially, especially if the MIL sees you as a money-grabber. PMSL at the credit card jibe.

By the way, he should want to spend time with you on a day off if it suits, not consider going fishing with a colleague.

If you marry, I suspect at best, you'll have a bumpy ride with your DP who doesn't seem sensitive to your feelings and in laws. At worst, he is or will be having a fling with this woman or the next.

Good luck.

HooverWhenTheCoastIsClear · 03/09/2020 13:15

@Sall85

I honestly have no idea why they would ask him if he was safe? It's totally bizarre.
Probably because he's been playing victim just like this girl seems to be very vocal about your control freak behaviour. Where would she get that from if he wasn't spouting garbage at these people.

He's untrustworthy. Get rid.

JaniceBattersby · 03/09/2020 13:29

This is not the man for you OP.

It’s completely understandable you’d not want him to go on a camping trip with someone he had a day out with and lied to you about. It’s not controlling.

If he gave a shit about you he’d not want to hurt you. Turns out he doesn’t care whether you’re hurt or not, as long as he gets to go camping with his mates.

I think you can do better than this.

DalzielandPaxo · 03/09/2020 13:32

I suspect he may be enjoying all this, @Sall85.

He’s enjoying that you’re ‘jealous’ and unnerved by this woman. He’s enjoying that this woman clearly fancies him. He’s also enjoying the ludicrous attention from his mummy, who seems obsessed with him (the WORST kind of mother in law).

It sounds like mummy has raised a right little narcissist. I’d truly consider running for the hills because this man child will make you deeply, deeply unhappy.

RedHelenB · 03/09/2020 14:18

If you changed the sexes I think you would get different answers. And in what way is he a narcissist?

I agree that not wanting to do stuff with you on a day off seems a bit unusual. Do you usually do and enjoy things together?

RhymesWithOrange · 03/09/2020 14:39

The problem is not the trip, it's the lie. Framing it as controlling is disingenuous.

Might be worth spending some time apart so you can each work out your priorities and what's important to you.

FudgeBrownie2019 · 03/09/2020 14:46

@Sall85

That's what he keeps saying. That splitting over a camping trip is excessive. But to me him putting this trip above my feelings hurt and trying to gain trust again seems excessive. The trip seems to mean so much to him.. I can't understand that.
This is him trying to gaslight you. There are no wrong reasons to split up with a person. I'm not proud of this but I once split up with a boyfriend because he dream cheated on me and I was furious - I honest to goodness could not get over it (I've matured a little since). You can dump him because his hair looks odd, because his habits piss you off, because he makes weird sounds when he eats, because he doesn't like cats, because he thinks Iron Man is the best Avenger (clearly it's Cap), there are a million reasons to end a relationship and someone telling you great big whopping lies is a definite reason.
ChristmasFluff · 03/09/2020 14:59

He doesn't have your back, and you aren't splitting over a camping trip.

You are splitting because he is a liar who badmouthed you and allows this woman (he lies to see) to do the same. And then goes on a camping trip with her for good measure. You are not being unreasonable at all.

You are splitting because he should value your relationship more highly than this woman or a camping trip, and he doesn't.

The controlling one in this relationship is HIM

countbackfromten · 03/09/2020 15:35

You deserve so much better @Sall85. I had an ex who did similar and the gaslighting wore me down so much until I barely recognised myself. He is manipulating you and his behaviour is awful.

Rainagain72 · 03/09/2020 16:01

Not entirely buying the line about him being ‘afraid’ to tell you he was going hiking with this friend. It does sound like she fancies him and whether it’s reciprocated or not, he shouldn’t allow her to speak badly of you...we want the people we love to be well thought of not slagged off.

Ditto his Mum..and I find the ‘are you safe’ a bit unnerving..makes me wonder what he has said exactly. The lot of them sound unpleasant.