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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Is Ex H exhibiting huge double standards

22 replies

boymum9 · 22/08/2021 21:09

Ex H (still not divorced, hopefully will be finalised soon) and I split up nearly 3 years ago. I have been in a relationship for the past 2 and a bit, he is a wonderful man and we have a great relationship and I feel extremely lucky to have met someone like him, he is very different to ex h.

Ex h and I had a messy breakup, if you look back through my threads some of it comes up in my posts, he stalked me, hid a camera in my bedroom for a year among many other things. He was very controlling but in subtle ways other people unless really really close to me didn't noticed. He is a huge liar and still constantly lies about the most random stuff now. We now coparent well enough for our 2 children.

When I met my now partner, it was still quite close to our separation and ex h didn't take well to it at all, to the point he even went into partners work to spread lies about me and him. He still hates him. 2 years ago he set out many rules about him meeting our children, only after at least a year, never in my (MY!) house, not near bedtime etc etc etc...! I agreed at the time, I didn't realise at the time but I had been conditioned by his controlling behaviour, gaslighting and now from what I have been told narcissistic personality trails, not the disorder itself. In the end, we waited 18 months for him to meet my children, and only then it's been v brief meetings, in the park etc. Even at this point it's not much more than that, he's been over to my house when they've been here twice for about 15 minutes and that's it.

Over last couple years Ex h has been in quite a few "relationships". One finished about 4/5 months ago, and now there is someone else who also has a child. My ds told me that the other week they all spent the day together at a festival. I immediately bought this up with ex, not getting angry, but calmly said this was huge double standards and my partner and I have been together over 2 years and has barely met them, mainly because of the rules he insisted on and also partly because a lot of the legal stuff of my divorce is not finalised and I am worried about angering him..!(because he has form for this). He eventually told me they'd met her previously, and now they often do things together and go out for food etc, normal things which my partner and I have not yet done again because of ex h "rules" and how he gets with me when anything upsets him, he is very difficult. He tried to tell me that they actually started seeing each other a long time ago, but I know of at least 2 other relationships he's had during this time frame.

I'm just so sick of being manipulated by him like I have been for so many years, I don't know what to say or even how to stand up for myself when I'm scared of how he'll react and how that could effect the very complicated legal side of our divorce.

AIBU to just be so so sick of his behaviour? He treats me with no respect, I could list for days the things he's done over the last 3 years.

OP posts:
CallmeHendricks · 22/08/2021 21:15

If he's managed to lead this life with a new girlfriend for so long without you knowing, what is to stop you bringing your new man around more from now on? Does the ex need to know?

LavenderPink · 22/08/2021 21:21

Just ignore him controlling your current relationship. As long as you are moving at a pace you and the kids are happy with he is irrelevant.

boymum9 · 22/08/2021 21:26

The problem is is that he'll do things like randomly turn up, he gets all his work deliveries delivered to my house (because until divorce is finalised we both still own it), he's been known to drive past my house to see if partners car is around so could be here, and in these cases he'll for days go silent, be really difficult, start arguments etc, and this behaviour now doesn't bother me but I worry about him being difficult with finalising the financial side of the divorce if he gets his back up (we own property and a business together, he's hidden money already throughout the process so far, wouldn't disclose bank statements which has pushed things back nearly a year and cost me a lot of money), even my lawyer suggested partner not being too involved until everything was signed.

I guess I'm just so frustrated because I just want to live a normal life with my partner and children and for them to start to know each other properly, after this long I'm just so exhausted and frustrated

OP posts:
Hankunamatata · 22/08/2021 21:32

You need to keep him sweet by the sounds of it until your divorce is finalised. Utterly frustrating but play the long game

Whatinthelord · 22/08/2021 21:41

I have no idea about the legal side of things in terms of your relationship with your new partner.

However I would not have thought there was any need for you to discuss your relationship with your ex. I’d just stop engaging with your ex about your new relationship. The only things you need to communicate about are the children, house and finances...until the divorce is settled.

How do these conversations about your relationship even start. As far as I’m concerned when the kids are with you it’s up to you who they see and how you parent. Like wise for him. Unless there are any safeguarding issues the shouldn’t be a need to comment on each other’s relationships at all.

Sounds like you are trying to be reasonable with an unreasonable person. It’ll never work. Have you tried the grey rock method?

Theunamedcat · 22/08/2021 21:47

I had to keep my ex sweet till he signed divorce papers i can shut the door in his face now though

boymum9 · 22/08/2021 21:55

@Whatinthelord he will just start commenting whenever the opportunity arises. Drop off pick ups etc. I never comment on his relationships or say anything, I only know what he just offers up to me, he'll just tell me things completely unprompted, I do my best to not make any comment to him about what he says.

My partner is very worried about how his unreasonable behaviour could effect the divorce and how difficult it is for me so because of ex doing things like turning up randomly etc he's very cautious about coming to mine while children are here incase that happens and ex h reacts badly.

I just can't get over that it's been nearly 3 years and I still feel I'm treading on eggshells with him, I don't feel I can live a normal life yet, I worry about everything I do setting him off, yet never once has he had to worry about me reacting badly to anything he's done, even with the hidden camera and stalking and other things he basically got away Scot free, but at the time I was so conditioned I didn't feel I could act any differently and stand up for myself more.

From what I understand I do use the grey rock method when communicating with him, but perhaps I don't do it well enough

OP posts:
Theunamedcat · 22/08/2021 22:02

Get someone to ring your phone every drop off so your busy

Your boyfriend can park elsewhere cant he?

Speak to the solicitor about adding costs onto his side if possible if he causes anymore delays

boymum9 · 22/08/2021 23:03

He could park elsewhere by exh lives very close by and has been known to drive around the streets looking for his car before!

OP posts:
Comtesse · 22/08/2021 23:48

What will it take to finalise the divorce? Sounds awful this level of control persisting over time…

Whatinthelord · 22/08/2021 23:57

@boymum9

He could park elsewhere by exh lives very close by and has been known to drive around the streets looking for his car before!
Sorry if I am being vacant op but why do you worry about him ‘ owing your boyfriend is around your house. How will that affect the divorce. Sounds like he’s is very unreasonable anyway and likely to make things as hard as possible regardless.
Whatinthelord · 22/08/2021 23:58

Sorry that was mean to be knowing not owing

Theunamedcat · 23/08/2021 07:34

Shame his car has broken down and will be staying on your drive till its repaired

LannieDuck · 23/08/2021 08:51

How far off completing the divorce are you?

DysmalRadius · 23/08/2021 08:58

It sounds like your ex is a dick and his reasons for imposing rules are all wrong, but I do think that a relationship you entered shortly after your marriage broke up is a little different from one that has begin a couple of years later.

Either way, slow and gradual introduction to a new partner is better for the children, so even if that isn't why he suggested it, it was probably the right thing to do at the time, so hopefully that's some comfort.

boymum9 · 23/08/2021 15:19

Hopefully it will be completed in the next couple of months.

I am fine waiting a little longer, we've already waited 2 years, I never wanted to rush anything so feel fine with the timescale we've stuck to, I just am really sick of his double standards, he was so adamant and my behaviour but hasn't stuck to the same thing with his partner, who is new in his life.

I worry about him knowing when my partner is around and how it'll affect the divorce because we're in a quite complicated area in terms of the financial settlement and what ex h may or may not agree to (he has been very financially controlling since our split; he earns a lot of money, drives an expensive car, owns multiple properties, from a business we own 50/50, but I have been a sahm since our dc were born, he doesn't see this as a valid thing to do, so he left me with our credit card bills which I obviously couldn't and am now in a bad financial position)

OP posts:
Dixiechickonhols · 23/08/2021 15:41

Concentrate on getting divorce pushed through. Don’t contact him. Why contact him re what child said? He was hardly going to say you are right I was wrong imposing conditions I’m such a controlling man. You still sound very engaged with him and what he thinks of you. You need an agreement re children and stick to it. Before contacting him think is this absolutely essential. So what if he texts saying I see dp is there? Ignore. Don’t hang around long enough to chat - depending on age of kids drop them at end of drive. If he’s at house collecting have them ready all out of door have a lovely weekend kids and shut door. Do look into post abusive relationship counselling.

boymum9 · 23/08/2021 16:09

You're right I am too engaged, and probably shouldn't have contacted him re what dc said, it was out of frustration really for the years I had stuck to his "rules".

I always have the dc ready to go if he's picking them up but he'll walk past me into my house and start wondering around, do things like stand at my bedroom door and look in etc. When I pick them up from him I've asked countless times to have them ready but they never are. They're young so not a drop at end of drive way situation yet

OP posts:
Dixiechickonhols · 23/08/2021 16:31

It’s difficult as you both jointly own the house. I’d be doing everything you can to get divorce through and house sold so you can make a fresh start. Can you stand with children on path outside and wait. Then there’s no reason for him to enter. If they are not ready when you ring bell at his say ok I’ll wait in car and come back in 5 mins. If need be speak to your solicitor. He’s controlling even though you have left. Best wishes it sounds like you are nearly there.

REignbow · 23/08/2021 16:47

You need to report him to the police. He’s hidden a camera in your bedroom and stalked you. You do realise that he’s still stalking you now? Driving past your house, getting deliveries sent to your home and looking for you partners car…?

This is a crime! He’s also using coercive control (which is also a crime), and is being financially abusive.

Your solicitor sounds useless. Please contact WA and get advice from them. Please put in a claim for CMS and apply for any benefits you can.

Your STBEXH will continue to do this even after your divorce.

girlmom21 · 23/08/2021 16:55

Get a better solicitor and get this divorce pushed through as quickly as you possibly can.

RainyMondays · 23/08/2021 16:59

I agree about reporting him to the police.

Stalking is a crime that should be taken very seriously (even though the police often sadly don't do much about it) He is still stalking and controlling you now and you should take steps to protect yourself as soon as possible.

Is he a reasonable parent? I find it hard to believe his abusive and controlling behaviour begins and ends with just you.

As far as the divorce, what would he do if you didn't keep him on side? It seems strange that he has such power to change your settlement based on his own whims.

Like pp said, hasn't moved on in 3 years. He won't suddenly stop when you're divorced.

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