Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Give me a shake. My heads in a tiz

33 replies

BillieB1987 · 06/01/2024 17:39

Question is, AIBU to split up the family over these issues?

Background, been together over 20 years. Its almost like ive had an epiphany. Im thinking, were both 40s and ive grown up and hes not.

both work full time, kids. Married 10 years this year. I have big resentment in that he has never really stepped up. Like i say, we both work but i tend to do all kids related stuff inside/outside the house. For example i do all running around with kids to school, clubs, mental load, bath/bedtimes. I do all the cleaning in the house too. He says he does stuff but its a joke. If i ask him to wash up (washing up in our house is at least twice a day), he makes a song and dance over it. He does cook but this is all done around drinking and so often we eat late (after 9pm) for meals that should take 45 minutes max to cook. Plus i get left with a kitchen full of washing up.

We are like strangers in the house. We share a room but dont have sex (~2years). My decision. I almost feel like its the part of me he cant have, i give myself to everyone else, why should i give him that when he doesn’t help around the house/with kids. Plus ive got the ick and struggle to have feelings in that way for someone i have to mother along with the kids. Hes always been a selfish person in hindsight. He doesnt plan ahead to days out as a family/holidays, yet always planning nights away/days out with his mates. Today hes gone out for the day to a hobby, spent the morning getting ready, then out for mid day, wont be home until later tonight. Drunk

his drinking is in my opinion, ridiculous. He drinks daily and Christmas has been probably double what he normally wouldve drank. I gave up drinking when we had kids as someone of course needs to be in control to deal with them. Im not bothered and actually was never a big drinker. He holds down a full time job but when he gets in at night, he opens a beer and i dont see him all night. Weekends he probably starts drinking around 1pm to bedtime. He won a bottle of whiskey in the pub Christmas raffle and i just groaned that he is the last person who shouldve won it.

with his drinking he can be at times argumentative, we tread on egg shells, slams doors if someone pisses him off (doesn’t take much), will shout at us/swear. Its pathetic really.

ive tried to talk to him about the drinking and how it affects us/how it will affect him etc. he tells me that because i dont drink i feel like its a lot but everyone will drink like this. That im making a problem when there isnt one. Hes fine etc. ive said clearly this is who he is, i dont want this anymore and its my choice to end it. He just doesnt get it. Ive been accused of having an affair (like ive got the time!!! Im either at work or with the kids!)

ive told him im not happy and would like to split. He cant get his head around this and almost burys his head in the sand. Why am i splitting up the family, theres no problem, im mental. All adults drink, its what they do. Im the anomaly here. In fact, when it came to nye, he had been drinking during the day and then started a charector assassination on me saying how boring i am not drinking, boring because were not going out (i was ill but happy for him to go out).

sorry this is long, ill stop now but could go on and on

OP posts:
BillieB1987 · 07/01/2024 00:04

Im England. Ok feeling a bit more positive now ive posted. It was all getting on top of me and i was starting to panic. I agree, once you feel the resentment its always there. Ive tried a few times to let things go and hes promised to change a few things but its always gone back, hes half heartedly tried and given up because he clearly never really wanted to change in the first place

OP posts:
knowsmorethansnow · 07/01/2024 00:36

If he won't leave because he won't tell his family can you tell any of them?

BillieB1987 · 07/01/2024 10:43

knowsmorethansnow · 07/01/2024 00:36

If he won't leave because he won't tell his family can you tell any of them?

Im going to have to i think. It needs to become reality now. Ive given him enough time to get his head around it/make changes if we really meant that much to him

OP posts:
Quitelikeit · 07/01/2024 10:47

God your life sounds like hell. It’s a new year, a new start and it’s time to pack his bags?

Drop them at his parents?

squirrelnutkin10 · 07/01/2024 11:13

I cannot believe you have stayed until this point op! He is horrible on all counts and a lousy husband and father.

Tell everyone you are divorcing due to his drinking and absence in family life, just say it to everyone. Then pack his bags and tell him to go to relatives.

Start the divorce. Good luck

BillieB1987 · 07/01/2024 17:21

squirrelnutkin10 · 07/01/2024 11:13

I cannot believe you have stayed until this point op! He is horrible on all counts and a lousy husband and father.

Tell everyone you are divorcing due to his drinking and absence in family life, just say it to everyone. Then pack his bags and tell him to go to relatives.

Start the divorce. Good luck

I know. When i write it all down it reads a sad tale doesn’t it. Its gotten worse over the years we were young when we got together, i thought it was all fairly normal and in our 20s we were out pubs/clubs every weekend. He just doesn’t seem to have grown up, hes still drinking like he’s 18. Its quite amazing really hes not got health problems.

i spoke to his mum today about us splitting up. She was devastated. I got the feeling she doesn’t believe me about his drinking. She was almost making excuses for him about well everyone likes a drink etc i didnt go into too much detail about the moods/anger and slamming doors as im hoping she will offer him her spare room!!!! Didnt want to put her off!

OP posts:
squirrelnutkin10 · 07/01/2024 20:52

Things creep up over many years, and as you say when we were all young the heavy drinking culture was normal but once you have children to consider things have to change..sadly some men never step up and we make excuses for them but this is clearly untenable....you will be much more at peace without him.

Onelife2024 · 07/01/2024 20:57

I was in this situation and I’m so much happier now we’ve divorced. Go for it - the freedom to give your children a happy home and to be yourself is priceless.

New posts on this thread. Refresh page