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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To think my boyfriend is being a prick?

184 replies

MissSqueak · 30/04/2024 18:12

Today I got upset because I told him I was coming home, rather than staying at work late like I usually do on a Tuesday. He said “okay that’s fine”. He used to get super excited when I wasn’t working late, and I sometimes get really sensitive about wording. As in, my boyfriend thinks saying “that’s fine” is interchangeable with and the same as “that’s great, can’t wait”.

I know it’s something I’m very sensitive about and I’m trying to change.

He flipped and shouted at me, saying “oh don’t start this word thing again”. I thought the way he said this was really rude and nasty. I tried to explain to him that yes, I didn’t realise what I was doing and I didn’t mean to, but I was sorry.

He then wouldn’t apologise for saying something mean without ending it with a “but”. He denied this and said I was doing the same thing.

I tried to explain that I acknowledge what I did wrong, but it’s the way he said it that upsets me. That he comes to me so overly critical rather than telling me kindly what I did wrong.

He just doesn’t get this at all??? He said he did nothing wrong and that I’m trying to flip everything into him, that I can’t just take accountability without letting him know what he did wrong. He doesn’t seem to understand that actually he does stuff wrong too. He said he does, but he genuinely thinks I’m just “flipping it on him as a defence mechanism”. That I can’t accept that I did something wrong without us both doing something wrong.

He then hung up on me and said he “can’t talk to me when I’m like this” and “maybe I should’ve stayed at work”

im so hurt but I can get very sensitive and clouded sometimes so maybe I am in the wrong. Help???

OP posts:
DonnaBanana · 30/04/2024 18:15

You shouldn’t be having conversations like this on the phone if you’re both a bit touchy, much easier in person when you have the body language. Send a text next time and leave it at that

MissSqueak · 30/04/2024 18:16

It’s just the fact that he genuinely thinks it’s ok to say things really critically rather than putting things in a nicer way. He genuinely justified it multiple times

OP posts:
ComtesseDeSpair · 30/04/2024 18:17

It sounds as though you’ve been together for some time? Being “super excited” for your partner to come home has a shelf life, ultimately. If DH expected me to send / make excited and enthusiastic text messages / phone calls about him coming home and then got upset about it when I didn’t use the right words I suspect I’d get pretty frustrated and snappy as well. You might be “sensitive”, but it’s not his responsibility to treat you with kid gloves all the time because of that - it’s for you to work on.

FortunataTagnips · 30/04/2024 18:18

Are you expecting him to bounce up and down like a puppy just because you’re coming home from work?

pictoosh · 30/04/2024 18:19

Ehmmm...to be honest I can see why he got fed up with and snapped at you in the first instance. "Sensitive to wording" = needy and hard work, to me.
Annoying to have your casual responses regularly picked apart and made a drama of.

I can't comment on the rest...it's a bit confusing.

TiredHippo · 30/04/2024 18:20

You sound really needy to be honest, I know you've said you're trying to change, you could have started with this, by not bringing it up in the first place.

Idontjetwashthefucker · 30/04/2024 18:21

Good Lord, I think there's a lot of growing up to be done here

Notsoflirtythirty · 30/04/2024 18:21

Yeah I'd get a bit annoyed and have done when apparently I don't seem "excited to see him" ( this was in our early day's) now its just a cool see you soon. Some day's I long for him to come home late so I can watch what I want on TV. Doesn't mean we don't want to see each other or love each other

KittyCollar · 30/04/2024 18:23

Couldn’t he have just said “ok great”? “That’s fine” comes across as he doesn’t mind and he’s giving permission

BrendaSmall · 30/04/2024 18:24

You sound really needy!
I don’t tell my partner if I’m going to be home early or later that I usually do!
How old are you both?

DrJoanAllenby · 30/04/2024 18:24

He's getting bad tempered with your neediness.

DottieMoon · 30/04/2024 18:25

YABU. I understand why your BF would be frustrated. You need to work on your over sensitivity.

NeverHeardOfSuchTosh · 30/04/2024 18:25

You sound like hard work, OP. Needy.

ThirtyThrillionThreeTrees · 30/04/2024 18:26

I couldn't deal with this at all. It's too much drama over absolute nonsense.

If he is anything like me, you will be absolutely wrecking his head.

CadyEastman · 30/04/2024 18:26

I think I would have gone out at that point and let you come home to an empty house. I can see why he's not overly thrilled.

IamII · 30/04/2024 18:27

I can understand him being annoyed; it's something like a form of manipulation to 'expect' him to throw a party for you coming home from work, and have a go if you don't seem him celebratory enough.

How many years do you think that can last?

Spirallingdownwards · 30/04/2024 18:27

So at the moment 97% say its you not him. Perhaps take that on board.

StormingNorman · 30/04/2024 18:29

You sound like a nightmare. Your neediness is causing problems in your relationship. Just relax.

Coshei · 30/04/2024 18:29

Get a grip of yourself

Marblessolveeverything · 30/04/2024 18:29

Honestly you sound really hard work. Stop examining peoples responses forensically.

MrsElsa · 30/04/2024 18:30

Could he not just send a heart emoji in future?

I disagree with pp saying to get over it, life is shitty and hard enough. Your partner should be a positive oasis not more shittiness. But equally you shouldn't demand complex performative crap off him either.

So yeah.

Heart emojis

Stripeysocks1981 · 30/04/2024 18:31

YABU and hard work. What does he have to apologise for? You genuinely seem to think this is 50/50 when actually, it looks like you’ve created an argument over nothing (not for the first time), got upset when he has snapped at you then blaming him for his reaction. Honestly being with someone this needy would drive me mad, I could deal with it long term.

SmileyClare · 30/04/2024 18:32

Pick your battles. Anything that’s trivial like this is really not worth the angst.
If you feel like your feelings are a tiny bit hurt then take a breath and think Is it really worth a long conversation explaining to my boyfriend HOW IM FEELING AT EVERY GIVEN MOMENT

Taking your emotional temperature all the time and making a partner responsible for your moods is extremely wearing and I think your bf is losing patience now.

Forget the “row” and don’t drag it up again and I’m sure you’ll not spoil your nice evening off work x

If you are very insecure and sensitive then that’s your issue to deal with I’m afraid!

A partner shouldn’t have to walk on egg shells being careful how they word innocuous comments.

NeverHeardOfSuchTosh · 30/04/2024 18:33

CadyEastman · 30/04/2024 18:26

I think I would have gone out at that point and let you come home to an empty house. I can see why he's not overly thrilled.

Exactly. OP has got a lot of growing up to do.

DoesNotPlayWellWithIdiots · 30/04/2024 18:34

You haven't said what your response to "okay that's fine" was that made him so exasperated.
It does sound as though you do this quite a lot and I'd find it exasperating too. Neediness is draining.