Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

DH threw sentimental toys away

256 replies

VSadMum · 15/06/2024 19:16

My DH has an issue with throwing things away without speaking to me first. If he tidies up in our house he just bins stuff without checking it first. He’s binned my passport and other important documents before now. He promised me that he would stop doing that. God forbid if I threw away so much as a paper clip that belonged to him.

About a month ago our 3 y/o DS got hold of a sharpie and you can imagine, he drew on a lot of his toys. He also drew on some toys that had belonged to my older son (21 y/o) that had been passed onto him. I read up that acetone can remove sharpie and put the toys and stuffed toys into bags in the downstairs shower room that we use for storage. I specifically told my DH that I was going to try and get the sharpie off. I’ve been busy, we’ve been on holiday etc and I have two young children who I look after, I hadn’t got round to cleaning the toys up.

There was also a sweet little bear made up of fabrics from clothes I bought for a baby I later miscarried. I liked that my subsequent children played with that bear. I imagined my grandchildren playing with those toys and that bear one day. I wanted to clean it without destroying it so I’ve been looking online for how to do it, so yes, a month later it was still all sitting there, not in the way or anything.

So today I found out he just took it all to the tip. It’s the sentimental value of some of these toys I am most upset about, especially the bear. I can’t replace them. If I had wanted them binned I would have done it myself in the first place. He didn’t ask me about it, or tell me he was going to do it. He told me afterwards. I am very upset, particularly about the toys that belonged to my older son and the bear. (Not his son) They were all really nice wooden toys, a train set, stacking toys etc. there was nothing wrong with them except some sharpie on them. They were quite old and the sort of things I wanted to keep.

He said he did me a favour going to the tip (I asked him to take some stuff from the garden) and I had no right to be mad with him and now he’s sulking. I’ve asked him time and time again to stop just throwing things away. He’s forever binning my things, because he’s decided I don’t need them or it’s rubbish and he always says it’s “accident.” He can’t understand why I’m upset. I’m very upset and mad because he KNEW that I wanted to clean them up. He’s acting like I’m being silly and unreasonable, I don’t think I am. I keep imagine all those well loved little toys sitting in a skip and I’m genuinely so, so upset. I genuinely believe he did it on purpose, as he’s now saying it was accidental. How can it be accidental?

Am I making a big fuss about nothing?

OP posts:
GooseClues · 15/06/2024 19:34

There is no way the passport was accidental because why tf was he going through YOUR desk in the first place?

It’s abuse and control. You need to be firm and tell him to get out of the house now and not return without that toy bag. If he refuses I’d bin all of his stuff and divorce him.

RandomMess · 15/06/2024 19:35

I had this issue with my DH but not quite as extreme.

He binned my childhood doll as she looked tatty.

I was heartbroken. Managed by fluke to get a replacement on EBay.

He has been better since. What frustrates me as that I'm happy for him to make me sit there and go through "stuff" that he wants to get rid of and say yes/no.

He has eventually got the message.

NoSquirrels · 15/06/2024 19:35

OP, I don’t know if this will help but I was listening to a podcast I like recently and they discussed how in Japanese culture there is a belief that sometimes our ‘things’ can take our place to save us from pain - lost objects are somehow protecting us from something. The episode summary is here: https://gretchenrubin.com/podcast/482-how-to-handle-a-hard-transition-a-toys-hack-and-discussion-of-our-most-popular-ideas/

Perhaps this loss will serve a purpose in protecting you in the future, because your husband’s actions and reactions are telling you information you need to acknowledge.

How to Handle a Hard Transition, a Toys Hack, and Discussion of Our Most Popular Ideas | Gretchen Rubin

We use Halfway Day as a catalyst to reflect on how we’re doing with our aims for 2023. Each year, we choose a one-word theme, make a list of “23 in 2023” things we want to accomplish, and give ourselves an annual challenge, such as “Go Outside 23 in ’2...

https://gretchenrubin.com/podcast/482-how-to-handle-a-hard-transition-a-toys-hack-and-discussion-of-our-most-popular-ideas/

Beautifulbythebay · 15/06/2024 19:36

Well I know what you need getting rid of....

FluffyJellyCat · 15/06/2024 19:38

I'd be regularly ruining and binning his stuff and brushing it off. Getting butter on clothes, getting his tech spilled with juice and laughing it off.

Tell him you put your wedding ring in a pot by the sink and it's gone. Watch him empty the outside bin etc while you watch him.

SOxon · 15/06/2024 19:41

OP I’m sorry for you, its made me sad too.
Your husband would have sought these treasure out.
This is deliberate.
Passport?!

I have similar stories, triggering for me, shudder.
This is wilful destruction of property, punitive measures,
which will only resolve themselves with your departure.

The man is a menace.
Hide your jewellery if you can.

INeedTheStuff · 15/06/2024 19:42

He did not accidentally throw away your work folder and passport either. He did this on purpose too.
100% go to the skip tomorrow as soon as it opens and make DH climb and sorry thought stuff. I would be as upset as you

WhisperGold · 15/06/2024 19:46

Bin him.

theowlwhisperer · 15/06/2024 19:47

I normally disagree with the usual pile against a DH on here,

but in this instance, he's a selfish inconsiderate bastard.

His actions are not acceptable full stop
but the lack of sympathy and telling you "he did you a favour". Twat.

This cannot be just a little disagreement, you can't treat someone that way. You deserve not to be heartbroken because of him, you really deserve for him to show you he cares. Or it's time to rethink your life.

Candleabra · 15/06/2024 19:48

I’d be utterly heartbroken too. I honestly don’t think I could get past this. I’m so sorry for the loss of your precious toys snd memories.

theowlwhisperer · 15/06/2024 19:49

FluffyJellyCat · 15/06/2024 19:38

I'd be regularly ruining and binning his stuff and brushing it off. Getting butter on clothes, getting his tech spilled with juice and laughing it off.

Tell him you put your wedding ring in a pot by the sink and it's gone. Watch him empty the outside bin etc while you watch him.

is that really the way anyone wants to live though.

All jokes aside, it's a marriage, not a war. It's funny in War of the Roses, not in real life. Marriage should make you happy, or there's really no point.

Partyatno10 · 15/06/2024 19:49

saltysquid · 15/06/2024 19:30

Yes this!

This 100%. Twat needs a dose of of his medicine

JurassicClark · 15/06/2024 19:49

Go there first thing tomorrow and see if you can retrieve it. I've been successful in the past when two bags got mixed up and something important got binned instead of the fabric recycling.

Roundroundthegarden · 15/06/2024 19:51

Yanbu, that is unforgivable actually. You told him specifically about this. He still does it. I think he's doing it maliciously and purposefully.

noctilucentcloud · 15/06/2024 19:55

From a purely practical point of things, go to the tip as soon as it opens tomorrow and see if the workers there can help. At ours there's also a local charity shop at the dump that takes any reasonable stuff and reuses it, so if there's anything similar at yours that's also somewhere to check. I'm really sorry you've lost the bear in particular, I can see why your really upset.

MadameDePompityPomp · 15/06/2024 19:55

yeah, definitely a cunt.

IncognitoUsername · 15/06/2024 19:56

The passport ‘could’ have been an accident. This is deliberate- he knew what was in there and that you had plans to restore them. They were not his things to throw away. I couldn’t get past this tbh.

OhcantthInkofaname · 15/06/2024 19:58

It's not an accident - it's a matter of control. He is showing you who's boss.

SOxon · 15/06/2024 19:59

as a heed the warning- a quote by Goethe
”Beware of those with a desire to punish”

as canny posters here have already advised you,
this is abusive behaviour, awful, distressing, power and control

be careful please, these things can quickly escalate, do not antagonise,
consider speaking to someone at Womens Aid, record this somewhere
(safe)

FuckoffeeBeforeCoffee · 15/06/2024 19:59

He's definitely doing it on purpose.

GrumpyOldCrone · 15/06/2024 20:01

I’m really struggling to believe this was an accident. And, since it’s not the first time, it demonstrates a total lack of respect for your property and your feelings, as well as a controlling streak.

I don’t know if I’d throw away something of his, if I were in this situation. But I would seriously consider it.

theowlwhisperer · 15/06/2024 20:01

A big hug, a deep apology and him rushing to the tip to try to find the items should be the only reaction.

Sulking and shrugging your pain? Fuck no.

That's not a marriage.

Susah · 15/06/2024 20:01

I am the child of a dad who did this and I'm an adult (with kids) and this still makes me so so sad that I have no toy to pass on or show my dc.

My mum went mad but it was too late.

I'm nc with my dad now- not due to this but many other things.

Your DH is out of order. All I can suggest is hide/ store hidden any of your dc things you want to keep.

BirthdayRainbow · 15/06/2024 20:01

OhcantthInkofaname · 15/06/2024 19:58

It's not an accident - it's a matter of control. He is showing you who's boss.

Who he thinks is boss..

theowlwhisperer · 15/06/2024 20:02

GrumpyOldCrone · 15/06/2024 20:01

I’m really struggling to believe this was an accident. And, since it’s not the first time, it demonstrates a total lack of respect for your property and your feelings, as well as a controlling streak.

I don’t know if I’d throw away something of his, if I were in this situation. But I would seriously consider it.

I would seriously consider if I want to spend the rest of my life with someone treating me like this.

I am not talking about packing bags and going, but I would start thinking.