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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Husband made lists about what I have done ‘wrong’

587 replies

IfIwasablackbird · 27/08/2024 10:24

We were in the car with the kids recently and I opened his phone to put google maps on. He was driving.
It came up with a list of things about me ‘No food shopping left Tuesday, nothing to cook for dinner’ and it went on, chores and things.
I asked and kind of ignored it as the kids were in the car.
When I asked later he said it was in case I brought up things he hasn’t done, so he’s made lists about me!!?!? I was so shocked.
I pointed out that I am not solely responsible for food shopping, he had actually done it that particular weekend.

We both work full time and it’s fair to say I do just about all life admin, all the school stuff, Drs, dentists, school uniform etc.
I then realise there are more lists, with stuff such as ‘went for a run, had to watch child2 while she went to have hair done’.

I’m just so hurt and upset and he sees absolutely no issue, won’t even apologise.

I can’t get past it and he doesn’t care. Basically it’s more convenient for him if I just pretend I didn’t see this.

Am I being unreasonable to feel this is a dealbreaker? It just shows a total lack of respect. We’ve been together 20 years and he has always been quite selfish but this is just next level nasty.

OP posts:
Fancycheese · 28/08/2024 22:33

Ouch. How upsetting and nasty. Sorry OP, mustn’t have been nice to see.

ClareBlue · 28/08/2024 22:37

The only thing you have done wrong happened 20 years ago.

mathanxiety · 29/08/2024 05:00

IfIwasablackbird · 27/08/2024 19:46

He’s not daft though, he’s already made a comment about not paying my mortgage until the kids are 18. 🙄

In some good news I have checked with my bank and even if he had half the equity from the house, I could still have the mortgage on my salary alone. However, I think he would rather force a sale than me and the kids staying settled. We shall see.

He's in for quite a surprise.

Please take the time to see a solicitor. Don't talk to him about it, and don't use anything your solicitor says to you in an argument with him, no matter how he provokes you.

I second the advice from PPs to be careful about your personal safety. This man hates you and has crossed a lot of lines already, leaving civility a long way behind him.

Women's Aid would be able to help you.
If you call and leave a message, they will call you back at a convenient time.
0808 2000 247

FarmGirl78 · 29/08/2024 08:18

Hey lovely, I'm sorry you're in this situation but you seem to be handling it like an absolute trooper! I'm so impressed with how strong and determined you're being. 👍🏻

I recently handled my partners divorce from his narcissistic ex, which was drawn out due to her appealing the divorce, so it was very long and drawn out.

Just a few basics if you haven't seen a Solicitor yet...

The divorce, financial settlement and child arrangements are 3 separate distinct issues to deal with. It's often best to pause half way through the divorce at the point of the 'conditional order' (the previous 'decree nisi' first bit) to do the financial settlement bit (it's to do with pension sharing orders, as the red tape means it's easier to divy them up while you're still technically spouses).

Not selling a house until the children turn 18 isn't usually a thing these days. Judges understand that parents are more 50/50 with care (I expected not in your case!) and so previous "mesher orders" meant the leaving party couldn't afford their own decent living arrangements, and so these days a complete clean break of all finances is seen as best, not going a divorced couple together until the house can finally be sold. HOWEVER having a child with disabilities, depending on the severity, is often the exception to this rule. You might be able to argue to keep the house with him paying the mortgage. When you say that you could afford the mortgage on your own and give him half the equity, in that scenario he wouldn't really be able to force a sale. That would only be if you couldn't afford to give him the equity. Forcing a sale is a really difficult thing to get agreed in court.

An expected split after a marriage of your length would be 50/50 but it's based on NEED rather than fairness. You split everything 50/50 and it only really varies from that if one party needs more to get by. Or if there's an existing Deed of Trust to do with house deposits etc.

There's 2 ways of doing the finances. The short mutual consent way, were you just basically trust each other to honestly list your assets and incomes etc on a simple form, state the split of everything as it is, and how you both agree it will be after the settlement, get a Solicitor to draw it up into a court order and get a judge to rubber stamp it. You can always get mediation sessions to help you discuss it and agree.

Or you can go the hard way if you don't agree, fill out a 40+ page document (the firm itself made me cry!), submit statements, proof of everything etc. You then employ solicitors to argue it out for you, or professional mediators, or can submit it all to court for a judge to decide at a hearing. For this bit it can get that mounting legal fees wipe out so much of the assets that I'm sure I remember that you have to keep submitting running totals of your legal costs with your paperwork. It might have changed though!

I handled everything myself for OH, did all his divorce submissions and got it through without a hiccup (after the bit where the nutjob ex appealed the divorce and then didn't turn up the hearing, meaning the judge threw her appeal out and agreed the divorce there and then). I did all his finances up to the point needing the solicitor to draw up the court order. If you decide to do your own divorce application and want to message me about anything then feel free. There's a certain way you need to phrase the examples of unreasonable behaviour if you want the best chance of getting them through without question. Since COVID the online process has got MUCH easier for normal every day folk doing their own divorces.

Good luck, best wishes and stay strong!

FarmGirl78 · 29/08/2024 08:22

Ps. Regardless of who does your financials and by which method, make 100% sure you get a clean break clause added to your draft court order. This prevents any party coming after the other for more money, eg in like 20 years time if one of you wins the lottery or sells a business for bucketloads.

IfIwasablackbird · 29/08/2024 09:06

He has asked if I’ll go to marriage counselling. I have said yes, I am concerned it looks unreasonable not to go.

He has asked today when it hit him last night that I’m not going to let him treat me this way. He was hoping everything would be back to normal after a few days.

I feel a bit cornered into going and in honesty don’t feel they can help, but it might be cathartic and won’t cause a huge delay.

OP posts:
Sugarcoldturkey · 29/08/2024 09:09

Be careful, OP, joint counselling is never recommended when one partner is abusive. Perhaps talk to the counsellor privately first? Or get your own 121 counselling alongside?

AllTipAndNoIceberg · 29/08/2024 09:14

Every wise piece of advice I’ve ever seen on this type of issue says you should not attend couples counselling with a partner who has narcissistic traits or is abusive or basically, if the power dynamic is ‘off’ in any way. They use the process to reinforce their views of the relationship.

Given the context of your situation, I would wager he 100% thinks it will benefit him, rather than you as a couple.

mamajong · 29/08/2024 09:27

This is weird. Is there a wider context I.e have you been arguing a lot lately about sharing the load at home? If not could he be planning to leave you and keeping notes for the divorce? You definitely need to have a deeper chat.

pointythings · 29/08/2024 09:28

You can go to marriage counselling, but you can use it as a way of keeping the divorce as low key as possible and not for anything else - it's about ending the marriage constructively.

He's now backing down because he realises you mean it about not putting up with it any more. If you back down now, he will be back to his previous behaviour in no time at all because he'll realise he can get away with it.

AmandaHoldensLips · 29/08/2024 09:39

I have a friend who went to Relate with her then DH. Her opening statement at the first session was - "I am here to navigate ending my marriage in a non-confrontational adult manner. My husband thinks I'm being unreasonable and that I should continue to put up with his frankly awful behaviour."

She's an amazing woman and I was so impressed with her. She went ahead with the divorce.

AmandaHoldensLips · 29/08/2024 09:40

And take The List with you!!!!

TimeForTeaAndG · 29/08/2024 09:40

Just because you've "agreed" to counselling doesn't mean you have to do anything to arrange it. Leave it entirely up to him if he's that bothered. If he asks just remind him he should organise it as it was his suggestion.

IfIwasablackbird · 29/08/2024 09:57

@AmandaHoldensLips that’s a good shout having a statement ready.

I honestly think they might say they can’t proceed once we start, but that’s not a bad thing to have happen.

I am not organising it. It’s over a week until my solicitors appointment. I have said I’ll go as long as he’s made the arrangement within the next week. (Appreciate the appointment might be after the week due to availability.)

OP posts:
IfIwasablackbird · 29/08/2024 09:59

And yes, he’s only doing this as he knows he can’t admin a divorce.

He actually said sorry last night, but that horse has bolted and he’s not sorry for how he’s behaved, he’s sorry he won’t have a skivvy any more.

He even tried the old ‘for the kids’, but of emotional blackmail to boot.

OP posts:
AllTipAndNoIceberg · 29/08/2024 10:17

‘For the kids’, it will be a million times better to demonstrate how to exit a toxic relationship and choose emotional safety (for them as well as for you).

alrightluv · 29/08/2024 10:35

@IfIwasablackbird yes he's only sorry for himself. He totally took you for granted. The only one who needs counselling is him. Although he won't actually think he's done anything wrong.

IfIwasablackbird · 29/08/2024 10:38

@alrightluv no, he’s very much of the opinion I’m entirely in the wrong.

I was thinking about it more last night and at 17 he introduced me to heavy drinking and drugs (neither of these things happen now).

At the time he was the age I was when we had our first child. By which point I was a fully functioning and responsible adult.

I wondered what a counsellor would make of that.

OP posts:
alrightluv · 29/08/2024 10:51

😳 That's shocking

alrightluv · 29/08/2024 10:52

As is often said on here it's pointless going to counselling with an abuser.

wrongthinker · 29/08/2024 11:07

Yeah, be careful OP. It's not recommended for go to counselling with abusers as they can manipulate the counsellor and use it as a way to get ammunition to abuse you further.

I think ideally you shouldn't go. But if he arranges it, you could attend a session and then decide not to attend anymore. If you have made your mind up about divorce, then what's the point anyway?

I hope you make it out of this awful relationship soon and safely.

PeggyMitchellsCameo · 29/08/2024 11:33

Do not go near couples counselling. He will use it as another way of getting the counsellor on his side using every trick in the book. He wants you to be compliant and a few apologies in front of a therapist are too late.
Go to your own therapy. Negotiate how to leave this awful, awful relationship.
He keeps trying to reset the tone to stay in control.
I know your instinct may be to go a couples therapist so they can ‘see’ what he is like but it’s a waste of time.
Talk to a therapist on your own to work through what’s happened.
You were very young at the beginning, you’ve yet to experience freedom as an adult. It will open up your world, and that is also the best thing for the kids!

whereisthelifethatirecognize · 29/08/2024 12:24

AmandaHoldensLips · 29/08/2024 09:39

I have a friend who went to Relate with her then DH. Her opening statement at the first session was - "I am here to navigate ending my marriage in a non-confrontational adult manner. My husband thinks I'm being unreasonable and that I should continue to put up with his frankly awful behaviour."

She's an amazing woman and I was so impressed with her. She went ahead with the divorce.

Absolutely brilliant. Calm, effective, straightforward and brilliant.

Frith2013 · 29/08/2024 12:29

Marriage counselling - I wouldn't bother.

IfIwasablackbird · 29/08/2024 12:45

I’m feeling quite down today.

More with the time it will all take.

Still in pyjamas with the kids, but they think it’s amazing to have a pyjama day.

OP posts:
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