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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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I think ive fucked everything up

496 replies

whatdidididido · 29/08/2024 14:38

Name changed ofc.

Ive been with my partner 2.5 years, but known him closer to 20. I have 3 teens from my previous marriage, ds19 and dds 18 and 15. Their father walked out and have been NC since 2014. Its just been me and them since 2014. About 6 months ago we started discussing partner moving in, paying 2 sets of living expenses just seemed silly. He would come here almost every other weekend anyway, but he lived and worked over 100 miles away so there was a big travel expense. But if he was moving closer, it would be in with us as he couldnt afford to live in my town as a single person. Me moving was never an option as my childrens lives are here.

So he moved in. About a week ago. Moved his job here, gave up his rented place, left his family and friends, and came here.

I cant do it. Little things are making me rage. I have a small 2 seater and a 3 seater sofa. I have always used to 2 seater, kids the 3 to watch tv, i dont want tv, i watch my laptop with a headset. He keeps sitting next to me on the 2 seater watching my screen. I feel like im under a microscope. I feel like a i cant breathe, its claustrophobic, i need space to relax. I suggested getting an arm chair or something for him and he looked at me like i kicked his puppy! We even set up his tv and games etc upstairs in the bedroom but hes not even gone on it. Just sits next to me expecting me to change how i relax and involve him. But thats my space and my way of enjoying downstime. I need my little sofa to my self as my own space.

I have no space generally. He has started his new job granted so is out in the day, however, i work nights in a very draining, physically and emotionally, job, i do 4 12 hour shifts a week so tend to stay in a kind of night time sleep pattern all the time. This means the time he is at work mostly im asleep. Then when im wide awake at home he is going to bed so my bedroom is out of bounds. Theres no where that is my space which ive had for 10 years. The bedroom was my quiet place away from teens on voice chat etc. now its gone. I have no place to go in my own home that feels like mine. The bedroom is taken over by him and his stuff.

Hes done no tidying or cleaning since he got here. On night i was away for the night with my 2 dds at a show. Came back and everything he used is in the kitchen unwashed. Ive left it still 2 days later in the hope he gets the message. He hasnt.

He has brought 5 times the amount of shit we discussed. My living room has no fewer than 13 boxes in it we have no where to move them to, and multiple pieces of ugly old furniture cluttering up the living room hallway landing and bedroom. Its disgusting old furniture. Sitting even in my living room, as well as being basically sat on top of and constantly watched, all i can see is boxes and a cabinet i want to burn. Its making me irrationally angry to the point o cant even talk to him. My home, and my kids home, has been invaded by stuff i never agreed to. When we discussed what he was bringing none of this shit in my living room was mentioned.

He told my youngest daughter off. This is the biggest. When we were getting ready to leave i said to dd15 to go and dry her hair as we had to leave in 45 minutes or so. Now despite long, and multiple conversations about how my kids dont need a new parent, they are mine, i deal with them, its been just us for so long that if this has any hope of working, he cannot come in and try to play parent to teenager's, he chimed in with "yeah dd name, get up now go dry your hair and get ready to leave and dont come back down till its done". This may not be any thing massive in the grand scheme of things, but the minute i left with them she burst into to tears about how he isnt her dad and he cant talk to her like that. I agreed. I apologised to her for not calling him out immediately, but i was taken aback he had said anything, as he knows my stance on this. They are my children, he does not get a say.

What do i do? Hes left his job, his home, his family, everything to come here. It was fine for the night twice a month as we did something, not normal family life. But a week in, i cant live with him, i cant do it. But i also cant tell him to leave.

Ive fucked up. Havent i.

OP posts:
MrsLeonFarrell · 31/08/2024 11:59

Wimbledonmum1985 · 31/08/2024 11:36

Agree. It sounds like a dismal, antisocial way to spend every evening. I cannot imagine it.

The people I know who play online play in groups and chat through the game. It's like playing a digital boardgame, you just don't have to be in the same place to take part.

AsYouWiiiiiiiiiiiiish · 31/08/2024 12:06

Firethehorse · 31/08/2024 03:56

I think you’ve both realised this isn’t working out as you each want it to be OP.
It reads to me like he has wanted to be with you for 20 years and was perhaps doing what you do mostly to be around you/noticed by you.
So he hasn’t paid his very small (1/5) rent and isn’t doing the housework you agreed beforehand and is now refusing to engage with your reasonable request to find solutions but is eating your cooking and trying to stamp his authority over your 15 year old daughter.
I can’t believe you are getting such a hard time.
At first I would have said try to set boundaries and give it time but he obviously never intended to pay his small share of rent and is ignoring the issues. This plus him leaving YOU to sleep on the sofa as he sleeps in the bed is all the info I would need.
Please get him to move out for your peace and sanity. The longer this lingers the more damage to everyone there will be.

I think you've hit the nail on the head.

He wanted her for 20 years and then the reality is hitting both of them.

Men are quite good at being part time chameleons to get a woman, but they can't actually sustain it on a 24/7 basis.

Nothingfree · 31/08/2024 12:08

With all due respect OP you need to talk to him and make him understand and set the boundaries telling us isnt sorting it. He needs to downsize or put in rented storage. A set amount of time each day/week that is yours without him near you . He cleans and tidys or gets a cleaner.

Communication is key and if you don't have this your fighting a losing battle, life is too short don't waste it Flowers

Tulipsareredvioletsarebue · 31/08/2024 12:57

AsYouWiiiiiiiiiiiiish · 31/08/2024 12:06

I think you've hit the nail on the head.

He wanted her for 20 years and then the reality is hitting both of them.

Men are quite good at being part time chameleons to get a woman, but they can't actually sustain it on a 24/7 basis.

But 20 years is a pretty long time to pretend that he likes gaming just to get the woman he does not respect .

Tulipsareredvioletsarebue · 31/08/2024 13:11

LaurenHutton · 31/08/2024 09:14

I mean I don't really think the OP is up for strumming a guitar or playing Mouse Trap after watching people die throughout her shift, but you've obviously not absorbed that bit. Nor the bit where he has known this about the OP for 20 years and used to game at the same time.

@Suzuki70

ohhh ok then so beautiful guitar music = really weird and ‘dark ‘ after seeing people dying but gaming is uplifting and oh so light and normal after ‘seeing people dying’ errr ok ….

Gaming does not have to be dark and not all games are about shooting/killing and death, you really need to get out from your cave more.

Bickybics · 31/08/2024 13:42

I have numerous friends who game online with friends, as does DD. Some people do it silently and some people do it all calls. I don’t know why passively watching tv would be better. When I need to switch off I listen to audio books and sew and not speak. Some people go running. People can spend their free time in whatever way suits them.

The fact he hasn’t actually paid you speaks volumes I think, and the fact he’s done no housework. He really thinks he’s moving in to be the 4th child.
Has he got somewhere to go? Usually people make more effort at the beginning, the fact he’s made no effort is shocking.

NZDreaming · 31/08/2024 14:38

@whatdidididido I don’t think you’re being unreasonable and I think you’re being unfairly attacked on here by people who are being obtuse in trying to understand your way of living.

From what you have said your partner has moved in and the following has happened:

  • moved in way more stuff than was agreed beforehand for which there isn’t enough space
  • is not pulling his weight with household chores
  • has not paid any bills
  • is interfering with parenting your children
  • cannot communicate civilly to resolve conflict and is stonewalling you
  • has completely changed his usual habits with regards to personal hobbies and your expectations of how he would spend his free time

Other posters seem fixated on the fact you have a hobby they don’t understand and need personal space to decompress from a stressful job that is now being encroached upon by your partner.

Yes you have to compromise and make sacrifices when moving in with someone but it sounds like you discussed everything in advance and your partner has completely changed what was agreed. It takes time to adjust to a new living situation but he’s made it much harder by moving the goal posts and expecting things from you that you never expected.

He has obviously given up a lot to move the relationship forward and commit to you but it does sound like he’s changed in the way he behaves in the process.

Clearly it was a mistake to go from twice monthly visits to full on living together. A trial run would’ve perhaps helped but ultimately you laid out what you were expecting and he’s trampled all over your boundaries and is not respecting you as his partner.

You need to have a conversation to ask why he has suddenly stopped his hobby, perhaps it was an issue in his past relationship and he thought he needed to give it up to make things work with you. However as he’s currently ignoring you I’d be more concerned about his poor communication and conflict resolution skills, which would give me concern going forward. It doesn’t bode well for the future that he can’t have an adult conversation about resolving the initial teething problems of cohabitation and instead is stonewalling you.

LaurenHutton · 31/08/2024 14:44

Gaming does not have to be dark and not all games are about shooting/killing and death, you really need to get out from your cave more

^ @Tulipsareredvioletsarebue

ohhh the irony!! I AM always out and about and living a full and real life! It sounds like you’re the one trying to justify a depressing anti social ‘hobby’ haha .. my ‘cave’ thank you for the giggle 😆

NZDreaming · 31/08/2024 15:05

@LaurenHutton @Wimbledonmum1985 @SpikyCoconut
and anyone else who needs to read this:

Gaming is a perfectly normal hobby for adults in 2024, whether they are married, single, parents, students, retired or working full time.

This is clearly a topic you have very little insight into, that’s ok but it’s not ok to attack someone and tell them they are strange, wrong, antisocial or abnormal for having a hobby you don’t understand.

Online gaming can be very social, communication with others about game strategy as well as just chatting. Gaming can also be done solo and headphones are worn to avoid distractions, listen to the game music, hear instructions or key plot points.

There are so many genres of games, much like music, you aren’t going to like them all and some resonate more than others. Some are dark and heavy, others are light and whimsical, some are challenging and complex, others are more relaxing and funny.

You can be a soldier fighting in battle, a zoo owner developing a prosperous park, a pilot flying around the world, a football manager, a parent accidentally turned into a doll trying to be made human again, an ancient ruler building a city or a plumber trying to rescue the captured princess. Games can be platform, simulation, role play, first person, puzzle, strategy, racing or sandbox.

Gaming is no different to reading a book, listening to music or watching tv. It’s a way to switch off your brain from real life and decompress, relax and enjoy yourself. No one is having a conversation while they read or watch a film so why is gaming any more antisocial than these activities?

Gaming doesn’t mean you don’t talk to your family, have dinner together, chat about your day or want to spend time with your loved ones. It’s just one part of a persons life, much like any other hobby or relaxation pursuit. It’s no more a waste of time than any other form of entertainment.

Just because it’s something you don’t personally enjoy or understand doesn’t mean other people can’t.

Itsabitweirdinhereinnit · 31/08/2024 15:30

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gamerchick · 31/08/2024 15:45

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Ah I dunno, I think it's pretty funny. Imagine wading into a conversation you know fuck all about and making a tit of yourself. Then doubling down. Still not knowing what you're talking about. Grin

Kjpt140v · 31/08/2024 16:33

whatdidididido · 29/08/2024 14:38

Name changed ofc.

Ive been with my partner 2.5 years, but known him closer to 20. I have 3 teens from my previous marriage, ds19 and dds 18 and 15. Their father walked out and have been NC since 2014. Its just been me and them since 2014. About 6 months ago we started discussing partner moving in, paying 2 sets of living expenses just seemed silly. He would come here almost every other weekend anyway, but he lived and worked over 100 miles away so there was a big travel expense. But if he was moving closer, it would be in with us as he couldnt afford to live in my town as a single person. Me moving was never an option as my childrens lives are here.

So he moved in. About a week ago. Moved his job here, gave up his rented place, left his family and friends, and came here.

I cant do it. Little things are making me rage. I have a small 2 seater and a 3 seater sofa. I have always used to 2 seater, kids the 3 to watch tv, i dont want tv, i watch my laptop with a headset. He keeps sitting next to me on the 2 seater watching my screen. I feel like im under a microscope. I feel like a i cant breathe, its claustrophobic, i need space to relax. I suggested getting an arm chair or something for him and he looked at me like i kicked his puppy! We even set up his tv and games etc upstairs in the bedroom but hes not even gone on it. Just sits next to me expecting me to change how i relax and involve him. But thats my space and my way of enjoying downstime. I need my little sofa to my self as my own space.

I have no space generally. He has started his new job granted so is out in the day, however, i work nights in a very draining, physically and emotionally, job, i do 4 12 hour shifts a week so tend to stay in a kind of night time sleep pattern all the time. This means the time he is at work mostly im asleep. Then when im wide awake at home he is going to bed so my bedroom is out of bounds. Theres no where that is my space which ive had for 10 years. The bedroom was my quiet place away from teens on voice chat etc. now its gone. I have no place to go in my own home that feels like mine. The bedroom is taken over by him and his stuff.

Hes done no tidying or cleaning since he got here. On night i was away for the night with my 2 dds at a show. Came back and everything he used is in the kitchen unwashed. Ive left it still 2 days later in the hope he gets the message. He hasnt.

He has brought 5 times the amount of shit we discussed. My living room has no fewer than 13 boxes in it we have no where to move them to, and multiple pieces of ugly old furniture cluttering up the living room hallway landing and bedroom. Its disgusting old furniture. Sitting even in my living room, as well as being basically sat on top of and constantly watched, all i can see is boxes and a cabinet i want to burn. Its making me irrationally angry to the point o cant even talk to him. My home, and my kids home, has been invaded by stuff i never agreed to. When we discussed what he was bringing none of this shit in my living room was mentioned.

He told my youngest daughter off. This is the biggest. When we were getting ready to leave i said to dd15 to go and dry her hair as we had to leave in 45 minutes or so. Now despite long, and multiple conversations about how my kids dont need a new parent, they are mine, i deal with them, its been just us for so long that if this has any hope of working, he cannot come in and try to play parent to teenager's, he chimed in with "yeah dd name, get up now go dry your hair and get ready to leave and dont come back down till its done". This may not be any thing massive in the grand scheme of things, but the minute i left with them she burst into to tears about how he isnt her dad and he cant talk to her like that. I agreed. I apologised to her for not calling him out immediately, but i was taken aback he had said anything, as he knows my stance on this. They are my children, he does not get a say.

What do i do? Hes left his job, his home, his family, everything to come here. It was fine for the night twice a month as we did something, not normal family life. But a week in, i cant live with him, i cant do it. But i also cant tell him to leave.

Ive fucked up. Havent i.

Well I don't know if you've fucked up, but he certainly has by moving in with such a selfish woman.

Suzuki70 · 31/08/2024 16:35

gamerchick · 31/08/2024 15:45

Ah I dunno, I think it's pretty funny. Imagine wading into a conversation you know fuck all about and making a tit of yourself. Then doubling down. Still not knowing what you're talking about. Grin

Still unsure why she replied to me and "quoted" me saying things I neither said nor implied about "darkness" to be honest.

Wimbledonmum1985 · 31/08/2024 16:46

NZDreaming · 31/08/2024 15:05

@LaurenHutton @Wimbledonmum1985 @SpikyCoconut
and anyone else who needs to read this:

Gaming is a perfectly normal hobby for adults in 2024, whether they are married, single, parents, students, retired or working full time.

This is clearly a topic you have very little insight into, that’s ok but it’s not ok to attack someone and tell them they are strange, wrong, antisocial or abnormal for having a hobby you don’t understand.

Online gaming can be very social, communication with others about game strategy as well as just chatting. Gaming can also be done solo and headphones are worn to avoid distractions, listen to the game music, hear instructions or key plot points.

There are so many genres of games, much like music, you aren’t going to like them all and some resonate more than others. Some are dark and heavy, others are light and whimsical, some are challenging and complex, others are more relaxing and funny.

You can be a soldier fighting in battle, a zoo owner developing a prosperous park, a pilot flying around the world, a football manager, a parent accidentally turned into a doll trying to be made human again, an ancient ruler building a city or a plumber trying to rescue the captured princess. Games can be platform, simulation, role play, first person, puzzle, strategy, racing or sandbox.

Gaming is no different to reading a book, listening to music or watching tv. It’s a way to switch off your brain from real life and decompress, relax and enjoy yourself. No one is having a conversation while they read or watch a film so why is gaming any more antisocial than these activities?

Gaming doesn’t mean you don’t talk to your family, have dinner together, chat about your day or want to spend time with your loved ones. It’s just one part of a persons life, much like any other hobby or relaxation pursuit. It’s no more a waste of time than any other form of entertainment.

Just because it’s something you don’t personally enjoy or understand doesn’t mean other people can’t.

You’re not convincing me. On the contrary it sounds even weirder than I feared.

NZDreaming · 31/08/2024 16:57

Wimbledonmum1985 · 31/08/2024 16:46

You’re not convincing me. On the contrary it sounds even weirder than I feared.

It’s not something you need to be convinced of, it’s a fact that it is a hobby enjoyed by many adults the world over and whether you approve or not doesn’t matter. There are plenty of hobbies others have that I may think unusual but I don’t have any need or inclination to tell them so.

The Op was seeking advice on her living situation and the potential she has made a mistake, not an attack on how she chooses to live her life or spend her free time. It’s unkind and unhelpful to derail the thread making disparaging remarks about something you don’t know anything about.

My point was it is unfair to put someone down just because you don’t understand a hobby they enjoy.

Edit: typo

Apolloneuro · 31/08/2024 17:00

@NZDreaming well said. I’m always so disappointed by people who lack the critical thinking skills to understand that people like different things. How boring would it be if we were all the same!

I wouldn’t walk to the pub down the road to see Oasis, but am happy for those people who are excited and have tickets.

Tulipsareredvioletsarebue · 31/08/2024 17:01

LaurenHutton · 31/08/2024 14:44

Gaming does not have to be dark and not all games are about shooting/killing and death, you really need to get out from your cave more

^ @Tulipsareredvioletsarebue

ohhh the irony!! I AM always out and about and living a full and real life! It sounds like you’re the one trying to justify a depressing anti social ‘hobby’ haha .. my ‘cave’ thank you for the giggle 😆

And yet to grasp the most basic concept that some people do their hobbies differently- this is indeed a depressingly shallow attitude.

SensibleSigma · 31/08/2024 17:06

Wimbledonmum1985 · 31/08/2024 16:46

You’re not convincing me. On the contrary it sounds even weirder than I feared.

That’s a you problem.

DS is louder, more relaxed and outgoing while he’s gaming than any other time.
I’m not into gaming, but I understand others are.

Where do you draw the line on acceptable hobbies? If she were going to her shed to paint, or pot, would that be ok? What about sewing, sat at a sewing machine for a couple of hours every evening? If he had a train set in the loft he headed off to, would that be ok?

I can’t imagine you’d question a male paramedic who decompressed after a shift by putting headphones on and sat, eyes closed, losing himself in music, or headed into the garage to do woodwork.

OP has a hobby that he shares and understands. Why can’t she decompress as she always has, particularly given that he can join her in doing the same thing- just not while leaning on her and looking over her shoulder.

SensibleSigma · 31/08/2024 17:09

Kjpt140v · 31/08/2024 16:33

Well I don't know if you've fucked up, but he certainly has by moving in with such a selfish woman.

Nasty. Luckily there’s an easy solution for him, he can fuck off where he isn’t sharing with a ‘selfish woman’.

Sadly he’ll have to pay his own way again instead of leaching off OP and relying on her for housekeeping services.

LaurenHutton · 31/08/2024 18:08

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tominwood · 31/08/2024 18:10

whatdidididido · 31/08/2024 00:21

Well thankfully, neither of you are invited to live with me now.

So I was until I wrote that message? 🤔

SensibleSigma · 31/08/2024 18:13

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LaurenHutton · 31/08/2024 18:14

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Tulipsareredvioletsarebue · 31/08/2024 18:19

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gamerchick · 31/08/2024 18:23

Seriously dude. There's a quote button right there.

how ‘classy’ are you? All these sad little people - i’ve really touched a nerve today haven’t I with you gaming people and look how defensive you all are?

Or do that.

I think you're mint me. Grin have even got the tone of voice for you and everything. Please don't stop.