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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

I don’t know what more I can do

177 replies

PinkUser · 25/01/2025 00:14

I’m not too sure what I’m hoping to gain from posting anything here, I think I’d just like some perspective that I’m not going insane.

My partner and I have been together 4.5 years. We have a 3 year old and I am 4.5 months pregnant with our second.

I work part time, 2.5 days (having given up a very well paid full time role to have our child). I look after our child 1 day a week one of of my 2 weekdays off, and the other day she is at nursery and the day is dedicated to housework / chores / “working for the family”.

I am responsible for all the housework in the house, laundry, cooking, cleaning, shopping, making beds, organising bills, and do the vast majority of the care for our child. I do bedtimes every evening, only I take her to and pick her up from childcare. I take her to her classes on the weekend. I make and clean up all her meals. (Please don’t mistake that as me doing that begrudgingly. I adore her - just for an idea of how domestic things are split.)

2/3 of my wage are for nursery fees and our family car, house insurance and minor bills which totals around £1200. The remainder is for my personal bills (phone etc). Our mortgage, utility bills, council tax, food shopping and holidays and paid for by my partner. He owns his own business and earns around 6 times my income.

Our Relationship is generally great, but occasionally come these outbursts which feel like a complete character assassination. I am called insults, lazy, sworn at, and a liar for lying about the amount of jobs / chores I am completing on my day of work for the family.

He doesn’t sleep in the same bed as me anymore, and has recently made comments (when going through my first trimester - rough!) that I’ve let myself go and I need to make more of an effort with myself.

i dedicate every hour of my Friday to cleaning our sizeable home, car, and doing all the invisible workload.

This evening before bed he asked what I’d done all day. He said I was a liar and nothing had been done, that I was watching tv or sleeping (I wish!).

In reality I’d take some bits over to a poorly relative on my way home from the nursery drop. Cleaned out our car and cleaned all apholstery. Cleaned the house and bathrooms. Hoovers the stairs, cleaned the windows, 2 laundry loads. All bedrooms and done a food shop, between the hours of 9:30-3:30.

picked our child up and of course played and made her dinner. He arrived home maybe 2 hours later to a home cooked meal.

i can provide timestamps and pictures of things I’d done but he’s says he’s not interested, that I’m lazy and I’m a liar.

Am I deluded? Am I lazy? I feel like I’m starting to go crazy and that I need to document my day as proof to him. I have never ever given him a reason not to trust me and I don’t understand any of this.

please help me

OP posts:
MissMoan · 25/01/2025 01:17

He is abusive. The way he is treating you is awful. Can you leave?

PinkUser · 25/01/2025 01:19

TwistedWonder · 25/01/2025 01:16

The thing is that knowing someone as a friend is not the same as really knowing them as a partner.

Ive got male friends who are absolutely brilliant mates but would make dreadful partners. It’s a completely different dynamic

Absolutely. I can certainly recognise that a friendship and romantic relationship are different dynamics. But while you’ve been able to identify that those friends would make dreadful partners, that wasn’t my experience. I truly believed we would be perfect for each other - which very much hurts to say this evening.

thanks for taking the time to post :)

OP posts:
Oodiks · 25/01/2025 01:20

TwistedWonder · 25/01/2025 01:16

The thing is that knowing someone as a friend is not the same as really knowing them as a partner.

Ive got male friends who are absolutely brilliant mates but would make dreadful partners. It’s a completely different dynamic

Yep, this, I'd known my now ex-husband since we were teenagers and he'd always been lovely. I was desperate to have a child and got pregnant within a couple of months of moving in together and it changed our whole relationship for the worse. We had our ups and downs, but the downs got progressively worse until I finally ended it 3 years ago.

RogueFemale · 25/01/2025 01:23

@PinkUser The truth, and the dawning of the truth, is going to hurt.

PinkUser · 25/01/2025 01:24

Coldanddamp · 25/01/2025 00:47

is the house in both your names?

It is xx

OP posts:
ilovemyspace · 25/01/2025 01:25

@PinkUser First post nailed it.

OP you are in a very unequal relationship and it sounds like you're sensing that things may not be right, but just need some back up that what you're feeling is right and is what you should be feeling.

You are definitely right to feel the way you do - there is absolutely nothing unreasonable about it at all!

This link may help you make up your mind

https://www.womensaid.org.uk/information-support/the-survivors-handbook/im-not-sure-if-my-relationship-is-healthy/

...........have a read and see if anything rings true for you.

If it does (and, to be honest, it should) then the website also gives you a phone number to give you further help and advice.

I think you've posted in AIBU because you already think that what's happening isn't right, but need a bit of back-up.

Honestly, your instincts are right!

But, sometimes it takes a while to fully recognise it. And even longer to fully process it and understand it.

So, take as long as you need - but in the meantime keep asking questions and keep researching, so you have as much information as possible.

He IS abusing you - no doubt.

Abuse comes in many forms - and if a partner is making you feel uncomfortable about who you are and the effort you're putting in to your shared life and makes you feel you're not good enough, calls you lazy and a liar then that is abuse

  • or to put it more simply, it's a question of why stay with someone who thinks so little of you?

Why does he stay with you? - he stays with you because he can make you do what he wants to make HIS life comfortable. It doesn't really matter to him what YOU feel because he knows you'll always give in to him.

The answer isn't as simple as 'just leave him'.

You have to come to terms with it first and then decide the best way forward. You need to change your way of thinking and believe that you ARE right in not wanting to live with someone like that.

But, the fact that you've asked the question here is the first important step - you've recognised thst something isn't right, you've identified that you're not happy with how he makes you feel.

Build on this and keep asking questions.
Keep asking if his behaviour is reasonable or not
Keep looking at ways to leave so that you're financially secure.

Knowledge is power. Once you have all the information you need, the decision is easier x

I'm not sure if my relationship is healthy - Women’s Aid

The Survivor’s Handbook provides practical support and information for women experiencing domestic abuse, with simple guidance on every aspect of seeking support.

https://www.womensaid.org.uk/information-support/the-survivors-handbook/im-not-sure-if-my-relationship-is-healthy

RogueFemale · 25/01/2025 01:26

PinkUser · 25/01/2025 01:24

It is xx

Are you sure, have you seen the paperwork? (or checked online)

Whathashedonethistime · 25/01/2025 01:26

I’m so sorry OP. This is not normal at all. It shouldn’t be like this.

TwistedWonder · 25/01/2025 01:28

https://www.freedomprogramme.co.uk/online.php

OP - take a look at this link. The Freedom Programme is a really good and worthwhile place to start understanding red flags.

fixingmylife · 25/01/2025 01:33

TwistedWonder · 25/01/2025 01:04

It actually makes me sad the number of threads on MN where women are in horrible, controlling, abusive relationships with repulsive pricks and they always ask ‘what more can I do? How can I make him change? How can I get through to him? etc

This is because they are in the middle of being gaslighted. I'm also shocked by the number of men who think women are there just to be their personal skivvy, Almost like it is their human right.

endofthelinefinally · 25/01/2025 01:35

You need to leave him and you need legal advice asap. It is a huge mistake to give up a good career without the legal and financial protection of marriage and your partner has taken advantage of that.
You said you are both on the mortgage.
How is the ownership of the house split?
You need to find all the documents relating to the house and copy them to show the solicitor.
Are the bills and council tax in joint names or just his?
Is he on your child's birth certificate?
I am so sorry OP.
He is abusive.

Yalta · 25/01/2025 01:39

What exactly does he do

Whst does he bring to the table that you wouldn’t get if you split up

He would either have to pay CM and 50% of nursery fees or have dc on a 50/50 basis

You are already doing the rest

RogueFemale · 25/01/2025 01:40

@PinkUser I am a people pleaser by nature, I grew up with an emotionally and psycho abusing single mother and craved approval from her, so I guess maybe this relationship for a long time has felt was love is very much meant to be like. Proving your worth to someone.

Yes, it's possible you are repeating the pattern of behaviour you learnt from your mother. It would explain why you tolerate your partner's abusive behaviour and also can't understand it. But this is something you need to explore with a qualified therapist.

endofthelinefinally · 25/01/2025 01:40

I suggest you report your post to MN and ask them to move this thread to relationships.
Their are loads of threads on there that are worth reading and lots of very knowledgeable posters.
(AIBU can attract some less than kind posts, although this hasn't happened so far).

Gremlins101 · 25/01/2025 01:44

What a nasty man. I'm sorry OP 💐

anon4net · 25/01/2025 01:44

@PinkUser you are being abused. He is abusing you. I know it's not as simple as hearing those words and leaving. But you need to do something now to protect yourself - speak to your GP, a trusted friend or family member. This is not normal or safe in a relationship and it will escalate. It doesn't matter that you were friends for years - many many people are friends with domestic abusers and don't see that side of them, that's sort of how abuse happens, often in the quiet intimate spaces with a front for everyone else...

You need help. You need out.

Quinlan · 25/01/2025 02:19

Do the freedom programme.

BeLilacSloth · 25/01/2025 02:42

I don’t work due to my DD’s special needs and you do far more housework than me. When DH comes home the living room is trashed as every toy is out and cleared up once she’s gone to bed. Dinner is cooked once he’s home or he cooks as it’s something he wants to make.

I am far ‘lazier’ than you yet I would be so so hurt if he spoke to me the way DH speaks to you. You deserve so much better OP, I hope you can find a way out and move on. How he’s treating you is not normal.

Teenyweenytinytrees · 25/01/2025 02:54

He is a horrible, horrible man and this is only going to get much worse.

I don't say this lightly, you need to leave.

MeTooOverHere · 25/01/2025 03:00

TwistedWonder · 25/01/2025 01:04

It actually makes me sad the number of threads on MN where women are in horrible, controlling, abusive relationships with repulsive pricks and they always ask ‘what more can I do? How can I make him change? How can I get through to him? etc

It actually makes me sad the number of threads on MN where women are in horrible, controlling, abusive relationships with repulsive pricks and they always say "We have an amazing relationship, he's an amazing partner, etc" and I roll my eyes.

raya223 · 25/01/2025 03:14

This is exactly me at the minute. I was reading it thinking my life so identical to yours. My partner is the same.

ilovemyspace · 25/01/2025 03:20

@raya223 This is exactly me at the minute. I was reading it thinking my life so identical to yours. My partner is the same.

Have you been having any thoughts of getting out of your relationship and living free? x

JMSA · 25/01/2025 03:21

He's really horrible, OP SadFlowers

KimFan · 25/01/2025 03:53

I think your relationship is the furthest thing away from “generally great”. Your husband an abuser. Time to open your eyes and see it.