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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Partner can’t understand why I’m annoyed with him

52 replies

Gardenfence22 · 18/03/2025 10:17

Hi, my partner has really upset me and I’ve tried speaking to him but he just shouts and dismisses how I feel. He’s made me seem like a right lazy cow to everyone he works with and I feel that’s far from the truth. He works from home and is area manager. It’s quite a long one so apologies in advance but I’m so down and depressed

basically got ready to walk my daughter to school (it’s 5 minutes from our house) I came downstairs and my daughter (9) goes to me “daddy’s taking me” I went oh ok that’s fine I asked my partner if he minded. He said that he wanted and was going to take the dog.
whilst he was gone, I done the washing up tidied the kitchen (always seems to bare the brunt on the school morning) done our 2.5 year old some breakfast.

anyway he got home on the phone to his planner and went to her “aw just got back (my name) made me a lovely coffee next to the laptop” then went on to say how he makes me coffee in bed every morning with a couple of biscuits and that he gets up at 3am every morning or silly o’clock everyday.

absolute lies!! So I told him so, I’m not going to stand there and made to look like a lazy bitch… if it was a meeting and not a general catch up and a chat I would of just bit my tongue but absolutely no way am I going to take him telling a random women rubbish about me and the things he does to make him self look amazing. He went “oops! I better go I’ve pissed her off I think”

a bit of background, we have 3 children all 3 of our children have additional needs varying in care needs…. The younger 2 are very severe, youngest is non verbal, smears, doesn’t sleep and needs constant supervision I’ve given up my job to care for them. And in turn it’s made it possible for him to progress in his, I am super proud of him in the space of a year he’s gone from working on the tools to being area manager of a big company and I always tell him this. But I’m not gonna lie this career progression has turned him into more of an arrogant prat than he was to start with.

when we just had our girls (13 & 9) I was having to leave work early at least twice a week to go and sort her out mid meltdown and go back. He never did because his own words “he’s the main breadwinner and earns the most so it’s more important” at the time he was self employed and I didn’t drive so it would of been a little easier for him to go than me. Because of this and also due to childcare I didn’t return after maternity leave.

with our eldest he was attentive but with the other 2 I can count on both hands the amount he’s got up in the night with them. He says he doesn’t hear them but yet telling this women he gets up every morning at 3…. The younger 2 don’t sleep (that’s despite medication for our 9 year old) I’m tag teaming them constantly throughout the night… on average I get around 3-4 hours sleep. I have scoliosis, arthritis, also in the process of having emergency scan on my pancreas as I’m really unwell at the moment. I can’t take my medication at night as he doesn’t look after them, when I say anything he says “I can’t help it if I’m tired” if I say I’m tired or in pain I get “we’re all tired and in pain”
He goes to sleep whenever he fancies in the evening. To put it into perspective, when our 2 year old was born I caught MRSA and was rushed to hospital seriously ill, I didn’t find out I had it till he was 4 weeks old (that’s another story) I had to make arrangements with the hospital to have him with me despite being so ill because I couldn’t guarantee he would wake up to him needing a feed or changing.

I do 99% of stuff indoors… I can’t remember the last time he say cleaned the bathroom or off his own back on a weekend offered to make dinner or take the kids out. Friday just gone I was in agony so made it clear to him he’s going to have to get up in the early hours of Saturday if they wake up. Our 2 year old woke at 3am didn’t go back off till 5am my partner decided not to go back to sleep but to stay up. Because of this he was understandably tired… 3:30 he took himself to bed for the whole day and didn’t wake till midnight moaning he was hungry. Had something to eat then went back to sleep till 9:30. Even with all that sleep on the Sunday all I heard was how tired he was how he had a headache etc.

as much as I love my children more than anything in the entire world, and will always care for them and advocate for them. Being a 24/7 carer to 3 disabled children is taking its toll on my mental health. I’d love to go back to work and be me not just mum for a couple of hours…. But he told me I didn’t need to and then when I suggested a weekend job I was told no because that’s family time. But yet he can put in the odd weekend when he fancies. When I’ve brought this up he tells me to go get a job he doesn’t care what I do… but yet he makes it impossible.

another time recently he told me when I was crying because my son had smeared poo all over the living room for the second time that day (I left him to get a drink from the kitchen). I then got moaned at for leaving him I said so am I meant to just sit here all day and he said yes that’s my job to do that.
how am I meant to get housework done? If I do it in the evening I get told we need a cut off point…. So I stopped rushing around tidying up let it build up a bit was then told by him “ no we can’t have a cut off point”

im drowning in life and when I mention it I get made to seem like it’s in my head and then get the silent treatment for days. But when he upsets me, he expects acting overly chatty and happy to me after I’m meant to just bounce back and forget. Out of all the things he’s said and done this morning has really got to me, he’s literally made it sound like I’m living my best life whilst he’s working to a complete stranger.

OP posts:
Chuchoter · 18/03/2025 10:24

'he just shouts and dismisses how I feel.'

I didn't read much past that.

If he can't communicate with you like an adult then your relationship will never improve and will only get worse.

I would give him an ultimatum of let's sit down and discuss this reasonably or we are done.

Gardenfence22 · 18/03/2025 10:38

Chuchoter · 18/03/2025 10:24

'he just shouts and dismisses how I feel.'

I didn't read much past that.

If he can't communicate with you like an adult then your relationship will never improve and will only get worse.

I would give him an ultimatum of let's sit down and discuss this reasonably or we are done.

Thankyou, I have said things along the lines of this before. Nothing changes he can’t see he’s done anything wrong.

on occasions I’ve told him to go, he’s driven off and then came back hours later…. Trying to act all normal. But he then lets little things slip, like one time this happened he looked on right move but it’s very expensive where we live and said to me I hope we’ll be ok because it’s really expensive round here for a 1 bed place.

so part of me feels he’s just here because it’s convenient and he can’t afford anything else.

i know im happier on my own But i cant help but want those happy moments (which we do have) to last if thats makes sense.
when i ask him to leave he refuses, the house is in my name.

OP posts:
Threecopiesandabiscuit · 18/03/2025 10:39

YANBU Op, definitely not, your dh sounds so entitled and dismissive. I am sorry that you are understandably upset.

That incident of you having to take the baby in to hospital with you is really distressing to read.

I think anyone could advance in their career with someone at home doing all the heavy lifting.

It doesn’t sound like he is open to change either. Would he agree to marriage counselling? I don’t know if it would be appropriate as he sounds quite controlling too, but maybe someone else asking him if he thinks he is a good father might hit home?

Do you have any other support op? Family? Friends? Are you receiving what you are entitled to as a full time carer?

Were you thinking about your relationship long term when writing this? Are you worried that it’s not sustainable? Would you be better off or happier as a single parent?

I hope you feel better soon 💐💐💐

tropicalroses · 18/03/2025 10:42

He sounds like a prick, but I can't believe you kicked off like that whilst he was on a work call. It's completely inappropriate, and you undermine any arguments that you have as well and give him the moral high-ground.

Threecopiesandabiscuit · 18/03/2025 10:42

Op I’ve just read your update that the house is in your name. That is excellent and puts you in a strong position to separate from him if you so wish. It also makes you responsible for the mortgage though. Why is his name not on it too?

SwerveCity · 18/03/2025 10:42

He sounds like a complete knob OP.

Dellspoem · 18/03/2025 10:47

I’ve given up my job to care for them. And in turn it’s made it possible for him to progress in his

Why is this always the way. Sorry OP.

Threecopiesandabiscuit · 18/03/2025 10:47

tropicalroses · 18/03/2025 10:42

He sounds like a prick, but I can't believe you kicked off like that whilst he was on a work call. It's completely inappropriate, and you undermine any arguments that you have as well and give him the moral high-ground.

Oh I didn’t realise she said something to his colleague. I thought she said it to her dp!

Agree that’s inappropriate. I assumed that the work colleague didn’t hear what she said very clearly.

I can understand what made op do that though given what sounds like a lot of built up frustration coming to a head.

Ablondiebutagoody · 18/03/2025 10:58

You were ranting and raving in the background of a work call?! Appearing lazy is the least of your worries. You will have come across as nuts.

Gardenfence22 · 18/03/2025 11:09

Threecopiesandabiscuit · 18/03/2025 10:39

YANBU Op, definitely not, your dh sounds so entitled and dismissive. I am sorry that you are understandably upset.

That incident of you having to take the baby in to hospital with you is really distressing to read.

I think anyone could advance in their career with someone at home doing all the heavy lifting.

It doesn’t sound like he is open to change either. Would he agree to marriage counselling? I don’t know if it would be appropriate as he sounds quite controlling too, but maybe someone else asking him if he thinks he is a good father might hit home?

Do you have any other support op? Family? Friends? Are you receiving what you are entitled to as a full time carer?

Were you thinking about your relationship long term when writing this? Are you worried that it’s not sustainable? Would you be better off or happier as a single parent?

I hope you feel better soon 💐💐💐

Thankyou, no unfortunately I don’t really have anyone. I don’t have any friends I had a best friend but haven’t seen her since before Covid… I felt when I did meet with her for a coffee, I was made to feel bad it just fizzled out. I had another really good friend who I had stay at ours when she split with her partner…. Turns out he was slagging me off to her, sometimes like to day in front of me and was having an affair with her. I’m gonna sound stupid we had councelling and moved on from that and was in such a great place I’d say better than before. But it’s now worse than before.
we moved here so he could progress in his career and was closer to school so I could take them again (can’t drive due to a TIA I was told I couldn’t for 2 years since my last episode also when baby was 6 months old… in the space of 6 months I had a mini stroke and caught MRSA) left a house I loved to live in a house that needs loads doing to it and away from my neighbours who were like family.

I know that I would be happier on my own, but the thought of it scares me I’ve been with him since we were 15. It’s all I’ve ever known.

OP posts:
Gardenfence22 · 18/03/2025 11:19

Can I just add I wasn’t ranting, he was looking at me whilst he was saying all this to her on the phone. It wasn’t a work call as such it was on his private phone and they were talking about a programme on Netflix nothing to do with work at all. I just mouthed to him “are you joking, that’s rubbish”whilst I was washing up. She would of been none the wiser he’s the one who laughed with her and went “oops I’ve pissed her off”

and also appearing nuts you’re right I probably am nuts…. I’m absolutely mentally and physically exhausted, getting attacked daily by my disabled daughter, my son smears poop all over the house and I’m having serious tests at the moment. I’ve been to the doctors for anti depressants and referred to counselling, as I just do not know how to carry on with life anymore. The other day I was rolling around on the bed in agony and was told by him “bit of a coincidence that your mums backs bad, your sister isn’t well… you talk shit”

im not usually a person to something but i do everything for this family and he’s having a laugh and a joke at my expense.

OP posts:
Gardenfence22 · 18/03/2025 11:21

it’s a council property we moved in to and he had just started a new job and didn’t want to take the time off. Because we aren’t married I just had to put him down as living here , like i had to with my children as he wasn’t around to sign the tenancy x

OP posts:
Garlicgarlicgarlic · 18/03/2025 11:23

There is no point to the relationship, stonewalling and shouting is abusive and will be impacting your kids.

Focus on securing your future. This boyfriend serves no purpose.
Can you remove him from the 'lives here' section of the tenancy?
Are you getting all the relevant benefits you can for your kids?
Has the abusive boyfriend been paying towards your pension while you've been out of employment?

Gardenfence22 · 18/03/2025 11:28

I wasn’t ranting as such mouthed to him whilst doing the washing up “are you joking that’s a lie” they wasn’t talking about work stuff it was on his personal phone and they was talking about Netflix when he sat down at the kitchen table and said this. It was him who told her I was moaning and he’d pissed me off.

due to a past experience with him, I do refuse to let him badmouth me like that to someone. He used to do this to my friend and it turns out they was having an affair. I find it triggering

OP posts:
Gardenfence22 · 18/03/2025 11:30

No he has his own pension through work. I just get carers allowance now for my daughter.

he doesn’t in any way keep money from me we have a joint account which I’m free to use he has very well paid job and doesn’t ever begrudge me a penny. But I feel like this comes at a cost, like I’m a 24 hour live in nanny

OP posts:
Gardenfence22 · 18/03/2025 11:34

Thankyou I appreciate it probably wasn’t a great move. But I didn’t shout it I literally mouthed it to him whilst I was washing up and laughed. That’s when he told her “oops! Think I’ve pissed her off, I’ll give you a call back” if I knew it was a meeting or anything obviously I would have just ignored the comment. But it was on his personal phone and they was talking about a programme on Netflix at the time. Laughing and joking, nothing serious at all.

he speaks to all of them so lovely, then comes off the phone and talks us awful. Us as in me and our eldest

OP posts:
llovemermaidgin · 18/03/2025 11:36

Why are you actually withthis person if he's not on the tenancy and you're not married?

Lampzade · 18/03/2025 11:43

Something has got to give Op.
I felt exhausted reading about all the things that you have to do
If you decide that you want to remain in this relationship there have to be changes in the way things are done .
If care is not taken you will not be physically or mentally able to take care of the children and your dp will be left doing everything .
I hope that he is aware of this
A part time weekend job would be a great start. It would give you a break from the childcare duties , you would earn some money and your dp would get a taste of what you have to cope with on a daily basis
However, I suspect that your dp doesn’t want you to get a weekend job because he doesn’t want to have to take care of the kids as he knows how difficult this would be
You really need to lay your cards on the table Op before things get worse

EuclidianGeometryFan · 18/03/2025 11:55

The only thing stopping him moving out is that he thinks he can't afford to.

He was flirting with the other woman on the phone - right in front of you.

He will move out as soon as he can find a woman to have an affair with, and she lets him move in with her.

You need to get ahead of him. Start to plan how you will manage your life with him gone. Then when you are ready, kick him out.

Gardenfence22 · 18/03/2025 12:02

Lampzade · 18/03/2025 11:43

Something has got to give Op.
I felt exhausted reading about all the things that you have to do
If you decide that you want to remain in this relationship there have to be changes in the way things are done .
If care is not taken you will not be physically or mentally able to take care of the children and your dp will be left doing everything .
I hope that he is aware of this
A part time weekend job would be a great start. It would give you a break from the childcare duties , you would earn some money and your dp would get a taste of what you have to cope with on a daily basis
However, I suspect that your dp doesn’t want you to get a weekend job because he doesn’t want to have to take care of the kids as he knows how difficult this would be
You really need to lay your cards on the table Op before things get worse

Edited

id love a part time job, it’s a bit hard at the moment. As we moved here due to his new job to make things easier for him and then I can walk the children to school it’s on the edge of a small village and I’m unable to restart driving I’ve not driven for 2 years after having a mini stroke.

I’ve told him multiple times I’ve had enough and want him to go but he refuses x

OP posts:
pikkumyy77 · 18/03/2025 12:05

tropicalroses · 18/03/2025 10:42

He sounds like a prick, but I can't believe you kicked off like that whilst he was on a work call. It's completely inappropriate, and you undermine any arguments that you have as well and give him the moral high-ground.

Oh ffs. Way to miss the point!

Gardenfence22 · 18/03/2025 12:11

EuclidianGeometryFan · 18/03/2025 11:55

The only thing stopping him moving out is that he thinks he can't afford to.

He was flirting with the other woman on the phone - right in front of you.

He will move out as soon as he can find a woman to have an affair with, and she lets him move in with her.

You need to get ahead of him. Start to plan how you will manage your life with him gone. Then when you are ready, kick him out.

I know In terms of home life I’ll be fine on my own, I do majority of it all now. Financially might be tricky for a little while whilst everything is sorted.

but you’re spot on the only reason he refuses is because he can’t afford to. Or could afford to but wouldn’t be able to afford the lifestyle he’s accustomed to privately renting.

I feel so unappreciated, I’m not a child that needs praising but having to listen to him literally slag me off and lie whilst looking and smiling at me whilst he’s doing it has really upset me.

its frustrating im literally chained to living room all day. Have to plan when i get a drink, go to the loo etc because he’s overtaken the kitchen aswell during the hours of 8-5. We don’t have an office but we do have space upstairs where he can work. Our son is 2 and non verbal and just screams, when he goes to the office (when he feels like it) I feel free we have music on in the kitchen he comes and goes playing with his toys I potter about with him following me.

OP posts:
EuclidianGeometryFan · 18/03/2025 12:12

I’ve told him multiple times I’ve had enough and want him to go but he refuses.

As you are not married, and the place is rented in your name, he has no right to be there.

You could change the locks whilst he is out, and put his stuff in black bin liners on the doorstep. If he gets violent, call the police.

However, as you don't drive, it may be more useful to you to keep him around for now.
It is a matter of planning what suits you best, then finding the determination to carry out what you have planned.

MumChp · 18/03/2025 12:12

I would start to plan a life without DH. You can do so much better without him and the family home is yours.

Gardenfence22 · 18/03/2025 12:16

pikkumyy77 · 18/03/2025 12:05

Oh ffs. Way to miss the point!

I honestly didn’t shout I just mouthed to him whilst washing up that he was lying, he was the one that told her he’d upset me and come off the phone. It was just a chat they was laughing and joking talking about shows on Netflix.

The other week my partner told her he had football that night “tactical training in the pub” and her husband shouted out oh tactical training in a pub that’s one thing to call it mucking about.

as I said if it was a meeting I don’t even go in the room or a work call discussing work issues. I’m not a rude person I wouldn’t say anything.

sometimes he gets off the phone talking lovely to them but to me speaks like shit and our eldest daughter

OP posts: