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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

My husband is giving up on our 7 year old daughter.

506 replies

daddywoe · 05/10/2025 21:28

We have 3 children and our middle one is autistic and has ADHD.
Dh is stressed and struggling with her and today he told me he doesn’t love her.
He has always been such a hands on dad and we’ve always said how we need to be a team and get through the tough times together but he doesn’t care anymore, she tells him she hates him and doesn’t want to talk to him and he just said fine, I’m done with her.
I can see that he means it, he doesn’t care anymore and I think he’s ready to give up and walk away.
I feel helpless, I need him because I’m struggling too.

OP posts:
Lucy2586 · 06/10/2025 22:44

Nanny0gg · 06/10/2025 18:16

'Throwing her off a bridge'??

Monster

And I'd be terrified he'd do it

I actually watched a documentary just a few weeks ago where a father did this with his 4 year old in Australia. I was shocked but it does happen.

YellowMellow99 · 06/10/2025 23:25

GoldPoster · 05/10/2025 23:21

This sounds heartbreaking. But how can you love him?

Maybe because it’s not his fault?!
It’s a condition. He didn’t choose to be this way. If your child had a physical illness, would you not love them?!
@Thelifeofashowgirlx I don’t know if you thought about this, but have you tried homeopathy? If you tried everything and nothing worked, it might be worth a shot as it is a gentle method and causes no harm. I’ve worked (for our issues) with a couple of amazing homeopaths over the years, and they’ve successfully treated children with strong autism symptoms expression.
My heart goes out to you, what you describe is awful! It must be really hard to live like that!
My heart goes out to OP too! 💓

YellowMellow99 · 06/10/2025 23:28

💛 This is so true!

My husband is giving up on our 7 year old daughter.
Lucy2586 · 07/10/2025 00:13

YellowMellow99 · 06/10/2025 23:28

💛 This is so true!

100% I have learned some
lessons the hard way but now my DD is quite well regulated. Staying at her her father with his relationship breaking down was bad for her. I removed this. She has a long bubble after school and I keep our home calm. I try not to react to her outbursts and she is responding well. It was absolutely awful my ex was blaming my parenting i was upset an anxious and my poor child was completely overwhelmed by school pressures and moving to high school was the tipping point.

We are the adults no matter how hard we have no choice but to work with it. Granted my child doesn’t swear, is not violent towards me but could just blow up and just point blank refuse school. The school were pressuring me I have worked with them i get her in early to avoid the carnage of school yard. She eats lunch in a quiet area instead of the overwhelming canteen and she is improving massively.

My ex cannot cope he cannot regulate himself so I only feel ok with her spending a few hours a couple of times a week with him and she is happy with it. I sk get a break she goes to my mothers house every other weekend and she enjoys it. It has to be figured out. 1 year ago we were in total chaos.

TheCheekyCyanHelper · 07/10/2025 00:18

You can't. Seriously. I literally was that little girl growing up, and the ODD doesn't go away. I literally didn't do well in school, because I subconsciously was trying to stick it to my parents. It took realizing I wasn't going to graduate with my friends to turn things around. I still had to stay an extra year.

Lettie365 · 07/10/2025 01:15

Hi OP

I haven’t read all the replies but I just wanted to share my experience. I’ll probably be berated for it but hey ho. Our daughter 13 is newly diagnosed ADHD and potentially autistic. I am her whipping boy. We have had the year from hell with school avoidance, probable ODD and I just wanted to say I totally get where your husband is at. My husband sounds like you, - more able to cope with the outbursts but also perhaps in yours but definitely ours the vitriol is aimed at me. I know I’m the adult and it’s easier for those without SEN kids or even with ‘better managed, better behaved SEN kids’ to judge that I must always be the adult - and I perfect one at that and it’s exhausting. I have been battling PTSD from the trauma of raising her - I kid you not and a work situation and this kid amongst other overwhelming reasons resulted in my voluntary admission to a MH ward for a week. The reason behind my ramble is please don’t give up on him. He sounds a good man that is overwhelmed. I am a good mum who burnt out and I have said and thought som horrible horrible things to my husband about our situation and our daughter but are thoughts and feelings aren’t always true reflections of who we are just the pain etc. sometimes the words just mean we want things to change he or the pain to stop but we can’t always articulate it well enough. My behaviours would have had many declarations of leave her on this forum and believe me I’ve told my husband the same. He deserves better, the kids deserve a better mum etc but he is loyal and loving and kind and I hope we will emerge again on the other side. But my ending is horrible thoughts often don’t equal actions. He must trust you so much to have told you his feelings and he will have been so scared of them and the guilt and shame he will have been having will have weighed so heavy on him. If he is a good man he or you on his behalf need to reach out to SEND parent support groups. It can feel so incredibly isolating and knowing he isn’t alone and isn’t failing as a father (because in his head you can guarantee he thinks he’s not good enough, you
manage and cope why can’t he etc) may give him strength to keep
plugging on along with ideas and maybe some humour to keep slogging on until things get easier. Which they will. We found 7yrs old very hard then we had a good few years (but we didn’t have a diagnosis like you have) and then puberty hit and our world imploded. Had we had the diagnosis’ before I would have hoped we could have navigated the situation a lot better. Anyway sorry for the 1am ramble and I just hope you can take what you need from what I’ve said. If you love him and he’s a good guy try and love jim through this with some signposting to support services. If my husband have LTB I.e me, I don’t think I’d be here writing this message. All the best x

Rosscameasdoody · 07/10/2025 07:46

Lucy2586 · 06/10/2025 22:44

I actually watched a documentary just a few weeks ago where a father did this with his 4 year old in Australia. I was shocked but it does happen.

The figures for child homicide in the UK are given upthread. For him to be removed from the home there would have to be much more evidence that he posed a risk to the child than an expression of a thought at a time of high stress. He’s not threatening the child's life, he’s venting from frustration and exhaustion, not rage.

The OP hasn’t been back for two days now and likely won’t be. Once again MN has successfully chased an OP from their own thread by picking up on a detail and running with it to the exclusion of all else. In this case, despite posting for advice on holding her marriage together in circumstances that would quickly bring many people to their knees, the majority of the discussion has been around the perceived threat her DH poses to their DD, and she’s been advised variously that he’s a monster, has mental health problems, will eventually hurt his DD or worse and that she should LTB.

Speaking from professional experience, some of the ‘advice’ posters are giving OP is very far from that which she would receive if she sought help from the various support agencies. They have vast experience of the stresses and strains these circumstances can bring about and in the absence of any other risk factors, the expression of this thought in itself would not be enough to remove him from the home. The assessment of risk is factual and objective, not the emotionally charged nonsense happening here. The focus would be on providing support to keep the family together, which in most cases is by far the best option for all concerned.

Unfortunately resources are thin on the ground and patchy by area so accessing the right support is difficult, time consuming and exhausting. Families are left at breaking point for long periods. Over the years l’ve seen parents left trying to cope with fully grown adult children who are violent and abusive, because their behaviour is too challenging for most placement options. I’ve dealt with parents who have been repeatedly assaulted and have had to resort to putting locks on internal doors so that they can effectively barricade themselves in to keep safe while their child has a violent meltdown and wrecks the home. And this is just the tip of the iceberg.

Some relationships don’t survive these circumstances and the reality is that when they don’t, one parent is left trying to cope and still unable to access appropriate support unless they have private resources.

l have the strong impression that many posters here have no experience of these hugely challenging circumstances, because the ones who do, are those trying to give practical advice among the shouts of ‘monster’ and ‘make him leave’. And more recent posters are wading in with a new round of criticism and outrage without bothering to even scroll back a few pages and read the explanations some of us with professional experience have tried to provide.

I’m bowing out of the thread now. l think it’s incredibly sad that OP has been forced to abandon what could have been supportive and valuable input, instead of which, it’s become just another useless pile on. OP if you’re still here reading l would contact your GP to see what help is realistically available to you in your area as a matter of urgency. I also found the National Autistic Society helpful for local support, resources - link to their website is below. I would also think about self referring to social services and asking for support. It sounds very much as though you’ve reached crisis point and l do hope you manage to hold your family together.

https://www.autism.org.uk/

National Autistic Society

We are the UKs leading charity for autistic people and their families. Since 1962, we have been providing support, guidance and advice, as well as campaigning for improved rights, services and opportunities to help create a society that works for autis...

https://www.autism.org.uk

Whatafustercluck · 07/10/2025 08:30

Rosscameasdoody · 07/10/2025 07:46

The figures for child homicide in the UK are given upthread. For him to be removed from the home there would have to be much more evidence that he posed a risk to the child than an expression of a thought at a time of high stress. He’s not threatening the child's life, he’s venting from frustration and exhaustion, not rage.

The OP hasn’t been back for two days now and likely won’t be. Once again MN has successfully chased an OP from their own thread by picking up on a detail and running with it to the exclusion of all else. In this case, despite posting for advice on holding her marriage together in circumstances that would quickly bring many people to their knees, the majority of the discussion has been around the perceived threat her DH poses to their DD, and she’s been advised variously that he’s a monster, has mental health problems, will eventually hurt his DD or worse and that she should LTB.

Speaking from professional experience, some of the ‘advice’ posters are giving OP is very far from that which she would receive if she sought help from the various support agencies. They have vast experience of the stresses and strains these circumstances can bring about and in the absence of any other risk factors, the expression of this thought in itself would not be enough to remove him from the home. The assessment of risk is factual and objective, not the emotionally charged nonsense happening here. The focus would be on providing support to keep the family together, which in most cases is by far the best option for all concerned.

Unfortunately resources are thin on the ground and patchy by area so accessing the right support is difficult, time consuming and exhausting. Families are left at breaking point for long periods. Over the years l’ve seen parents left trying to cope with fully grown adult children who are violent and abusive, because their behaviour is too challenging for most placement options. I’ve dealt with parents who have been repeatedly assaulted and have had to resort to putting locks on internal doors so that they can effectively barricade themselves in to keep safe while their child has a violent meltdown and wrecks the home. And this is just the tip of the iceberg.

Some relationships don’t survive these circumstances and the reality is that when they don’t, one parent is left trying to cope and still unable to access appropriate support unless they have private resources.

l have the strong impression that many posters here have no experience of these hugely challenging circumstances, because the ones who do, are those trying to give practical advice among the shouts of ‘monster’ and ‘make him leave’. And more recent posters are wading in with a new round of criticism and outrage without bothering to even scroll back a few pages and read the explanations some of us with professional experience have tried to provide.

I’m bowing out of the thread now. l think it’s incredibly sad that OP has been forced to abandon what could have been supportive and valuable input, instead of which, it’s become just another useless pile on. OP if you’re still here reading l would contact your GP to see what help is realistically available to you in your area as a matter of urgency. I also found the National Autistic Society helpful for local support, resources - link to their website is below. I would also think about self referring to social services and asking for support. It sounds very much as though you’ve reached crisis point and l do hope you manage to hold your family together.

https://www.autism.org.uk/

Incredibly eloquent post, 100% true.

@daddywoe if you're still reading, the mumsnet SEN boards provide lots of support, understanding and practical advice. It may feel hopeless when you are at rock bottom, but with access to the right support (and I'm afraid also a great deal of self-led research), your situation can improve. We still have blips with dd, but we now have an incredibly close and loving relationship. I've (mostly) mastered my understanding of her needs and what I need to do to advocate for her. I'm a stronger person for it. Your dh isn't a monster, he's at the end of his rope. Good luck and do take comfort from knowing there are many other families in your position, you are not alone - even if it feels like it.

DrBlackbird · 07/10/2025 08:40

l think it’s incredibly sad that OP has been forced to abandon what could have been supportive and valuable input, instead of which, it’s become just another useless pile on.

These pile ons happen quite a lot. Expected on X or Insta etc but not on a parenting forum largely populated by women.

Lucy2586 · 07/10/2025 09:33

Rosscameasdoody · 07/10/2025 07:46

The figures for child homicide in the UK are given upthread. For him to be removed from the home there would have to be much more evidence that he posed a risk to the child than an expression of a thought at a time of high stress. He’s not threatening the child's life, he’s venting from frustration and exhaustion, not rage.

The OP hasn’t been back for two days now and likely won’t be. Once again MN has successfully chased an OP from their own thread by picking up on a detail and running with it to the exclusion of all else. In this case, despite posting for advice on holding her marriage together in circumstances that would quickly bring many people to their knees, the majority of the discussion has been around the perceived threat her DH poses to their DD, and she’s been advised variously that he’s a monster, has mental health problems, will eventually hurt his DD or worse and that she should LTB.

Speaking from professional experience, some of the ‘advice’ posters are giving OP is very far from that which she would receive if she sought help from the various support agencies. They have vast experience of the stresses and strains these circumstances can bring about and in the absence of any other risk factors, the expression of this thought in itself would not be enough to remove him from the home. The assessment of risk is factual and objective, not the emotionally charged nonsense happening here. The focus would be on providing support to keep the family together, which in most cases is by far the best option for all concerned.

Unfortunately resources are thin on the ground and patchy by area so accessing the right support is difficult, time consuming and exhausting. Families are left at breaking point for long periods. Over the years l’ve seen parents left trying to cope with fully grown adult children who are violent and abusive, because their behaviour is too challenging for most placement options. I’ve dealt with parents who have been repeatedly assaulted and have had to resort to putting locks on internal doors so that they can effectively barricade themselves in to keep safe while their child has a violent meltdown and wrecks the home. And this is just the tip of the iceberg.

Some relationships don’t survive these circumstances and the reality is that when they don’t, one parent is left trying to cope and still unable to access appropriate support unless they have private resources.

l have the strong impression that many posters here have no experience of these hugely challenging circumstances, because the ones who do, are those trying to give practical advice among the shouts of ‘monster’ and ‘make him leave’. And more recent posters are wading in with a new round of criticism and outrage without bothering to even scroll back a few pages and read the explanations some of us with professional experience have tried to provide.

I’m bowing out of the thread now. l think it’s incredibly sad that OP has been forced to abandon what could have been supportive and valuable input, instead of which, it’s become just another useless pile on. OP if you’re still here reading l would contact your GP to see what help is realistically available to you in your area as a matter of urgency. I also found the National Autistic Society helpful for local support, resources - link to their website is below. I would also think about self referring to social services and asking for support. It sounds very much as though you’ve reached crisis point and l do hope you manage to hold your family together.

https://www.autism.org.uk/

Ok fair enough i might not understand the full extent bit ive just been trying to get my child into school while she is hysterical in the car because she is so anxious and while I feel frustrated I had to leave my job work with various agencies and deal with an ex who is not showing any compassion just anger towards me when I am doing everything I can I maybe found the post triggering. My circumstances are different and I am left on my own because my ex has bowed out and to be honest i just find it scary and I would be terrified if my ex expressed those thoughts and I wouldn’t want him around her until I knew he did not feel like that. Did not intend to chase anyone away maybe I would feel different if I was being hit i do not know but I am on my own dealing with a complex situation and yes resources are low on the ground and I have very little money from giving up work so I do have anger towards my child father and that’s come across here.

Rosscameasdoody · 07/10/2025 09:49

DrBlackbird · 07/10/2025 08:40

l think it’s incredibly sad that OP has been forced to abandon what could have been supportive and valuable input, instead of which, it’s become just another useless pile on.

These pile ons happen quite a lot. Expected on X or Insta etc but not on a parenting forum largely populated by women.

I said I would bow out of the thread but it seems a few voices of reason have returned - too late for OP to benefit I fear. I agree with you - pile ons are happening more and more, but rarely have I seen such a divisive thread as this.

I’ve been retired from my work as a disability outreach worker for some time and reading through some of the comments and so called ‘advice’ here has been so depressing, because it’s clear that understanding of, and empathy for these circumstances doesn’t seem to be any better, despite efforts to raise awareness.

Some posters are actually advising that the child be punished for the outbursts, displaying an incredible lack of understanding of how these conditions are managed. Others are actually advocating that OP has no choice but to split up with her husband and ‘go it alone’, which is nothing short of wildly irresponsible.

The family are clearly in crisis and her DH sounds at the end of his rope. OP is trying to hold her family together under conditions that would break most people, and is being repeatedly told her DH is a murderous monster who will hurt their child, or worse. That she would be treated like this at all is concerning enough, but that it would happen at the hands of other women - other parents - is truly shocking.

Lucy2586 · 07/10/2025 10:19

Rosscameasdoody · 07/10/2025 09:49

I said I would bow out of the thread but it seems a few voices of reason have returned - too late for OP to benefit I fear. I agree with you - pile ons are happening more and more, but rarely have I seen such a divisive thread as this.

I’ve been retired from my work as a disability outreach worker for some time and reading through some of the comments and so called ‘advice’ here has been so depressing, because it’s clear that understanding of, and empathy for these circumstances doesn’t seem to be any better, despite efforts to raise awareness.

Some posters are actually advising that the child be punished for the outbursts, displaying an incredible lack of understanding of how these conditions are managed. Others are actually advocating that OP has no choice but to split up with her husband and ‘go it alone’, which is nothing short of wildly irresponsible.

The family are clearly in crisis and her DH sounds at the end of his rope. OP is trying to hold her family together under conditions that would break most people, and is being repeatedly told her DH is a murderous monster who will hurt their child, or worse. That she would be treated like this at all is concerning enough, but that it would happen at the hands of other women - other parents - is truly shocking.

Well to be honest he said he is done and she knows he means it. So I don’t think she has much choice to go it alone. It’s a triggering post unfortunately because as adults everyone would be terrified if their partner voices those thoughts but I agree it is a depressing post so I am going to unfollow as I am busy trying to contact CYPS myself right now.

Rosscameasdoody · 07/10/2025 10:22

Lucy2586 · 07/10/2025 10:19

Well to be honest he said he is done and she knows he means it. So I don’t think she has much choice to go it alone. It’s a triggering post unfortunately because as adults everyone would be terrified if their partner voices those thoughts but I agree it is a depressing post so I am going to unfollow as I am busy trying to contact CYPS myself right now.

I wish you the best - it’s a very difficult, exhausting and lonely process. l posted a link to National Autistic Society website further upthread, which may be useful to you. Hope you get sorted.

RubySquid · 08/10/2025 14:57

DIYagainstMould · 06/10/2025 15:23

My husband loves our child but could not understand for ages that nd brains have non regular presentations and you can't just mentor them, put them on star charts all the time or take their phones away ....which actually sends these poor little humans into emotional storm.

Your husband needs to get himself 1.educated 2.humbled 3. remorse

Why should he? If he doesn't want anything to do with the kid why waste the effort

RubySquid · 08/10/2025 15:02

InterIgnis · 06/10/2025 20:48

Not being intimately familiar with her circumstances, I don’t know the extent of her choices. It is, if she and her husband are willing, quite possible to preserve the family unit.

What he said, when considered contextually, does not mean that social services would remove the child from his care, or that OP has no choice but to go it alone*.

*going it alone doesn’t always lead to the improved outcome you seem to think it will. Sometimes, when people say they won’t be able to cope, they’re absolutely correct. Children like OP’s daughter can and do end up in foster care because a single parent cannot cope alone and has psychologically collapsed. The impact on the neurotypical siblings also cannot be dismissed as inconsequential either.

Seems although the parent and any NT siblings are expected to have their lives destroyed over one ND child.Thats not really on

TeddySchnauzer · 08/10/2025 15:36

He sounds like absolute scum. I can see why a PP asked if she was biologically his!

TeddySchnauzer · 08/10/2025 15:41

DIYagainstMould · 06/10/2025 15:23

My husband loves our child but could not understand for ages that nd brains have non regular presentations and you can't just mentor them, put them on star charts all the time or take their phones away ....which actually sends these poor little humans into emotional storm.

Your husband needs to get himself 1.educated 2.humbled 3. remorse

I don’t fully agree with all of this, I have a child with ASD and they categorically DO need discipline! Just not always in the same way and for the same things.

londongirl12 · 08/10/2025 19:30

Rosscameasdoody · 06/10/2025 22:25

OP didn’t say it was said from rage - more frustration and exhaustion. This was discussed at length upthread. It’s unlikely he’s a threat to DD - it’s more likely he’s expressing that he’s not coping. The OP has already said that he isn’t sleeping and explained how complicated her DD’s condition is in updates.

Edited

my point was, if he’s saying these things when calm, what could happen if he finally snaps? Say you’re not coping if that’s how he feels, you don’t say you want to throw your child off a bridge. That is not normal and he needs professional help.

Newname71 · 08/10/2025 19:51

I feel for all of you including your DH.
I’ve been through similar. Working full
time and raising 2 kids with ADHD. DS1 in his teens was a nightmare. Arrests, drug taking (cannabis) running up massive debts, never knew where he was, he lied, he stole and I hated him. I’m ashamed to admit that but I did
It brings me to tears thinking about it now. It’s hard, hard to deal with it when you’re running on empty. I fantasised about driving my car into a wall or off a bridge. I can’t tell you how I got through it because I don’t know. I think if I was a man I’d have walked away (I know not all men are like that but they tend to walk away more often than women)
He’s 25 now and we’re very, very close. He moves out last year but we message each other most days.
So no advice but empathy and a hand hold.

TheCheekyCyanHelper · 08/10/2025 22:52

RubySquid · 08/10/2025 15:02

Seems although the parent and any NT siblings are expected to have their lives destroyed over one ND child.Thats not really on

You're the type of person that would have locked away ND children in an institution and abandoned them....scary.

RubySquid · 11/10/2025 04:00

TheCheekyCyanHelper · 08/10/2025 22:52

You're the type of person that would have locked away ND children in an institution and abandoned them....scary.

Not quite true but I wouldnt be making all my kids suffer over one. If you had 4 kids do you think the lives of 3 of them should be made hell by one? If so why?

Jtfrtj · 11/10/2025 11:51

TheCheekyCyanHelper · 08/10/2025 22:52

You're the type of person that would have locked away ND children in an institution and abandoned them....scary.

No, that is not what she is saying, at all. I don’t know why people like you need to jump to such extremes in order to try win the debate. It doesn’t make your argument any stronger.

Children are entitled to live a comfortable life and not tolerate chaos from one ND child. Why is ND child’s need more important than the others?

EmeraldShamrock000 · 11/10/2025 12:48

RubySquid · 11/10/2025 04:00

Not quite true but I wouldnt be making all my kids suffer over one. If you had 4 kids do you think the lives of 3 of them should be made hell by one? If so why?

How do you prevent this happening? Separate the DC?
Put the disabled DC in state care?
Lock the disabled DC in a separate area of the home? I'd love to know how you could prevent 1 disabled DC from impacting on their siblings.

RubySquid · 11/10/2025 12:51

Jtfrtj · 11/10/2025 11:51

No, that is not what she is saying, at all. I don’t know why people like you need to jump to such extremes in order to try win the debate. It doesn’t make your argument any stronger.

Children are entitled to live a comfortable life and not tolerate chaos from one ND child. Why is ND child’s need more important than the others?

My point exactly

EmeraldShamrock000 · 11/10/2025 12:55

RubySquid · 11/10/2025 12:51

My point exactly

Do you have a solution for your point?