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Very confused by what dh said

170 replies

Loopthepam · 15/02/2026 20:17

Please help shed some light onto this situation because I am utterly at a loss and my head is hurting from trying to understand dh.

Me and DH have been having problems for a while now, mainly revolving around situations that are caused by his lack of consideration or thoughtfulness towards me. Yesterday was the final straw for me, when he passed me over a naff card and nothing else after I had planned a lovely birthday this year and a valentine's gift that wasn't big at all (under ten pounds) but had thought, meaning and love into it. He claimed he had ordered flowers that never got delivered. That was that. There was no incentive to go 5 minutes down the road to get me some flowers, or a small bar of chocolate. Just anything really. The rest of our day was spent arguing with so much tears on my end. After nearly a decade together and DC I'm just over feeling undervalued.

Today me and DH had another conversation following on from yesterday, where he claimed he just "doesn't have the skill set to be thoughtful" he said unlike me who it comes naturally too, he just genuinely lacks the ability and his head is always full of other things that aren't a priority (mostly work). He said he struggles to think of others and never has done (I've heard this ten years ago and thought with time it would improve) it is actually baffling to me.

Here's what I don't get. Because I love DH, doing things for him and thinking of him isn't something I need to master, it just happens. I assumed if you love someone it was part of the package deal to just want to put them first. Dh, no matter how many times he says he will work on this, never seems to be able to. It's like he is almost slightly sociopathic because how can you just have a massive absence of thought towards someone you supposedly love.

He says he loves me and still does, that it is nothing personal and something he has always struggled with. Dh has lead a very selfish lifestyle before me, partying, drinking, no dependants, no worries, parents covered everything, no financial obligations. Could it be true that he loves me but actually does just struggle to consider me? I always thought it was one and the same but maybe it's my bad for generalising and putting that on him. He isn't me and maybe he does love in his own way, or am I being gaslight majorly hard here?!

OP posts:
BrendaSmall · 16/02/2026 16:10

Happyjoe · 16/02/2026 08:08

Well, you're being strange. Because you automatically think that informing the wife about career decisions and talking them through means that the wife is going to stop the husband doing anything, or the wives are in control?

You presumed the worst and you obviously think wives attitudes towards other men is bad.. Why? Is your marriage like this? Because whenever my OH has made career decisions, it's done together, same as mine, because that's normal. It also gave me the chance to cheer him on, prepare for interviews etc, supportive.

The OP should be included in life decisions which affect her and their child.

🤣🤣🤣
controlling & judgemental much!!

JackGrealishsCalves · 16/02/2026 17:58

My only advice is after 10 years what you see is what you get.
Imagining you are say mid 30's, can you imagine another 40 years of this?

Happyjoe · 16/02/2026 19:50

BrendaSmall · 16/02/2026 16:10

🤣🤣🤣
controlling & judgemental much!!

Ignore what's written and have to have the last word anyway much??😅

CalmTheFuckDownMargaret · 16/02/2026 19:59

I’d dump him for being a selfish liar. Relationships with the right person aren’t this shit, OP.

DuckbilledSplatterPuff · 16/02/2026 20:13

Wakemeupinapril · 15/02/2026 20:38

I would be asking to see the flowers order.

Then when they never existed he can add lying twat to his faults..
While you decide if that's the sort of man you want to be married to.

Lying about the flowers and expecting that lie to shut you up and prove that he had infact thought about giving you a gift when he knew he hadn't - is just adding insult to injury.... such a pathetic and transparent lie is an insult to your intelligence... and I'd be telling him that.

As for people saying you knew what he was like.. well what he is like is clearly a practiced liar but OP is starting to see through him.

OP he sounds like a selfish pig.

Noodlesfordinner · 16/02/2026 20:55

Loopthepam · 15/02/2026 20:26

He is just very selfish, the lack of thoughtfulness causes this I guess.

Examples are :

making a big career decision without my agreement

Selfish in the bedroom, doesn't think of me in the moment and has got ahead of himself and done things I didn't want for his own satisfaction

Relying on me and taking from me but never really offering anything back

I've asked him for more effort in the date and communication department and expressed how much this means to me but he hardly ever tries

These say it all really. He may love you to the best that he is able, but he certainly doesn’t respect you or treat you as a partner. Is that the kind of love that you want and that you want your children to see? There are men out there who, although not perfect, are capable or at least treating their partner with the basic level of consideration to see them as worth considering

Miranda65 · 16/02/2026 21:00

Sorry - message deleted

DuchessofStaffordshire · 16/02/2026 22:09

Sounds like one for a qualified therapist IMO.
I directed my husband towards one and noticed a change after one session. If you frame it in a non-accusatory and positive self improvement light then he may be more willing to seek help. I also found suggesting ways that I myself could change for the better made the idea more palatable for him.

Benjithedog · 16/02/2026 22:16

Why do you love this man OP? He doesn’t think of you at all in life. You’ve told him how you feel but nothing changes. Why are you staying with someone who has so little consideration for you and you’ve put up with this for 10 years!

YouFW · 16/02/2026 22:46

Whatever you currently do for him, stop doing it.

If he questions it, say to him 'Oh, you're so much better at those kinds of things. They don't come naturally to me like they do for you'.

Give him something to think about...

LadyCrustybread · 16/02/2026 22:50

People with ASPD can love people and still lack the capacity to be selfless.

SalmonOnFinnCrisp · 16/02/2026 22:51

Selfish in the bedroom, doesn't think of me in the moment and has got ahead of himself and done things I didn't want for his own satisfaction

🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮

Regarding gifting... if you want to bother you will.

The lazy/clueless directors sent their PAs out to buy gifts for their wives and the managers who were clueless but wanted to impress would ask other "ladies" in the office for ideas.
Chatgpt exists...so does the internet theres zero excuse beyond I'm selfish and dont care.

He sounds wretched I couldn't respect a man like this tbh...

DuchessofStaffordshire · 16/02/2026 22:53

Also, re the therapy suggestion above. It may suit you better to see a proper couples therapist together and work on things as a 'team'. You might find this approach better x

NinaGeiger · 17/02/2026 16:45

Piper194 · 15/02/2026 22:06

Off topic but did you ever read the making out book series as a teen @NinaGeiger

Omg yes! All my usernames on different platforms are characters from those books. Because I thought no one else remembered them!

Goldfsh · 17/02/2026 16:50

I agree - therapy but TBH I'd use it to make my final decisions about how to separate, because this man won't change and he sounds awful frankly.

I bet he's thoughtful at work.

Tryingmybest12 · 17/02/2026 16:57

Great news! Thoughtfulness is something that can be learned. The question is whether he truly wants to.

Piper194 · 17/02/2026 17:16

lol! I absolutely adored the books as a teen. Nina was my favourite character and I just rebought the entire series on Vinted! I’m in my 40’s now

MID50s · 17/02/2026 17:23

PollyBell · 15/02/2026 20:34

So he has always been this way? So how has gaslit you?

Why do people think others will change?

I was going to say has he always been like this?
if not then what’s changed?
if it has then you knew what you were getting into.
i had a marriage similar this for 30 years and in the end I just thought I deserved more and we split up.

JLou08 · 17/02/2026 17:47

Have you tried just telling him exactly what you want in the moment? I do think someone can love someone but struggle to be thoughtful and/or have the initiative to do somethingthoughtful, especially if ND, anxiety, stressed, lacking confidence etc. If you said to him when the flowers didn't arrive that it's important to you to have a gift so he needs to go out and get one, would he do it?

ginasevern · 17/02/2026 17:52

@Loopthepam Of course he knows how to please other people. I bet he'd be capable of creeping round his boss if it meant a promotion. And I bet he'd manage to buy flowers for a 20 year old if he thought she'd sleep with him. But you just aren't important enough OP. Besides, he doesn't have to try to please you to get what he wants. Men are so full of bullshit, it never ceases to amaze me. Or the amount of crap women will put up with.

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