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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

That dh refuses to move out?

85 replies

QueenEagle · 29/11/2008 12:57

He works 4am til 1pm 5 nights per week. Takes older boys to football on Sundays. He does the school run, dinner, bath and bedtime routine when I am working lates. He will clear up dinner things but often not properly and "forgets" things.

I work a 5 week rota on shifts inlcuding nights. I do the morning school run, getting younger ds's up, fed, dressed when I am on lates or off. I have youngest ds at home with me on all of my days off and I do the school runs, dinners, clearing up, baths & bedtimes. I do ALL of the cleaning which is a lot as we have a 5 bed house. I do ALL of the ironing which is A LOT as we have 5 dc's. We share the shopping.

When we are both at home, he does nothing and sits back to let/expect me to do everything. When he is in charge of the household it is all very disorganised and cluttered/messy. When I am at home stuff gets done, I take the kids out and he says he is in awe of the fact I can do this so effortlessly.

Often over the last 3 years I have sat him down or written him emails about how he doesn't (IMO) pull his weight PROPERLY. He moans about everything, is very negative, very pessimistic, has little confidence (never has) and has said he wishes I was at home as he finds it hard to cope with everything therefore that's why he feels he can't do things thoroughly. He is not depressed, just not very efficient and capable when it comes to domestic stuff. He agrees he should be more organised but then cannot fathom how to despite me helping him. When I sit him down to talk he actually sits in silence and will not respond to me. If I press him (gently I hasten to add) he will say he knows what he needs to do but can't. He can do things if I remind him, leave him lists and think for him but I am fed up of this and think at the grand old age of 42 he should be able to do these things for himself. He is soooo passive I could scream. He was like this when we first met and back then I enjoyed looking after him but we have had 2 kids together (and he is dad to my 3 too) since then and I have returned to full time work but he has never grown with all the changes, just resented them.

I want him to move out, he won't as he says we are married and shouldn't give up just like that. I say that I have tried to get him to buck his ideas up which he has agreed to, but hasn't done anything constructive about it. We went to Relate a few weeks ago - the counsellor said we have a typical mother/child relationship and he is emotionally stuck at a 5 year old child level when it comes to dealing with issues with me. She told him he so far has been unable to step up as an adult. It all struck a chord and dh agrees with her views but thinks that I should put up with him the way he is because I married him.

I don't want to live like this anymore which dh knows - but how do I get him to see that we should split up?

OP posts:
findtheriver · 29/11/2008 15:14

Move out. And move on.

dittany · 29/11/2008 15:14

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

QueenEagle · 29/11/2008 15:15

The fact that 3 of the kids are not biologically his has nothing at all to do with it. He chose to move in with me knowing I had 3 kids and he willingly took them on and agreed to have kids with me. He should have thought a bit harder maybe about whether he would have been able to cope. And he is not stupid - he knew I wanted to return to work full time at some point. Did he think he wouldn't have to do his fair share of childcare/housework?

OP posts:
karise · 29/11/2008 15:16

Love? trust? for better for worse?
Where???
Marriage is to be worked at by both parties!

Hassled · 29/11/2008 15:17

To be frank none of his failings on their own add up to a reason to split - but the fact that these failings make you want to split point to one thing - you just don't love him anymore. If that's true, then don't fanny around with excuses about what he's done or not done - be honest, work out a way to split amicably, and move on.

QueenEagle · 29/11/2008 15:17

Fuck me soapbox - you are bloody right! I had not really thought of it like that. I am a twat.

OP posts:
soapbox · 29/11/2008 15:21

Oh yes siree! He is a control freak!

Get yourself a good divorce solicitor, if indeed you think the marriage is beyond repair, which it sounds to me as if it is.

I totally disagree with the poster that said this behaviour in itself isn't enough to divorce over! I wouldn;t stay married to someone who behaved like this for a nanosecond!

dittany · 29/11/2008 15:44

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

karise · 29/11/2008 15:54

Am I on my own here or is this all a bit Eastenders, where we all sit there shouting 'just talk to each other!!!' at the screen for months and then surprise surprise somebody mentions divorce?

findtheriver · 29/11/2008 16:48

I absolutely don't think anyone sane should tolerate this in a marriage. I don't understand why the OP does.
For the final time: MOVE OUT!!!!!!!

soapbox · 29/11/2008 17:02

Findtheriver - why on earth should she move out of the house that she owns and where her children live?

It was her house before her DH moved in, so there is no reason for her to move out.

As I say, she should file for divorce and the judge can decide who gets the house, and this will almost certainly follow the person who gets primary responsibility for the children, which is most likely to be QE. In any event 3 of the children are not his, and I would be highly surprised if any judge in that circumstances would give the house to her DH!

findtheriver · 29/11/2008 17:13

She's the one who wants to separate soapbox - that's why!

It's unclear from the OP who has 'primary responsibility' for the children, as both parents work shifts and seem to look after the children at different times of the day - ie mother doing morning routine, father doing school pick up, dinner and evening.

The husband has an entitlment financially through the marriage. It's no different from where a couple get married, the wife stops working and relies on the husband to pay the mortgage. It doesn't become 'his' house. He wouldnt have the right to kick her out if the marriage went tits up.

From everything the OP says, I am struggling to see why she married the man!! But marry him she did, out of choice, and therefore she can't just expect him to move out when it suits her!

findtheriver · 29/11/2008 17:16

I am not suggesting that it's viable for either one to remain in the house actually. I would imagine in the event of divorce, the likely outcome is that the house would be sold and they'll both have to downsize a bit, as they'll be making the decision to run two households, not one.
I would strongly advise that they both take legal advice and get things rolling if the marriage is over. But as for expecting the husband to just move out - no reason why he should if he doesnt want to

soapbox · 29/11/2008 17:22

Findtheriver - I think the fact that this house was the home of her eldest 3 children before her DH was around means that it is very unlikely that she will have to sell the home. It is most likely that she will get primary responsibility for all the children as the DH will not get it for the eldest 3, because they are not his children, and the judge is unlikely to split the younger children from their elder siblings.

So the advice for her to leave, is actually not at all in her best interests at all!

findtheriver · 29/11/2008 17:36

Well the OP seems to be saying how awful it is and how she doesn't want to stay under the same roof!

I would suggest the options are:
Put up with the man she married. (Having known he was like this all along!)
Start divorce proceedings, and either buy him out, so she can remain in the house, or move somewhere cheaper, as the fact is, he quite understandbly has financial rights through the marriage.
Or, move out herself.

All I am saying is that it's unreasonable to expect the other partner to piss off just because you're no longer happy or in love with the person you married. It doesnt matter which way round it is, wife wanting husband to go, or vice versa. It's just unreeasonable!!

blueshoes · 29/11/2008 17:48

I would agree with soapbox and dittany. The marriage is over - QP has tried long and hard enough to make her dh pull his own weight in the marriage. I cannot understand someone who sees that he should do something but cannot summon the motivation to do it, even if it is making his other half unhappy for so long. QE is trying to get her needs acknowledged. He is stonewalling. Totally passive aggressive. Agree with soapbox's analysis.

Some people just don't have any energy of their own and sap others' energy. It it time to get out.

The issue of who moves out is a bit of a red herring. It sounds like you being petulant and feeling frustrated - understandably. QE, I would agree to wait for the court to decide this. You want to be fair to him as well - the father of 2 of your dcs - and make this split amicable, to the extent he will let you.

blueshoes · 29/11/2008 17:52

Out of interest, QE, if you do announce to your dh that you are leaving him and taken firm steps in that regard, how do you think he will react? Do you think he will rollover or will he suddenly grow a backbone?

CarGirl · 29/11/2008 17:57

Do you think he has aspergers or similar?

elmoandella · 29/11/2008 18:09

soapbox - yes he says pointblank no and gives impression of control freak. but from another angle - op completely ignores him and does what she wants anyway. making him feeling undermined and useless.

findtheriver · 29/11/2008 18:59

exactly elmoandella. I think if the husband could summon up the enthusiasm to write a post (unlikely by the sound of it!!) we'd hear a different version. "I took on her 3 kids and support them too, I've never been organised, she knew what I was like when we married blah blah blah".

If the marriage is over - face up to it and the consequences - which may mean selling the house and both starting over again. The OP seems to have decided that the marriage is ended, but also seems to want her husband to move out, leaving her to carry on exactly the same but without him. That's just not going to happen. The OP needs to accept that she can end the marriage, but it may not be exactly on her terms

soapbox · 29/11/2008 19:11

Good for her for not just 'doing as she is told' who in this day and age does what their husbands demand of them? I feel like I have strayed into a parallel universe!

I would strongly suggest that if her husband feels useless, then he might actually take owership of that issue and do something about it! He feels useless, because he IS useless.

dittany · 29/11/2008 19:15

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

findtheriver · 29/11/2008 19:30

Or of course another way of looking at it is that women are actually equal to men, and are equally capable of making their own decisions. The OP admits that her husband always had the 'failings' that she describes. She chose to marry and have two children with him, and also chose for him to take on her 3 kids as well!

I'm not in agreement about making women lesser beings, victims who are incapable of making their own choices.

The OP chose to enter into the marriage, and she can choose to end it. But that doesnt include the right to just kick her husband out.

findtheriver · 29/11/2008 19:32

At the end of the day, I believe in equality of the sexes. And part of that is accepting responsibility for entering into marriage and having kids. The guy didn't change - he was always like this. I find it totally patronising to suggest that the OP is somehow a victim!

elmoandella · 30/11/2008 09:45

at the end of the day the op is asking if she's being unreasonable to throw out dh.

yes she is ---

it's a marriage.

both in a legal and moralistic way it's unfair to tuft him out on his ear making him homeles coz the ops had enough.

she's been married for so long. no reason why they can live as a seperate couple under same roof.

she no longer does his ironing and washing anyway.

just stop cooking his meals and sleep in different rooms. they have 5. i'm sure it's possible, they work shifts anyway..

and then go through the legal system to find out what is to happen.

sounds as if all communications is lost anyway.

but i feel if op wants to stay in house. and dh has been paying towards bills. she will have to "buy him out" , as obviously he will have been helping her pay bills and mortgage, regardless it is in her name.

if this was a man throwing out his wife. thats what would happen. it's same when sexes reversed.

there has been no violence or cheating or any drastic failings. this is simply a breakdown of a relationship.