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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Please help - i'm at my wits end!

8 replies

lorrycat · 01/12/2009 10:52

DP and i have been together 8 years. We have 16mo beautiful DS and he has 9yo DD to a previous relationship.
Things were always stormy from the start. I met him a week after his split from DD's mother (together 3.5 years). I nursed him thru the breakup whilst i quietly fell in love with him. It took him 3.5 years to tell me he loved me - i told him at 6 months and he laughed

We have a terrible lot of arguments. I feel that me and DS come second fiddle to his job. He works 40 hours a week but puts in 10-12 hours travelling, so it feels a lot longer to us. When he is at home, he receives numerous phonecalls from work (e.g. 16 calls last thurs), meaning it feels like we never really have him to ourselves. It gets really lonely, particularly when he is so tired all the time from the physical element of his work (he is a retail store manager) - which i try to be understanding about.

There has been no sex for months - something that it bothering me more than him it seems. I know he is not cheating on me - he is not the type and simply wouldn't have the time/energy. When i approach him about it, he says its hard to feel in the mood when we argue so much (understandable i suppose).
But i've tried numerous things - dressing up (sexy, not tarty), making an effort with makeup and not lounging about in PJs, candle lit dinners, suggesting massage, even erotic movies etc etc . He doesn't seem to respond.

Our arguments have moved on to being quite verbally agressive. I'm as much at fault here as him - in fact, if i'm honest, i can be worse . I have so much anger, hurt and frustration at where our relationship has gone, that i spit venom when we get into the heat of an argument and i don't seem to be able to stop until i reach boiling point .

I would say we have at least 3/4 'major' arugments a week at the minute. Last night he left an Xbox controller on the ground and DS picked it up, putting the end of the lead into his mouth and started to choke. As I run over to DS to help him, I shouted to DP to 'come quick, he is choking', to which DP just called back 'wait'. Turns out he was making a call to work to check in. I would like to point out that DP was only home 20mins and had left a perfectly competent supervisor in charge.

I just lost it after that. He says he didn't hear me say that DS was choking. But this was because he was too busy on the phone to work. I ended up calling him useless, saying i couldn't depend on him, feel like a single parent, things would be easier without him around because at least then DS wouldnt' be choking on his xbox controller left on the floor.

I don't know if i was being too harsh reacting to that particular incident, or if the last couple of years of arguments/strain/stres and depression on my part have totally left me with no fuse left (so to speak). I'm seriously considering leaving. communication is completely broken down and is mostly strained. I feel so lonely and like i get nothing from this relationship.

Sorry if this message seems really rushed and hard to understand. I'm typing frantically at work before someone sees what i'm doing

OP posts:
ObsidianBlackbirdMcNight · 01/12/2009 10:59

He's a retail store manager? So not a brain surgeon then? Sorry to sound dismissive but there is no way he needs to be on call when he's at home. I also totally understand your frustration at being put 2nd (or DS being put 2nd). I don't know where to advise you to go from here - could you try moving out for a bit? Or him moving out?

Seemingly there are 3 issues, all interlinked. He works too much, fair enough the hours he's actually working but at home he needs to switch off. He isn't interested in sex, and he doesn't pull his weight with the children.

If this is making you that unhappy you need to show him how serious it is. You guys need counselling I think and he needs to understand the impact of his work on you as a family.

Helium · 01/12/2009 11:02

Sounds like you need to book some time together to discuss this properly. Get a babysitter - ditch the work mobiles and have a long chat - wirting down pros and cons if necessary.

Could he reduce his hours? Do you work? Could you work so he could do less? Maybe you could look around for another job for him?

lorrycat · 01/12/2009 11:16

kat2907...i should have mentioned, we were apart for 5 months after i called it off at easter and have just moved back in together. He accepted full responsibility before for the breakup, as he admitted to not putting 100%. I was in a REALLY bad place after the split and moved home with my dad.
He persued me for the 5 months and eventually convinced me enough that he had changed. It seems to me now that he hasn't.

I am being offered private relationship counselling through work and he won't go until after xmas, stating that work will be too hectic because retail is crazy during xmas period. leaving me again feeling like we are on the back burner.

Helium...i agree that we need some time to discuss this. Probelm is that i've tried. Even tho i admit that my temper can run away with me, I booked us a table in a quiet restaurant so that i simply couldn't raise my voice and it seemed to be going well. I just wish the things we discussed could be put into practice.
Yes, i work 20 hours per week and bring home the same money as he does. Money is not an issue, as he is salaried and gets the same wage whether he puts in 39 or 69 hours per week.

OP posts:
AliGrylls · 01/12/2009 11:34

Do you still love him?

lorrycat · 01/12/2009 11:49

I don't know...i must if its upsetting me so much?
I definitely don't feel loved though, thats for sure.

OP posts:
ErnestTheBavarian · 01/12/2009 12:04

" I know he is not cheating on me - he is not the type and simply wouldn't have the time/energy."

What is the type then?

I wouldn't be so quick to rule it out

lorrycat · 01/12/2009 12:09

Ernest...his mum cheated on his dad and it has devastated the family. I know i can trust him 100% on this one.

OP posts:
AliGrylls · 01/12/2009 17:09

It sounds like a really hard relationship. I am not surprised you are upset. Whether you love him or not he is treating you badly and that would be enough to make you feel miserable.

Re your split before yes, you were in a bad place. Most people are when they split up with someone who has been awful.

Are you sure you are not just in it because it is easier to stay than to leave him?

IMO the first discussion you need to be having is with yourself as to whether you actually want to stay with someone who makes you feel miserable. If you decide that you do want to stay with him then the discussion with him is how much time he should be spending with the rest of the family.

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