Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Relationships

Mumsnet has not checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. If you need help urgently or expert advice, please see our domestic violence webguide and/or relationships webguide. Many Mumsnetters experiencing domestic abuse have found this thread helpful: Listen up, everybody

Stressedmummy is back on line at last!!!

650 replies

stressedmummy · 25/08/2005 14:12

Thank goodness!
We have had loads of problems connecting back up to the internet & H was having a few little tantrums about it this morning, but I am now back!
He was not as cross as he could have been regarding the wine, because I think I have got rid of most of the stain. I am now banned from drinking red wine in the lounge!

OP posts:
Blu · 25/08/2005 14:18

3 cheers for your internet connection!

And take no notice - lounges are for relaxing in, and that includes red wine.

ESPECIALLY red wine!

Though I have to admit that our choice of leather sofas and wooden floor was in part because we want to be able to enjoy the simple things in life like red wine. A carpet wouldn't last 10 mins in our house.

Anyway, no worries, SM - how are things otherwise? Are the boys enjoying things?

stressedmummy · 25/08/2005 14:22

The boys are fine.
ATM ds1 is at my Mum's house & ds2 is asleep & H has popped out, so I have a little time to myself!
I was talking to my sister about a few things last night, as she had my Mum round the night before worrying that we were heading for divorce.

OP posts:
stressedmummy · 25/08/2005 14:24

Wish we had a wooden floor!
Our whole house has beige wool carpet!

OP posts:
Blu · 25/08/2005 14:42

IMO your Mum should be worried that you might NOT be heading for divorce! Wouldn't want a daughter of mine to have to live like you do!

Seriously - do you get the feeling that they are worried about you and behind you? What does your sister think?

Oh, god I'm sorry about the carpet, SM. I do think beige wool is a terrible strain, especially with two boys.

Blu · 25/08/2005 14:43

SM - sorry, that sounded really rude - i didn't mean it like that at all.

stressedmummy · 25/08/2005 14:58

No don't worry blu. I do wonder how much she would hate us to split up because it would look bad on her, that she wouldn't have the perfect family etc. Maybe I am wrong, but she can be quite self centered.
My sister said to my Mum that I have to put up with an awful lot with H & his temper and she said Mum said "I know she does."
My sister thinks H is way over the top with his tidiness & my sister is a very tidy person herself!
He was going mad about some chocolate on the carpet in the kids playroom yesterday (they have their little chairs & table in there & were eating a chocolate lolly) & he said they are not to eat anything messy in there again.
My sister said that she thinks they should be allowed to make mess in their own playroom, if nowhere else.
I told H the other day that I am finding our situation really hard to cope with right now.

OP posts:
stressedmummy · 25/08/2005 15:18

When I got back from my Mum's the other day, I still couldn't bring myself to talk to H about what had happened the night before, as I felt I had nothing to explain & did not deserve to be treated as if I had a full blown affair just because I danced innocently with his friend.
He went off on his night turn & then when he got to the station he decided to phone me & say "You know I love you & I don't want you to leave me."
I told him he was way out of line to accuse me like he did & that he had a nerve after all I have forgiven him for.
My sister thinks he is getting very insecure & realises that I may not always be around.

OP posts:
Caribbeanqueen · 25/08/2005 15:43

Hi sm, glad to see you back on line!

How do you feel about what he said on the phone?

Blu · 25/08/2005 15:53

WEll, for someone who doesnt want you to leave, he is doing a good job of putting the carpet before his family, isn't he?
He does sound insecure, and obsessive.

And I know Mums are likely to worry about divorce, it is a bit of a shock, but if she knows how often, and how badly he carries on like this - not to mention the effect it was having on DS1's behaviour at school, I bet she would very quickly come round to it.

It's a new school year for DS1, and he needs to be able to start with his best foot forward - I hope H isn't going to work himself up to the state where he is undermining DS at school again

Tortington · 25/08/2005 15:53

welcome back

Bugsy2 · 26/08/2005 12:00

Welcome back SM, sorry to hear things don't seem to be much better.

stressedmummy · 26/08/2005 17:10

Yes he is insecure & obsessive blu.
Will post later, as he keeps walking in.

OP posts:
stressedmummy · 26/08/2005 18:49

What he said on the phone made me quite upset, as I felt like I was moving forward & then I get him dishing the emotional blackmail.
I was not taken in by it like I would once have been.
I do feel he loves me, but I am still angry over his behaviour & know similar things will continue to happen.
We had quite a big talk last night.

OP posts:
Blu · 26/08/2005 20:50

Did you learn anything new about him, or about you in the big talk? Has it given you any new perspectives or thoughts?

I think he probably does love you, very vehemently, but in his way. The problem is that he only sems to know how to offer a love which suits him and is on his terms: he wants you to be 'his' in a very real way, and to be the woman he wants you to be. As if he had ordered you from a catalogue to match his lovely new carpet. That is completely different from loving someone because they have the freedom to be who they want to be, and to love them for that, whatever that may be.

That's how it sounds to me.

Anyway, glad to hear that you talked - that sounds better than the shouting and glass-crushing of recent weeks!

stressedmummy · 26/08/2005 21:59

Don't know that I learnt a whole load more about him, but felt I had to have a pretty serious talk last night.
Basically, I had been round a friends house before hand & told her a few things about how things were with us.
I heard her talk about her relationship & it all sounded SO different from mine, which made me feel envious.
He still tried to blame me for the other night when I told him I danced innocently with his friend.
Lots was said & I ended up saying how much I hate myself for being so weak & so weak with him.
I am getting to the stage were I hate myself so much & I know that is not healthy.

OP posts:
stressedmummy · 26/08/2005 22:25

I understand where you are coming from in what you are saying about H regarding love though blu.

OP posts:
stressedmummy · 27/08/2005 09:54

As far as thoughts & perspectives go, I have been doing lots of thinking over the last couple of weeks & am starting to feel that I can take no more & don't need to be living in fear of my own H.
I have been reading my book & doing lots of walking, where I go over everything in my head.
He seems to think that moving to another house will solve all problems, as he blamed me being so miserable on the fact I didn't like my house!
I told him that moving would solve nothing, as it is not the house that makes me miserable, but the fact that I was constantly getting shouted at by him for one thing or another & didn't want top be in the house when he was around if I could help it.
I said that I still have a tiny glimmer of hope regarding the AM (which we still have not heard any news on), but feel that in reality it probably won't make much difference & he seemed to think the same!
I end up feeling to blame for all the situations that I am getting myself into trouble for & it is starting to mess with my head and making me hate myself, which I also told him.
I will always be clumsy & spill things etc and told him that I was unlikely to be able to change that.
He said that he knows that sometimes I hate him, as he can see it in the way I look at him & I said that he doesn't make himself very lovable when he is being nasty.
I didn't seem to get very far with him & ended up getting very upset on the night.
Yesterday I got a token "Don't hate yourself" though.
I feel I am moving further on in my head & it is scary!
I am wary of this freedom training on the 8th, but will give it a go, as it may help me further.

OP posts:
Blu · 27/08/2005 12:26

I can see what you mean - that does sound like a 'big talk' - and perhaps more got said than you have been able to say to him before. And him to.

I think that it is really good that although it is his beahviour that makes you feel as if you hate yourself, you are also aware that that is not 'right' - so you are not acccepting it, and are not falling into a pit of helplessness.

The thing is, Freedom Training is presumably not some sort of brainwashing course designe dto get women to leave their partners, but a sort of 'firness' course to tone up your own sense of who you are, what you want, and how you can get it in life. That MAY involve gaining the strength, strategies and clarity to neotiate firmly with H and create the relationship you want. Or gaining the clarity and strength to go it alone. If you do that, it can still be with the knowledge that if H then made a serious (and succesful) effort to chane, you could put your relationship back together.

I sometimes feel a bit shoddy posting on your thread, because of course my own relationship is a long way from perfect. Communication often falters or gets tangled, we row, we build up resentments, we take each other for granted, we are unreasonable, we let outside pressures affect what goes on betwen usetc etc. But I think the difference is that we go into these messes with equal power, I am not afraid of DP, or his moods, and I am completely confident that I have as much independence to be me, as he does. We create problems mutually, we solve them (hopefully!) mutually.

I think it's good that he acknowledged that it is him who makes you hate yourself, and told you not to hate yourself - but you don't need HIS permission to like yourself or feel proud of yourself. I thik freedom training maight help support you to have the pride in yourself that you deserve.

I bet you are not more clumsy than anyone else! We all spill things. And more so if someone is standing over us glowering about it - it is a cliche of films that the tray wobbles in the hands of people under stress!!

And I know you feel shy and apprehensive about meeting people and in new situations - but remember that all the other women on the freedom training course will be in the same poistion as you, and some will be enduring lives that are even worse - or have even less self-esteem than you! It is a course designed to support you - so the leader is hardly going to shout at you!

AND you will be able to meet other women and share what happens (if you want to) without worrying about family tension, or it getting back to him - a safe, confidential space.

Presumably you will be back at work soon? You are clearly excellent at your job, respected and valued by colleagues, a great Mum, and somehow, sometime, you will be able to celebrate all that and enjoy the confidence that you deserve.

You are doing REALLY well.

xxxxxx

stressedmummy · 27/08/2005 12:58

Thanks Blu.
I thought you would feel annoyed that I have had yet another talk with him, but seem to have got no further in solving anything.
I do feel that with all the support I have got from you lot on MN, alongside my HV & counsellor, that I have moved on lots from when I first started my thread back in May, even if it does not appear so!
The last couple of weeks have been tough, especially as I have been cut off from all my support networks, having no internet & both my HV & counsellor on holiday!
He is at work all day today, so I can relax a bit!
Thankfully the wine stain seems to have gone too!
My self esteem has always been low, but this hating & despairing with myself has esculated recently & I know it is not right.
Next Thursday I will have my 6th counselling session, which could be my last, but she is going to review where we go next & I think you can have another 6 sessions if you feel it would be beneficial.
My HV wants to come back & see me on the 9th September. (The day after the freedom training thing)
Don't really know where I am going from here ATM, but it may become clearer with time.
Thanks so much for your great advice & support.xxx

OP posts:
Blu · 27/08/2005 13:04

NO WAY would anyone feel anoyed with you!
You are living in realy really difficult circumstances, and as you say, you have been making big progres since you started this thinking. It's very difficult stuff to deal with - I don't think anyone gets up one morning, suddenly sees that there relationship isn't ideal and by the afternoon, have sorted out an alternative, as if you were changing the curtains!

It involves long hard painful thinking, confusion, worry about the future, endurance...no, you really are doing well, and everyone understands that it takes time and thought, and it isn't easy to decide to change your whole life - tell someone else, especially if they are the bully who is doing their best to control you.

Actually, I think it is amazing that you stood up to him over the dancing thing. WEll done.

I must go off to work now...saturday events.
XXXX

stressedmummy · 27/08/2005 13:15

You give fantastic advice Blu!
You should work for relate!

OP posts:
Caribbeanqueen · 27/08/2005 14:29

As usual, Blu has said everything I meant to say and put it so much better that I would have!

stressedmummy · 27/08/2005 14:49

You have given me lots of great support & advice too CQ!
You have been around at some of my lowest points over the last couple of months & helped me through them.
What would I do without MN?!

OP posts:
Tessiebear · 27/08/2005 17:41

Welcome back SM
I have been off line for a couple of days - will "speak" soon (Joseph is crying)

stressedmummy · 27/08/2005 18:00

Hi there TB!
Did you get my e-mail?
I can't tell you how good it is to be back on line, 20 days is a LONG time!!!

OP posts: