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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

Shit!!! Did I over-react?

76 replies

mrshankly · 01/07/2011 22:53

Am quite newly separated from husband and have two small children... we split months ago but he only recently moved out. Still finding out feet with this arrangement/seeing kids etc but so far it's been pretty amicable (with the occasional argument).

Most nights he comes here straight from work, puts kids to bed and then goes to his house and tonight was the same but he tinkered about on my computer for a bit before doing the bedtime routine... he often looks at torrent websites that you can basically illegally download stuff from and in the past I've had a problem with this, mainly because some of the adverts are a bit dodgy (not out and out porn but chatlines etc) and I don't like it being looked at while the kids are about...anyway he was looking at the website then must have closed it down and done kids.

When he was getting ready to go I was on the computer and noticed a pop up 'fuck buddies', ad which had obviously been generated by the torrent website, I asked him again not to look at it on my computer in case this kind of thing happened again... he then denied that the website could have done this and it must have been something dodgy I was looking at. Bollocks, so I showed him the internet history and you could clearly see it popped up when looking at this website and again asked could he not look at it here. he then stood in front of me and started intensely at me saying 'i hate you. i fucking hate you'. not loudly but in a very hateful tone. i honestly freaked out and said i wanted him out the house and if he didn't leave i'd call the police.... he changed his tune pretty sharpish when i said he had freaked me out, saying he hadn't meant to but I felt like he was trying to intimidate me and i felt vulnerable... I didn't call the police but he did leave but he has keys for the house, which I asked him to give back as he left and he ignored me.

I'm working all weekend and he's supposed to be looking after the kids in my house (his new place is house share) and I told him not to come, I'd take the weekend off and make other arrangements.

Did i do the right thing? what the hell am I going to do now? We have no family and rely heavily on each other. he's never been physically aggressive (although has chucked stuff about a couple of times during an argument but in 13 years, i've probably done that too a few times) but has been verbally intimidating before although he denies that was his intention.

FUCK.

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HRHMJOFMAGICJAMALAND · 01/07/2011 23:43

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mrshankly · 01/07/2011 23:49

yes, I think the fact that he's looking after the children here, blurs the issue of this not being his home anymore... I think he thinks he can still behave as if it is... he was very unwilling to discuss the key situation previously after I suggested we talk about it.. he was very defensive about not having a spare set. I wasn't 100% comfortable about it but could appreciate that he would need keys when I was at work.
It's very difficult for us both though, having all this upheaval, trying not to upset the children and not having any family support ourselves.
I'm not trying to defend his behaviour tonight, quite the opposite. I definitely felt intimidated but after such a long time together, I know how his mind works. Will ask him for the keys back again and if he refuses, I'll organise getting the locks changed... his name has remained on the mortgage though, so not sure about that legally.

My main worry is the fall out of this for the children. They adore him and even a day of not seeing him would freak them out. And I'm sure vice versa, which is why I'm so suprised he's behaving this way.

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HRHMJOFMAGICJAMALAND · 01/07/2011 23:50

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openerofjars · 01/07/2011 23:50

He doesn't see anything wrong with her behaviour and will not agree not to intimidate her in future.

He is behaving badly and threatening her.

This is not okay.

mrshankly · 01/07/2011 23:51

HRH, your post makes alot of sense and I agree with alot of what you said, which is why I'm questioning myself so much...

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openerofjars · 01/07/2011 23:54

His behaviour, sorry, not hers!

And his behaviour isn't normal. Being scared in your own home isn't normal. Being angry is okay. Arguing is okay but unpleasant. Being scared/scary: not good.

HRHMJOFMAGICJAMALAND · 01/07/2011 23:54

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HerHissyness · 01/07/2011 23:55

OK then forget everything said here.

Stop.

Breathe.

Listen to your instincts. Trust your judgement.

Your hackles went up for a reason.

HRHMJOFMAGICJAMALAND · 01/07/2011 23:57

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mrshankly · 01/07/2011 23:57

As in no, i've not been an angel and I would expect over a long period of time, most people lose it to an extent and say horrible things to their partner.

It's hard to describe why tonight his behaviour tipped over into intimidation but it did and he's not taken responsibility for that. I did freak out when I probably should have been more calm and firm, rather than panicked but I grew up in a pretty turbelent family and it makes me feel worried and scared to be spoke to like that...

I trust him totally with the children though, he's a great dad on the whole.

I'm trying to be balanced about this because it's important but it's difficult.

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HRHMJOFMAGICJAMALAND · 01/07/2011 23:59

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HRHMJOFMAGICJAMALAND · 02/07/2011 00:01

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mrshankly · 02/07/2011 00:01

we agreed on me staying here, him finding somewhere close and cheap so he can look for something on his own nearby... the plan is for them to be looked after by him at his house when he has them... this is just temporary.

he's paying between £2-300 per month, we've not nailed the exact figure... this is only month 1!

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JeremyVile · 02/07/2011 00:03

Telling him to leave and making it clear you will not be spoken to in that manner - absolutely correct and not an over reaction.

Changing the contact he has with the children over it - very much an over reaction, IMO. Pretty much agree with HRH.

HRHMJOFMAGICJAMALAND · 02/07/2011 00:05

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mrshankly · 02/07/2011 00:06

that's the thing, the contact is in my house, hence the consideration of changing it... I would never stop him seeing the kids. never.

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openerofjars · 02/07/2011 00:07

What HerHissyness said.

OP, I hope you are okay tonight & can get dome sleep. Don't let yourself get guilt-tripped into agreeing to anything you are uncomfortable with.

I read the OP as saying that, because she pulled him up on something that she did not like him doing on her computer, he was verbally aggressive to her. You don't have to shout to be aggressive.

However, I don't think it would be a good idea to continue to argue the finer points here as I don't think it will help the OP.

I have to go in a bit: I do hope you're okay, whatever you decide. Good luck and I'll check in on this thread in the morning.

mrshankly · 02/07/2011 00:09

he's here to put kids to bed then leaves or he's here when I'm at work... but he's obviously used to this as his home so he feels it's ok to have a bath (if I'm at work at night for example)/look on the internet/make himself some food.

It's a weird thing. How do you negotiate such nonsense?

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mrshankly · 02/07/2011 00:09

thanks openerofjars x

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HRHMJOFMAGICJAMALAND · 02/07/2011 00:11

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mrshankly · 02/07/2011 00:12

thankyou ever so much, you've really helped x

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HRHMJOFMAGICJAMALAND · 02/07/2011 00:14

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mrshankly · 02/07/2011 00:15

that's the thing, I'm trying to be accommodating, he's in the shitter position, home wise, but I don't want to encourage him to think he can do whatever he wants without regard for me... for example I made his dinner as he was coming straight here but he never washed his plate, just dumped it in the sink as he would have done before.. trivial but just a small example.

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HRHMJOFMAGICJAMALAND · 02/07/2011 00:20

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mrshankly · 02/07/2011 00:23

i'm pretty sure the dust will settle etc but I'm concerned about a repeat performance and how to tackle that? I'm not a great believer in threats, I think action is better but I feel I have to say if it happens again, what the consequences would be... but I don't know what they should be!?

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