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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

wwyd?

38 replies

happychappy · 05/12/2011 10:40

I was so certain on Friday and now confused.

Sorry really really long.

My H and I have been together for 20 years we have 2 children 13 and 9. He loves his kids and is a good dad but a rubbish H. I feel like I have married his mother. She is v. passive aggressive and when is cross says things or does things which she knows will get a reaction. He does this too. They are both perfectists in terms of their expectations of others but take little or no responsibility for their own shortcoming and failures. They both expect and expect and expect and then demand everything on their own terms. I have barely spoken to his mother in years and really don't want a relationship with her. Though H keeps pushing and making it difficult for me to avoid contact. I blame a lot of our problems on her and his upbringing (single parent family with little or no contact with dad).

We moved last years, it was an incredibly stressful difficult move. Mostly the stresses came from H and his moods and bad tempers. I haven't forgiven him for it. Since moving our relationship has seemed to just get worse and worse. His moods and bad tempers tip me over the edge and then I explode and rant and rave. He says he's sorry and then we pretend everythings ok for a day or two or if we are lucky a week. The problem is always my period nothing to do with him. When I lose my temper he then feels justified to say really nasty spiteful things, I try very hard not too but sometimes they are just so hurtful. This is the cycle, it never changes and never gets better. Last September we had an enormous row in which things got really out of hand. I said unless this stops and if things ever get this bad again I would HAVE to leave. I said its not fair for the children to think this is how normal relationships work. We have barely spoken in a month and half, our sex life is shit and he has been in a mood most of that time. I don't want to spend any time with him and resent the stress he puts on all our lives. Apart from last Sunday I spent the last 3 Sundays angry upset and in tears. Last Wednesday I packed my bags and left the house. I can't stand it anymore. I want out. He said the most terrible things and was really really spiteful and at the same time sent messages like your breaking my heart. Its confusing and difficult. I kept calm and said I meant it and I went back to the house because a friend advised by leaving the house it would cause problems for custody. This was Friday. Saturday I had 2 crowns so was feeling really poorly most of the day and spent it in bed. He was on best behavior.
Sunday he cried and begged and pleaded for me not to go. In September I asked him to go to relate with me. He refused. Sunday he said he would go to the Dr about his moods and go to relate. I felt torn because I don't want to leave just before Christmas because of the kids. I see no good future in our relationship and feel we are slowly fucking up our kids by carrying on. I have no good feelings for him. When he's on his best behavior we are ok the rest of the time I want out. I said I would stay there in the spare room until February. But if things started again I was off. I have money for a deposit on a house if needed.
I feel like I've done the wrong thing. I feel like I should go. He has had 20 years of chances. I don't hate him but I don't love him or even like him.
He is now trying to push for more from me but I have nothing to give him other than civil behavior.

Have I done the wrong thing? Should I go? Friday I was so sure I needed to go now I still want to but what about my kids, I'm going to break their hearts.

OP posts:
MeltedAdventCalendarChocolates · 05/12/2011 10:50

"I blame a lot of our problems on her and his upbringing (single parent family with little or no contact with dad)."

You lost all my sympathy after this stupid remark.

MeltedAdventCalendarChocolates · 05/12/2011 10:57

Also you justify his actions tipping you over but don't do the same when your temper tips him over. You don't sound a whole lot better, so don't blame this all on him. Leaving is up to you not us.

GypsyMoth · 05/12/2011 10:59

Lost my sympathy with that stupid remark tooHmm

happychappy · 05/12/2011 10:59

Melted in the sense his mother is his main influence and emotionally unavailable and very manipulative. Not that there is anything wrong with single parent families with not contact with their father. I come from the same type of family. My mother was alone until I was 12. However my mother has her own faults but blaming the rest of the world for everything that is wrong in her life is not one of them.
I hope you advise find small comments written when trying to explain a very long history which is as all relationships are complicated?

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AttilaTheMeerkat · 05/12/2011 11:02

What are you getting from this relationship now?. What on earth has kept you within this, the children I daresay?.

You mention leaving the home, I would seek legal advice first and foremost before doing such a thing. What would happen to your children if you were to leave the marital home, would you take them with you.

You need proper legal advice first and foremost.

This has dragged on long enough hasn't it?.

Re this comment:-
"I see no good future in our relationship and feel we are slowly fucking up our kids by carrying on"

A crude comment but an apposite one; both of you are imparting damaging lessons to these young people. If you carry on like this and remain together, your children will likely despise you as a result and accuse you of putting him before them; is that what you really want?. You'll both be fortunate if either of them ever want to know you when they reach adulthood; you will both be despised. This is no legacy to leave your children and you know it.

No obstacle is insurmountable to obtaining a divorce and Christmas is but two days. They've suffered quite enough as well.

happychappy · 05/12/2011 11:04

Melted so when you ask someone a million times calmly to speak to you about the problem and he doesn't EVER, and then picks holes in everything you do and say. Walks off when you try to speak to him. This can go on for weeks what do you do to resolve that?
The problems are generally are small like I come home late because I am shopping for food, I have to work late or I have forgotten something from the shops which he specifically asked me to buy.
They are small and petty but he will hold onto them building on them.

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AttilaTheMeerkat · 05/12/2011 11:05

I would not advise leaving your children as they will likely see that as you abandonning them. They will find that very hard to forgive you for.

You need legal advice re your marital situation; will you now consider divorce?

happychappy · 05/12/2011 11:06

Sorry to be crude but sometimes this word explains things so rightly. I feel in this case it to be so.

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MeltedAdventCalendarChocolates · 05/12/2011 11:06

So in fact, it wasn't upbringing (single parent family with little or no contact with dad) but just his mum. happy, this is a sensitive part of the forum, you should go over what you write in your OP carefully.

Like I say, only you can decide whether to go or not, but it sounds like you do a bit of the shifting blame thing too. He does not sound perfect by any means but neither do you, and that's just from your side of the story!

happychappy · 05/12/2011 11:08

Attila you seem very wise. I just feel very confused and sad

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MeltedAdventCalendarChocolates · 05/12/2011 11:10

Well you can't resolve that I guess.

Get legal advice.

happychappy · 05/12/2011 11:13

I have never said that I am perfect but I am not spiteful and unkind. I am an emotional person and tend to say what I feel. So sometimes I can be a bit tactless but thats not coming from a malicious place and I will apologise when I am wrong. If it were just me and him I would have left years ago. The story is far too long and boring for me to go into details but neither of us are perfect. Thats why I wanted to go to relate. Only now when I've walked out the door will he agree to that. but that is fairly typical action only when the horse has bolted.

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happychappy · 05/12/2011 11:15

I would still go to relate but not to fix things only to get out amicably (is that possible)

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AttilaTheMeerkat · 05/12/2011 11:16

You may well be confused and sad; I am sure your children feel the same. They are all too aware of the problems at home.

You can dig yourself out of this hole you find yourself in but you will need to be the one to say enough now and seek legal advice for your own situation. No-one can do that for you except you. I would act asap and before Christmas as well; January is the solicitors busiest month of the year.

What do you want to teach your children about relationships; this model they are currently witnessing is in no way ideal is it?. You want them to replicate those damaging patterns as adults?. Look what your H' mother taught him and look at the results now, you are both teaching your children very similar and equally damaging lessons.

happychappy · 05/12/2011 11:21

Attila I know thank you for your honesty will do as you advise.

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AttilaTheMeerkat · 05/12/2011 11:22

He is very unlikely to be amicable in any event and particularly once he sees that you are finally serious about leaving him for good. He may well try and intimidate you and use every means at his disposal to try and make you back down. I also wouldn't put it past him either to use the children as weapons.

He has also refused to go to Relate. You'd be far better off going on your own to any such sessions as he will probably make it all out to be your fault, will overtalk you and sit there playing victim.

You must seek legal advice first and foremost. No situation is completely hopeless.

izzywhizzysmincepies · 05/12/2011 11:24

feel we are slowly fucking up our kids by carrying on

Your dysfunctional relationship with your h and the atmosphere in your home has inevitably already had an adverse impact on your dc, or perhaps you fondly imagine that they are oblivious to their dps' resentment of each other or the fact that you're now sleeping in the spare room because you can't stand their df?

IMO the race is on to give your dc a home life that will ensure they won't follow in the parents' footsteps when it comes to building their own relationshps with the opposite sex.

To this end, you are best advised to make an urgent appointment with a solicitor who specialises in divorce and family law and bring your farce of a marriage to an end asap for the sake of all concerned.

As for the festive season, dc are for life not just for Christmas and I suggest you make sure that yours enjoy the day free of the tensions and unpleasantness that they have no doubt come to regard as normal.

TheRuderBarracuda · 05/12/2011 11:25

happychappy I'm a single mum with one DS and I didn't take your comment as offensive - i thought it was to explain why H and his mum might be so very similar if they were a v close small family unit. Have no good advice to add apart from start planning for your future happiness now, don't waste any more of your life and yes, your DC can be happier too with two happy but separate parents.

brandysoakedbitch · 05/12/2011 11:26

He sounds depressed to be honest - he does need to see a GP and being verbally vicious to him will only make him retreat further (I am not saying he is right here just aware that I have a vicious tongue myself and it can be very very damaging)

I know two people who have had their Mother leave the home - one was 14 when it happened and the other 11 - they are both HUGELY fucked up by it and they will not understand. I am sure their Mothers felt justified at the time (although neither were involved in a DV situation or anything) but neither of them have ever got back on track and close to their Mother again - one of them is now 31 and the other 40!

I do agree that sorting this situation out is very important but abandoning your children is not he way to resolve it. What about going for some counselling yourself to get your head straight about what you need to do. It is very hard to make a good decision in a pressure cooker situation.

happychappy · 05/12/2011 11:30

We live in a village. Someone just moved out of one of the houses in the villages. On Sunday I suggested I move in there. My income would cover my expenses and his his. I work in a job the kids can come with me and I can cover sick and holidays and strikes! I suggested the children stay with me when he is working and the weekends he is off (he works every other weekend) he has them and on his weekday day off he has them too. If I am in the village the kids can have both of us when they want. We have a property abroad which is currently rented but its in my name. I said he can put a charge in it and have half when it comes to sell but not to sell within 5 years because we will have a huge CGT on it.
He seemed entirely agreeable to this.
We have no savings and one car. He can have I don't need one.
I said we both needed to check with CAB whether this would work.
But this was Friday, maybe today he would change his mind.

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happychappy · 05/12/2011 11:35

Thank you ruder, that was exactly how I meant it.
My meltdowns tend to consist of me swearing alot stoping about and telling everyone to leave me alone and give me some space (I turn into a stroppy teenager). Unfortunately what tends to happen is the children roll their eyes and leave me alone and my H follows me round the house tutting and staring at me in a disapproving way. I have gone out for A WALK but I come back to tutting and eye rolling. It pushed all my buttons.

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happychappy · 05/12/2011 11:36

it pushes sorry typo

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happychappy · 05/12/2011 11:39

Most people I know who have had a parent leave are messed up about it. I know I remember my parents splitting and my Dad leaving and I was 4. I remember everything, the weather, not the words but their emotion and my feelings too. But also I only every remember them shouting at each other. I never really did have a relationship with my dad after that.

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kaluki · 05/12/2011 11:47

You've got a plan and it looks like a good fair one to me. I think you should go ahead and move.
If you don't then the two of you will ruin what's left of your dcs childhood and do irrepairable damage to them both.
Your and your H don't get on any more, stop flogging a dead horse and GO.
You are lucky that you can afford to and have options, many women in your situation aren't so lucky.

happychappy · 05/12/2011 13:03

Indeed, my job is well paid and we don't have huge debts so we are quite lucky I suppose

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