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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

He's left at last...so why do I feel so bad?

10 replies

namealreadytaken · 28/01/2012 11:21

We've been married forever (20 odd yrs + 5 children) and for most of those years I've thought about leaving him.....or rather I've been telling him to leave but he would never go.

There have been good times and periods when things have been ok and I think "oh it's not that bad", he's hard working, hands on with the children, helpful round the house, generous with money and loves us a lot BUT he has a nasty temper.

We've put up with his outbursts for years, the outbursts are mainly directed at the children, he'll just erupt over nothing and shout and swear and throw things.

Last week he lost it with my 8yr old because she was whining about the food in her lunch box, he threw a tub of mini rolls at her (the plastic tubs you get in M&S) and it hit her in the face. I had alrady left for work when it happened, he told me about it when I got home but said he'd thrown it at the bin and it bounced off and hit her face.

DD said his version of event is incorrect, she says he threw it at her....she saw it flying towards her "in a straight line" and I believe her. I told him he had to leave this time and he has.

It's what I've wanted for years, so why oh why do I feel so bad?
Why do I keep thinking how awful it would feel if he found somebody else?
Why do I feel so sad and keep thinking of all the happy times over the years?

Why do I keep thinking it would be better if he stayed?

Yet when he was here earlier to collect some more things and see the children I felt irritated by him and wanted him to go?

Why when he isn't here do I miss him but when he is here I want him to go?

OP posts:
Bossybritches22 · 28/01/2012 11:25

name you are understandably going through a grieving process and probably in a whirl of emotions and thoughts.

After so much time together and a long part of which you were focusing on the good not the bad, it's bound to be difficult to totally let go.

Be good to yourself and give yourself time to let all therse feelings process, but ultimately be proud of yourself for getting out for your DC's sake.

ChippingInLovesEasterEggs · 28/01/2012 11:25

Big Hugs

What you are missing/wanting - is something that didn't actually exist anyway - the good times, without the bad times. It is sad to lose the good bits, but christ almighty the man threw a plastic tub at your 8 year olds face... that is what you have to focus on.

20+ years is a long time to be together, being alone is a bit of a scary prospect, but try to think about how nice it will be to live in a home where you aren't worried he's going to go off on one.

namealreadytaken · 28/01/2012 13:00

Of course you're both right, I'm am grieving and it's for something that I didn't even really have.

This makes sense to me and perhaps explains why for years when I'm not with him I've missed him but as soon as I am with him he annoys the hell out of me.

I guess it's because the person in my head doesn't really exist.

I wish that I hated him as it would make things so much easier, I can only hope I've got the strength to see this through because for 20 odd yrs I've not known any different.

Living with such behaviour you get used to it and I'm ashamed to say him throwing a plastic tub at DD isn't even shocking to me, it's just another incident in a whole catalogue of them.

OP posts:
RumourOfAHurricane · 28/01/2012 14:35

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Bossybritches22 · 28/01/2012 14:44

Hate is a destructive emotion, OP, turn your energies onto you & your DC's now, it will be hard but you are setting such a positive example to them and helping them have the strength to know what is unnacceptable in their own relationships in the future.

ChippingInLovesEasterEggs · 28/01/2012 14:44

If you keep posting, we will help you to stay strong and see this through.

I don't want to harp on about it, but to put it into some perspective for you - if my partner threw a plastic tub of mini rolls or whatever at my DD it would be a deal breaker. If he threw it as he says he did (not that I believe him, but if) then we would still be having serious words - children should not live in physical fear of their parents. The fact that this didn't shock you really makes it clear just how bad his behaviour has been. Also, I say that from the POV that I don't throw up my hands in horror when a parent smacks a child or tells them what's what - I am not a softy liberal parent at all.

You are grieving - he's not all bad, if he had been you wouldn't still be there. You are going to miss the nice bits & you are going to worry that you have done the wrong thing - but honestly you haven't, you have done the best thing for the kids and for yourself. You just need to keep reminding yourself that just because you had gradually got used to his behaviour so it didn't seem so bad, it is bad. Be strong.

Bossybritches22 · 29/01/2012 11:06

How are you Op? Smile

namealreadytaken · 29/01/2012 11:33

I'm good thanks!

Reading these posts really does help motivate me to keep going, it would be so easy to just say "come back" as he's on his best behaviour now and going it alone seems so daunting.

I need to set some boundaries and stick to them though because he just keeps popping round, this morning he popped round for a brew on his way to work as he had no milk in, yesterday it was for a coat, tomorrow it'll be something else....if I don't put my foot down this will carry on and on.

Still haven't worked out what to tell the 3 yr old, I just keep telling him daddy's at work if he asks for him, he does work strange hours so 3yr old is happy with that explanation so far.

Thank you all fortaking the time to post I do appreciate it x

OP posts:
AnyFucker · 29/01/2012 16:13

Well done you

Now you have to be strong to maintain your stance, and that involves not allowing him to "pop round" on these ridiculous pretexts

Bite the bullet and make it official

Sorting out official contact times with the dc's away from your home is the way to go, to limit the time he gets to display his hangdog, kicked-puppy behaviour

he is doing this to chip away at your resolve

don't let him

Bossybritches22 · 29/01/2012 23:41

Great that sounds very positive, keep up the firm resolve and like you said set the boundaries before he's wheedled his way back in.

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