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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

Devastated is an understatement

556 replies

redtulip68 · 11/03/2012 10:26

I'm so sorry to hear about your situation Starling. Unfortunately I'm in a very similiar position at the moment. My husband of 12 years left the marital home at 10.05pm last Sunday when myself and our two children were in bed. Not warning, nothing ran out in the night the coward he obviously is. The last week has been hell. i've had to tell the children because he only wanted to do it over the phone or in a pub, not in the safe environment of their home.

Apparently he had met some3one on line that he had connected with emotional - nothig sexual had occurred until after he left, or so he is saying. Over the last week I've heard nothing but lies and more lies. He has left the home in in such a state that part is uninhabitable. Environmental Health have been in contact due to the number of vehicles is has left in the garden, carport and other areas that we own surrounding the property. Since leaving I have found out that my wiring is condemned, the oven and hob are a danger to myself and my children. Cant have a bath unless a plunger is used to get plugs out. Had no hot water, could only have heating on for 30 minutes at a time, only flush toilets if someone contorlled the stop cock. Its been a nightmare. But he is living with someone and 'needing time to think what he needs over' whlst I live with two children in disarray.

Found we didnt have any contents or buildings insurance because he hadnt got round to setting up a new policy, bills were out of control because he hadnt got round to getting new quotes - I would have done it but evey bill was in his name at the time, obviously they arent now! Joint mortgage so thats ok.

Apparently will leave his income in my account for the next three months so I can arrange reapirs - what makes him think I can afford them now he has done? Then I'm to live off benefits - I've already established I'm only entitled to 10.43 per month. This is just so unfair, I really dont understand what I've done. he doesnt understand that our children deserve the truth rather than his web of lies which he now stating - I left beuuase we were arguing, 1 argument one night last week.

Visited children after I arranged it - 1 hour, then spoke to me for 2.5 hours, mean at the state but got better. I asked him to come back explained I still loved him and he said he would seriously think about it. He said that he still loved me but didnt think we could work it out because he has left.

Cant tell my family that I want him home bacuse they cant stand him, but I cant help the way I feel. its been made worse becauseof comments he keeps making on facebook which mean I then have to fiedl emails, messages and calls from joint friends and work colleagues. I know I'm having to do all his dirty work, clearing his stuff because he told me to, making calls left right and centre because that's what I'm expected to do.

refuses to give contactable address and often truns mobile phone off - so even in an emergancy I wouldnt be able to contact him.

cant sleep, havent eaten since our initial argument on 2nd march. i know deep down he isnt coming back but my children are young and own has AS. One hates their father, the other is in limbo becuase of promises father has made and subsequently not kept.

Nothing in my world is the same. I just dont know what I should be saying or feeling. Sick to the stomach of crying on my own. the pain is unbearable.

Please excuse the mistakes its just that really cant think straight. spoke this morning and asked if the comments he made yesterday about coming back were true or yet another one of the catelogue of lies he has told this week. Chidlren are lashing out at each other. But its not helped by their father telling them that he left because I was arguing rather than the truth that he was having an affair. There were several incidents this morning and I made him tell the truth but its still only part - now telling the children he is sharing a house with another woman. I just want to know where we all stand. Not lie after lie

OP posts:
midwife99 · 03/05/2012 21:45

Black & silver man ring - classy! Smacks of teenage purchase from Elizabeth Duke! One step up from a gold sovereign ring!!

redtulip68 · 04/05/2012 07:28

Off to see my head shrink this morning. So much has happened since my original consultation I'm beginning to wonder whether I really need to go. I think I've move on so much since STBX left at the beginning of March (Today is the actual two month anniversary to the date, although it will work out to be nine weeks on Sunday).

I do feel so much stronger, dont get me wrong I do miss adult company, but life is so much less complicated, messy and more organised! I nolonger have to worry about confrontations between STBX and various family members, nor do I have to worry about how he will react to several different issues.

I never thought that I would be saying this but there are actual times I dont miss him at all! Smile

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midwife99 · 04/05/2012 09:36

Oh tulip you are amazing!

redtulip68 · 07/05/2012 12:29

Had a good weekend away with family. Dc really enjoyed themselves. STBX failed to call the DC on two nights because 'he was tired' and 'he was in the bath'. As the DC say 'not very good excuses'. Anyway he was supposed to see the DC this afternoon, then last night at 9.30pm changed it to earlier, so i had to come home from weekend away and now.........he cant see the DC as he has a cold! Didums!!!!! In all honestly I was coming home anyway from being away but I miggh have changed my mind.

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midwife99 · 07/05/2012 13:07

I think you should do your own thing with the DCs & if he wants to see them he can fit round you. Definitely do not make your plans round him! Twunt! Angry

Dee03 · 07/05/2012 13:46

Have you not set up a regular routine regarding access- ie everyother wend??

Dont change your plans with your dc. He needs to fit in around you.

Have you sorted things regarding csa?

redtulip68 · 07/05/2012 16:05

Oh yes we have set up a regular contact - I did that the after he left, that together with phones calls at particular times of the day. Unfortunately he believes that 'I' need to be more flexible at weekends because sometimes he is busy. Or should I redefine that, OW wants to do other things! Anyway over the last few weeks he has wanted to change his contact times because he has had other things he needs to do apparently.

I'm going to request that he sticks to the prearranged times in future because its too confusing for tyhe DC and I dont see why I should arrange my life around him, afterall he left nine weeks ago. In addition to that Dee03 he can only have access here as he doesnt have a fixed abode, he is currently living in a rented room with OW, and I'm not willing for my DC to have contact with her now or for foreseeable future.

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Dee03 · 07/05/2012 16:39

Oh i see....yes agree about the housing situation.
God men are so annoying!
The whole point of sticking to routine is a) so the kids know when they are seeing xh and b) you both can plan your lives around contact weekends etc....
He shoujd plan his personal life around his dc, he knows when he has them and that should be that.
If OW has dc (i think i read she does) then she should fully understand the need to stick to plans that have been made.....

redtulip68 · 07/05/2012 16:47

Yes OW has DC but they are much older than mine by 30 years!!! Even her grandchildren are older than my DC. Ddont think she was that bothered by her own children from what I have been told so I doubt she will put herself out for mine. then again their DF is hardly putting himself out for them.

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midwife99 · 07/05/2012 17:11

She sounds a charmer! A granny in a rented room! Sounds like they deserve each other tulip!

Dee03 · 07/05/2012 17:42

In my experience it took a good couple of years for my xp and i to settle down after we split.
He was an emotional abuser and a twunt but the one thing he wouldnt do was just turn up and exoect to have ds. He had him everyother wkend from day 1, although if he was offered private work he would do that instead!!!! (and our ds didnt get extra maintenance from it either).
Within a month he met someone else (she had a ds) and we agreed that our ds wouldnt meet her for at least 6 months. The following weekend they went to the farm all together....(my ds was 12 mths) and the only reasen he told me was because one of my friends saw them there!! My son then saw her all the time as xp moved into her house.
Fast forward 6 years and xp had married this woman and had a dd. things had settled down and we all got on ok.
He then srarted an affair with my best friend.... I wont bore you all with the past two years worth of crap but once it came out in the open my xp moved in with her (can u see a pattern here) and my ds stayed there everyother wkend from day 1. They are now married and have a dd.....
Honest to god i could write the script for his life!!

Dee03 · 07/05/2012 18:09

I just i knew about mumsnet back then Grin

Dee03 · 07/05/2012 18:34

I just 'wish' i knew about mumsnet back then......Grin

redtulip68 · 07/05/2012 20:00

Well he called the children, 'I've spend all day in bed because I've got a cold.......I repeat didums!!!!!' My DC did me proud 'Well we've had one of Mum's lovely roast dinners. What did you have Daddy?...nothing oh well our dinner was lovely!'

He thinks he will be able to manage to visit DC tomorrow becuase he's had a rest. Praise the Lord! Lazarus has risen! Smile

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Dee03 · 07/05/2012 20:51

When he says about visiting the kids does he speak to you or go through your dc?

redtulip68 · 08/05/2012 06:18

Dee03 STBX comes to the house and spends time with the DC. He keeps his coat on the entire time, I dont offer him a drink and I remove myself to another room. I usually do my work in the sitting room whilst he is in the kitchen doing homework and reading, although he does keep sending the DC to me to ask stupid questions - can they have a drink, where's the pencil sharpener etc. Last week I left the house, and he treid to talk to me as if he was my best friend - I just cut him short. This week I intend to go to my room and work there hopefully he will then take control over his children. then again I live in hope. Wink

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captainmummy · 08/05/2012 14:40

Redtulip - you sound so strong now!

MadAboutHotChoc · 08/05/2012 15:34

Well done - you sound so much stronger now!

redtulip68 · 10/05/2012 06:12

Well what a couple of days I've had! First STBX is shirty when seeing the kids because I'm not talking to him but my DC! I explained he's here to talk and see them not me. Then he sends texts saying he is going to reduce my money by £200 per month because he needs to pay a debt. Then I have to sit in a meeting where all they do is slap each others backs and discuss private jokes to which I'm not party to because I wasnt at a previous meeting. Finally on the way home I did nothing but cry and wonder where it all went wrong. STBX is a real idiot at times he blames me for everything stating that I have the house and the car - but he left us! Where does he think the DC and I are going to live? How does he think I'm going to get to work? He is living opposite his place of work and I live 35 miles away from mine in a house in a location he choose. What he is failing to remember is that he left us, we havent moved!

OP posts:
MadAboutHotChoc · 10/05/2012 06:57

I hope the CSA are involved? Are they taking payments from him and putting these into your account?

midwife99 · 10/05/2012 07:00

Tell the CSA today love.

captainmummy · 10/05/2012 09:06

What an ass! He really does seem to think that it's everyone else's fault his life has suddenly got hard - when he's the one who made it so!

Words fail me - and you, i imagine. How can you get through to a thickhead like that, that it's his own doing?

Such an idiot.

redtulip68 · 11/05/2012 09:28

Am I able to swear on here? Anyway this morning's exciting installment in my life goes as follows:
8am - T/C from STBX to children. DS decided not to speak. I explain this to which he replied that he forgot to phone last night because he was busy. to add insult he then said if he doesnt phone then I should call him! He sees them for 4 hours a week, makes two calls a day lasting 4 mintues at most and now I've got to call him as well as do all the caring, cleaning etc for our DC! All this whilst he lives in a hotel having food prepared for him!

When I asked him to call at 7pm rather than 8.15pm and later he complained that he might be busy and that he would need a series of alarms to remind him. I tried not to laugh! The DC are young and should be in bed before 8 and not waiting for a Father who 'forgets' to call at least twice a week.

OP posts:
midwife99 · 11/05/2012 09:40

Put your DCs to bed at their normal time. If he hasn't rung by then turn the phone off. DO NOT phone him or complain he hadn't phoned. You're banging your head against a brick wall so just get on with your life without thinking about his. He can phone & visit when it's convenient to you. If he doesn't his loss.

redtulip68 · 05/06/2012 15:06

Well its been nearly a month since I was last on here and its been offically 3 months since my STBX walked out on my children and I. Anyway I thought I'd just update those that are interested in whats occurred in the last four weeks:

  1. started my divorce petition
  2. had to deal with numerous crappy emails from STBX over stupid items, all of which I have answered politely and forwarded a copy of my sols
  3. been out a few times with good friedns
  4. started councelling for myself and have organised some for my DD as she is taking things really badly - although this isnt helped by her Father ignoring her if she doesnt answer the questions the way he wants and she responses in what he describes as an agressive way.
  5. taken the children out each weekend
  6. avoided speaking to STBX on the phone
  7. laid turf in my 'bald' garden
  8. been spoken to like dirt when STBX arrives to see the children but as soon as I know its about to start I call someone so they can over hear the comments
  9. been called digusting and a disgrace by STBX because he thinksthe children are being manipulated by my parents and myself, when the truth is he has created the situation and he is making the children respond the way they are
10. planned a holiday during the six weeks holidays - a first as STBX wouldnt go away until the last minute in a bloody tent and only for four days as he didnt weant it to intrupt his weekend plans. We AREN'Tgoing in a tent but are staying in a cottage 5 minutes from the beach! 11. in a more upbeat mood - I can survive this!!!!!!

Really there have been more ups than downs and I'm please that my children and I are creating new memories. They make me smile (grin)

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