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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

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Should I forgive him?

116 replies

abc123d · 16/05/2012 11:41

Ok, here is the story. Two weeks ago on Saturday I was waiting with my children for DH to wake up and go with us to the supermarket to buy food. I woke up early and was already feeling quite sleepy. I wanted to go to the shop during the day and not in the evening because of my studies which I had to do in the evenings. My DH knows that I cannot study during the night. He goes to bed very late but then he can sleep for 12 hours and with me it is just 6-7 hours and I have to wake up. He works and often has to go to bed around 1am but then he does not start his work at 9am. He always has long weekends even when the kids were babies. He would never say to me: you stay in bed and I go and take care of the kids. So when he had his breakfast at around 2pm I asked pmhim when we could go to the shop. He said that we would go later after 5pm. I told him that we needed to go to the shop earlier because of my studies. Anyway, he was watching TV, then went to check news on the Internet. Then to the loo and then he took a shower. I was not in a best mood because of predmenstrual tensions. Nevertheless I was not shouting at him, no nagging. At last after 4pm we decided to drive to the shops. In the car he switched one of the songs he liked a bit too loud. I turned it a bit down. He turned it back and burked at me. I told him that I was tired that evertime it had to be his way. It is true, everytime it has to be his way. He was very angry with me. So he told me that he was going to one shop on his own and that I had to go to the supermarket with children to do the shopping. We went to the supermarket and did the shopping. As we were going to pay for the food my DH came over and started to add some food simply throwing it to the rest of the food. The shop assistant noticed it. I told me DH to behave properly (the shop assistant did not hear it). Then he was gone. I was waiting for him to come and help us. As I was going to pay for the food I had noticed that he was sitting on a bench in 10 meters from us. I felt disgusted. He led us to the car and was sitting there while I was unloading the food. At home I also unloaded the food. I told him that his behaviour was unreasonable, mean and disgusting. We talk now but I do not feel like having sex with him or even having a cuddle. A few nights ago he wanted me to cuddle him (to come closer to him) and I said "no". He asked why and I just said: "what do you mean, why". I feel really hurt by his actions as this shows his respect to me. He did not say "sorry". I do not know what to do. The other day when he tried to give me kind of hug I did not respond to it. He asked why I was still holding it against him. ANother thing that he told me that nothing wrong had happened when we were shopping alone because many mums do it. But this not about shopping alone it is about his actions and that he was sitting and waiting for me. I should have just left his part of the food and did not pay for it. He would have done it, I know. Sorry for such a long story.

OP posts:
MissFaversham · 16/05/2012 14:05

Unfortunately OP the world is full of self entitled babies.

Where are your relatives? Do you have friends/family there?

Good idea about getting a part time job. Do you have any money of your own?

IAmNotACowbag · 16/05/2012 14:16

*It rings alarm bells of a huge kind to me that she said she would be "told off for wasting money" because the substituted products were not very good.

OP didnt specify substituted products, she said "brought us products which were not very good", and whilst I am not condoning all of his behaviour, I can see the point here. We do not do online shopping, as I prefer to actually select my own fresh foods, rather than have short dated, bruised, or crap looking stuff delivered.*

Does it fucking matter whether she meant substituted or the goods in general? The problem with the sentence is that she would be "told off for wasting money"

Treated like a child, spoken to like a child which so many other posters seem to believe she was doing to him and have a problem with.

No I don't the body and it certainly didn't warrant your harsh reply.

IAmNotACowbag · 16/05/2012 14:17

Sorry, name change!

thebody · 16/05/2012 14:22

Wtf I havnt spoken to u???

oooohhhhyes · 16/05/2012 14:25

Well, OP you are in a very disempowered situation and I feel sympathy for you. Your DH sounds like a outdated, entitled 13 year old. I understand the cultural issues because I am familiar with similar. He's not going to change.

Your responses are very passive, which is natural when the other partner is aggressive ("tells me off", "threw things and squashed food" etc).

A) get a book about reacting non-passively and maturely to emotional abuse, because that's what you're experiencing.

B) He'll be like this but more so 20 years down the line, without the kids as a buffer. Decide if you want to live your natural span like this.

C) Speak to Citizens' Advice about your true visa situation - he may be telling you that you can't stay without him but that may just be another way of manipulating and controlling you, his personal maid and housekeeper. CAB will not inform anyone of your enquiries or make you do anything and you don't have to give your real name.

D) If you don't want to stay with him, is it really worth staying in this country anyway or can you return to your support system at home?

E) if you still love him, tell him you're considering your options and would he go to Relate or just have an informal weekly sit down in which you discuss both of your feelings and issues? The answer will be no but you have then tried and are free to act for your own good.

thebody · 16/05/2012 14:25

Harsh reply to who??? If u post on aibu then expect a response.

To be honest I am sick to death of posters posting and then whining when others give them their opinion.

oooohhhhyes · 16/05/2012 14:30

"Unreasonable revenges" sounds scary. What do you mean? re the kids, he might threaten you with stuff, but he cannot take them off you (which your recent post seems to imply you are worried about). You need some support. Ask Women's Aid for some advice. If nothing else, it will open your eyes to what he is doing to you.

squeakytoy · 16/05/2012 14:30

It was me who said that cowbag, and it is my opinion regarding online shopping. Being "told off" is hardly time to ring Womens Aid... ffs. People, even adults do tell each other off, it doesnt mean they are treating them like a child. If a woman came on here saying that her husband was (in her opinion) wasting money, then we would advise her to tell him off for it!

I still say that OP needs to be more assertive, and both parties need to grow up.

IAmNotACowbag · 16/05/2012 14:31

thebody Sorry I named changed from "itsapublic".

I found this from yourself:

Goodness me, u both sound absolutely ridiculous! He turns up music loudly you sulk he sulks!! What on earth do u both think u r teaching your poor children. All this is very petty, some people men and women are selfish, u need to stop 'telling him' when to shop etc as you sound like his mother and he is behaving like your child. Fuck off to the supermarket by yourself. He will have to look after the kids if you arnt there !!! He's the dad ffs. Stop pandering to him. How are the pair of u going to cope in a real crisis.

Excessively harsh, not an opinion, more a judgement than anything, a harsh one IMO as it seems as though when you wrote this you either hadn't read the thread properly or thought about it at all. I think telling the OP to "fuck off to the supermarket" was harsh and unneccesary. Many people have expressed the same view but not in such a nasty way.

You demanded I agree that the first OP was childish. I declined.

YourFanjoIsNotAHandbag · 16/05/2012 14:31

I dont think anyone is whining, just trying to give op advice, that's all.

FWIW op, I think before you go back to work, you need to address this issue, is he going to help out more? If not you will be trying to do everything and still go to work, that's not healthy.

And I dont know how old your DCs are but mine have had chores to do in the house since they were 7, you might want to get a rota going for them before they think that you doing everything for everyone is normal.

I think you really need to try and talk to him and get your point across before you think about work.

LordGiveMeStrength · 16/05/2012 14:33

Don't know if this would help, but when i'm feeling overloaded with the kids and house issues I just tell my DH that I'm going to do the grocery shopping on my own while the kids stay with him. It gives me a couple hours to myself, time for him to spend more time with our children and also accomplishes a household task. Personally I feel tethered to the house/kids/work every day (part time working mum to DD - 3 and DS - 1) so every weekend I need to cut the tether and get out of the house and away from hubby and the kids. It keeps me sane and I don't resent my husband.

IAmNotACowbag · 16/05/2012 14:34

It was me who said that cowbag, and it is my opinion regarding online shopping. Being "told off" is hardly time to ring Womens Aid... ffs. People, even adults do tell each other off, it doesnt mean they are treating them like a child. If a woman came on here saying that her husband was (in her opinion) wasting money, then we would advise her to tell him off for it!

I know, I was replying to you and just the end was specifically for thebody who demanded I agree with them earlier, sorry if that wasn't clear.

I've never said to ring womens aid?! My point is that it's hypocritical of some posters to call the OP on her "telling off" (converyer belt fiasco) but spot nothing wrong with his. It's still quite sinister that the OP is afraid of being told off IMO.

captainmummy · 16/05/2012 14:35

It sounds like a cultural difference - the DH appears to assume that it is OPs job to pander to him (and the dc) in the way his dparents did for him. It is v hard to changethat mindset, in fact i would say impossible in a 40-yo man who does not want, or see any need, to change.

'Leave the bastard' is not an option here, unless you can support yourself and your dc. Is that possible once you are qualified? He would still have to support the dc, according to english law. But i agree that your lifeOP would be infinitely easier once you no longer had another child him to look after, feed, making his life easier.

(Incidentally, why doesn't he do the washing up while you are doing bedtime routine? why is it your job? how long would it go before he did it?)

IAmNotACowbag · 16/05/2012 14:36

Especially seeing as if the goods are substandard compared to what you'd pick yourself, it's not exactly your own fault. So why should you be "told off for wasting money"? It's quite bizarre.

thebody · 16/05/2012 14:39

Jesus what's with the name changing, can't keep up.
How silly to name change during a thread!!!

Anyway I dont 'demand' u do anything as i dont care to be honest.

Op and her dh sounded childish IMO though the drip feeds she gives are now more sensible reasons for maybe wanting to leave her dh.

Again I think u will find that mumsnetters use forthright language on occasions and if u don't like it I suggest u piss off aibu as my swear words are tame by comparison.

oooohhhhyes · 16/05/2012 14:39

I didn't suggest going to Women's Aid to be put in a shelter! Just calling them for advice because it sounds like OP doesn't have a support system here to help her get things in proportion. And my advice was given from the extensive info supplied, which strongly suggests a controling, manipulative OH; it wasn't given just from the two words, "told off".

Mobly · 16/05/2012 14:41

It sounds like you're having a dreadful time of it op :( It sounds like you are the only responsible adult/parent in the relationship.

I am disgusted at some of the responses you've had on here- particularly the one saying it's your fault he acts this way and you should get him out of bed!!! He is a grown man, it is his own responsibility to get his lazy arse out of bed.

Your post was easy to read too. Ignore the idiots who like to make themselves feel superior by pointing out lack of paragraphs or grammatical error. I'd rather be a shit writer than an ill-mannered twonk Grin.

For future reference, for any relationship issues, you will get far more sense from the 'Relationships' section. 'Am I being unreasonable?' attracts some people who just like to be contrary.

As to whether you should forgive him, well that would depend if he is willing to change.

I would give him one last chance to start pulling his weight and after that if he didn't change and start treating you with the respect you deserve then I would ask him to leave. Let his mother deal with his crap because he sounds like a manchild.

IAmNotACowbag · 16/05/2012 14:44

Thebody I can name change whenever I want, surprisingly without your permission.

I have been on mumsnet a long time, I know what goes on.

Swearing doesn't offend me, low intelligence and a professionally offended attitude do tend to though unfortunately. Maybe I need to work on that.

MissFaversham · 16/05/2012 14:50

OP, why not ask for this to be moved to "Relationships"? It's turning into the he usual AIBU ding-dong.

squeakytoy · 16/05/2012 14:50

oooheyes, sorry, I was talking in general, and hadnt seen your bit about WA as it was posted at the same time as my own post. :)

HereIGo · 16/05/2012 15:09

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

thebody · 16/05/2012 15:26

Iamnotacowbag please stop obsessing about me.

Name change as u like but during a thread is slightly silly isn't it.?

As for 'low intelligence and professionally offended' ha ha h ha ha u really are on a bit of a lather.

Calm down dear!

Op I hope u get some help and support and I agree women's aid or citizens advice so u can assess your position both legally and financially.

IAmNotACowbag · 16/05/2012 15:37

*Iamnotacowbag please stop obsessing about me.

Name change as u like but during a thread is slightly silly isn't it.?*

No, it's not at all if I choose to do it.

As far I can see, you are the only one who's frothed and sworn at me? So it's not really appropriate for you to tell me to calm down dear.

Please stop demanding I agree with you. Please learn what 'obsessed' means. Please also use full words when you type, it really does put me in mind of those low intelligence types.

captainmummy · 16/05/2012 15:41

FGS ladies - the OP neeeds help, not you two arguing at each other.

Please stick to the thread - name changing and name calling are not helping

IAmNotACowbag · 16/05/2012 15:45