Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

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

New partner needing 'time'

951 replies

confusedisitme · 19/05/2013 15:54

I've recently started seeing someone - it's been under a month officially but we were very close before that for about 6 months.

He seems to come across as quite intense in his 'feelings' - always saying things like how he's broken, doesn't wan to lose me (said in that breathless, urgent way you'd imagine someone to say it in a cheesy american movie!) and the first week we were together he kept saying how strong his feelings were, felt like we'd been together a lot longer and all that stuff.

However, because he'd recently split up with someone and because of the fact I don't get on with a family member of his (I knew this family member before I knew him and we've never got along), he's been reluctant to tell anyone he's seeing me - he wanted to wait until the summer and then he felt like he'd be able to tell his close family members (including this person that hates me).
This caused issues between us, because I felt like we couldn't go out anywhere - he'd come and visit me at home, stay over etc and we have been out a few times out of town, but I want to just be able to go to the local restaurant or something in town and not worry that he'll be looking over his shoulder. He says I want everything 'now' and it's not possible...so because of this we argue - not full on rows, but niggly sort of things where usually one of us says we can't cope with it, and it's all up in the air again.

We were due to go out last night together, in town for a meal.

It'd been planned for 2 weeks, I had got my mum to have my three children overnight so we could go out (which meant me buying air beds and a travel cot so they could sleep at her house), and then Friday morning I had asked him to come over that night because we had been arguing and I wanted to try and fix us before I could go out with him the next night...eventually he agreed, we had a slight niggle but the rest of the night was fine, he said he couldn't lose me, the next morning he was very loving and we left on a good note - although he hadn't gone to sleep when I told him to that night, instead he kept trying it on for 90 minutes so we ended up only having about 4 hours' sleep :(

It got to 5pm on Saturday, the kids had already gone to my mum's and he text saying he was very tired, hadn't had a chance to sleep and would have to stay home - then didn't seem to understand why I was pissed off. I asked him to stick to the arrangements, he said he needed sleep and it spiralled into this massive argument and him refusing to even come over and see me, but stay in the house with me and not go out...which annoyed me further.

Eventually at 9pm he agreed to come over but sleep on the sofa, but said it would be finished for good if I "made him" come over...so he turned up, was very cold (I'd hoped I could win him round a bit but it didn't happen) and eventually left again after saying he couldn't handle this, and I should've let him stay at home.

He's now saying we need to "work on positive texts and see how we go" - we can't see each other now until the weekend after next as we both have commitments, so he wants me to basically just send him chatty, random texts through the next couple of weeks, effectively covering up how hurt I am and not talking about 'us' until he decides whether he misses me and wants to try again or not.

I understand that all this arguing has got him down; it has me too, but on Friday night he said he can't lose me with that sense of urgency and passion that made it seem like he loved me...then last night he said his feelings had significantly reduced over the past week or so and he wants to se if he can get them back - to me, I don't want to wait around to see if his feelings reappear; if they went in the first place (mine haven't, despite the arguing) then it feels like I'd be losing the self respect I still have left by taking him back if he decided he wanted to.

Does that make sense at all?

Apologies for the essay...I suppose I'm just wondering if he's being unreasonable in what he's asking of me now, or I am.

PS - he did text me last night saying that he can't see how he can be with me, but the thought of not being with me hurts him like crazy; and that he just needs a bit of space from the arguing, and just positive texting for a week or so, and see if it helps his feelings reappear.

OP posts:
EleanorHandbasket · 21/05/2013 11:12

Four weeks in you shoudl be having lovely funy giggly getting to know you conversations and sex.

Not completely head fucking arguments OR declarations of love and marriage.

This is the most insane thread I have ever read on here.

confusedisitme · 21/05/2013 11:14

No, I have no idea what thread that was, but this guy has some sort of dual-contract thing going on where he's a TA AND the caretaker, contracted for both jobs.

I only met this guy in Oct/November time so that other one wasn't me!

OP posts:
unapologetic · 21/05/2013 11:14

Well I take my hat off to you if you have it down to such a fine art.

The point I am really making is that you are obsessed with this relationship and I am wondering where your kids are.

confusedisitme · 21/05/2013 11:17

Yes Eleanor but to look at it the other way, we've seen the very worst of each other so if we can work through this (as I am willing to and he seems to be) then it can only get better.

I'd rather have this crap a month in and either finish it or work through it, than find out after going slowly-slowly for a year that we're not compatible and having to end it then, when the children would have been much more attached by then.

And btw they never saw us kissing...that was an example.

OP posts:
KatieScarlett2833 · 21/05/2013 11:17

I was one of them, met and married DH within 10 months of meeting him. Been together 20 years.
However. DH couldn't wait to introduce me to all his friends and family, asked my SF permission to wed me, bought a house together and had our wedding abroad booked and paid for.
We had none of the drama you are currently enabling and enjoying.

dontyouwantmebaby · 21/05/2013 11:17

how much more detailed info are you going to provide about your kids routine, it all sounds quite implausible. you're protesting a wee bit too much.

nothing to see here.

oh & good luck OP because if you ARE genuinely asking for advice Hmm, you certainly don't listen to it.

confusedisitme · 21/05/2013 11:18

At the moment, school and nursery.

I work from home as a market researcher so yes at the moment should be doing that, but I'm only paid per survey and have had a lot of hang-ups and non answers this morning so am procrastinating.

OP posts:
dontyouwantmebaby · 21/05/2013 11:20

22 pages, nice work.

confusedisitme · 21/05/2013 11:22

Katie I get your point - but how long was it before he did introduce you?

It's usually at least a couple of months before that sort of thing happens - friends maybe slightly less than family.

He says he's not particularly close to his sister, it was only April that he was meant to have gone to Aus and that relationship only ended 6 weeks ago or something, so I think it's fair to say that him jumping straight into another one might look crazy to his family, added with the fact I'm a single mum with three young children, his sister doesn't particularly seem to like me (although it's hard to tell as she's not really a people person) and the age difference, of course there are issues.

But I genuinely think if I calm down a bit and stop trying to 'break' things, and he makes sure we do go out on 'dates' regularly then this could work, and in a few months if he hasn't introduced me to even his friends, then yes maybe it's a non starter.

OP posts:
confusedisitme · 21/05/2013 11:23

Sorry a good bedtime routine sounds implausible to you.

It's the routine they've had since birth and it's worked so far, I was quite proud of it - and my eldest NEEDS routine as he's being assessed for autism (and I know...the way I went about this whole thing has been very selfish - I did say that last night and told him I was kicking myself over it).

OP posts:
WeAreSix · 21/05/2013 11:24

confused I've asked a genuine question about your mental health. Could you reply please?

KatieScarlett2833 · 21/05/2013 11:28

Met him on the Saturday at his works do. He introduced me to his family 1 week later.

Floggingmolly · 21/05/2013 11:29

Bit of a side issue; but he's the Head teacher's brother, he's a caretaker and a teaching assistant at the same time, and he also finds time to run the tuck shop?
That sounds as rooted in fantasy as everything else in your little fairy tale.

Hashtagwhatever · 21/05/2013 11:30

I wouldn't have any man staying over after only a month caretaker or otherwise.

What's the rush to get into such a deep relationship anyway. You said youve been alone 4 years yet youve a dc just 21 months. Im lost here

EleanorHandbasket · 21/05/2013 11:31

DH met my DC the day after he met me, by the way, met my entire (huge) family the week after and I met his family the week after that. We moved in together after six months and bought a house together after a year, married after three years and had DS2 a year after that.

We've never argued.

We are drama free. You might want to try that.

confusedisitme · 21/05/2013 11:33

Katie but we've had our issue which wouldn't have happened if I hadn't been trying to protect myself (which is my default 'thing' - nothing to do with him really, more to do with my abusive ex).

Floggingmolly Sigh. Yes - he's a ta and caretaker, I'm sure the fact he's the Head's brother has something to do with that but he says not...he was employed as ta first (unqualified apparently) 6 years ago, and a couple of years ago went for the caretaker role too, he says he needs both contracts as the ta wouldn't pay enough as a stand alone thing (there aren't many full time ta positions in our area).

The tuck shop isn't a tuck shop, the kids have toast, juice, milk and fruit that they pay for, it's set up in the school hall and the TA's take it in turns to run it. That's all, nothing too spectacular.

OP posts:
KatieScarlett2833 · 21/05/2013 11:35

We also went out to dinner lots, drinks regularly and family events before the proposal.
No one was remotely surprised we were getting married. Not even my mum who I suspect is a little in love with DH herself Smile

confusedisitme · 21/05/2013 11:35

Well Eleanor if your DH met your children after you'd only know him a day, why am I being criticised for letting him meet them after 2 weeks!? Especially as he already 'knows' them from school...not exactly a stranger.

But yes - the no drama, I agree with and intend to work on that.

OP posts:
confusedisitme · 21/05/2013 11:36

Katie that's what I said to him last night. I asked how he'd proposed to his ex wife, he told me (the usual - did it on holiday then went and bought a ring the next day) and I said that's what I want from someone - and I'd rather wait until I was with someone 'publicly' and could tell my family and have them pleased for us, than just to prove his commitment to me and have nothing to show for it for a very long time.

Which is why he apologised.

OP posts:
EleanorHandbasket · 21/05/2013 11:37

I havent' criticised you for that bit Smile

I just think it's so sad that your boundaries and expectations are so screwed that you think this inadequate pairing has any future.

Raise the bar.

confusedisitme · 21/05/2013 11:38

He says the only reason we didn't go out on Saturday as planned, was because I had badgered him into coming over on the Friday night and then we didn't get any sleep (he didn't use the word badgered or blame me, I'm paraphrasing as that's what I did).

The weekend after next is the next time we could feasibly go out together, if I make an effort to lighten up a bit and take things more normally for the next couple of weeks and he still makes an excuse not to go out, then I will probably start to doubt his intentions.

OP posts:
confusedisitme · 21/05/2013 11:40

Eleanor if I had been a lovely, easy going, non-arguing woman and things had still ended up like this then fair enough.

But I keep saying - I was being deliberately antagonistic in order to stop myself from getting into a relationship that 'felt' right at the time. It was silly. It wasn't to hurt him, it was to protect myself.

I can and have started to work on stopping that behaviour - it's not my usual 'thing', it was a defence mechanism.

OP posts:
KatieScarlett2833 · 21/05/2013 11:41

Well you know what you have to do then.
Pay close attention to how he behaves and not to what he says as there is a woeful disconnect there.
Date him. And by date I mean going out in public. He should be proud of you, not treat you like a dirty little secret.
Stop the needy headfuckery. It makes you seem like a boiler of bunnies.
Call him on his melodrama every single time.
Sounds exhausting though. Can't you just fall for a normal decent man instead?

confusedisitme · 21/05/2013 11:45

That's exactly the discussion we had last night.

I told him - he's far too clichéd and over dramatic with his wording and how he expresses things; it's like he's swallowed a Shakespeare script (and yes, that's how I worded it, he took it in the spirit it was intended).

I also said we need to start going out on dates (as I said we've been for walks and picnics in the local woods which is a popular spot so there were lots of people there but it's slightly out of town), and that his actions need to back up his words.

I'm going to keep an eye on whether he listens and acts on what I've said I need, if he doesn't fairly soon then I'll know, won't I.

OP posts:
confusedisitme · 21/05/2013 11:46

And yes...I've got my part to play, I know that :)

OP posts: