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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

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:
TheRealFellatio · 23/05/2013 07:08

And I STILL want to know if it is the same poster who posted a few months ago about a longstanding family friend who she was talking to on FB every night and playing online scrabble (or something) with, who said he was in love with her but he couldn't have a relationship with her because it was all too complicated, and she ended up having what she thought was a date with him to the cinema (I think) but when it happened it turned out there was a whole group of them going.

I'm starting to think all these men need human shields whenever they are around this woman and that they are all terrified of her.

TheRealFellatio · 23/05/2013 07:13

God I wish I could find that thread.

forumdonkey · 23/05/2013 07:44

The Janny must be shiting himself. I bet he's at a point where he is dreading his phone bleeping and I bet he's hiding when he goes to work. I reckon that the only reason he's still making contact is for damage limitation because of the repercussions now he knows how delusional OP is.

Reading the other thread was seriously quite disturbing. How the teacher 'flapped his arms' while walking, which to her meant it was a signal of his interest her ffs. It was quite obvious she would use any crappy excuse to go in the classroom and speak, stalk the poor man. So obsessed with being in school they stick you in a dusty cupboard and tell you to clean it (prob to put you off and shut you up) and then you go to wash your hands 10 times, each time making sure you are passing his class room!!

They should make a film - oh they did Fatal Attraction but to be fair you make Glenn Close look balanced and normal!!

TheRealFellatio · 23/05/2013 07:51

I have been trawling the archives looking for that thread and I can't find it but I keep unearthing others (due to the keywords I'm using) that I suspect may be the OP and there is always worrying recurrent theme. Single mum, 3 kids, issues with father, makes a friend, overshares, gets obsessed and clingy, goes all Single White Female/Bunny Boiler and scares the shit out of new friend/boyfriend, new friend/BF runs like the clappers, OP endlessly over-analyses everything to fuck and arrives at the conclusion that the other person has a problem. Confused

CinnabarRed · 23/05/2013 10:30

What key words are you using, Fell?

confusedisitme · 23/05/2013 10:45

Ok this teacher thing.

He started at the school last Sept and because my DS is being assessed for autism and on an IEP, he booked a meeting with me at the start of the school year, to learn more about my son.

He was a chatty, amenable, loud kind of person so the meeting was very relaxed and chatty, at one point I mentioned I talk fast and "it's a (my hometown) thing", he said he was from the same town too and then went on to say "you know the clock tower? I'm in a flat just above the shops there" which yes, was probably just a normal anecdotal thing to say, but at the time and due to the fact he seemed quite flirty, he touched the inside of my wrist as he made a point, had a general cheeky sort of tone to his voice and attitude, sat very close to me with his knee almost touching mine...at the time, I thought (mistakenly, granted - but everyone can misread things like that!) that he might have liked me a bit more than would have been expected.

After that we did have another meeting he called to clarify some of the issues we'd spoken about previously, and he seemed to be looking over at me a lot at pick-up time (I sit on the wall to the right of the class room door, and he would always look over at me as he unlocked the door) and then things like during my son's school play, my son was sitting about 2 children away from the teacher so I had to look in that direction in order to see my son (and of course I'm watching my child, not the play, as was everyone)...whether the teacher thought I was looking at him or whatever, he did glance in my direction a lot, kept rearranging his papers and looking a bit...flustered - may have been cos he thought I was watching him, I don't know - but even my mum who was sitting next to me, noticed that everytime I looked over at my son, the teacher would suddenly look at him too as if he was following my gaze.

I was on the PTA as I've said (before this teacher started) and in the lead up to the Xmas Fayre a few of us were in school sorting stuff out.
I was asked to go in the PPA room to wrap presents for the tombola so I was getting on with that (which is also where I first 'met' this ta/caretaker, by the way) and it was next to the staffroom with a big window on the outside wall, as it used to be the reception I think. This teacher walked past the window looking in as you do, then backed up, glanced around the room as if looking for something and then looked at me and walked off again. It was weird and caught my attention, understandably. Yes he may have been thinking "oh there's a parent in school), but there are always parents/students/new people in school every day, and I was quite clearly wrapping presents and only glanced up when I noticed him looking in the first time, it was when he backed up again I thought it was strange.

I then had to go out in the playground to the summer house which we were turning into the grotto. It was breaktime, he was on playground duty and stood right by the summerhouse.
I kept getting given things to take out there (not just me) and every single time I went out there, he stared at me as I walked out - the whole time, no break in eye contact from him, until I got into the summer house.

I was in the school hall one time with a load of other parents, stacking up the chairs after some event we had been to, was pushing a pile of chairs over to the other side of the hall and happened to be facing the direction of the door that he suddenly walked in through, he did a double take in my general direction and then quickly went over to the other side of the hall, seemed to be moving a few things around by the piano and then wandered out again, looking back into the hall as he left. He didn't bring anything in or leave with anything, so that again caught my attention.

And it was the summerhouse I was clearing when I said 'dusty stock room' 0 out in the playground, I'd offered to do it as the school were on at the PTA chair to get it sorted - as it was January and still had the 'Grotto' set up in there. It was a big job but everyone else was busy, so that's why it took me almost 5 hours to do it.

I spent most of the time in there on my own, but had to go and wash my hands maybe 2 times, the rest of the times I was 'walking the corridor' - once I went to find some sellotape from the office, they sent me to find the Head so I did that, then I needed the PTA garage key - again from the office and another time needed a dustpan and brush so went to ask the caretaker. I then had to make a few journety to the PTA garage to put the Grotto stuff in there, and had to go through the school to get to the garage.

All genuine reasons to be 'walking the school corridors' but as it was class time, I didn't expect this teacher to also be walking around. He was out of the classroom everytime I was and seemingly not doing a lot. So I passed him, he just seemed very 'aware' of my presence. Like moving well out of my way to let me past and saying "sorry" when he hadn't actually got in my way, very exaggerated in his movements...it's hard to explain but I know what I mean...I wasn't over analysing it, it's just when you're in a situation and someone looks aware/uncomfortable that you're there, then you feel it too. That's all.

I'd go up to the school office (door is near the gate where he would be standing supervising in the morning), glance over at the gate - as I did and still do whether he was there or not, it's just natural - and notice he would be looking over at me, and then he'd quickly look away.

Then I posted my first thread about him, and about a week later was when he started 'running away' - the school driveway is quite long, and I'd be walking my children down, get about 10 feet away and he'd suddenly walk back into the playground...he may not have been avoiding me but it seemed odd as he hadn't been doing that previously.

I put a note in the reading diary for the teaching assistant in Yr1 (no, not this guy I was seeing!) just to let her know that DS 'stims' when reading at home, and if they notice it in school (as that day was reading day) could they let me know and I'll get a sensory aid for him to try and see if it helps. At the end of school, this teacher asked for a word and said he'd done the reading that day, seen my note in the diary and said "very good observation for noticing that, well done" and that he'd given DS a sensory ball to hold whilst reading, and it had helped. He said he'd written a note in the diary too and I could now disregard that.
The note said a bit about DS's reading, then "please come and chat with me in person regards your note, thanks!" so it all seemed like he was fine with me, no problems or awkwardness on his part at all.

Two days later, I did have the issue with homework and spellings and the Head ended up speaking to me, saying that he had complained to her (told you about all that so shan't repeat it) and then a letter went out just before Easter saying he was leaving school, I did assume it was because of me so I asked the Head if I should stop the PTA stuff in case it made anyone feel uncomfortable, she said no it was fine...and "all that I think was just because it was the last week of half term, emotions running high and everyone getting stressed, that kind of thing".

He then left but came back for the parents evening in March, he seemed fine at that - leaning towards me over the table as he did with everyone else - so not sitting way back in his chair looking awkward, laughing, asking if DS had mentioned him leaving and when I said yes, DS was gutted the teacher said "me too, it's been hard having to leave so quickly and not getting a chance to tie up loose ends", he shook my hand at the end and seemed perfectly fine.

A couple of weeks ago I spoke to this ta/caretaker while he was here about the whole thing with this teacher; he said he'd never heard anything, apart from the teacher moaning once that 'a parent' had been complaining about her child being bullied (which was me...I never spoke to him though, I raised it with the teaching assistant for the class as he was away that day) and that he had actually left because he "couldn't cope with the paperwork involved with a school that was trying t achieve outstanding status", he was a "car salesman" which he reckons the Head herself came up with that phrase, he had been off 4 times in the first month of being employed at the school and that he'd gone to a school in special measures as it was in his hometown, but they needed him asap as they were due an Ofsted visit and had to be released early from his contract.

He also said, in response to me telling him the same as I've told you here about his/my behaviour, that "(this teacher) split up with his girlfriend just as he started at the school and was quite cut up about it apparently, from the way you've described it I'd have thought he fancied you, to be honest - rather than feeling awkward around you".

Anyway that's an epic post and not trying to change anyone view, just being honest and explaining it all.

OP posts:
confusedisitme · 23/05/2013 10:46

And Fell - I haven't been to the cinema since I was...about 14 I think, never been on any dates or arranged any officially, never had any issues with my landlord...so those threads AREN'T me.

OP posts:
confusedisitme · 23/05/2013 10:58

Oh and the first message to the 'Janny' was:

"Hi, hope you don't think I've crossed a line here by messaging you, but I just wanted to say thanks for always making an effort to say hello everytime I've been in school. I've had a few issues with a teacher recently so it actually means a lot that you take the time to speak to me, as a parent in school anyway I feel quite awkward and esp with the situation, your quick hellos have made a big difference.
Anyway not sure what the situation is with parents contacting staff so if you can't reply then please accept my apologies and I will hopefully see you around school sometime."

He didn't reply for 2 months, I went into the school office at one point and he was in there instead of the office staff, he leant quite far through the window to speak to me but I kept to what I had to say and then left, he later said (once we'd met up, last month) that that day he had found my facebook message and thought "shit, that's why she rushed off quite quickly, must have thought I'd ignored her all this time" and then...

This was his reply to my original message and the next couple of messages exchanged (copied and pasted from FB):

HIM: Hey (me), sorry but I've only just found your message on facebook. It's definitely no hardship saying hello to you..... I think that you are lovely. I did look you up on facebook but wasn't sure if I should contact you.... It was a very pleasant surprise to find your message.

ME: Thanks, I wasn't expecting a reply anyway (I guessed you probably don't get on facebook much) and to be honest was really worried I'd have overstepped the mark contacting you. So thanks for such a lovely reply.

HIM: No worries girl. It is difficult for both of us. I liked you the first time I saw you and our brief chats did nothing to put me off lol. I am in a relationship although she lives in Australia (long story.. but I was at school with her). I haven't seen her since September and it's likely to be September before I get to see her again, so it's a bit strange. How about you? What's your situation? What are you up to? I did see and like the picture of you, that you have since taken down, can't think why lol.

Once we had met up, he also told me (not sure how true it is) that the first time he saw me, he had looked me up on the class registers to find out my name...I asked what he had meant and he said he'd heard me call to my DS at one point so he knew his name, then he looked him up on the first aid list or something and found out my name...which I found a bit strange, but hey.

I don't think it was me doing all the chasing...

OP posts:
TheRealFellatio · 23/05/2013 11:00

I think you recall all of this in a quite alarming and abnormal sort of detail for something that was so long ago, and I think you obsess over small things that mean nothing and tell yourself that they are 'signs' of interest. They are not. And even if they were, clearly his interest waned pretty quickly which means you did something to make him feel deeply uncomfortable. And once he started blanking you you run to the HT to start complaining about his conduct in class.

Do you have some kind of MH diagnosis already? I am really quite disturbed by the detachment you are showing to some of the things that have been said on here. If it were me I'd be getting quite angry by now, but it seems to go whoosh straight over your head. I am thinking you are some kind of narcissist or fantasist to be quite honest.

TheRealFellatio · 23/05/2013 11:02

Can you PLEASE:

answer the question about the other thread I keep mentioning

answer the question about whether you already have a MH dignosis

show us in its entirety your opening message to Janny on fb.

Until then it's pretty hard to give you the benefit of the doubt over anything.

TheRealFellatio · 23/05/2013 11:02

Oops sorry, crossed posts. Hang on, will read.

SunRaysthruClouds · 23/05/2013 11:07

I have just spent 1/2 an hour of my life I am not going to get back on this strangely compelling thread.

So to make it slightly worthwhile just to let you know OP that at your last post (10.58am) you had written 19,068 words in this thread about a month old relationship. That must be some kind of record.

Sad, moi?

TheRealFellatio · 23/05/2013 11:07

OK, either you are not being entirely honest about what you messaged him, or he is so WAY out of order for coming on so strong to you in reply that you should be totally creeped out by it.

WTF? Telling you as an opening gambit that he is in a this long distance relationship and who it's 'difficult' for both of you? Just because you sent him that harmless non-committal chatty message? Confused Although I don't think you should have done it there is nothing in the content that would warrant him replying as he did.

Weird. Both of you.

TheRealFellatio · 23/05/2013 11:08

well I think she must have written at least that many about the teacher as well and there was no relationship at all with him!

pinkyredrose · 23/05/2013 11:17

OP if you spent as much time addressing your issues as you do writing essays on here micro analysing every eye flicker, arm flap and word that comes out of someones mouth you'd probably be alot better off.

You seem to have a very unbalanced view of what constitutes an interest in you or a relationship.

Saying that you'd take your DC out of school and stop volunteering because essentially the teacher didn't seem to fancy you is quite frankly alarming.

You really should stay away from relationships until you understand why you act and think the way you do.

confusedisitme · 23/05/2013 11:28

Yes, I did find it strange.

That WAS my opening message; as I was worried that parents shouldn't be messaging staff and didn't want him to be able to go to people and say "look! she's inappropriately contacting me!" so thought I'd keep it as non committal as possible...can copy and paste more if you want, they continued like that - the photo he was referring to was one where I'd been wearing underwear, but because my face looked quite pretty (for me), I cropped it to not show my bra strap, making it a headshot - but unfortunately it looked like I was naked, as you could see my 'bare' shoulders.

Oh, badly explained...but anyway I asked what photo he meant and he replied "the one where you thought you looked naked...I thought you looked beautiful".

And...the teacher - I NEVER complained to the Headteacher and never complained about his conduct!

The only 'complaint' I made was when my DS hadn't brought his homework folder home on the Friday (when homework was usually given out), I left it til the Weds when homework was due back in and then asked DS after school if anyone else had handed in their homework. He looked sad and said yes, so I asked the teacher "do you know DS didn't bring his homework folder home last week?" and instead of saying yes, there was no homework set this week (as was the case), he replied "yes - don't worry about it" which was far too vague.

On the Thursday DS came out without his spellings so I went into the office on Friday morning, and asked the office manager to pass on the message that DS had come out without his spellings...then I recapped the thing about the homework so she understood why I was confused (as DS isn't reliable with his information), she said she would pass the message on to the teacher and I assumed I'd be informed later that day.
Pick up time came, the teacher sent DS out without saying anything so I went to ask him if the office had passed on the message, he said yes and then said that there had been no spellings set this week...I then told him about the Paediatrician app't DS had on the Monday and said I'd let him know how it went, as it was half term that week, and then as my DD was upset over it being half term and had been crying in nursery, I turned and left pretty quickly, whilst talking to my DD.

5 mins later I have a text from school telling me to talk to the Headteacher about my son in future, so I went back to the office (pissed off) and asked why...she went to get the Head who told me that this teacher had complained "it's all negative with you and you keep asking the same questions about homework" - I can understand why he thought that, as I had mentioned the homework twice - once to him and once to the office, but I didn't realise the office would speak to him about the homework; I was just trying to give a bit of context.

I swear to god that's what happened and that's why I was confused.

And as for details...well I'm pissed off about them which is why I remember.

OP posts:
confusedisitme · 23/05/2013 11:28

pinky I said that in case I was making hi feel uncomfortable, not because he didn't fancy me!

OP posts:
confusedisitme · 23/05/2013 11:35

And Fell yes I'm pissed off at being jumped on, but can also see why people think the way they do. However I'm just answering what people are asking/saying, recounting things in detail just to show context...that's all.

I think everyone has misread what they think might have been signs that someone has an interest in then, just because he was a teacher doesn't make much difference...even this ta guy said that as the teacher had been single, there would have been no issue with hi pursuing me if he'd wanted - and presumably he knows the school policies better than me.

Once he started acting more uncomfortable then I started avoiding eye contact altogether (as I now do with this Headteacher; its how I react when someone seems not to like me - like as in as a person, not as in not fancying me!) and then obviously it progressed form there, both of us probably feeling like the other one had an issue of some sort.

OP posts:
GetOrfMoiLand · 23/05/2013 11:39

Good lord almighty.

LittleBearPad · 23/05/2013 11:47

OP - you have three children and a job. How do you have time for all this crap?

Just end things with this bloke, work on your issues and look after your children. You'd be a lot happier and surely less tired.

LittleBearPad · 23/05/2013 11:56

OP - you have three children and a job. How do you have time for all this crap?

Just end things with this bloke, work on your issues and look after your children. You'd be a lot happier and surely less tired.

curryeater · 23/05/2013 12:02

OP the quasi-naked photo - was it a selfie? Or did someone else take a photo of you in your bra?

confusedisitme · 23/05/2013 12:09

No...it was me but I wasn't taking sexy pictures if that's what you're thinking.

I usually put the kids to bed and then go into my room myself after a bath, so I'm wearing underwear.

Wanted to change my profile pic on facebook so took a photo as I was - I was only ever going to use my head and shoulders so then I cropped it, but the way it was cropped meant u could only see one tiny bit of bra strap.

Again, explaining it badly :)

OP posts:
DoingItForMyself · 23/05/2013 12:11

Oh dear, had only got half way down this charade when I posted before. OP you are seriously messed up, please get some help before you embark on another relationship.

curryeater · 23/05/2013 12:18

I wasn't thinking you were taking sexy pictures, I was just being nosy really about under what circumstances you would a. have a picture of yourself in your bra and b. decide to post it on facebook (but I am old). I just think that whoever upthread said "get a hobby" is right, because it is almost as if "being irresistable" is your hobby - so when some single parents are all "aha the kids are in bed, time to break out the running machine" or "time to break out the fan fic" or "time to watch Downton" or "time to break out the quilting", you are all "hurray kids are in bed, time to hone my gorgeous fb photo with an irresistable photo of me where my face looks pretty and you can see a bit of naked shoulder" - and someone also said they are worried about narcissism, which ties in with this, and also ties in with the INSANE detail in which you can describe how much a man leaned out of a window in response to Gorgeous, Sexy, You.