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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

I don't want a huge blow up with H over this, so need opinions please

357 replies

Loutwenty · 26/06/2013 11:28

I don't know where to start really. This is long, sorry, I am just so confused at the moment.

Been with dh for 2 1/2 years, married for just over 1. We got together quite fast as I was having a terrible relationship breakdown with exh, so we moved in together after only 6 months. I had been married 12 years but living separate lives for 10 of them. I have a 10 year old child from that marriage.

I don't work, but I study full time. DH works, but in a job he hates, he did a stupid uni course as a mature student at 25, graduated shortly after we moved in together and couldn't find the mystical job that he hankered after (the route he took isn't a route into them anyway iyswim). So now he has a boring, normal job and is not a rock star like he spent his early 20s thinking he'd be, this is apparently, my fault as now he has responsibilities

I was a sahm during my first marriage, my ex worked abroad during the week and we lived in rural scotland, so I kind of had to be! I married young too, so never had much work experience, aside from a bit of freelance stuff pre 20, so when I left, I was floundering.

Last sept I started college and I have totally found myself. I have studied a subject I love, so much so that I have excelled and done a couple of further courses myself and at my own expense to further my knowledge.

However, I am at a crossroads at the moment where in order to continue I can do a degree. My father and ex always told me I was thick. My father said I was so stupid that there was no point in staying at school post 16, and my ex was very successful and talked down to me always. Since studying, I know that's not true. I have passed with all distinctions, my tutors have been behind me all the way and are pushing me to skip a level and go to a degree.

Ok so two issues!

  1. I study hard. Really, really hard, not only with the course I have been doing, but with the additional courses I have taken on. I have a criminal law level 3 qualification to complete over the summer, it is not easy. But yet, because I am in the house more, doing 'nothing' (!) as he says, all house work falls to me. He does not lift a finger. He will 'help' wash up a couple of times a week, but he lets me firmly know he is 'helping' me and expects full on, falling to my knees gratitude.

I make him breakfast in bed every morning, regardless of if I am leaving half an hour earlier than him to get to college, I run his bath, wash his hair. All this for an easy life or he sulks. I am not well today and stressed. So I didn't get out of bed before him as usual. He usually has to start getting dressed at 7.50, by 7.30 he was already huffing as I hadn't got up to get his breakfast and coffee. 7.40 ds comes in with his cereal - a 10 year old puts him to shame lol - so I get up, feed the cats and stupidly make his breakfast as I couldn't face a strop. He could tell I was upset, so asks why (but not in a concerned way, he gets pissed off at me when I am upset) so I tell him, just for once, I am fed up of the morning waitress service. So then he says, well, I wan't hungry anyway and throws a strop that he won't be able to drink his coffee, it will be too hot.

He has his dinner cooked and ready for when he walks through the door as well, regardless of if I am eating or not. My first husband was a shit, but he never, ever expected anyone to cook and clean up after him, so I have never experienced this before. Is this normal? I feel like a housekeeper, I hate it. I know he works, but really, to do nothing in your own home? when I talk to him, he says to tell him what needs doing and he will. But a) He is not a teenager and I am not his mother b) this is his home too, I am not the boss of cleaning and c) he gets in such a mood if I do ask him to do anything. He'll do it, but it's not worth the sulking afterwards.

When I talk to him about it, he gets angry and tells me to stop acting like I have a hard life.

  1. With regard to study, I have been offered an amazing chance to do a degree I will love. But I will have to commit to three years, hard wok with pretty full on work placements. We want another child. I have had several MC, so I can't wait any longer, certainly not 3 or 4 years, I am 34. So I am looking into OU degrees as they will be more compatible.

DH isnt happy about any of this. He says he will support me, but this week keeps throwing hissy fits, about how much he hates his job, how it's not fair and I can't complain as at least I am doing something I want to do. It's not my fault that, by his own admission, he did a degree which would basically buy him 3 more years 'free' drinking time' in his mid 20's. It is also not my fault that I have turned out to be more intelligent than people thought I was.

And I know that if I do OU, I will get the 'I got to work!' card thrown at me and I will be doing all the house, studying and looking after a baby on my own.

I am confused and I don't know what to do for the best, or, if I want to stay with him at all at the moment.

OP posts:
Loutwenty · 26/06/2013 19:10

I am getting hands on experience through the placements I am doing. Lots of it, and lots more to come.

OP posts:
AnyFucker · 26/06/2013 19:11

waddle wtf is wrong with you

of course higher-entry jobs are generally paid better with improved prospects than those with a lower-entry

you are just being nasty for the sake of it

AnyFucker · 26/06/2013 19:12

Lou, ignore the shit stirrer, seriously

Blistory · 26/06/2013 19:19

Look it all sounds great in terms of the study and career prospects but do you really think that you're not going to have to compromise on all of that if you're going to have a baby and stay with this man ?

He's younger than you, isn't he ? And he's not just younger, he's years behind you in terms of maturity. He isn't going to catch up -he really really isn't.

BOF · 26/06/2013 19:34

God forbid a baby enters the equation: FOR THE LOVE OF GORDON, WHY?!

EhricLovesTeamQhuay · 26/06/2013 19:53

What do you plan to do with a baby while you are getting a degree?

Did you read my earlier post about feelings post miscarriage? It's very natural to want to get pregnant again very quickly but it's far more sensible to wait for a while never in this case

I am sympathetic though, honest. When I first got pg it was an accident and my now XH wasn't even living in this country! I wanted to get pg before we made arrangements for him to move here...madness.

DoesBuggerAll · 26/06/2013 19:58

So your mother came from a wealthy background herself. She managed to keep hold of some of that wealth by becoming/continuing being a rent-seeker. She married a man who was only a lowly mechanic after serving in the forces (presumably not as an officer). You imply that the money she made was all hers and not belonging to the family unit (families can sometimes include fathers).

You have effectively never worked or stood on your own two feet financially and yet you berate your DH for trying to earn a living?

You left school at 16 and have few qualifications. Great, you are working on changing that but you are going to need some means of support while you do this. Ok so you LTB, how do you propose to finance your way through uni? In a few years you may have a degree but you will probably have an awful lot of debt. Can you not do this course part-time or even get a 'lowly' job in your chosen field and be sponsored through your employer.
The harsh reality is that after graduating you will be nearly 40 with very little actual work experience. You will be competing against a horde of younger graduates who will most likely have the advantage and who can also go for the sort of jobs that you couldn't afford to (they could live at home with parents and not pay rent, bills etc while getting a foot in the door). You'll be trying for the higher paying roles where your lack of experience won't help.

Your DH does sound like a kidult however you really are enabling him with your hair washing and breakfast making.

As for having a baby? Who knows. It doesn't sound like your relationship has much of a future but if you wait too long it'll probably be too late.

If you (and DH) had any sincerity when you made your vows the I suggest you both go to counselling. First though you must drop this idea that every is your DH's fault.

DameFanny · 26/06/2013 20:01

I think to a certain extent you're trapped in your own head. Could you look at things this way -

Your son's moving up to secondary shortly - so an excellent opportunity to move to a new city without disruption

That city could be cheaper to live in where you currently are

That city could have an excellent university for you to enrol in

Your ex persuaded your old friends to ditch you, so moving away gives you a fresh start

Your ex is a Dick so you don't have to worry about making his life easier.

Get out the map. what's best for you and ds?

CatelynStark · 26/06/2013 20:31

Jesus! There are some twisted, vicious bastards on here!!

OP, please ignore the goady twats. This man has turned you into a controlled wife. He needs a 7' sergeant major to have a little word in his shell-like, to take him down a few hundred pegs à la Maury!!

Get rid. He won't change. You can.

KeepCoolCalmAndCollected · 26/06/2013 20:44

DoesBuggerAll
Why so many chips on your shoulder(s)? Are you past it and an under achiever? Come on be honest now.

AnyFucker · 26/06/2013 20:46

...whereas OP has bundles of potential but only if she offloads the manchild

justgivemeareason · 26/06/2013 21:01

I haven't read the whole thread but can't understand how you have never really worked, especially as you have only one child. I think it is a luxury to be able to study at your age/stage of life and good luck to anyone who can do it. But when one partner goes out to work they can be very resentful of the person who stays at home. This was the source of a lot of arguments between me and my ex. We could never see each other's point of view.

Having said that, the way you treat him/he expects to be treated is verging on the creepy. I have never heard of anyone washing their husband's hair.

DoesBuggerAll · 26/06/2013 21:57

This reply has been deleted

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34DD · 26/06/2013 21:57

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34DD · 26/06/2013 21:59

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Fairypants · 26/06/2013 22:16

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5madthings · 26/06/2013 22:22

Er fairypants disabilist language is not allowed on mnet. Its rather offensive tbh.

tribpot · 26/06/2013 22:24

Personally I'd be tempted to fuck with his head a little bit. "I'm so hungry, I have no lunch " - I'd be tempted to see how long he can keep going at the 'me no able to feed myself' game.

I feel physically ill at the idea of him sitting in bed waiting for his breakfast like a king. Who in the name of fuck does he think he is? You're meant to bend your entire life around the fact he's got some piece of piss 9-5er at the Council? You've let him use you for your entire relationship. Coming out of an abusive marriage you were extremely vulnerable but now I think you can see you have more choices than you thought and this guy should definitely not be one of them.

I'm very sorry about your miscarriage, that must have been devastating.

DoesBuggerAll · 26/06/2013 22:36

Why did my post get deleted?

AnyFucker · 26/06/2013 22:39

Because it broke talk guidelines

duh

RachmanenoughR · 26/06/2013 23:41

Agree with Waddle.

DoesBuggerAll · 26/06/2013 23:58

Anyfucker - yes obviously but what broke the guidelines? I don't recall putting anything offensive in it.

AnyFucker · 27/06/2013 00:09

Being offensive is obviously 2nd nature to you, since you don't even notice you are doing it

buaitisi · 27/06/2013 00:17

Hi Op, I'm so sorry about your miscarriages and tbh I think you shoul leave dh but I understand your reluctance to because of ds.

You said you wanted to have a baby and do your degree through OU.

For now,could you try and get a p/t job and still do your degree through OU.

Maybe something in social care so along with your degree you have some experience too?

You would be making your own money, getting your degree and he'd have to step up around the house.
If he doesn't step up, you'll be in a better place to leave.

Please stop washing his hair and making breakfast in bed. He will find something to sulk about anyway. Just busy yourself and ignore it.

DoesBuggerAll · 27/06/2013 00:23

Anyfucker - your username is offensive.

Really what did I say. I'm off to look at the guidelines.