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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

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 16:40

Ehric - that's why I am considering doing the social science degree with the OU instead.

If I had have lost the baby I was pregnant with this year, I was going to take next year out, then do an acess the year after then uni. Would have been perfect for ds starting secondary as well.

But now I was thinking OU degree off the bat and I have interviews for work placements to compliment it next week - volunteer work in witness protection, appropriate adult that kind of thing.

OP posts:
HardlyMotherTheresa · 26/06/2013 16:41

Just have to confess to hypocrisy: your DH sounds just like mine and I wish I had someone tell me to LTB 20 years ago. After 15 years of making someone's breakfast and realising they have never so much as made a cup of tea in return, it's difficult to not feel that one's life has been wasted on someone who really wanted a housekeeper. Also, have you ever been ill? Does he care for you then or does he still expect you to be on duty? I have found that the toughest lesson of all.

NotGoodNotBad · 26/06/2013 16:41

Why do you want a child with this man?

EhricLovesTeamQhuay · 26/06/2013 16:43

What career comes from a social science degree?

Loutwenty · 26/06/2013 16:44

Hardly - he was shit when I had a mmc. Told me to stop whinging and cheer up while I was waiting to miscarry. When I was pregnant and had hg, all he did was moan that I was too sick to do anything, told me to shut up about feeling sick all the time.

OP posts:
EhricLovesTeamQhuay · 26/06/2013 16:44

Can I also suggest (as sensitively as possible, which is not much, sorry) that losing a pregnancy can make us a bit irrational about getting pregnant again? (Been there, done that) it's really best to take some time out and make sure it's really the right decision.

EhricLovesTeamQhuay · 26/06/2013 16:45

X post.
Come on! Listen to yourself. Don't have a baby with him. Jesus.

waddlecakes · 26/06/2013 16:45

OK, so you got savings by selling a house that you got from having been given an inheritance.

Sorry, but you're 34 and have never worked. I doubt that getting a degree will inspire you to do so now, it sounds like an excuse for putting off actually having to work, and in the mean time, it's easier to garner sympathy on Mumsnet re doing way too much for a demanding man, whilst not actually even really considering leaving him because you know he is and always will be your sole source of income, because you can't bear the thought of jumping ship and having to find a third man to act as a father for your son.

Sorry - there, I've said it. Won't be popular, but the more I read, the more I feel I'm right.

AnyFucker · 26/06/2013 16:46

ehric here

AnyFucker · 26/06/2013 16:46

Lou...are you pulling our plonkers ?

Loutwenty · 26/06/2013 16:47

From the people I have spoken to at careers advice and the tutors at college and on the OU advice line, lots within health and social care. I am combining some law units and criminology. I want to go into youth offending mainly, this degree covers that, as does the other qualifications I have done so far. My tutor is being very helpful with trying to get me a placement at a young offenders institution where he works as an assessor.

OP posts:
Loutwenty · 26/06/2013 16:52

Anyfucker - the OU courses I am looking at are either social science and criminology or another one (was just told about it today by my tutor, name escapes me, but is similar) or the one I can do at my college is a foundation degree in social care, level 4 and 5 are done at my college, level 6 is done at St. Marys in Twickwnham. Or, an access to social work course for a year, then a social work degree.

Am having a proper meeting with my tutor and the tutor who runs the access courses and the foundation course Friday to discuss andante my final decision. They have been really helpful, they know what's happens re miss carriages his year and have been great.

OP posts:
Loutwenty · 26/06/2013 16:54

But whatever I do, I'll always be more employable than when the chip shop said I was under qualified!

OP posts:
EliotNess · 26/06/2013 16:55

you WASH HIS HAIR?
how on earth did that start?

Do his friends know this?!!

solarbright · 26/06/2013 16:56

I'm really unclear on why you would stay with him? Other than he pays the rent? He's a slob, he's a drain on your time, he rubbishes your dreams, he's a massive pile of self-pity.

You and your DS would be much better off without him. You will struggle financially for the term of your course but you will do well in the end. And you won't have to spend your precious time cleaning up after a grown man. Be sure to teach your DS how to make his own breakfast, and lunch, and dinner. He will be a better man for it.

I'm not even going to mention having a baby with him, because you MUST see how insane that plan is. If you think leaving him is tough now...

BeCool · 26/06/2013 16:56

waddle he isn't her sole source of income. His wage covers the rent only. They get housing benefit, some tax credits and her ex pays maintenance!

OP states in her first marriage she lived in isolated rural Scotland, her H travelled for work and she had a young child. Just where/when/how was the OP supposed to work? Is it all SAHM's who get your wrath for 'never working'? Or just the geographically isolated ones?

Alibabaandthe40nappies · 26/06/2013 16:56

Lou I'm new to the thread, I have just read it start to finish.

You in cloud cuckoo land. About your relationship, about trying to slot a baby in among studying when you already have a child who needs you and no support from your husband.

You need to have a serious think about your priorities and make some tough decisions.

Squitten · 26/06/2013 16:57

Dear God.

Whatever happened to you in life to make you think that this is what you deserve?

SpringtimeForHitler · 26/06/2013 16:58

So he's a lazy, contemptible shit day to day.

Was horrible to you when you lost your baby.

And you still love him why?

Pilgit · 26/06/2013 16:58

Doing a job you hate is soul destroying and more so if you feel you have no choice. He seems entrenched in his position that because he is doing something he loathes this justifies him not taking on any more work that he loathes and because that is the pattern he learned was normal as a child he feels justified in his position. Saying I understand where he is coming from doesn't make it right though. He needs to stop seeing it as a competition about who has a worse time of it. He also needs to start valuing your contribution to the household - yes he earns the money but you take care of the household and this means he does have a nice home to come back to, food to eat etc and doesn't have to think about it. This is not to say that he shouldn't do basics (far from it) and he should pick up after himself and not add to the OP's work load.

When you love someone you enable them to fulfil their dreams - irrespective of whether yours have panned out or not. I am afraid to say that you have enabled his laziness - writing his essays so he could get the degree, ffs, what were you thinking? It is one thing enabling your partners dreams but doing it for them because they can't be arsed? No, if you want something that much you get off your arse and do it - especially if someone is financially supporting you. You continue to enable his laziness by giving in to his sulks. Just ignore them as you would with a small child (why would you want a baby with this man when he basically is one?)

All may not be lost for your marriage - perhaps making a plan together about how he can be happier in his work as well as you doing your degree is a way of addressing it? If he hates his job, what is he doing about changing that? IMO you should definitely go and do your degree and plan for your future. If he loves you he will support you and be happy for you and revel in how happy being fulfilled makes you.

You say that you love him, yet the way you write about him is full of contempt. Yes, there are a lot of very good reasons to feel contempt towards him but if you are going to find a way forward you will need to find some respect for him - and before anyone says anything - he needs to earn that respect. I am not sure if that is possible though, only you and him know that. Couples therapy may be a useful tool.

5madthings · 26/06/2013 17:01

The op also home educated her son till age eight, so provided three years of 'schooling/education'.

But op you need to get out, imagine how shit you will feel in twenty years time when YOUR son is treating his wife like shit... He will have learnt it from the relationship you are in. Get out this man is not a role model to your son or a father figure. How much does he see his actual dad? (you mention being nr to where he works now)

nilbyname · 26/06/2013 17:02

Some questions

From the sale of your house do I presume you have some savings?

Would he agree to a trial separation?

Would he agree to counselling?

You say you love him, but do you really love someone who can treat you so badly?

AnyFucker · 26/06/2013 17:04

Lou, I am not doubting your career pathway

I am struggling to understand how any intelligent woman can be so ridiculously servile to a man in this country, in this century.

Figgygal · 26/06/2013 17:06

I have to ask why do you need to study more? can u not go get a job or at least try? Then u can be financially independent if you do split up?

BeCool · 26/06/2013 17:07

nilby the savings (inheritance > house > house sale > savings) were spent supporting OP & H while he was completing his shit degree.