Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

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

Cant do it anymore

19 replies

annonymousnamechange · 09/10/2014 13:54

Have name changed to post this and not really sure what I'm asking but I'm going round in circles thinking about this and have no one in RL to talk about this Will try not to be too long or drip feed.

Background. Married for 8 years, 1st marriage for me, 2nd for OH. He has 2 much older DC in 20's and is still bemused by why 1st marriage broke down. We have 1 DS aged 6 and are very much older parents.

Things have been rocky since the birth of DS. OH behaved as if he resented him and I often felt like it was a competition between him and DS for my attention. I get that like a lot of men he doesn't really 'do' the baby bit and prefers them when they're a bit older but has struggled with becoming a father again and often feels he's too old (mid 50's). I found him incredibly unsupportive during the first few years of DS's life. He appeared to avoid spending any time with us i.e. suddenly started supporting local footie team so he would have hobby to share with DS when older and disappear off every sat. He also appeared to avoid spending any time with DS and was unhappy if he had to, found him hard work (which he can be!) was constantly critical of DS, comparing him to older sibs who 'were never like this'.

I inevitably took on the bulk of the house hold tasks when on mat leave, as well as all the night wakings/settlings etc, partly as DS EBF. DS crap sleeper an dI did all the night shifts for 19 mo when I asked him to help out. He didn't really respond to this other than to say we had some leave coming up (moving house). He did then begrudgingly start doing some of the nights with DS, but I would have to ask/tell him, he would rarely offer. Financially I paid more into pot before mat leave as I earnt more, this continued during mat leave and I used quite a bit of my savings to put into pot. Returned p/t after 1 year, and have continued to pay 50% of mortgage bills etc since then. I think like lots of women I have still continued to take on bulk of household tasks as I 'only worked' for part time.

Our sex life is non existent, we haven't had sex for about 4 years. We no longer share a bed unless we cant avoid it (both of us snore very badly). We have zero physical contact unless it's by accident. We also barely talk to one another. We wen to relationship counselling for a year, a year ago. Things improved superficially, I became less angry and snappy at him, not loosing my temper but things have not really improved beyond this.

I feel that I take responsibility for everything, OH will never suggest or offer. If we need to sort holidays, holiday cover, it's always me who states we need to sort it. All of this has eroded any sense of love I have for him. I resent him, am angry with him and quite often struggle to be in the same room as him. I worry about the example of relationships we're setting to DS who has begun to comment on the lack of physical contact between us.

Last night was the final straw. OH did something not really that bad but this left me feeling really angry with him, a completely out of proportion reaction, but I realised I keep on feeling like this and I can't carry on doing it. Effectively our marriage is over.

He's not a 'bad' husband, he thinks he's a pretty good one! DS loves him and the feelings mutual. But I'm struggling both with the practical and emotional fall out if we separate. I'm just lost and don't know what to do.

Thanks for reading and apologies for the essay.

OP posts:
misscph1973 · 09/10/2014 14:11

Unfortunately this sounds all too familiar. I also get very over burdened with work/housework/children and it's hard to get DH to do anything. I have had a lot of support on MN trying to sort my head out and it's helped lots. I have become better at delegating, sayihng no and telling DH how I feel (politely, before the last straw) and my resentment has lessened.

I can understand why you have begun resenting your DH if everything is down to you. He sounds very passive. I guess it is a case of a dynamic where you are the kind of person who just takes on all responsibility and your DH is the type that is happy to be passive?

You have already tried relationship counselling. You mention that it did improve, superficially, but you only mention that you changed your behaviour. Did you DH not change at all? Any other outcomes from the councelling?

You say that you will struggle with the practical and emotional fall out in case of separation. Are you not already struggling with that? Sounds like you are doing everything practical and there is nothing to lose emotionally?

Now I will not say LTB (i'm sure someone else will, though), but it does sound like you would gain more if you separated. Separation doesn't have to end in divorce. Perhaps it would be healthy if the 2 of you tried to be apart?

CogitoErgoSometimes · 09/10/2014 14:18

I'm sorry it's not going well. If he thinks he's a great husband and you don't that's a pretty serious mismatch. If you've already had a year of counselling and nothing came of it that's not good at all. When intimacy (rather than sex) goes out of a relationship I tend to think it's the kiss of death. And being the one who takes all the responsibility gets very old, very quickly when there's nothing coming back the other way. Sounds like you were taken on as a nice young housekeeper with benefits and DS wasn't part of the plan ... Hmm

Practical and emotional fall-out can be managed. Are you working on assumptions at the moment or have you taken legal and other advice? Does anyone IRL know how unhappy you are? Have you confided in anyone?

Jan45 · 09/10/2014 14:18

Time to call it a day I would say, sounds like it ended a few years back, it also sounds like you are more than capable being a single parent, he hasn't even got much interest in his own child.

totally understand the anger and resentment you feel for him, tbh, it won't get better, it will probably get worse - your feelings will too.

Quitelikely · 09/10/2014 14:48

I think you're wasting you're life here. No sex for four years? No touching? Come on call it a day for your own sake if not that of your son.

I think you must have forgotten how it feels to be happy. There is so much more to life than this. Don't settle for what you have now.

How do you think he will react if you try to break up?

Drumdrum60 · 09/10/2014 16:45

Hmmmmm no sex for four years ? I would check his phone and laptop . Sounds like he cheated on his first wife so why not you ?

annonymousnamechange · 09/10/2014 17:26

Thanks for the replies, I'm really not sure what I'm looking for, but it's helpful to get it out to people who aren't involved.

The couples work looked at making behavioural changes, eg spending time as a couple, initiating contact/intimacy, touching/massage exercises. We both made some changes, got stuff of our chest but it feels we haven't moved on from there, and in reality we've gone back.

The no sex is completely down to me. I pretty much went off sex after the birth, tired, had EMCS, and we never really got back into it. OH was quite pressuring about resuming sex v quickly after birth (I think because he felt left out of attention given to ds) and I resented his pressure. I did however use sex as a carrot when DS was sleeping really badly at 4 ish months and agreed to sex once a week if he would take DS out for a walk at the weekend to give me a chance to get some sleep. I know he misses sex, feels really rejected, hurt and resentful that there is no sex and I do know I would be unreasonable to expect him to stay in a sexless marriage. I am absolutely certain he is not cheating!

He would be distraught at the thought of splitting up. He talked about how much he feels he missed out on his older DCs childhood because he wasn't with their mum. I don't think he has any idea of how unhappy I am and would be deeply shocked to know we've got to this point (again). I did give him ultimatum previously that we had 12 months to start making changes or I would leave. We started counselling then to try to help. I have talked about how I feel responsible for everything and I want him to offer help/suggest things but this hasn't changed. He has made some changes! He sorts tea twice a week now which for him is a big deal, he is pretty much in a 1950's mindset. I know he feels he's bent over backwards to make changes and feels I am unreasonable, a control freak who is never satisfied. And to be honest I am pretty unpleasant to live with because I'm so unhappy and resentful.

I haven't really thought about the practicalities of leaving, it would be me and DS that moved out. I suspect he would become a bit of a p/t time dad and not really do is bit, as he'll feel that he's doing it to help me, not spend time with son. I just feel bad, it feels like such a big, irreversible decision. I will be the bad guy and its another frigging responsibility to sort. I actually don't want to hurt him or make him unhappy but feel I'm dammed what ever I do, I don't believe he's happy either at the moment. In rl I have little support. We have no family nearby and I suspect my family will be critical of me for leaving (too fussy). A couple of friends know how I feel but the person I speak to most encourages me to stay and work it out.

OP posts:
Vivacia · 09/10/2014 18:01

Never mind the rest, Why are you in this financial situation?

CogitoErgoSometimes · 09/10/2014 18:12

We're you together long before you got married? Because if your DS is 6, you've been married 8 years and the problems started with the baby's arrival it doesn't sound you had particularly long when everything was happy. Was there ever a time when you were properly compatible? Was the 1950s attitude there from the start, if less noticeable when it was just the two of you? What was the original attraction?

There's been ultimatums, counselling, 'carrot sex' Hmm and, even if you say he'd be shocked if you said it was over, unless he lives in a complete bubble, he can't be happy with his life.

I think there's a point where, if you have any love left for someone, you have to set them free.

Anniegetyourgun · 09/10/2014 18:16

it would be me and DS that moved out

Why?

annonymousnamechange · 09/10/2014 23:11

Cognito - we were together for over 2 years before we got married. Things were pretty ok but there were signs of the 50's attitude.. I guess it was easier to ignore them then. With hindsight we should have talked more about this sort of thing before we got married. OH got cold feet about the possibility of kids before we got married. We talked about it and I think he went through with the TTC because we did talk about how it would fundamentally change how I felt about him. The original attraction, we had a lot in common and he was very easy to get along with. There were no thunderbolts. I had been single for a while and my biological clock was ticking (actually it was bloody shouting!) and I think I on some level saw this as my 'chance'. I did genuinely love him but maybe not enough or in the right way. I agree, I don't see how he can be happy with life the way it is.

Annie - I suspect, and I may well be wrong that OH will see it that as I want out, I should move out. TBH if I carry on feeling like I have been I don't care. His ex moved out with the dc so I think he will expect the same.

OP posts:
Anniegetyourgun · 09/10/2014 23:31

Ah, I thought that might be it. That's what XH said to me (and further that I would have to continue to pay the bills). However a court will not necessarily see it that way - ours didn't! It is definitely, definitely worth getting proper legal advice on this from a solicitor who specialises in family law, rather than taking the word of someone with a strong vested interest. Intriguing that he has form for this...

Lucylloyd13 · 10/10/2014 10:45

No sex for four years?

Get out of this.

CogitoErgoSometimes · 10/10/2014 11:04

"His ex moved out with the dc so I think he will expect the same."

Is the place you live his former family home? Was it pre-owned before you got married?

Quitelikely · 10/10/2014 11:13

I'm just wondering if he isn't good enough for you iyswim I mean he is trying but it's not enough for you and you have admitted the lack of intimacy is down to you. Can you imagine if it was the other way round? The hurt, the anguish that your dh wouldn't sleep with you.

I think you should brave it out, get out and stop living a lie. This isn't a good relationship and it isn't fulfilling or meeting your needs.

Good luck with it all

Twinklestein · 10/10/2014 11:50

And he wonders why his previous marriage broke down!

I wouldn't assume that you would be the one to have to move out, I would talk to a solicitor. How your husband sees it is not the issue, but how the law stands.

If he doesn't know how unhappy you are then you have to tell him.

Twinklestein · 10/10/2014 11:52

I expressed that badly, you don't have to tell him, but it might help him grasp the situation he's actually in, as opposed to the one in his head.

Dinnaeknowshitfromclay · 10/10/2014 18:32

I would assume he behaved like this in his first marriage and that is your answer to that question. He is bemused because he is a lazy thinker or doesn't want to face up to the truth that he a bit of a knobber that is coasting along trying to get by putting in minimum effort. I bet if you could speak candidly to his ex, she would sound like you OP.

Dinnaeknowshitfromclay · 10/10/2014 18:39

Also, how come he can say his previous DCs 'Weren't like this', when he wasn't even there to witness it then?

I think as Cog said on another thread and she was dead right, 'Embrace your inner bitch', and just do it anyway or this will limp on for years making you increasingly bitter. Life is short.

annonymousnamechange · 10/10/2014 23:06

House is one we bought together, paid pretty much 50/50 each. I don't think I could afford mortgage on my own, so I imagine we'd end up selling. If we did this I would make sure I got my fair share! His wife apparently left while he was away for a couple of days. They'd been unhappy for a while but I don't think he'd realised how bad things were (yes this does sound pretty familiar...). I think you're right in that he was probably the same in his first marriage which is why it ended.

He isn't a bad person, certainly compared to many of the posts in relationships. I think the problem is as you say Dinnae he's a lazy thinker. He sees himself as a pretty good guy, v moral and considerate. But the problem is I don't love him anymore and can't see that changing. I realise it's not fair on either of us that we're living in a sort of limbo.

Thanks for all the responses. I know we need to have a conversation and I've been putting it off because it all feels too difficult.

OP posts:
New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Swipe left for the next trending thread