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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

Fight for marriage or just let him go?

38 replies

Twistedheartache · 28/01/2015 11:32

Please help me to decide what to do. This is only my 1st post - but been lurking for ages! Apologies if it's long & rambling but I'll aim for succinctness.

Background:
Husband & I have been together 12 years & married 6.5. 1 pre-schooler & 1 3 month old. Recently moved house & doubled mortgage.

6 months ago (when I was 6 months pregnant) my husband declared he was unhappy, had been for years & was in love with someone else. The OW is somebody he talks to constantly on FB & plays online games with day & night. In addition she had just separated from her long-term bf who was apparently very controlling/did nothing/wouldn't let her go to baby groups etc & made her drive him & his family everywhere.

We talked, agreed we needed to do more to work on the relationship. Without a doubt we have spent less time together, done less, talked less since we had our first child who was a spirited & time-consuming baby.
I thought it was a crush/grass is greener thing with someone he'd only met once & that was when I was with him.
We also continued with the house purchase because (in hindsight) I didn't realise how serious the situation was & thought he was getting cold feet like all first time buyers. Equity from "my flat" & loan from my mum not ring fenced legally.

He never stopped talking to her & within weeks 1 week before I went into hospital he was supposedly on a football away trip with his friend, but was actually with her. A couple of weeks after baby was born he was breaking down & said he needed to clear his head & disappeared for the weekend & was with her & more recently I actually asked him specifically if he was with her rather than being out for drinks & he said no, but her fb then proved otherwise.

he periodically breaks down in tears & says he doesn't know what to do & has even talked about driving into a wall.

I want him to stay & actively make himself happy within our family. I can't imagine not growing old with him, sharing babies 1st steps, older one's first day at school, taking them on holidays.
He lost his social circle when he took redundancy & changed jobs which is a massive contributer to him feeling lonely & think this along with getting a better job (low self esteem about earning less than me) will help him. He's already lost 5 stone +
From a lot of what he says I think he's depressed based on nhs description

I have said we can't be together unless he gives up contact with her & he says he can't but wasn't actively doing anything to leave apart from do even less around the house and withdrawing from me. If he goes he says it will be to his parents 200 miles away but not to her as we can't afford 2 households here. I have suggested he needs to start job hunting there if he's not giving her up & committing to our family, which he is now doing.
It's almost like I've made the decision for him by making him be active - even though it's not the outcome I want?

Should i keep fighting or just admit defeat. Life as a single parent to 2 under 5's will be massively more difficult for me financially & therefore lifestyle wise, & I worry so much about the impact on the children. How much contact will he have living so far away, how can he choose her & her 3 year old over our children, when will they be able to go to clubs/birthday parties if they are on the m1 every other weekend.

congratulations if you've made it this far - any opinions, thoughts greatly appreciated

OP posts:
Nolim · 28/01/2015 11:36

Did you tried couples counselling?

Joysmum · 28/01/2015 11:40

It's not you that needs to fight for the marriage, you've done nothing wrong.

HE needs to fight for the marriage and he isn't. If he truly loved and respected you had cut contact and be transparent plus be truly sorry for his actions and desperate to do anything to repair the damage.

He isn't doing that Sad

DieselSpillages · 28/01/2015 11:46

I think he needs to move to his parents and get a reality check. He has so much to lose but wont realise until it's taken away from him. I'd encourage him to go for a trial separation and see how you both feel after some time apart.

CurlyWurlyCake · 28/01/2015 11:52

If he does nothing in the house and has withdrawn from you what are you thinking you will lose by him not being there?

He needs a reality check and I'm sure you will feel empowered by taking the decisions from him by telling him you will not tolerate his fucking about.

Yon must be on edge all the time, get some head space from him and his drama.

kaykayred · 28/01/2015 11:55

I think you should wash your hands with him.

Don't do the pick me dance. He doesn't deserve it, and has treated you appallingly.

alabastergirl · 28/01/2015 11:57

Let him go - all this fighting for stuff, he is unfaithful and you want to keep him?

Let him have her. I agree, he has treated you in the worst way. Stop allowing him to continue with this behaviour towards you and stop falling for his crocodile tears.

freshstart4us · 28/01/2015 12:00

I don't know how much constructive advice I can offer, but can hear your pain and understand and empathise, so did not want to read and run.

As Joy says, HE needs to fight for the marriage too, as it is impossible for one party to maintain a relationship if the other is passive or unwilling, let alone actively pursuing a relationship elsewhere. If he will not pull the pin on the OW, then I'm afraid your choices are to accept that there are 3 of you in the relationship or move on. I don't think you should see it as admitting defeat though - but as an active choice to NOT be in a marriage that operates on that basis.

I hope someone else comes along soon with more wise words...xx

CogitoErgoSometimes · 28/01/2015 12:03

Joysmum has it right, unfortunately. No amount of 'fighting' is going to make someone be somewhere they simply don't want to be. If he wanted to make it work, he'd be making it work rather than screwing around and then turning on the waterworks. If he wanted a relationship with his DCs he'd find a place to stay nearby rather than 200 miles away.

He wants you to tell him to leave because he's too cowardly to make the break properly. So you're going to need a lot of support - practical, emotional, legal, financial - and you're going to have to take control

Sorry.

Twistedheartache · 28/01/2015 12:23

Thank you, I think you've all articulated what I know but don't want to really admit, even reading my op back it seems obvious.
I may have misrepresented him - he is very hands on with the children daily, and cooks if I'm feding baby etc, he just does less than me & then when he withdraws does even less.
I'm sure I'll cope because I have to for my girls & I'm always the strong one who carries on but my thinking swings from extreme to extreme - from she's welcome to him, I just want him to be happy & if that's not with me then sobeit to actually if I can't have him maybe driving into a wall is for the best because it'll be an easier explanation tk a 3 year old than daddy doesn't want to live with us anymore (I know this is a horrible bitter way of thinking), to wanting to shake him and get him to realise that it is fixable.

I have major "failure" issues & hate not being good at things/always want to find a solution & we got married forever so falling at the first sign of trouble seems like a cop out.

Any advice on contact if he's 200 miles away? I will be working full time so don't want him to get all the quality weekend time & me to have all the stressful weekday time

OP posts:
HootyMcTooty · 28/01/2015 12:26

You can't fight on his behalf. He's telling you what he wants with his actions, he won't stop contact, is openly having an affair and withdrawing from your relationship. Take some control back and tell him to piss off to his parents.

familyofthree2014 · 28/01/2015 12:26

I have been through something very similar and I echo what others have said that if he was going to stay, he would be doing everything in his power to make that happen. Where is the apology to you? For not being present for his very young children? He is manipulating you to thinking he's depressed and in some way not in control of what he's doing. I had 'I'm not in my right mind, I'm depressed, I don't know who I am anymore' and plenty of suicide threats. But it didn't change what he was doing, he carried on because he wanted both. The security of family life and the excitement of an affair.

I was the same as you in that I wanted to keep my family together for the sake of the children. This has turned out to be one of my biggest regrets because I wish I had kicked him out as soon as I knew the truth. You will cope on your own because you already have been doing. He has not been a support to you emotionally or physically because it's all about him and his 'issues.' You have coped and you will cope. Someone capable of such selfish, entitled behaviour is dragging you down and once you realise that, though it will take a lot of time and pain, you will be free. It's not what you wanted or imagined but please believe me, it can be better.

Practical advice - ask him to leave because YOU need space about what YOU are going to do. Communicate via email to arrange contact with the children and keep it business-like. Go and see a solicitor for some legal advice. Get all the family and friends you have to rally round and help you with the children and talk talk talk. Take the time to work out what you want to do. I know how hard it is when you're in that stage and I hope you can try and look outside of it just for a minute to try and see that this is an opportunity for you to create a life for yourself and your children without having to think about anyone else. It's your turn to be 'selfish' - really really think about it.

It's not admitting defeat - it's taking control.

familyofthree2014 · 28/01/2015 12:28

Sorry cross posted.

It is up to him to make arrangements about contact - don't take that on as well as everything else.

HootyMcTooty · 28/01/2015 12:32

Sorry x posted too.

You haven't failed OP, he has. Do you have friends or family nearby who you can lean on for support?

If he's 200 miles away and he wants to see his kids then he can make the effort. Every other weekend would be more usual, but with your LO it will probably be a while before you'd have to hand LO over for overnight stays.

mix56 · 28/01/2015 12:36

what Hooty says, you may want it, but he clearly doesn't

AHatAHatMyKingdomForAHat · 28/01/2015 12:37

Any advice on contact if he's 200 miles away? I will be working full time so don't want him to get all the quality weekend time & me to have all the stressful weekday time.

  1. You are not responsible for his contact. He is.
  1. You are both catastrophising, probably because you haven't investigated the realities.
  1. My friend lived at the YMCA for a while because he didn't want to move 100 miles from his children. Your DH will set his priorities. If his standard of living rates higher than contact with his children, well, horrible but better you know.
  1. If it happens, go to a mediator, and certainly don't offer every weekend. That would be bonkers anyway - drive 200 miles, pick up kids, drive 200 back, repeat next day, well that couldn't work.
  1. HOW FUCKING DARE HE make you feel responsible for him driving into a wall. Where is your anger?!
AHatAHatMyKingdomForAHat · 28/01/2015 12:40

falling at the first sign of trouble seems like a cop out
You didn't.

Your husband failed when he started an affair with someone many years ago and hid it from you.

He let you get pregnant then told you about the affair only when you were tied to him by pregnancy. You let him get away with it.

He continued to see OW and continued to lie to you. You let him get away with it.

He stopped doing the housework and "helped" less. You let him get away with it.

He has told you he "can't" stop seeing the OW. You let him get away with it.

He let you get into a huge mortgage situation and he let you put your money in unprotected even though he knew his behaviour should result in you getting divorced. Wow. What a total fucking bastard.

How exactly are you failing at the first sign of trouble?

Twitterqueen · 28/01/2015 12:43

OP, your DH said he has been unhappy for YEARS and clearly this other relationship has been going on for some time too. I think the answer is here. If it was a short-term fling I would say give it a go (or rather make him give it a go) but he checked out a long time ago - time for you to do the same.

Throughthestorm · 28/01/2015 12:52

I would suggest couples counselling.
He is your dh and you have invested 24 years jointly together .
Try some regular sessions and explore this together.
He could be depressed yes and while its no way to behave I would want to know I had tried everything . It might actually be that he needs you now more than ever.
Just because he is giving up doesn't mean you have to- sorry I sound completely the opposite to everyone else .
Would he go to councelling with you ?
Perhaps see GP together ?
Im sorry your going through this .
Ive just lost my dh after 25 years so its all a bit raw for me . I know I could have tried harder and now he says hes in love with OW x

Quitelikely · 28/01/2015 12:54

I think you have to give him the boot. Going by what you have said though I'm thinking even if he does go and realise he's made a terrible mistake - you would have him back?

Watch out that would be a terrible mistake.

I understand that what you are experiencing is absolutely awful but you must go into self preservation mode. Your DH does not respect you. He is treating you terribly and you must stop it ASAP.

You are I the lucky position of having a house and job that would not be affected by his departure.

When one door closes another opens. Don't be afraid to open that door. You both are at the moment.

Twistedheartache · 28/01/2015 12:59

You're all right - it's him not me. But I'm always the organiser/sorter....
I think I'd better find a solicitor.
It'll be a struggle but I think we can just about afford to stay in the house once I go back to work after maternity leave. Doubt I can get a big enough mortgage on my own though, can his name stay on the mortgage with just me paying?
Would it be really childish to breastfeed my baby for longer than planned just to stop him taking her away?

OP posts:
AHatAHatMyKingdomForAHat · 28/01/2015 13:12

Would it be really childish to breastfeed my baby for longer than planned just to stop him taking her away?

You really need to see a solicitor.

If he is mainly interested in OW and doesn't do much around the house, I hardly think he'll be fighting to look after his baby 50% of the time on his own.

mix56 · 28/01/2015 13:13

You can use your sorting skills to sort yourself out of this situation, your OH is having an extra marital affair. which he refuses to stop.
re mortgage. the solicitor (try & find one who knows about family law) will tell you what you can & cannot do.
re baby, he is unlikely to want to "take her way" until she can walk ! would this idea alter your plans to return to wok ?
focus on yourself NOT on lying cheating wet excuse of a man

albal14 · 28/01/2015 13:13

'He wants his cake and eat it'. What a selfish fuckin prick.

Actions speak volumes, moving 200 miles away from his kids. Do the right thing and stand up for yourself. He will realise in time what a total arse he was to you. Some blokes really piss me off.
Take care, hugs xx

BathtimeFunkster · 28/01/2015 13:26

Is the offer of him driving into a wall still on the table?

I'd be tempted to take him up on that.

HootyMcTooty · 28/01/2015 14:44

Speak to a solicitor. I'm not sure breastfeeding is relevant, i don't think he'd be awarded overnight stays with LO anyway. I agree with others, he's so selfish I doubt he'd want it anyway.