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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:
Joysmum · 28/01/2015 14:51

He'd be the one moving away if that's what he decided to do, he'd be the one who'd have to foot the bill for contact.

Get advice from a solicitor about reasonable contact but I can't see how it would be reasonable to expect children to do a round trip of 400 miles every weekend or how it's financially sustainable for him to do this, pay maintenance and run another household.

CogitoErgoSometimes · 28/01/2015 15:14

"can his name stay on the mortgage with just me paying?"

Anything is possible but it also has to be fair. He will need to set up his own home (wherever that may be) and if he is still tied to a large debt in the shape of the house you're living in, then that could compromise his ability to do so. Any equity in the property has to be fairly divided. It's all this kind of dilemma that you discuss with a solicitor, see how other people have managed it, and then mediate to find your own workable solution

When I split with my exH I took over the mortgage 100% using my DM as guarantor for a while. I couldn't properly afford it and went through some lean times as a result but wanted a clean break.

lillybee1 · 28/01/2015 16:30

hello Twistedheartache. I just wanted to say i'm in a similar position in that i am recently separated. The OH didn't cheat on me and there is no other woman but he has given up, acts in a bit of a depressed state and was not offering any positivity or action for staying together or even having a nice day together. This became more and more frequent & frustrating and we argued a lot. We have a baby too and being a SAHM is tough so with the arguments every single day was a challenge. For us I think it is better to be apart for a while. We were making each other miserable. Saying that though I am not one for giving up and tried and tried different things. We tried couples counselling too but it wasn't useful. It's hard to just give up when the going gets tough and I think you should definitely try to have counselling or sit down with your OH and have a real chat with him, if you haven't already done so. Saying that though maybe you do need just a little time apart from each other. Could he stay with someone near to you for say a couple of weeks and you can access how YOU feel in the meantime? PM me if you want. It's tough looking after a baby and even tougher going through all this relationship turmoil. hugs Flowers

MatildaTheCat · 28/01/2015 16:40

Get angry! You are sounding way too forgiving and accommodating to his 'crisis'.

If he wants to stay he has too abide by stringent agreements re breaking off contact with the OW. Agree with others,though that he needs to move out, see a doctor and get his priorities very straights talk about having your cake and eating it. It's bloody cruel whining to you about how in love he is with her.

Get bloody furious and tell him to go.

Jan45 · 28/01/2015 17:06

God how can you be so sympathetic to him! He had let you down continually, is having sex with another woman and you I presume and still you worry about him - seriously wise up OP, he is taking the absolute piss. It never ceases to amaze me, makes two babies with you, gets bored then goes off shagging someone else, but yet his home life remains in tact, beggars belief.

You will probably be better off financially in the long run, he sounds a drain, both practically and emotionally.

Please give yourself some credit and tell him to piss off and not come back unless he is serious about making amends, you cannot fix this, the marriage is already dead in the water, only he can revive it and it certainly doesn't look like he's remotely interested in your happiness, only his own, eugh, makes me sick, such a weak willed man.

Gfplux · 28/01/2015 17:15

You can not fix this marriage and frankly why would you.
He has broken the marriage and now you have to take control and get him out.

magoria · 28/01/2015 17:17

The best way to fight for your marriage is to make him leave.

All the time you put up there is no incentive for him to stop lying and cheating and sort himself out.

Tell him to go. If he goes to her you know where you stand.

If he goes to his parents and sorts his life out perhaps you can try again. Only once he has proved he can be trusted Which will be many months not a couple of weeks.

Hopefully by the time he gets to that stage you will have moved on and realised you don't want a lying cheating git for a partner because you deserve better.

Nextwednesday · 28/01/2015 17:19

I bet he's got no intention of moving 200 miles away. How would he conduct his affair then? I rally don't know how you can have him living with you after the way he has treated you. He went on a weekend break with her a week before you had the baby? Give him the shock he needs and send him packing.

SolidGoldBrass · 28/01/2015 17:43

You have two options. THe first is to consult a solicitor and either make your H leave or move out with the children. The second is to accept that your H will continue to have sex with the other woman. Could you accept a half-husband? It's clearly what he wants - you for childcare and domestic service, and her for sex and excitement.
I am not recommending that option, but it is the only one available other than throwing him out. THere is no option which involves him giving her up and committing himself to you, because he doesn't want to.

magoria · 28/01/2015 17:50

Also just wants to add.

He tells you he is in love with this other woman.

He has been unhappy for years! This is massively predictable from the cheaters script, hopefully someone can link it.

Why would you want him to stay with you?

Higheredserf · 28/01/2015 18:00

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Viviennemary · 28/01/2015 18:05

I think it's up to him. You have said you are prepared to give it a go if he breaks all contact with her. I agree you have done nothing wrong. He stops the affair if he wants to make a go of the marriage with you. If he doesn't then there's no point in discussing anything. And taking him back at all is a lot further than many people would go. You need a solicitor.

BigCatFace · 28/01/2015 18:58

OP please have a read of this and try the 180. It is to protect you and make you stronger.

www.survivinginfidelity.com/forums.asp?tid=232785

Your OH is actively engaged in an affair. Its not up to you to save your marriage. Your husband has a girlfriend. He's not acting like a husband so don't treat him like one.

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