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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

When do you know if it's over?

9 replies

GeorgeHomeSpring · 15/03/2015 22:52

DH and I have been married for 6 years. We have 2 DC. We don't seem to make each other happy anymore. When do you call it a day?

OP posts:
CogitoErgoSometimes · 15/03/2015 22:59

Has to be an individual judgement but I'd say it's the point where neither of you are prepared to make an effort any more. If there's no willingness to communicate or adjust, if counselling isn't a possibility, and if you want very different things out of life.

Where has it gone wrong and how bad has it got?

ohjo · 15/03/2015 23:17

From my experience, for what its worth, i think when the sex dries up, and when you don't do anything together, or communicate, then things have got quite bad. Have you tried counselling or getting help of some sort?

MummyBtothree · 16/03/2015 02:47

Im in exactly the same boat, our 12yr marriage has just been described by CogitoErgoSometimes :(

4amInsomniac · 16/03/2015 06:52

....When you post this question on Internet forums.

Sounds flippant, but human nature seems to be always to carry on as you are until some external factor changes your life, unless you are really unhappy. The effort involved in making a proactive change always seems too much trouble. Once you start seriously considering making a huge change like this, I believe you are probably unhappy enough for it to be the right thing to do.

becsparkel · 16/03/2015 13:04

Do you speak to each other, can you talk about it? If you both believe it's worth fighting for, you will find a way.

GeorgeHomeSpring · 16/03/2015 13:18

MummyB I know the feeling. With hindsight I think it may have happened after the children and it's been a slow change since then or maybe it was always there but having children made it more apparent.

We are both going through v stressful times with DP illnesses/ death and maybe that's bringing it all to the fore. When DH DM died he came home and said he realised what was important, family was everything and he was going to change and be the best dad he could. This is now all forgotten.

4am no, it's not flippant at all. I agree, the very fact that I'm asking this question makes me think it is. Once you ask yourself this, it's hard to go back.

We had counselling after DD1 but we're back where we were before then, if not worse.

We're both tired and stressed but instead of pulling together we're not. We're just so different. Motivation, raising children, money when I look at that it's some pretty big stuff.

He struggles with the DC (which I do too sometimes) but I think that's part of parenting. There are so many good times with them which outweigh this. He never seems to see this, he doesn't enjoy the DC. He says that he probably wouldn't have wanted DC Sad even though he loves them now.

I'll ask him to do something to help out for the family, for example we've got a holiday booked and there's one thing I asked him to do last week. He didn't. It's not a massive thing but it's what it represents. I ended up doing it last night, as it was essential and I feel resentful and let down. That he doesn't care about us.

DH says he tries to make me happy and I think he does, in his head, but he just doesn't give me what I need. We've talked but it's always the same. He pays lip service but doesn't change. And I don't think he will and, really why should he, that's him what right do I have to ask him to?

We always had a good sex life but it's got to the stage where I just don't want sex with DH anymore. This speaks volumes to me, it was always the glue that held us together, now I think it's just papering over the cracks.

At the moment he sees me as always moaning at him and he gets angry, so angry. I'm just so fed up with us both being miserable. I don't know how to fix it. Maybe it's me? Maybe we just can't make it work.

I just don't think it's bad enough to make the massive changes but then I think I deserve to be happy and if I'm not careful I'll be 10 years down the line thinking the same.

We have a lovely home, DC, income is ok. We should be so happy. But we're not. I don't know what to do.

Sorry this is a bit epic.

OP posts:
LyingWitchInTheWardrobe2726 · 16/03/2015 13:19

Agree with 4am. Have you met somebody who appeals to you, OP?

pocketsaviour · 16/03/2015 13:28

In your mind's eye, can you see yourself single parenting your DC - do you appear more happy in that imagined scenario than you are within the relationship?

Have to say if you are clashing now it's unlikely to change for the better unless both of you are willing to make massive compromises. It sounds as if he doesn't value being a parent, which is a pretty big problem seeing as he is one!! If you split now, I think it's more likely to be amicable than if you hang on for the next decade being more and more irritated with each other.

CogitoErgoSometimes · 16/03/2015 13:32

A fundamental of human relationships is that you have to love someone for what they are, rather than what you wish they could be. If he backtracks on promises to change and continuously fails that suggests that this is as good as he gets and what you're asking of him is not coming naturally. Doesn't make him a bad person but could easily make him the wrong person. Incompatibilities that lead to resentment are often much more damaging (to the whole family rather than just the partner) than set-pieces like affairs that demand a decision.

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