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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

how do I support my husband?

37 replies

Ihavealwaysbeenastorm · 23/04/2015 08:27

Hi everyone, I need some advice regarding my husband
So as not to drip feed I'll let you know our situation.
We have two children, 3 and 10 months. The baby has been a very difficult baby after a horrendous pregnancy (hyperemesis and other serious health issues) and I have had ongoing PND for the past 3 years (currently on anti ds).
Life is tough and we don't get much of a break from the kids. My DH works FT in a senior management job and I am part time in a middle management role.

I am responsible for getting kids sorted and to and from childcare. (on the days I work). I do most of the housework and frequently take the kids out at the weekends to give him some space so he doesn't have much stress to deal with at home.

My husband is stressed with his job and this is causing alalot of friction between us, he constantly plays the I'm more stressed /tired than you' card, and despite both children being in bed when he gets home and his dinner on the table every night he still complains that he is stressed yet ignores the immense pressure I deal with looking after the children and dealing with PND.

Last night I told him if he's not happy then do something about it, look for a new job, stand up for himself more in work etc and it didn't go down well

I do feel bad, he is a great husband and dad, and we have a great relationship generally but this is really impacting on my mental health and happiness. He constantly works late, constantly answering the phone and emails in the evenings and weekends and he never takes time off, but is such a martyr about it all.

So wise MN how can support him? I don't like seeing him stressed but it's starting to irritate me, which I acknowledge is part of the PND too, but apart from yelling at him to grow a set and deal with work what can I do?

Sorry if this is disjointed I have a 3 year old wittering in my ear.

OP posts:
Almostfifty · 23/04/2015 17:23

OP, this is exactly what happened when our DC were small.

I ended up having more than one 'discussion' about it when he had to work late/go in on the weekend/bring work home.

We ended up with him doing a managing time course through work, which really opened his eyes. That, and me having an operation whereby he had to take a week off work and look after the children and take them to their various schools, nurseries and playgroups.

From that week on, he came home in time for dinner every night, did bath and bed, and never worked weekends again. He learned to say no. He also apologised for not realising just how hard it was.

He'll never get this time back with your children. Ever. That should be enough to make him stop.

MatildaTheCat · 23/04/2015 17:27

Joysmum is so right. Your DH sounds utterly overwhelmed and unable to see reason. Is there anyone he could talk to at work regarding the hours he is putting in? Does he need more assistance within his role? Perhaps he really is being expected to do the work of two or more people and this needs addressing. If he continues to try to show he can do this he will become less and less proficient at his role and will go down in the bosses estimation.

He sounds as if he is suffering for anxiety and urgently needs to see his GP. I suggest you actually insist he makes an appointment and even go with him. Men can't stand to admit to this because it smacks of failure in their eyes ( generalisation, I know).

I can't see this improving until something changes at work. He's done brilliantly to get to this point but isn't doing so well if he can't admit he needs help with it. If he is valued they will offer the support he needs.

In the meantime you are rather left holding the babies. Find the cash for domestic help and some down time. It's as essential as food and drink at this stage of your life.

Ihavealwaysbeenastorm · 23/04/2015 19:40

He needs alot of support, assistance and cooperation from staff but no one is giving him any, he gets so frustrated, from the sounds of it it's a shambles professionally, full of back stabbers who would do their best to see him fall (he beat alot of people in the interview process to get the role he is in).

I have sympathy for him because I know deep down he isn't doing it or power or glory, it's because he wants to provide the best he can for us, him getting this job has taken the pressure off me in terms of the hours I work, and has given us disposable income which we never had in the past. I'll speak to him again about it all, discuss perhaps a cleaner. He got out of work early tonight and put the kids to bed. I'm going to insist he does it every Tuesday and Thursday night at least as those are the days I'm off work.

Thanks everyone, I'll definitely make an appointment with the gp for him and drag him eveven if it's kicking and screaming Smile

OP posts:
totalnamechanger · 23/04/2015 20:08

Hi OP. First I am really sorry you are suffering so much. Life sounds pretty hard for you at the moment.

With reference to your DH, I'm with Joysmum, Silvery, Matilda but also Almost.

I'm in a similar situation except with one toddler and no pnd (not to say I didn't struggle as the year we had DC was eventful to say the least).

I have been waiting for a break (holiday? DH to do much, much more?) since I became a mum. I was getting more and more exhausted and annoyed and started laying on the line what I needed from him. He accepted it all and got a bit more helpful. I didn't think it was enough. It wasn't- I was doing nearly everything domestically, household management wise, routine childcare/ arrangements for paid childcare as well as working part-time. I'm not denying that I had let balance of domestic duties slip long before we had DC and my husband has in the past put things off/ expected me to do it.

However I suddenly realised that my grievances were not the priority any more because DH is burning out. Not just complaining about work but sinking. My current job can be stressful and I have responsibility but I enjoy it and have professional confidence. But I have also had horrendous working environments where I had to steel myself before I could go in each day, where I felt completely trapped and often paralysed with worry. There is a difference between day-to-day job difficulties and this.

The latter is what my DH is experiencing now but unlike me, when I was experiencing it, he is responsible for paying a mortgage and putting a roof over three people's heads. He's also well aware that if he passed the baton to me for a while, even if I worked full-time at senior level, I could not make the amount of money that our mortgage is based on.

My DH taking a job with less responsibility would be great. But at the moment he can't think straight, he certainly doesn't have mental space or actual time to research and apply for other jobs. He's lost confidence in himself. He has anxiety and depression, this has crept up on us and we've only just acknowledged it between us and with confirmation from his doctor. His mental health is now the priority even if I was still annoyed with the unfairness of what I am taking on- it has to be shelved for now. Obviously I have no idea OP if this is the same with your DH but if it is anything like my situation it is neither fair, useful nor appropriate to tell him to 'man up'.

I also question whether one can tell someone what they need to do in their career, especially if the career is one that you have no understanding of and especially if the person has anxiety/ depression. Again, this may not be the case with you and your DH, OP. But even when you understand someone's work environment very well I still wonder how much instruction you can give someone about how to do their job. Saying 'delegate more' - is that helpful? I have been guilty of doing just that but surely he knows he should be doing that but just can't see a way of doing it. A bit like when someone tells you to calm down.

The suggestions Joysmum gives are more useful as they involve questioning and working together so if you have that kind of relationship you might help your husband make headway. It gives him more of an opportunity to work through the barriers and possible solutions in his own context rather than someone throwing generalised work instructions at him. I think I might try some of these myself but these things have to be tackled gently so that someone who is really struggling doesn't feel even more overwhelmed. It's also a useful suggestion of Almost to look at a time management course and yes I think in the future it would be a wake up call for many men to play out what the mother's of their children do on a day to day basis. But not now if he is at crisis point.

Of course none of the above might be the case with your DH. He might just be being a lazy git! He surely isn't giving you the credit you deserve for all you are managing. However in my case it flipped from me telling DH he had no understanding of what I was doing to realising that he knew I was doing thousands of things and felt like a failure for not doing 'his end' of the bargain.

So whether or not your DH cannot or will not support you at the moment, it might be useful if you can do the following for yourself:

Speak to someone trusted about what you are going through to get it off your chest. I can see that getting your own counselling could be financially and logistically difficult at the moment.

Ask for as much support as you can from friends and family. Do you have an practical friend? Ask her/him to help in this way. Do you have a wise, empathic friend? See if she/he can meet you for a walk around the park etc. Do you know someone who has experienced a similar thing? Speak to them or see if your DH wants to speak to them. Do you know someone who is good with your kids? Maybe they can take them for a while while you have a little time to yourself.

Read up on depression/ anxiety in men to see if that looks likely with your DH. It might relieve some of your understandable anger towards him. If this is what it is!!

Go to the doctor with your DH. Taking some control of the situation might help you both.

Try and breathe.

Sorry for the vast ramble. I'm knackered!! Take care OP.

Ihavealwaysbeenastorm · 23/04/2015 20:34

totalnamechanger you have completely hit the nail on the head with your post. It's about professional confidence which his colleagues and superiors are chipping away, and I don't actually know how to stop it from happening.
Time management course sounds perfect, I'll definitely look into that.
My parents are good to me and very supportive but they both work and have other grandchildren so I don't like to impose too much, although they have always been there for me. My dad particularly sympathises with my dh because he was in a similar role when we were young children, he thinks I go too hard on him (I suppose a man would think that!(.
I have a few ore years of management experience over him so I try to draw on my own experiences to help him see a way forward, but the company I work for is a large national company, his is a localised although large one so we have very different expectations and levels of professionalism.
He wants to be the best he can be, he is a perfectionist and hates letting anyone down, he really does put his head to the grindstone and works hos ass off, with little or no appreciation, that's why I feel bad for nagging at him to wash the car or hoover the house.

He is holding too many strings, I just don't know how he can turn this around tbh.

OP posts:
Joysmum · 23/04/2015 20:53

One last thing, when your dH comes out of this, he will appreciate what you've done and that you've offered practical and emotional support.

It's all too easy to go all judgey pants and get angry. What total said really struck a chord with me, my DH was sinking, not moaning or struggling.

The other issue DH had was a need to prove himself to his father. DFIL was academic and never approved of DH who left after GCSEs to do an apprenticeship, rather than going on to college and unversify. It showed how little DFIL appreciated DHs job because when the company was making people redundant he suggested DH applied to be a bus driver despite DH being top in his field in the country and being regional department manager.

I don't think it's any coincidence that my DH reined things in only AFTER dad died last year Sad

wallypops · 23/04/2015 21:15

He doesn't know his kids at all. How can he be a great father? He never sees them.

wallypops · 23/04/2015 21:30

Sorry not a helpful comment but perhaps you should be rethinking your lives with a total step back. Different house, different area, lowering costs thereby allowing a different job. I don't think there is any easy solution.

DinkyDye · 23/04/2015 21:47

I recently had some career counselling thinking l wanted to leave my job. The counselling helped me see the positives of my role and my abilities. It really was for me very beneficial. I felt recharged approaching my role.

DH and l are thinking of moving and have been looking at houses that would stretch the budget. Just before l came to bed l thought no, l don't want to be stretched at the moment! (about to go off on mat leave soon ). This post is has reiterated that for me.

I hope you and your DH can get through this. It's very tough on both of you.

Ihavealwaysbeenastorm · 24/04/2015 07:10

He does know his kids Wally, he is patient and fun with them and genuinely is a good dad when he's here. We can't move ad we are in negative equity and have a huge mortgage on a small house (we bought in 2007), the area we live in was the only affordable area within commuting distance to my job at the time.
dinky yes stretching the budget isn't a good idea. Career counselling is a good idea although it won't change the attitude of his colleagues which is his main problem.

OP posts:
deplorabelle · 24/04/2015 11:30

Everything everyone else has said. It sounds like you have some disposable income so you need to spend it on making this intolerable situation better.

Your dh needs a sounding board and a way to address his stress. Good counselling would help. You need between you to reduce the domestic burden so a cleaner would be a very good thing here. I'd also say that dh and I have concluded that the most cost effective domestic help for us (in terms of money paid out for domestic hours saved) is eating out. I know your children are little but might you be able to take them to pizza express or somewhere? It means a whole meal is shopped for, cooked and cleared away and you get to sit in clean tidy surroundings. We save our club card points and spend them this way - one or even two meals out over a weekend save us. I wd go mad otherwise. (Ps even - whisper it - McDonald's on a regular basis is good if it saves your sanity in other areas)

DinkyDye · 24/04/2015 11:44

He shouldn't be thinking of how to change others to support him at this stage but how he can change to get that support. With the counselling it could help him find out his good qualities in relation to the role and the counselor will help him to put that to work. He needs his colleagues to want to help him and so he needs to work on why they don't want to.

I know you said that he was chosen over a few (so maybe jealousy) but I've had colleagues do better than me and I've still helped them and wanted them to succeed. Is it possible, and I don't know your DH at all OP so apologies if wrong, but that he maybe comes across different to how he perceives himself?

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