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

See all MNHQ comments on this thread

Will he ever propose to me???

462 replies

Chareen92 · 22/12/2015 17:39

This might be a little long so bare with me.
I've been with my oh for over 6 years. We have 2 children together and have lived together for more than 5 years. Anyway the issue is him proposing to me. We've talked about it a lot and has said he wants to. He was the first to take me ring shopping 4 years ago and again 2 years ago. I just feel why take me if your not planning on getting me one I think it's cruel. I would t be fussed if he had never took me. There always seems to be some excuse. Money is not the issue so I don't know what is stopping him? We've had all sorts of upset over the matter and he knows how import marriage is to me. His big dream is to buy a house and I want this too so I am commuting just as much into saving for a deposit. My dream is to be engaged and married but he don't seem to be compromising. All he ever says is he will do it when the time is right. We have a very loving relationship but I'm now starting to resent him because I'm helping him towards his dreams but he isn't mine. What would other mums do in this situation . I've set myself a deadline In my head and I'm sticking by it if he hasn't done so by our next anniversary in a. Year then I won't be here any longer. I know people have different opinions on this I just feel like if he really wanted to do it he would of done it by now. He isn't aware of this deadline but I am not waiting forever for it never to happen. Hope I could get some advice o help. Thanks in advance X

OP posts:
Lweji · 23/12/2015 15:26

Is his name on the contract? If not you can give him a one week's notice and evict him.
Is the rent lower?

FredaMayor · 23/12/2015 15:27

Chareen, from your responses to the good advice you have received here I don't get the feeling that you can see what a vulnerable position you are in. You could do a lot to address that by getting some advice from a solicitor. You can get half an hour's advice free so please don't let money problems put you off that first step. Your DP need never know that you have been to see anyone.

I'm afraid that the amount of love you feel for your DP does not mean that you will get treated fairly by him or that he will return that love as you would wish. I don't think deadlines are going to help you here, but instead I think it would help you lot to really understand your position and what will be possible for you as a single parent, and then you can take it from there.

There is no positive spin to put on your relationship as you have told it. You must judge people by their actions and not place too much trust in the words of DP and his mother who want to keep things hassle free for themselves. For your future and your sanity move out of your comfort zone and get some RL proper advice about your position - that is where to place your trust at this point.

Want2bSupermum · 23/12/2015 16:09

When you sit down with him if he doesn't agree to marriage on x date (set by you) he needs to leave that day. He can arrange to pick up the rest of his things later (which you should have boxed up ready for his collection). This gives him a chance to think about life without you and the DC. He might come back with a proposal but he probably won't.

kickassangel · 23/12/2015 16:18

"If he will leave"?

So - even if you say "this relationship is over, you are sucking up my time, money, love, and youth, you need to leave." He would stay? Even if you told him you'd call the police? What would he do if you said that?

Sorry - but from what you've written you're in a 'relationship' where:
You have slowed down your career to help bring up his children
You pay more than you should (you're effectively paying him money atm)
He barely even spends time with you
He refuses to show you respect/support
He has threatened to kick you out if you don't give enough money to pay for his house.

FIRST priority - find out about his finances. I suspect you'll be horrified at just how much he's keeping to himself and leaving you (and his kids) short of money. Use one of you days off to dig around and find payslips etc.

THEN - find out the quickest way to get him out the house.

If it's true love, he'll see the error of his ways, be genuinely contrite, and make amends before attempting to reconcile. It won't be the end of things and there could still be a happy ending.

If he's just using you, he'll argue/fight all the way and call you a gold digger for expecting him to support his own children.

seven201 · 23/12/2015 16:35

He's leading you on then letting you down. I was with my boyfriend for 8 years (both early 30's) before I 'forced' him to marry me. Basically my Mum was dying and I really wanted her to see me get married. We'd previously had lots of chats about me wanting to get married but my now husband just wasn't fussed by marriage, didn't see the point etc. I issued him with an ultimatum (as I didn't want to be with someone who wouldn't do something that meant the World to me at a very shit time) and when the deadline passed with him not proposing I told him to move out of the flat we owned. Only then did he reluctantly agree to marry me and even them he wouldn't let me tell anyone for a few days! This all sounds very negative and I sound like a complete psycho! That was 1 1/2 years ago and we (including now husband) had the best wedding day and my husband is really glad that we did get married. My Mum was so happy and I would have resented him forever if he had not let me have that moment. I would have had to wait until hell froze over before he proposed to me. I get jealous of other people's romantic proposals, but at the end of the day it doesn't matter. We're now expecting our first child, again after me nagging him into agreeing. He is just incapable of scary big decisions and will just never make them. Same thing when we bought our flat then later house - he kept trying to find excuses to not do it but always ended up happy in the end. I'm not saying your partner is the same as mine, but it does show that happy endings don't always start with romantic beginnings. I think you should sit down and talk to him. Explain that you don't need to spend a fortune on the wedding and that you feel you're being ignored.

By the way, I ruined mainly holidays and evenings out waiting for a proposal and then getting in a huff! I'm actually a laid back and normal person usually, but waiting to be proposed to turned me into a crazy bitch.

Good luck!

Lweji · 23/12/2015 16:43

If he ever tells you again you're a gold digger, sit him down, show him how much you could be earning, how much it would cost the childcare for those two days and when he buggers off on his own things and the housework he doesn't do. Half of those costs and your missing income is how much you're subsidising him. Which means he's the gold digger.

Lightbulbon · 23/12/2015 16:50

Ask him to think what would happen if you died suddenly.

He's be f**ed.

Think what would happen if he died suddenly.

Your lives wouldn't change that much would they?

Mince314 · 23/12/2015 16:54

Im like samanthat too. Not posting because im smarter. I really want u to waste fewer years than i wasted.

My x is still in the lovely house!
Now, i dont care, im fine, ive recovered financially. Well my house isnt worth a million and im in a much much cheaper area but yes as samantha says, if he gets his dream house it wont be him leaving it.

MissApple · 23/12/2015 17:02

Sorry, I think this is a wind up. The money parts just dont add up to me

If it's genuine:- buy your own ring from your savings love, tell him you have set a date for May 3rd, and all he needs to do is turn up. Problem solved.

You'll have your answer from his reaction

Lweji · 23/12/2015 17:03

Nobody posting is smarter. But sometimes we are too emotionally involved to see the bigger picture.

You, as many of us did, see the man you think he is, you hope he can be. Unfortunately he is neither.

ImperialBlether · 23/12/2015 17:10

If you post your rent on here then I'll look up how much you'd get if you split up. Financially I reckon you'd be better off.

Mince314 · 23/12/2015 17:33

It rings very true to several posters who've been through it and it's hardly an unusual story. If it doesn't ''ring true'' then raise your concerns with mumsnet missapple

I hope you're ok now Samantha. I had a five year financial recovery plan when I left my x. Well, I was like a third world country! So unsurprisingly it took longer than five years, but I'm content now. I hope you're back on your feet.

spudlike1 · 23/12/2015 17:34

Do you want to be married plain and simple ..or are you wanting one of those hugely expensive weddings .??
I personally think marriage is really important ..but I hate those grotesque overspends that couples go for .
have you discussed this aspect .

Allofaflumble · 23/12/2015 17:41

Why do you keep writing lol? There doesn't seem to be much to laugh about in your situation. Think of your children if you can't think of yourself. They need to be able to rely on at least one of you surely?

Mince314 · 23/12/2015 17:45

Let her digest it without choking on it. Christmas is in two days. If OP is seeing things differently after this thread then that's a huge step.

Chareen92 · 23/12/2015 19:44

Well we've both just got back from work, him from gym. I've just had a conversation with his mum she's on the exact same page as me saying she wouldn't buy a house without marriage agreed he's selfish and he needs to sort himself out. Told her I wasn't doing it anymore as I've had a real eye opener from last night if u haven't got the deposit well go our separate ways. She was discuses but I've urged her to keep it quiet till I have it out with him I'm just trying to get Christmas out the way with no drama and I don't want to ruin it for the children as there only young. Also done me for once since coming back home stated I was goin straight in the bath he was complaining dinner needed cooking then he finally agreed to cook but said there was loads to do like cleaning as its Christmas in two days I just plain blunt said I'm going in the bath and he left it at that

OP posts:
Chareen92 · 23/12/2015 19:54

I'm thinking of snakily seeing if we'll ever get married tonight. Would like u ladies opinions. I'm Guna say can we set a date to get married sometime next year just for a registry office we don't need no ring lets just get married and his mum has offered to pay so it don't affect his selfishness which she has just today and see what he says. What do U all think? X

OP posts:
Chareen92 · 23/12/2015 19:57

Or atleast ask him how much he earns yearly

OP posts:
Lweji · 23/12/2015 19:59

Go ahead.

It will be interesting to see how he responds.

But I wouldn't advise you to actually marrying him. Or continuing with him.

AutumnLeavesArePretty · 23/12/2015 20:01

Weird your mum says to not buy a home without marriage yet quite happily kept quiet whilst you had two children.

Houses can be sold, children are a commitment for life.

expatinscotland · 23/12/2015 20:04

'and his mum has offered to pay so it don't affect his selfishness which she has just today and see what he says. What do U all think? X'

FFS. Don't you think you deserve more than a grown man whose mum pays for a wedding license because he's too big of selfish, tight-fisted twat?

Why do you want to marry such a self-centred prick? He's never going to change.

I wouldn't even offer that to him. But then, I've been married three times and never had to beg a man to marry me because, when a man really wants to marry you, he'll ask you.

Jibberjabberjooo · 23/12/2015 20:05

I can't believe you don't know how much he earns. You're supposed to be a partnership.

He won't marry you because he'll be worse off financially. He is all about protecting himself and his assets, he clearly doesn't want you to get them.

Ask him, but don't he surprised if he has an excuse not to do what you're suggesting. It'll be 'oh I want to do the proposing, I want to have a bigger wedding'. It will be something. And if he starts on about you putting down a deposit first I would be telling him that marriage doesn't come with conditions.

You won't get the answers you want.

Mince314 · 23/12/2015 20:11

Well, can I suggest that you hold off on that conversation? Make no mistake, blood is thicker than water and she'll give him some sort of headsup. Even if she can see that he's being unfair to you, she will understand that the route to a relationship with her gc ultimately goes through her son, not through you. So she may be a decent woman but do not trust her to not warn her son that your thinking is starting to change.

I wouldn't suggest marriage until after Christmas. For two reasons. If he says no it'll make Christmas very tense and awkwkard. If he says yes, I still don't think you're in a different situation until you are actually legally married. Ring shming. Proposal shmozal. Do not transfer your money until you're legally married. If you get engaged and he says ''right transfer your cash'' smile sweetly and say yes! of course! when we're married.

The cogs in your brain are shifting around and giving you new insight. Why not roll with that before you start negotiations. If you feel valuable, if you feel strong, if you've been on the phone to the tax credit people and spoken to your boss and thought about where you could live and how you could make it all work, then you would have a much stronger attitude from which to negotiate. Read ''wife work". Read "a woman in your own right". "running on empty" "why does he do that". Ring the tax credit people as suggested earlier.

Line up your ducks inside your head. Try to save a bit extra. And then, in a few months when you've save a bit extra and you have begun to value yourself, give him ONE MORE CHANCE. Tell him the register office is booked.

Don't go racing in there tonight. You want to get engaged a Christmas. YOu want a nice ring. You're not valuing yourself enough at the moment. Maybe he will surprise you and marry you. But maybe if you think about this for a while longer, you will feel worth more when you start to negotiate.

I hope you understand me Flowers

Mince314 · 23/12/2015 20:15

But really, I don't think he is worthy of you. He's secretive, he's mean, he's content to plunder you like a resource, content to fob you along, the mother of his children! the less you demanded, the happier he'd be.

I want you to think long and hard and read up as much as possible before you propose to him.

ImperialBlether · 23/12/2015 20:21

I don't think he deserves to marry you. You're treating him like some sort of prize and he really isn't.