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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 many chances do you give them to change?

62 replies

alificent · 07/07/2016 22:42

We have four children, the eldest (9) is my daughter from my previous marriage. With each subsequent baby, DP has taken a real back seat from 0-2 years often blaming it on breastfeeding. He's a bit better after 2, but generally is still incapable of doing much with the children.

I spoke to him after DC3 and said he needs to step up. After DC4 we had the same chat. He 'can't' take the children to school/bed, can't bath them, can't prepare their meals, can't feed them, can't/doesn't discipline them, can't handle more than one at a time, can't console them when upset and so on.

I told him he is lazy and leaving everything to me and that it isn't fair on me or the DC to have them rely on me for everything. I haven't been out without the DC for over 5 years because they hate staying with him and he can't put them to bed/console them if they wake. He apologised and said he would change and improve. He is on annual leave this week. Every day I have woken at 6.30, fed the baby, showered, made lunches, got the other DC up, ready, fed and distributed to schools and nursery and he's still in bed at 9.15 when I return home.

He does nothing around the house. If I leave the toddler with him he cries so DP just puts the tv on. I asked him to try bathing the three eldest last night while I fed the baby and did the ironing. There were tears within a minute, as there always are whenever I leave the dc with him. I heard him ask 9 yo to move over and she asked if she could just finish something (drawing with bath chalk) he said no, now and then physically removed her from the bath when she didn't comply. 2 yo refused to get out so he just walked out and left him after the water had gone down.

He's either on his phone or asleep within five minutes of me having taken all the DC to bed and I just feel like he's given up, in which case I don't know why he doesn't just leave. I told him last time that I'm at the end of my tether with him just being an ornament around the house but still he persists.

OP posts:
MollyTwo · 09/07/2016 07:12

Why did you have so many kids with him if you knew after the first he was like this. I hope you aren't still foolish enough to fulfill his request for another. The kids sounds so miserable and they don't deserve to be in this mess.

Amaia10 · 09/07/2016 07:14

Op - sorry but he sounds totally inept.

It sounds like the children are already picking up on your resentment towards him. At the moment, he's a liability within the home. You can't rely on him and the kids (even the little one) know they can't either. Yhis is anxiety- provoking for them as well as you. The result is that he's treated like an outsider in his own home. He sounds very inflexible - eg if your DC won't get out the bath, he just leaves the room, rather than being able to think around this.

He doesn't seem to have any emotional intelligence towards you either - as if telling you he loves you all the time when you're running round like a maniac is going to be welcomed.

What does he do for a job? Is he hard-working or productive there?

He is either bone idle in general or it's the typical chauvinism thing where he doesn't see that he has any meaningful role regarding his children or the home. Or he has some kind of interpersonal detachment issue that he may need help with.

So sorry you are picking up all the slack. Maybe show him this thread?

Dutchcourage · 09/07/2016 07:31

He is just so fucking oblivious
No. He knows. He knows you are running around he just pretends that he is oblivious and the worst if it is - you believe that he is. Job well done there.

The kiss on the stairs is a great manipulation tactic. Your running around like a blue arse fly, he comes over for a kiss (to let you see he is nice teddy bear, you get harassed, he walks off, your the bad guy - cos he only wanted a kiss right?

Don't fall in to the trap of doing every thing by yourself because it's easier, he you have to ask and even then he can't do it or causes a fuss, why the fuck should you carry him? He has just turned in to another child or another person you have to manage in the house. Why should he be able to do that? He is an adult.

My Dh is no saint. By nature he is naturally lazy. He had a mother that bent over backwards to service her precious boys so then never has to lift a finger. Thst got sorted out pretty much after his dd1 (my dd2) was born as he was making me ill. I would have left and he knew it.

Plus when dads are more involved and actually parent they make much stronger bonds and build better relationships with their DC because the DC respect and love them. I had a shit lazy dad.

Kick back and don't take this shit

VulcanWoman · 09/07/2016 07:35

OP, you've given him years to change and he hasn't, that's just the way he is, you can't change him, but you can change your life and your children's lives. Take action now, don't waste any more of your time and life with a man that doesn't deserve your time and effort. Best wishes.

magoria · 09/07/2016 07:47

What Dutch says.

He is not oblivious. He sees what you do.

He simply doesn't care enough to change and help you. As far as he is concerned your work, time and energy are less important that his.

And I agree trying to stop you and hug you when you have 5 mins and are desperate for a wee are deliberate ambush techniques.

If he leaves you it will be because you wouldn't even give him a hug.

magoria · 09/07/2016 07:50

Also to add he is capable or he wouldn't hold down a job.

Get him to do something and as soon as he starts ask him how his boss feels explaining everything to the nth degree because he is so pathetic.

snapcrap · 09/07/2016 07:58

I would give him an ultimatum and 100% mean it. He mans up, he gets involved, he knocks the grumpiness, laziness and uselessness on the head or you will divorce him. I'm furious for you!!! Please do not put up with this for another few years, it will damage the dc too. You already do 90% of the work yourself, you can do it alone and you will lose the biggest baby of the lot. As for the cuddling and snogging you in between you rushing around - bleugh! I'm tempted to say that's a bit of a red flag but I think you have enough to worry about...

SandyY2K · 09/07/2016 08:03

The kiss on the stairs is a great manipulation tactic.

^^^^ This. He knows exactly what he's doing.

alificent · 09/07/2016 23:09

He does have a responsible job where he is in charge of others, shockingly.

I can ask him to do things but he'll ask 100 questions about how to do it. Today I asked him to make lunch while I hung the washing out. The DC were in the kitchen drawing yet he opened the window to me to ask 'does x like this, does y like that?' Ect. I kept repeating to ask them but still he asked me and then ask why I was cross...!

He has let 2 yo DS hit or kick him at least five times today with no consequences. DS wouldn't dream of doing it to anyone else but that's not the point - DP shouldn't be letting him do it. He tried bath time again and again got one of the DC hysterical and let the water out then left them to it. Lacking emotional intelligence is so right - he honesty doesn't seem to understand what's going to piss us all off because he persists in acting in the same way despite previous negative results.

OP posts:
SandyY2K · 10/07/2016 00:27

I think repeatedly asking you is so that you stop asking him and do it yourself. Does he want an instruction manual for each child or something.

You're a very patient woman. I'd have lost my rag by now.

Aprilmum1 · 05/08/2019 07:00

I know I'm coming to this late, but I see a lot of red flags here. Do the children behave this way with any other adult? Children, especially young ones, are not good at vocalizing when something is wrong. They show something is wrong through their behavior. It sounds like they are employing all their defense mechanisms to signal to you that this is a bad situation for them. Could there be abuse or inappropriate behavior beyond what you have observed?

If the DC are avoiding him/refuse to interact, there is a reason. If they cry within minutes of being left in his care, there is a reason. Do them a favor and protect them against whatever it is they are already trying so hard to get away from.

pog100 · 05/08/2019 10:24

Late?! 3 years late! ZOMBIE

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