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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 can I help dh get through this? Feels like we are in trouble........

9 replies

lilybubble · 26/03/2007 17:06

I could really do with some advice as to how to best try and deal with what's going on with me and dh just now.
We moved house 2 months ago, out of London where I'd lived since, well, more or less forever. I gave up a well-paid job that I really enjoyed which I can't pursue here. We wanted to finally buy somewhere, give dd a bit of space, have a garden, a spare room - nothing new there.
2 weeks after we moved dh got made redundant. The settlement was quite reasonable, so not the end of the world, so long as he got a new job within a couple of months. He started onto this straight away and got several interviews and ultimately 3 job offers. However, in the interim he has been a complete pain in the ar$e. He hasn't helped out at home any more than usual which is irritating. It's also been hard to suddenly find all 3 of us at home, which we're not at all used to, and we have really got on each other's nerves, dh hasn't coped too well with having dd around 24/7 and he's irritated me with his lack of patience and understanding (nothing major btw).

He started going back to London a few times to see mates as he had the time, and although I'm not too thrilled about it, we were bickering so much when together all the time that I encouraged him to do it a bit more - explaining exactly why, and he agreed.

I have just been to my parents for a couple of days, and he went to see a mate on Thurs and then decided he might as well stay in London until the party he was going to on Sat night. Got a text from him on Sun, very early, saying he was trashed and just about to crash out and would call later. Was v annoyed as wanted to see him, but decided I should let him have that space and just go with it. Then he called at 5pm to say they'd got up early and started drinking again and that he would be back tomorrow (ie this morning). I went nuts and said I wanted him to come home now, and started blubbing. We talked for ages, much shouting, and finally he admitted that he had found the redundancy very difficult to bear, and that he wanted to make the most of going out while he could, that would be the end of it as new job starts a week today. He said that by dictating to me when he would be home, he felt that that was the only bit of power he could wield, the only control he had. I do understand this, told him so, but told him that he had made me question our marriage, made me wonder whether he was cheating and generally make me unhappy. Also, not really fair on dd. He apologised profusely, said he'd dealt with the whole situation wrongly but was freaked out. Fair enough. He apologised for staying out again too.
He got home early today and has been quite contrite. This afternoon I've been filing paperwork and have found out that he's given the credit cards a real bashing and arranged a big (by our standards) overdraft. I pointed this out and he's just said "It's all under wraps, don't worry" (Aussie!)
I don't know what to do. I feel like he is taking dd and me for a ride. I've been quite frugal with money, been selling bits on ebay etc. I used my savings to cover the moving costs and legal fees etc, and have coped till now on my money. He keeps making a big deal of the fact that I'm not working, have no income, and he does which really pisses me off as I do everything at home. Now it's nearly run out and I need to ask him for some. He was cagey, and not keen on this, a few weeks ago and now I know why. How can I handle this situation without making my husband feel less of a man? I feel like our marriage is really under pressure and I am losing respect for him, as he just isn't facing up to his responsibilities.

Sorry, this is so long. Thanks, if you've read this much.

OP posts:
Dior · 26/03/2007 17:12

Message withdrawn

lilybubble · 26/03/2007 17:41

Thanks Dior. It actually takes a lot for him to say sorry, so I'm taking that very seriously! I just feel helpless and like there's nothing I can do to try and make things better.

OP posts:
Dior · 26/03/2007 18:42

Message withdrawn

warthog · 26/03/2007 18:56

he's got a new job so he will be earning again and can pay off the credit card. sometimes we all need a bit of a break and redundancy is very stressful. also sounds like the responsibility has got to him a bit - you giving up your job, him being the sole breadwinner and losing his job, then being around the house 24x7. i know you need a break too, and i suspect that by allowing him this time, he will give you time in return. he's apologised and i'd give him a couple of months to sort this out.

if at all possible, during this week or asap, get someone to babysit so that you've got some time off too. i think you have a lot to think about and you could use some you time.

lilybubble · 27/03/2007 14:50

Thanks Warthog, and Dior again.

Now he's saying he wants to go out on Friday again. Apparently one of his mates is rounding everyone up as it's dh's last day before he starts work! I think that's bllcks personally. He wants to meet these people during the day for drinks, and is dressing it up as a good chance for him to drive me up to London for the day - except I wouldn't have anything to do all day until my sister got home from work at 7pm or so. Now he is really cross and fed up that I am saying I don't want him to go. Why doesn't he understand it's about more than just a night out? He promised it was all over, and now already he's working on going out again. He seems joined at the hip to this little group of friends, and doesn't stop texting and calling them, which is really irritating me.

Am so miserable about this and don't see what's going to make us both happy. He is whining now that all I do is whinge at him.

OP posts:
Jacobsdad · 27/03/2007 15:02

Hi Lily

I posted this on your thread last night but you must have 2 going at the same time. Anyway...

i thought you may like a guys point of view on your situation.

I thibk you are right to be making an effort to be supportive to you husband after he has lost his job and I totally respect you for that but...

You are in this together and he HAS to make as big an effort as you to keep things together and normal if not for your sake then for your daughers. Its a really crap thing to loose your job but there are obviously financial commitments here that have to be made.

I can imagine that its pretty hard to talk to him about this without feeling that your making it sound like his fault but if you dont sort the financial situation out then it will be his fault. I dont mean to sound harsh but its his responibilty to bring money in as much as it is yours. If he has a problem with you not working then maybe its worth saying that if you go back to work then HE will have to look after DD, and if he wouldnt want to do that then your looking at nursery fees and that doesnt seem an option for you at the moment!

Its up to both of you to sort this out and from what youve told me youve done more than enough to show to him that your willing to try. I know how hard it is to bring up a family both emotionally and financially, but you should never do it on your own - you need DH to pick himself up, get out to work doing whatever it is - just to pay the bills.

It will be hard for him to take a basic job but needs must and your needs as a family must come first.

mylittlestar · 27/03/2007 15:44

lilybubble not too sure what to suggest but wanted to help in some way if I can.

I wondered if perhaps you could turn things round a bit so that he cant say you're nagging or whingeing (which you have every right to do btw!! for you!)

But perhaps rather than complain about him going on Friday, talk again and say the reason that you were upset is that you know he's going back to work next week and you would have actually liked to do something special together to mark the end of his time off. That you'll see him a lot less when he's back at work (perhaps you see that as a good thing but he doesn't need to know that ) and you'd like the two of you to focus a little bit on yourselves for a while.
Say you love it that he has his friends and great that you have things you can do apart, but you love him so much and would actually like to do things together too!

You've made sacrafices and have moved away too. And you're finding adjusting difficult. It's been a hard time for you both.
(He's admitted he's been in the wrong and said sorry, so he knows he has a bit of making up to do!)

So perhaps this could be a good time for you to have a chat, no nagging or blaming each other for anything, just so you can get him to understand that you too have been finding things difficult and you just cope / show your stress, in a different way. He's said sorry. You're acknowleding your side too. Then agree to make an effort to start doing things together and remembering why you love each other in the first place.

{{{{{hugs}}}}}}

lilybubble · 27/03/2007 17:22

Thanks Jacobsdad and mylittlestar. JD - not sure why it posted twice, very odd, but thanks for taking the time to reply twice too! He has actually got a new job now, and starts on Mon - a proper job, not a 'for now' job thankfully. However, it's in London again, so I have misgivings about that, but don't know what I can do!

MLS, that's good thinking on the Friday front! I did cave and suggest we all 3 of us go to somewhere child-friendly, and that was quite well-received, so that's being organised. However, he still wants me to take dd off at a certain point so that he can stay out and get blind, stay at his friend's and pick us up the next day.

I've suggested we go out tonight, or on Friday (before this all came up) and he says no, wait till he gets paid and then go. Am that he will go out whenever friends suggest, but not when his wife does, but he just sighs at this. I agree we need to start doing things together, but not sure how to get him involved in this! He isn't keen on anything I've suggested so far. Love the idea of remembering why we fell in love, but not sure how to get there just now. Will think about all this, thanks x

OP posts:
mylittlestar · 27/03/2007 21:52

My only thought - even if you do something for the 3 of you on friday, then you leave and he stays for the last couple of hours with his mates, why does he then need to stay at his mates and pick you up the next day?

FWIW I think if you compromise and agree to him staying out late while you take dd home on Friday, then the least he can do is come back and stay with you when his night's over. There should be absolutely no reason why he wouldn't agree to this. He gets time with you, time with his mates, and comes back to stay with his wife.

Compromise on some things but don't let him take the p*. It takes both of you to make the relationship work. You matter too!

(Bit of a sore subject atm for me but I just don't see the need for a bloke to stay out with his mates when he doesn't have to.)

I'll catch up with you tomorrow xx

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