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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

On holiday with dh, kids and my parents!! Help!!

192 replies

woosey35 · 17/08/2017 08:38

Arghhh so the perfect scenario for me has just backfired!!
We are on holiday in France. (Dh, myself and 2 Dd's aged 11 and 8). We invited my parents too. We have two motorhomes and planned an adventure. The lead up to this has been nothing but excitement!
Dh is a really difficult character. He's highly stressed with with and works really hard with his business, providing for us fabulously. I'm so grateful for this. My youngest dd has serious health needs.
I thought dh's moods and aggression recently were down to work stress. He constantly puts me down and everything that goes wrong is my fault. He tuts if I do anything less than perfectly, even down to making a cuppa or opening a window!! (Seriously!!)
Anyway..as I said we are now in France and his strive for perfection and annoyance that I can't meet this is still evident. He's causing so much tension. My parents have been great, helped loads with the kids and been a support for me no end. But this big black cloud still remains - dh!! I'm finding his moods embarrassing in front of my parents!! He even sat with his back to us all yesterday to eat breakfast, literally turned his chair round!!
How do people get through holidays without wanting to throttle their dh?!

OP posts:
ssd · 17/08/2017 09:28

the only thing going for him is that he earns a lot of money

are you married, as you'd get half if you split and help from the gov with your dd

you need to get you and your kids away from him

sorry, but I see his anger at you as the fact he doesn't want to be with you, I can imagine he's already had a dew affairs, he sounds the sort

Crumbs1 · 17/08/2017 09:29

It would depend on whether he's always been like this or changed. It could be work stress, it could be difficulties dealing with a sick child but either way it's unacceptable. You need to find your calm, assertiside and repeatedly say " I find your tone/behaviour/words hurtful and think you are being unreasonable. I am not prepared for our children to grow up believing it is acceptable to hear anyone be treated in this way. I feel abused and unloved". If he apologises and is willing to work on his behaviour perhaps get him support but otherwise I too would question the health of the marriage. Could your parents support you until you found a new way of living?

FanwankTheAbsurd · 17/08/2017 09:30

I echo what everyone else is saying. This man is clever, abusers aren't horrible all the time, they are nasty and then just a little nice, to reel you back in again.
I'd be seriously rethinking your relationship. It sounds like your parents would be supportive and, as you're married, you stand to gain financially from a divorce. I'd be getting my ducks in a row and seeing a SHL after the holiday.

ssd · 17/08/2017 09:30

and be prepared for him going all out with the charm when you start making moves to leave

he wants to keep you as making you unhappy keeps him going

HeddaGarbled · 17/08/2017 09:31

Actually, you'll likely get more than half of the assets because of being carer for your daughter. See a solicitor - I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.

ssd · 17/08/2017 09:31

I think this holiday has made you see him through your parents eyes and you dont like what you see?

GlitterSparkles17 · 17/08/2017 09:36

See a solicitor. You would be able to provide for them and also get tax credits etc.

Money isn't everything, you cant stay with him because he "provides for you" he sounds awful

Cailleach666 · 17/08/2017 09:38

OP in answer to your question How do people get through holidays without wanting to throttle their dh?!

We don't have to endure anything.
Many OHs are lovely on holiday.
I know mine is relaxed, playful, attentive to the kids, affectionate.
He has a stressful job and it's a time for us all to relax.
We laugh, have lazy relaxed days never want to throttle each other.
Holidays bring us closer.

UniversalAunt · 17/08/2017 09:43

Your DD has nailed it.

When you are home & he is out of house, ring Womens Aid helpline to talk this through, then consult with a solicitor to find out your rights & what support you & your DC would be entitled to if you separate. Collect documentation copies as advised by the solicitor, e.g. bank statements, pay slips, tax documents, house deeds etc.

In no way excusing his behaviours to you, your DC, your parents & anyone else, he will have developed such traits, & be rewarded handsomely for them, in his success at work. It has become a way of life that works for him, but at a huge cost to you & others.

I say this as he may well not be happy with his life & work. It may be that his management style is stale & now cannot adapt, or that he is so far up the management tree that is he vulnerable to being ousted. Would this worry him about status & financially supporting his family ?

Who can be happy spending their precious family time sat with their back to them?

Most of all, you & your DC should not be subject to EA.

titchy · 17/08/2017 09:43

Get out NOW. Or do you want to see this cycle being repeated in your children's lives. Their abuser, and they WILL marry one, might kill them.

Holidayhooray · 17/08/2017 09:51

Please listen OP

Very similar to my situation. My divorce came through 3 weeks ago.

Also a very high earning man.

I promise you that you will be absolutely fine financially. This country is very fair, and you will be sorted. I am.

But you need to be very very clever. Do not make any rash statements. Fix a grin and suck it up in the short term. Meanwhile get things sorted behind the scenes. Try to find out as much as you can financially. You need to see this as war, and you have got the head start. See a solicitor, without him knowing. Get that lined up.

And then, when you are sorted, confront him.

There will be times when you have second thoughts. There will be times when you utterly don't yourself, but trust me - this is not a happy life, this is an unpleasant man, and you need to have your wits about you when dealing with him.

Miserylovescompany2 · 17/08/2017 09:52

Maybe you've finally reached the end of your tether? My advice - start getting your ducks in a row - photocopy everything financial you can get your hands on - then seek legal advice...

This doesn't have to be yours or your children's life - start working towards the life you deserve - not a life treading eggshells or suppressing the real you!

FoxesSitOnBoxes · 17/08/2017 09:53

How old is your daughter? That is a very mature thing for a child of any age to say.
Go and see a solicitor. You will be able to support your children

MrsJayy · 17/08/2017 09:53

A bit overbearing titchy many women don't marry men who abuse them

Holidayhooray · 17/08/2017 09:53

I have received 50/50 of assets. And spousal and child maintenance (totalling £3k a month). Two children.

You will be fine. And thank your stars that he is not self employed, because you will have pay slips.

Boredboredboredboredbored · 17/08/2017 09:55

Looking at your other posts your dh is 63 and into swinging, isnt that right op? If I was you I would run far far away and take some of that multi million pounds with you.....

Holidayhooray · 17/08/2017 09:55

Oh and my ex doesn't sound even half as bad as yours

JWrecks · 17/08/2017 09:59

My little girl told me yesterday "mummy, sometimes I think you're not being yourself when daddy is around..it's like you're pretending to be happy to make him happy..and you always tell us to be true to ourselves and honest"!!

Holy shit, OP! How old is she?

Actually, regardless of her age, she doesn't need to see things like that. She certainly doesn't need to understand them. The fact that she knows you act differently around your husband - that you walk on eggshells in his presence, frankly - is teaching her Very Bad Things about relationships, about men, and especially about women.

I know people are always quick to swoop in, call LTB, and fly off again, but I really think it's time you at least consider it. Hopefully this unacceptable holiday behaviour is the catalyst you need to start at least thinking about what you would or could do if you left. He is abusing you, OP, and he is not far off from abusing your children and your parents, on top of that! I pray you can see this.

He may have generously raised your son as his own, but is this man - this abusive, frightening, aggressive, hateful, extremely unreasonable, overly critical, rude, thoughtless, selfish, and downright mean man - the kind of role model you want for your son? Is HE who you want YOUR SON TO BECOME one day? Is HE who you want YOUR DAUGHTER TO MARRY one day? Do you want them to continue learning - from both of you - that treating people the way he treats you (and your parents, and your children) is normal and acceptable??

This man may be financially supportive, but he doesn't seem to be supportive in ANY other way. He is not good for you, and he is certainly not good for your children. He may not have turned his abuse directly onto your DC in exactly the same way he has done you, but even acting the way he does toward you in front of them is horrible for their development, and - frankly - it's really only a matter of time until he does begin treating them the way he treats you.

Abusers (which, if HALF of what you're saying here is true, HE IS) very often tend to have that "perfect gentleman" side, to be perfectly capable of loving and even extremely kind and generous things. I can tell you that mine was extremely charming, very quick to smile and laugh, genuinely sweet, and surprisingly good natured - when he wanted to be. The rest of the time he was busy trying to strangle me to death and tear my face apart with his bare hands while telling me that I, somehow, was the imperfect and useless one... But he was "soooo sweet" that people rarely believed the truth about him, even when they witnessed it with their very own eyes.

Please, PLEASE, at least think about what you would do if you left. Look into your options. Find out from a solicitor - or a friend who has been through it, or others here on MN, or somebody if you're not yet ready to take the solicitor step - what your options are. I think you may be surprised. After this wretched holiday is over, talk to your parents, who have witnessed this first hand, and get their opinions. Ask them about what they've seen, and ask them to tell you honestly what they think about it. Help is out there, so take advantage of it. Please. At least start thinking about going, and taking your poor children with you. You owe it to them, to their futures.

shoeaddict83 · 17/08/2017 10:00

your married? Youll get half and he has to provide for a home for DDs until they are 18 so you will have support.
Your DD has already noticed - therefore its effecting your children and clearly is emotional abuse, do you want them growing up thinking thats normal? He needs anger management therapy at a bare minimum as he clearly has issues if he rages and swears at you for things as mundane as opening a window wrong??
Stress at work is NOT an excuse!
How have your parents not said anything, if my fiancee acted like that in front of mky dad i know for a fact hed have pulled him up on it!
PLease OP get yourself out of this now, its not healthy for you or the DDs and he is not treating you right, hes abusive.

thatdearoctopus · 17/08/2017 10:06

But with every time you suck up his abuse and say nothing in order to smooth things over for the kids and in this instance your parents, he is seeing that as a green light to continue and notch it up even further.

IrritatedUser1960 · 17/08/2017 10:09

I wouldn't stay with a man like that no matter how much he earned, I've been there and it eventually destroys your soul.

woosey35 · 17/08/2017 10:11

My daughter who said that comment is 8. She's the poorly one and very close emotionally to me.
My parents can now see it. My mum whispered to me yesterday "just witnessing what's going on here and I need to tell you I couldn't put up with it and would get out". She then whispered at another opportunity "we are here and on your side".
He's always been like this. Apparently had a reputation as a child for his temper. Never in a physical fighty kind of way..but in a nasty spiteful way. With added sulkiness. He somehow turns every situation round to his needs. And how it affects him. I do absolutely everything, even make his breakfast and butter his toast before he leaves for work..if that's 5am sometimes then that's when I get up to do it. He does nothing for me. When I've gently tried to tell him this, he screams "oh here we go, little miss hard done by is off again". It means I can never say how I feel. I've emailed him before just so that he will receive it and has my thoughts there. The last time my dd was in hosp for a fortnight..I drove home to iron him a shirt for work and put milk in thmy fridge, then drove back. I'm a walk over.
Trouble is maybe I've orchestrated this situation in that I've always done everything for him so he's never had reason to do it for me. I just sooooo wish that his lovely charming loving side was a constant

OP posts:
thethoughtfox · 17/08/2017 10:13

That is an abuser: he is lovely when he gets everything he wants on his terms but woe betide you if he doesn't.

ShatnersWig · 17/08/2017 10:16

Right, so you now know your parents are going to support you. Grin and bear it for the holiday, then go home, get your eggs in a basket as it were, and then leave.

ptumbi · 17/08/2017 10:16

OP - you say you 'can't support the dc without him' but he is at work from 7am to 8pm (and presumably doesn't do much in the way of child care or household tasks when he is there?). You can totally suppport your dc without him - you do it every day.
Financially, you will be entitled to half of his assets, and a proportion of his earnings (in childmaintenance) and possibly Spousal maintenance too.

The house is half yours.

If he is a high earner, you will be fine.

More than fine in fact - you won't have a rude, disrespectful, dismissive black cloud over you all day every day.

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