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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

BF shared a picture of him and his ex. Weird or normal?

157 replies

NonplussedwithFB · 28/11/2017 15:33

DP and I have been very dodgy lately for various reasons and I'm hormonal so I don't really trust my judgement. It's about shitty FB too so look away now if you hate it.

This morning he has shared a post from that timehop thing. The post is a picture of him and his long term ex (no kids, not married but together over a decade) from 8 years ago. They broke up 6 years ago.

We've been together 2. His family don't seem to like me very much and his mum still has pictures up of his ex, so I'm very sensitive. Do you think it's weird that he's shared it? He's friends with her on there so she will have seen it. As will all his family. As yet nobody has liked it. WIBU to put a 'love' on it Hmm sarcastically!

OP posts:
ZestyMaximus · 28/11/2017 17:27

Yes they are. Including your 'd'p.

NonplussedwithFB · 28/11/2017 17:29

Mostly him tbh. He's the only one who owes me anything.

OP posts:
Starlighter · 28/11/2017 17:34

That is totally out of order! How bloody disrespectful and embarrassing! They’re all completely undermining your relationship and it sounds like your bf wants out tbh. You sound unhappy, I’d cut my losses and leave him.

Greedynan · 28/11/2017 17:36

That's even worse. Is the pic of just him and his ex? Is there something particularly funny about the post, a family joke perhaps?

If not then I'd think his sister is pretty insensitive and possibly meddling. But he has just made things worse by sharing the post.

Bloody FB. It's evil.

Mince314 · 28/11/2017 17:39

Who would like that?!!

BrokenBattleDroid · 28/11/2017 17:41

It feels awful because it is awful Sad

At best it's woefully insensitive. Even if insensitivity is the full reason, do you really want a lifetime of being stung by insensitive things like this? Your self-esteem will end up shot to pieces.

Given everything else you've said then this is not the right relationship IMO. Chalk it up to experience and move on. Flowers

MyBrilliantDisguise · 28/11/2017 17:48

Time to get rid of this twat. You'll feel great afterwards. And think of the huge benefit of dumping him rather than having him dump you. Think how his family would hate you to dump him - they'd rather you stayed so they can bully you.

Finola1step · 28/11/2017 17:51

It is a very odd thing to do. Also the fact that you say there is still some level of entanglement between them is odd too.

AstridWhite · 28/11/2017 17:53

Why are you hormonal? Please tell me you aren't PG. This relationship doesn't sound good.

SonicBoomBoom · 28/11/2017 18:03

What's stopping you leaving him?

Bea1985 · 28/11/2017 18:05

I wouldn't stand for this OP. If you think it's not going to change I'd get out now.

I had a very very similar story with my now husband. When we met he and his ex (together for a decade, never married , no kids and no reason to still so entangled) had been broken up for around 7-8 years but we're living in each other's pockets. He spoke about her all the time, they texted all the time, he looked after her dog for free several days a week (he works from home) and on one lovely occasion he left me sat in a restaurant eating a meal on my own (which I was treating him to!) to go and answer her phone call, and was gone for 20 mins.

He also still lived in the flat they had shared together and her shit was everywhere! Things she had made (she was crafty), her belongings lingering at the bottom of cupboards, cards she had written him in the lying around in kitchen drawers.....

And I couldn't say a bad word about her. All his friends loved her, and if I ever expressed annoyance at the any of the above I was branded a jealous cow by my DH as "XXX is such a lovely person, you are just immature. You are jelly and controlling. She is the kindest person ever i can't understand why you're being so horrible".

It literally drove me insane. Insane. And in hindsight now I put up with much more than I should have done for longer than I should have done. My DH had been single for years before he met me, was used to doing what he liked and has no real family, so old friends were very important to him, and I learned to understand this. But their friendship (in light of their history crossed a line).

It all came to a head when I decided that it probably wasn't going to change, and it was really damaging my self esteem, especially when my boyfriend (as he was at the time) would respond to my distress by assassinating my character and praising his ex. I realised it had to end when I literally lost my mind one night - I have never behaved like this before or since but I we had a huge row, I became hysterical and threw a jug she had made (that adorned his mantle piece) at him! It went past him and smashed against a wall.

I went home and collected my thoughts and decided that his life is his own, as is mine, and we clearly have massively different opinions on respect and boundaries. I decided (somehow after we'd managed to stay together for about 9 months!) that it was time to cut my losses and have some self respect.

I calmly told him , after a couple of days NC, that I respect his wishes but I cannot personally cope or agree with their extremely close platonic friendship. I never gave an ultimatum actually, I was 100% intending to end the relationship.

Over the next few weeks he seemed to have some kind of epiphany and contacted me asking to talk. Long story short he realised (finally) that his future was more important than his past and agreed to cut all contact with his ex. We have been together for 5.5 years now, have a lovely home and a baby on the way. When he moved from his old flat in with me I insisted that nothing of hers moved with him.

It's something that we never really talk about now, but it took a long time for me to fully get past it. We kind of agreed to disagree (he doesn't see her but I think if questioned would answer that it would it would be nice to maintain some kind of a friendship). For me, things had got so bad in the first 9 months, that I could only really accept him back of he went 100% NC with her. He made the choice and the gesture of doing so so I gave him another chance.

As I said he had no family that idolised her, but several mutual friends with her - who didn't like me and for a long time I was viewed as a complete bitch. They have all come round now.

I know my husband inside out now, and he can be a little insensitive emotionally and does sometimes need things making very black and White. He does really value his old friends and I suppose to him she was just one of these. As far as I know he hasn't even seen this woman, but to be honest he might have emailed her a bit or met for a coffee without my knowledge, and to be honest I don't even care anymore. She couldn't touch what we have now and we have totally moved on.

Long long posts I know... But I just wanted to share my story. I would end the relationship if change looks unlikely and (without blame) explain that you clearly have different boundaries around exes. If he has some kind of epiphany later on and realises what a twat he has been , then maybe you have a chance and can lay down your terms. But don't get your hopes up. I'm still amazed my now husband did the turnaround that he did.

But you have to put yourself and your mental health first . I know how damaging this kind of thing can be! You are not being jealous or immature, believe me!

RebeccaWrongDaily · 28/11/2017 18:09

this is grim. I would honestly get rid of him, Please tell me you are not pregnant by him?

my DP was tagged in a load of old photos from Uni by the girl who was interested in him (she'd uploaded them to FB for the first time) I saw them and had nothing to say - cos it's his past.
when she time hopped them back on and posted 'look at how young and innocent we were, REUNION??' a year later (and again a similar post a year after that) DP unfriended her, cos she's clearly angling for something that he doesn't want to engage with.

The sister, is she really good friends independently or only as a result of their relationship?

NonplussedwithFB · 28/11/2017 18:22

No I'm Definitely Not pregnant!

bea we could be talking about the same relationship. All her stuff is still everywhere, they live in each other's pockets, even down to the dog thing.

Thanks for your post. It's very insightful.

OP posts:
Adamsmom · 28/11/2017 18:29

Sorry but seems weird at the very least if not outright disrespect

Bea1985 · 28/11/2017 18:30

I'm sorry for all my typos- i am using the worlds shittest oldest I-pad.

Honestly, I look back now and think my husband is bloody lucky I put up with it for the first 9 months, and even luckier that I gave him a second chance. We will never see 100% eye to eye on it, but he gave up a friendship that was important to him in order to keep me. If he had not taken such an extreme measure and fully agreed to my terms at the time , there is no way we would still be together.

This sort of thing stinks. His family are utterly insensitive and all to often the new girlfriend gets told she is jealous, nasty or mad.... When really, your DP, his ex and family are taking the piss.

Don't let a man take the piss out of you, make you think YABU or doubt your sanity. I don't know your DP or why exactly they are still close, but perhaps the reasons don't matter. It's too close for comfort and it's making you miserable.

I would really suggest making up your mind to leave and committing to this. Explain to him, calmly, the reasons why. He knows where you are if he decides to stop being a stupid arsehole !!

NonplussedwithFB · 28/11/2017 18:54

He just said that he didn't think. When I pushed it he said I'm over reacting. I'm done with it. I might be over reacting but the fact he's said I'm overreacting and doesn't seem bothered tells me all I need to know.

OP posts:
Bea1985 · 28/11/2017 19:08

Sharing that picture was an active choice of his. If it had been put on his wall by someone else and he had failed to remove it, maybe "I didn't think" would wash. But he did think - he saw it, liked it and thought/chose to share it.

NonplussedwithFB · 28/11/2017 19:19

bea thank you. I'll be using those exact words.

Weirdly my sister (who is friends with him on there) can't see it on his wall but I can Hmm

OP posts:
PossibiliTea · 28/11/2017 19:29

This doesn’t seem right. Disrespectful and completely unfair. There’s no excusable reason he could give for that.

Be3Al2Si6O18 · 28/11/2017 19:31

Change the way you feel about him.

Mince314 · 28/11/2017 19:32

Maybe you werent supposed to see it.

Mince314 · 28/11/2017 19:34

BE3A12SI6018 is right

Dont analyse it too much just get turned off

PenelopePear · 28/11/2017 19:40

It's nothing to do with looking obscure or needy or non cool

Normal people in normal relationships don't behave like this. Stop prolonging the inevitable and get shot of this idiot who clearly couldn't care less about your feelings

MyKingdomForBrie · 28/11/2017 19:47

He’s a prick who doesn’t even like you let alone love you. Just ditch him, you deserve someone who will love and respect you.

meowimacat · 28/11/2017 20:01

You are allowing this behaviour to continue if you let it. Honestly, what is in this for you? Does he treat you well? No. His family don't either. There is no reason to stay with someone like this. I'd get out now you're wasting your life with this moron. x