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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 can I make him understand?

126 replies

stabbypokey · 31/12/2017 07:10

After being happily single for 5 or so years I've fallen for a friend I have known for 16 years (we used to work together and have been in and out of each other's lives, as friends over that time). We got together in August and it has been hearts and flowers since then. We have met each other's friends and families and I was really looking forward to spending a Christmas Day with him and then the rest of his family over the past week.

Well the last week has been a real eye opener and not in a good way. When we first got together he said previous girlfriends said he was moody and didn't know how to deal and that he gets angry. Well, yup saw it in spades this week coupled with a horrible pettiness and the need to be 'right' and catastrophising everything. And his sister had a lovely 3 day mood when we were away, so it runs in their family.

I called one of my closest friends who is also really moody in relationships, never with me (common thread for moody people in my life, low self esteem, and hyper critical of themselves). He said, the mood is nothing to do with you, ask him what he wants you to do and leave him to it'. He'll then learn to get himself out if it.

I'm not a sensitive flower I can ignore a mood, it is the point scoring/pettiness which is really upsetting. I was so looking to this week, so that created added expectations.

I'm 48, he is 56 so he will never change, he did apologise and said he could see how his sister's behaviour was just like his, and how it affected the rest of he family. He still got a couple of digs in at me on the drive back though.

I can't spend NYE with him without explaining how I feel.

OP posts:
ovenchips · 03/01/2018 10:28

It's not easy, as you say, to do the brave thing and split when you are still in love with him. You are saving yourself a lot of further heartache though. Good on you. It's a harsh lesson to learn that someone who you have a good relationship as a friend, does not translate to them behaving well as a boyfriend.

And the answer to your thread title is you can't make him understand. He would have to choose to.

As it is, you have been spending all this time thinking about him and what's going on with him, how he feels etc. Do you think that has been reciprocated? Nope. He has been thinking about himself, what's going on with him and how he feels. Nope.

You will have only been given consideration as the cause of his negative feelings. His only concern about you will be that you understand how his bad behaviour has been prompted by you. Once you realise you have this dynamic you realise the utter futility of your title's question...

Onwards and upwards OP (after lots of post-split looking after yourself). You deserve better.

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