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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

Dating problems as LP-Aibu?

45 replies

badsurname · 06/02/2018 09:01

Hi all, I'm hoping you can enlighten me as to whether I am being unreasonable in my new relationship as I am ready to throw in the towel over something small but feel like I might be irrational!

I'm mid divorce, have two small children and have hashed out arrangements with stbxh that leave me every Wednesday and Saturday night child free. Which is amazing and liberating to me since I have been in sole charge of the kids for nearly six years.

I have been seeing a guy since the end of November. He hasn't been married, no kids. Has a couple of very time consuming hobbies, so he is busy most nights and weekends. When we started seeing each other befor Christmas I had a few weeks of unexpected child free nights and we saw a lot of each other and I really fell for him. He said early on that I was "invited to everything and could stay over whenever I liked", which made me fall for him even more. He also described one of his hobbies as something he did to fill time, but that if I wanted to spend time with him it was optional.

Fast forward two months and all that seems to have changed. He has been moody since new year. There have been a couple of times when I have unexpectedly had some child free time and asked what he is doing only to get a tirade of "no, too late, you weren't free, I made other plans". Which is fine, but I am feeling a bit like he has changed his tune and it really upsets me. Not that he won't see me, as I don't expect him to change his plans, but the way he tells me off for even suggesting it leaves me feeling shit.

Last night I was really knackered and in bed by 9 knowing I had to get an early train today. He started texting around 930 and all was well. Turns out I'm child free this Friday so I asked what he was up to and he said a party in London so I suggested I could come along, and got a tirade of "No. It doesn't work like that, you weren't free so I've made plans and I'm not changing them". Except I wasn't asking him to change his plans, I thought he might like me to come with, and if he had just said sorry not something you could come to I would have been fine. But having delivered this edict he switched his phone off and my reply (saying Im not asking you to change your plans!) still hasn't delivered. I assume he is having a lovely long sleep, but after that I couldnt get to sleep myself for hours and now have to chair an important meeting on no sleep, so I am probably blowing it out of proportion.

I am thinking it shouldn't be this hard. Two months in should still be exciting and fun but I feel like he is moody and irritable and I'm walking on eggshells trying not to put a foot wrong. The whole thing has got my back up. I am wondering if someone in the past has mucked him about and he is projecting that onto me, because I have never asked him to change his plans for me ( although apparently he did a few times in the first weeks but he didn't tell me he was doing so and I'm not psychic!) I know that I am not as freely available as someone with no parental responsibility but I do have quite a lot of free time and I have even taken up his hobby so that I am not impinging on him getting to do what makes him happy.

I am supposed to be going on a city break with him next week and now I feel like I should just not go because being stuck with him in a hotel room in a foreign city could be disastrous. The whole thing has just left a bad taste in my mouth and I don't know what to do.

OP posts:
Zaphodsotherhead · 06/02/2018 09:12

Sorry, but I think he's got someone else, someone who's a bit more available, to fill in the times he can't see you.

It is shit - I dated as a lone parent with five kids, and you wouldn't BELIEVE the number of men who thought I should let them go and live with their dad so I was free for them 24/7 - but you'll find the right man. This one just isn't him.

ShatnersWig · 06/02/2018 09:13

Sack him off.

He's incredibly rude and there are red flags all over the shop. I'm astonished you actually need to ask.

ALittleBitConfused1 · 06/02/2018 09:15

This is why it doesn't always work between people with young children and people without children.
He has never had to be that person that makes plans late or last minute because of child care arrangements, or God forbid had to cancel/change plans last minute because of them.
I would normally say if you now have child free nights every Wednesday and Saturday nights why don't you just stick to making plans together on those days, then assume he's busy and make your own plans if you become free on other nights.....pampering yourself, meeting friends etc.
However in this situation the way you describe his moods and reactions are concerning me. It maybe that you just need to explain to him the situation, how tricky it can be to date with young children etc etc and give him the opportunity to see things from your POV But on the other hand, IME I would say if you do nor like the way he is communicating with you, responding to you and you feel like you are walking on eggshells, especially this early, it's time to end it.

ShatnersWig · 06/02/2018 09:17

ALittle Yes, but that's not the problem here. The problem here is that he lovebombed her at the beginning and is now being a rude fucker. Him being a rude fucker has sod all to do with him not having children and the OP having children.

badsurname · 06/02/2018 09:25

I do feel like he love bombed me in the beginning and now he is moody. But I am trying to be understanding as I'm not always sunshine and light. But I have called him out in his blunt to the point of rudeness messages once before. Ironically he works in comms but is terrible at communication.

It was so amazing before Christmas that I keep hanging on as I want it to feel like that again.

OP posts:
DancesWithOtters · 06/02/2018 09:26

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

ShatnersWig · 06/02/2018 09:29

Why are you making excuses for him? You've known him a couple of months and therefore don't really know him at all. Get out now. This is not going to get any better and it will not be amazing like before Christmas.

user1493413286 · 06/02/2018 09:34

During the early stages of my relationship with DP it was a bit like that as he would unexpectedly have his DD or not have her so be free when I’d made plans; it was a bit frustrating but I didn’t express that to him because I’d started the relationship knowing it would be like that and I knew that in time I’d meet his DD so it wouldn’t always be that way. It was probably like that for at least 6-9 months if not a bit longer but in a way it prepared me for the fact that throughout our entire relationship his DD will always come first (rightly) and that having a relationship with someone with a child will have an impact on you both positive and negative.
What I’m trying to say is that if he’s being difficult about your commitments now then will he continue to be difficult in the future even when he’s met your children.

purplelass · 06/02/2018 09:41

You're right, it shouldn't be this hard! I'd have a chat with him about what's reasonable to you and if he's not happy with this then maybe it's time for a re-think?
I'm a single mum with a child free boyfriend. We chat every week about what nights (if any!) I'm free and make plans accordingly. If I'm unexpectedly child free I'll let him know. Sometimes he's booked to play football and that obviously won't include me but if he's free then we'll see each other.
If I'm not free then he'll go out anyway as he's a grown up and doesn't need me to hold his hand
Simples Smile

CheeseyToast · 06/02/2018 09:50

He sounds like a jerk. Sorry but better to know now than get more involved.

ps. Just about everyone who works in comms is a terrible communicator

RatherBeRiding · 06/02/2018 09:58

Send him a polite but firm message along the lines of "Sorry but this isn't working for me. All the best. Bye" and forget him.

ALittleBitConfused1 · 06/02/2018 11:29

Im not sure i agree with this love bombing thing. I've meet people who are bit tot at the beginning, it doesn't mean I have to believe them. I understand that people rarely fall in love or want to spend their life with someone after only knowing someone a few weeks, I would think they were a bit unbalanced and just stop seeing them lol. But I'm a cynical old cow.
I'm sorry if I didn't think that was part of the issue I was just pointing out that maybe someone who has never had to be responsible for someone else would struggle with understanding the practicalities of daring as a lone parent.
But I do agree he is acting rude and whether he love bombed you or not, if he is now treating you with less respect than you deserve, which definitely seems the case. If he is making you feel anything other than contented, which he definitely is then I would urge you to raise that bar, you deserve better, you don't owe him anything, end it.

ALittleBitConfused1 · 06/02/2018 11:33

Ott not Tot, trying to eat and type is never great

badsurname · 06/02/2018 12:14

i'm a single mum with a child free boyfriend. We chat every week about what nights (if any!) I'm free and make plans accordingly. If I'm unexpectedly child free I'll let him know. Sometimes he's booked to play football and that obviously won't include me but if he's free then we'll see each other.

That sounds like a sensible grown up relationship. Unfortunately in my case it seems if I dare to ask if he's free not on one of my standard days it makes him angry on principle so even if he is free or doing something he could invite me along to he gets annoyed just because.

I've had loads of messages from him now but I am busy chairing this meeting ( just on tea break) and I don't want to do anything rash so am leaving it

OP posts:
Armygirl · 06/02/2018 16:58

I’ve got 3 children and in a 5 year relationship with a man who hasn’t got any children. It’s not always been easy as he’s so used to doing what he wants whenever he wants to do it and obviously I can’t. But he’s always understood my children come first.
The guy you are seeing sounds a bit immature. The tone he takes with you when you have an unexpected free night and ask if he’s free is quite petulant.
I think if it were me I would tell him it isn’t working and walk away.

expatinscotland · 06/02/2018 17:02

Move on.

LesisMiserable · 06/02/2018 17:38

I found being in relationship with a man without children lots easier than one with. I think this is simply a case of he's gone off you a bit, ie the first flush is over- and so you've compartmentalized into a certain slot that does not allow you to mix with new people he meets, going forward. Unless you're telling us half a story and in fact you're getting needy on his time , I'd let him go.

badsurname · 06/02/2018 17:40

Petulant is probably the right word for it. I feel like I am being punished for not having been totally free at his beck and call from the beginning. I have a load of messages from him now saying he doesn't sit around waiting for me to decide I'm free. I am just bewildered because I get such a violent reaction when I am unexpectedly free as I'd done it to spite him. I nearly didn't suggest I could come last night just because he reacted badly before. I just wanted to give him right of first refusal- if I had not told him I was free and went out with friends I am sure that would have been wrong too!

OP posts:
Wellfuckmeinbothears · 06/02/2018 17:48

Definitely move on, he sounds like incredibly hard work! I'm sorry that you've fallen for him, I realise moving on is going to be difficult for you but you deserve much better. As you say, 2 months in it should be all fun and exciting. Not you walking on egg shells around him.

You can and will do better x

category12 · 06/02/2018 17:50

He's got someone else on the go. You're his backburner.

LonginesPrime · 06/02/2018 18:30

I am thinking it shouldn't be this hard

^ exactly this, OP.

The last thing you need a single parent is another child to deal with. I would make plans with people who treat you well instead.

GeorgeTheHamster · 06/02/2018 18:41

Oh bollocks to that. Chances of him sticking around to be a good influence on your kids = none.

egginacup · 06/02/2018 18:49

He sounds immature. It’s really hard dating as a single parent and you have to find someone who gets it and is willing to compromise. That’s why I only ever dated men with DC as I figured they would at least be in a similar position! I also think it’s odd he doesn’t want you to go to the party with him.

badsurname · 06/02/2018 20:05

I was dating someone with DC before this for that exact reason. But there was no spark. Then I met this one and boom, fireworks. I think I need to develop a better set of rules if I ever try dating again! Sad

OP posts:
FuckItPassMeTheWine · 06/02/2018 20:18

I think he has someone else too . Turning phone off early and to then not extend the invite to you on Friday sounds off. Bin him OP xx