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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

A thread to moan on until I’m rid of exP

999 replies

UnimaginativeUsername · 17/03/2018 20:30

(Ex)P and I are separating but we have to live together until we sell this house (due to finances). So I thought I’d start a thread to help me get through the next few months.

OP posts:
RandomMess · 07/07/2018 10:16

I can only imagine!!! Hopefully it will only be a matter of months at the most...

UnimaginativeUsername · 07/07/2018 11:00

I’m thinking it should be weeks not months now. (Please). Everything is in place for exchanging on my purchase and we have (according to my solicitor) answered all the queries from the buyers’ solicitor. So presumably it’s just a case of them compiling their report now so that we can talk dates!

OP posts:
Turnedovernewleaf · 07/07/2018 11:09

@UnimaginativeUsername, I can relate to this....

It wouldn’t be so bad if he wasn’t always accusing me of being ill prepared.

And I think your right, he is stingy. It makes the situation so much more frustrating.

@randonmess, good call...

...But you know he's a gas lighting arse! Every time he falsely criticised you he is really criticising his own behaviour!

Turnedovernewleaf · 07/07/2018 11:12

That's a great update regarding the sale of the house. I do hope it's weeks rather than months for you 🤞

namechanged77 · 07/07/2018 11:38

@UnimaginativeUsername Great news re the house. Fingers crossed! Also glad the lip is improving. Sorry ex is still a cockwomble though!

They do all seem to have a particular skill in accusing us of EXACTLY the things they do. My latest was him saying I leave the fridge a mess. I so don't. He so does - shoves things in uncovered, puts leftovers in and never uses them. Grr.

I don't know why he behaves like everything is fine. It's either gaslighting (I do question myself - am I just crazy, making things out to be worse than they are) or it's that he can't contemplate it going tits up. This is a man who can't deal with failing at the little things, never mind the big...

namechanged77 · 07/07/2018 11:42

Also both DCs want to do different things - just with me - this afternoon. Oldest said it wasn't because she didn't want to be with her dad, but I don't know. Also don't know what to do!!!

Turnedovernewleaf · 07/07/2018 12:07

@namechanged77

Yes, they do have a particular skill in blaming us and my ex will tell me I don't do things that I categorically know that I do , do ( for example he will tell me that the kitchen is always a mess when he gets in from work, so, when I hear his car pull up I take a photo of the kitchen. I then I this as evidence that I'm not going mad ) and when he is telling me these things I just switch off.

Doing something this afternoon:

Are you near the coast, to go for a walk, stop at an ice cream shop ?

Local park, take a picnic?

Home baking ?

Any farms near you to go strawberry/ fruit picking ?

Get a board game out in the garden with some snacks / treats you could go and get beforehand ?

Just some ideas.....

Turnedovernewleaf · 07/07/2018 12:11

That was meant to be

i then use this as evidence that I'm not going mad

namechanged77 · 07/07/2018 14:24

@Turnedovernewleaf the problem was that one wanted to go to a school event - with me. And one wanted to stay home - with me. Have ended up at school, so unhappy H and DC back at home...

Turnedovernewleaf · 07/07/2018 15:04

Oh, i see,

Hope DC was ok when you got back and maybe next time just swop and do something nice with other DC next time ?

namechanged77 · 08/07/2018 09:47

How was yesterday @UnimaginativeUsername ?

UnimaginativeUsername · 08/07/2018 21:15

Yesterday was fun. It was very hot at the beach and so busy (even late at night in the dark). It was like being on holiday.

The surfing and yoga was great. I’m quite achey today from it (and I’ve also had a swimming lesson this afternoon, which has added to that). I am rubbish at surfing, but it was really good fun anyway. And it was lovely to be in the sea. (The salt water did wonders for my lip too).

The barbecue at the beach was great fun. I didn’t drink all that much (stuck to small cans of fairly weak cider) and stopped quite early, unlike pretty much everyone else (except one woman who was driving and doesn’t drink anyway). I’m glad about that as it meant that I was just tired this morning rather than hungover. I didn’t get home til nearly 2 (and we were on the beach the whole time)!

I did get a text from ex at about 5.15 saying: ‘Hi Unimaginative am I making dinner for DS2 tonight? Just checking as you aren’t in.’ Hmm. I simply responded with ‘yes’.

Then about 8.20 I got another saying: ‘Thanks for letting me know. DS2 has had gluten free quesadillas for tea and he says goodnight.’ More than a little passive aggressive, then.

Saturday was his day to look after DS2. That should mean feeding him all 3 meals (although he had the cereal and milk I bought for breakfast). And surely he should be grateful that I made myself scarce and didn’t impinge on his day.

He was annoyed tonight that he didn’t get to do superdad time before bed (he’s given this an actual name, complete with acronym, so important is it Hmm). I just said to DS2 that it isn’t really fair to do that on his day with me and instead we’d have fun together reading and then listening to his audiobook in the dark (he loves doing that).

Ex hovered around being annoying anyway (putting DS2’s laundry away, coming up at 8.15 because he obviously thought he should get some superdad time - I sent him away); he just doesn’t want to get it because he feels so entitled to everything the way he wants it. Wanker.

OP posts:
UnimaginativeUsername · 08/07/2018 21:17

@namechanged77 What did you end up doing with your children yesterday?

OP posts:
namechanged77 · 09/07/2018 09:22

Saturday sounds great @UnimaginativeUsername Glad it was so much fun.

I ended up going to the school thing with DD2. It was not what H wanted... he was saying things like 'you don't really want to go...'. Well I did and it was fun. Meanwhile he and DD1 stayed at home on their screens.... I wish their relationship was better (for DD's sake). I don't know if it would be better or worse if we lived separately.

UnimaginativeUsername · 09/07/2018 10:26

Glad you had fun at the school thing. It’s a shame that your DD1 doesn’t have a great relationship with her dad. I guess if you separate it can’t get much worse, really.

My ex might be an almighty arse but at least he does have a good relationship with DS2 (when in superdad mode). I hope he can maintain that on his weekends with him.

OP posts:
namechanged77 · 09/07/2018 10:51

While he took his moods out on me I could, and did, think it was something to do with me. But then DD1 started to be a target too. It's not all the time, and it's how he speaks to her rather than anything physical. But it has created a distance between them, even when he's being ok.

She's had unexplained tummy pains over the last few months. It's clearly anxiety related.

One thing I don't know is if it would be worse if we separated - because I wouldn't be there to intervene.

Hiphop100 · 09/07/2018 11:42

Can I post on here I am having a really hard time with ExP

Turnedovernewleaf · 09/07/2018 12:15

@UnimaginativeUsername

I'm so pleased that Saturday was a good day for you. It's sounds as though your throughly enjoyed it. Shame exp had to txt and for you to be reminded of him.

Ex had his moments over the weekend and yesterday he shouted at DC1 in a manner that i or DC1 did not like. DC1 was very upset.
He is not doing himself any favours. Aside from the fact that this impacts on his and DC1 relationship ,all the windows to the house were open and immediate neighbours must of heard him going on ( as they were outside) He is an embarrassment.

My priority though was to comfort DC1. My DCs needs will always be priority.

UnimaginativeUsername · 09/07/2018 18:58

Can I post on here I am having a really hard time with ExP

Yes. Of course. I’m sorry you’re having trouble with your exP.

OP posts:
UnimaginativeUsername · 09/07/2018 19:01

Yes. The priority has to be the children @Turnedovernewleaf. It’s really awful when you feel you need to protect your children from their father’s inability to act like an adult.

How awful for your DD @namechanged77. How is she?
I don’t think there’s any way of squaring the circle in terms of staying (where you all suffer) of leaving (where you can create a happy home but cannot supervise your ex’s contact). It’s just a crap situation where you find yourself wondering why they just can’t be decent fathers, if not decent husbands/partners.

OP posts:
Wave2wave · 09/07/2018 19:28

Namechanged77 yes I had the same and can completely empathise with staying to try to protect your children.
In our case in the end I realised I was doing a crap job of protecting my ds by staying and it was the catalyst to end things. At least this way I can protect him some (or most) of the time, I am not setting a bad example by appearing to accept the bullying (if I stood up to it when xh was laying into ds it would esculate and life would be unbearable for everyone so I tended to avoid doing so) and when ds is old enough he can decide to see his dad or not, but but at least he has a safe place to come back to. Ds has also had councelling from relate since we split which has helped him cope with the way his dad behaves and to understand it is not his fault.

UnimaginativeUsername · 09/07/2018 19:44

That’s really good advice @Wave2wave. It’s hard to see it while you are in the relationship firefighting and walking on eggshells but that really isn’t protecting the children very well.

In ex’s case, I think him being able to take on basically a Disney dad role will help to avoid the kind of flashpoints where he starts having a go at DS2.

And, of course, he gets to see that other ways of life are possible, where the world does not end because you left your socks in the living room or forgot to put a rice cake wrapper in the bin. He can realise that it is not usual to be so uptight about everything and can make his own mind up as he gets older.

OP posts:
UnimaginativeUsername · 12/07/2018 08:25

Ex has finally sent me his list of the household items he’d ‘consider having’ (in response to an email telling him to list what he wants and I would not try to negotiate).

He has (magnanimously in his mind) suggested that the boys’ stuff belongs to them and goes with them. You’d have thought that went without saying. At least he realises it.

He has numbered the list but in a really weird way that looks like he’s only getting 20/45 ‘items’. But some of my 5 extra items aren’t even shared possessions to be split. The piano, for example, is DS2’s and all the books belong to me and the boys anyway (as he doesn’t read outside work).

He’s listed all his old games consoles on there too, and attributed them to me (because apparently he’s giving them to DS2). You’d think he’d want to keep them (as he’s been collecting them for years) and use them to play with DS2 when he’s at ex’s. I certainly won’t be playing old video games with him (but DS1 might). So that one is a martyr move that makes no sense. He’s also listed his exercise bike at number 1. In fact, I’m not allowed to as that involves moving the seat from his preferred position (and, thus, would incur passive aggressive sulking). It’s not a shared possession (it would be like listing my sewing box or hairdryer as a shared possession).

He’s listed the toaster and kettle as one item (on his list) too. Presumably because if you took off the stuff that is actually the boys’ and or his then he wouldn’t look like he’s getting less than me.

Annoyingly he’s said he wants the vacuum cleaner and the tumble dryer. He barely even uses the dryer because he’s so paranoid about his clothes being ruined. He also wants all the tools but I can have the lawnmower.

So, all in all, a bit of standard ex weirdness. But it does mean that I can get proper quotes for removers.

I have no idea what he plans to do with his 20 items (that is actually more than 20) since he has not organised anywhere else to live. Maybe he thinks that the fairies come and sort it all for him (since I’ve been sorting everything like that for a decade).

OP posts:
LexieLulu · 12/07/2018 08:46

Can the list be negotiated? I'd be miffed about the dryer etc and if he hasn't anywhere to live why does he need a vacuum

Thebluedog · 12/07/2018 09:11

I’d be tempted to just let the dryer go for the sake of keeping the peace (and your sanity).

Although I might be tempted to send an email back agreeing to it all, but then re-numbering the items as you mentioned above and maybe, if you’re feeling ever so slightly mischievous, number ALL the tools, each screw driver, drill independently, so it looks like he’s taking 75/100 items 😂 but that’s just me being petty.

I’m actually intrigued to see if he arranged removals or if he just magically expects them all to move without any input from him