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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

Am I wasting my time with this man?

80 replies

Angeanon · 22/04/2018 17:58

Hi, I am hoping to get some impartial advice on this situation. I have been seeing a man for around 8 months. A bit of background; He split up from his long term partner and moved out a year ago. They have 2 sons together, the youngest is 6 years old. They were together 10 years. I am 29 & he is 37. I had known him a while, just to say hello to but then a couple of years ago we bumped into each other on a night out. We talked all night & there was a spark. Nothing happened though as I knew he was in a relationship, although he told me he hadn’t been happy for years but stayed for the kids. We didn’t speak again after that night out until he messaged me saying they had split up and asked how I was. We started messaging and then began seeing each other. I was cautious because he had only recently moved out. The split was mutual and they are still friends. However he has struggled to deal with not seeing his kids every day and they still do things as a family, days out etc. He says they are friends but there’s nothing romantic there anymore and hasn’t been for a long time. But he also admitted she wouldn’t take it very well if he knew he was seeing someone else. He has told me he is still trying to figure out his new life. I have said to him several times it would be easier if I wasn’t involved. He kind of agrees but says he can’t stay away from me. As it’s now 8 months I have been seeing him and nothing has changed, do you think he needs some alone time and I need to remove myself from the situation? Any advice would be appreciated. Ange

OP posts:
PookieDo · 23/04/2018 21:29

One of my last texts said ‘are you fucking joking?’ And I had never spoken to him like that before. I think I did get to say fuck off in my own way 😂

SandyY2K · 23/04/2018 21:30

Being honest...there's an age when you can settle for the baggage of a man with kids... 29 isn't that age. I got married at 29 and there's no chance I would have given a man with kids a second glance for any kind of serious relationship.

The Ex wife/baby mama drama is way too much.

You've done the right thing in ending it.

PookieDo · 23/04/2018 21:30

Because you are NICE
and you like the kids and want to make life easy for people during a hard time
You have compassion
But when people are selfish and self absorbed they will never appreciate these sacrifices

Angeanon · 23/04/2018 21:33

Hahaha PookieDo 😂 I’m normally so chilled but I think I had let my frustrations build up and build up so much I just exploded! I’ve never seen him so silent 😂

OP posts:
sameoldsame · 23/04/2018 21:33

It’s so self absorbed
Sometimes I think my ex just wanted his ex to love him more and appreciate him
And I did! But he really wanted it from her, so he could survive all her shit behaviour, because he had someone else massaging his huge ego

PookieDo · 23/04/2018 21:34

I honestly thought I was helping him through this breakup period and having been there and done it, he liked that I understood his situation. This led to him just taking the absolute piss sometimes
I wasn’t very good at hiding my feelings in the last couple of months of our relationship when I had to traipse along to some unexpected child related activity that bored the living daylights out of me then rush home to manically clean my own house before my kids got home.

PookieDo · 23/04/2018 21:36

Yeah part of me wonders if he was really trying to move on to make her jealous. To make her see what she is missing. To show her what she should appreciate. I was collateral damage. That’s what I end up thinking when I am down about it all

sameoldsame · 23/04/2018 21:38

Collateral damage. Yup that’s exactly how I ended up feeling
AAARGH
one day it would be nice to just meet someone fucking normal and not selfish and not a man child

Angeanon · 23/04/2018 21:39

Can you believe that my guys ex still irons his shirts for him? And when I told him he was a piss taker he said “ well you can do it if you want?” .....!!!!

OP posts:
PookieDo · 23/04/2018 21:41

Also something in the idea that they have on one side their ex a possibly vulnerable, disorganised chaotic emotional woman who you have a lot of history with and then choose to pursue a relationship with a strong organised emotionally together woman. Because out of these 2, who needs you most? Who gives you the least hassle? Yes the one you are having sex with

PookieDo · 23/04/2018 21:43

I hope it isn’t outing when I say this as I’ve said it in RL but her car broke down a few times and he drove miles out of his way to rescue her and then helped her with her car/funds etc

I said ‘she has a partner... why isn’t he helping her?’
He said ‘what did you expect her to do if he’s useless?’
I replied ‘pay for AA cover with her car insurance like everyone else does’

Maedoula · 23/04/2018 21:44

Quite contradictory that him and his ex are 'friends' and there's no romance involved, yet she'd get the hump if she found out you were on the scene? Sounds a bit fishy to me....

Depends how you feel about him. If you really like him and could see him as a long term partner, id step away from him and cut contact (you'd be surprised how men can't leave you alone once you do this) then I'd tell him either the relationship is public and official or it's better off left alone. Let him make the decision...

Angeanon · 23/04/2018 21:45

PookieDo I definitely agree with you there... that they like having both. My guy even said to me he likes me because I have my shit together. So I’m the one who builds him up, who he sleeps with, who makes him feel good. Then he goes and lends emotional support for the ex. So in both ways he’s feeling good about himself!

OP posts:
PookieDo · 23/04/2018 21:46

Yep Ange it could be the same guy because he said exact same to me. I was all the things she wasn’t that drove him crazy. I am ambitious and have a lot figured out

Angeanon · 23/04/2018 21:46

Pay for AA cover 😂😂

OP posts:
sameoldsame · 23/04/2018 21:47

God sounds so similar. Literally crying about how shit he was treated by her.
And then I treated him well and tried to help and give all the support and it just gets thrown back in my face
Literally can’t beleive the car or the ironing story, but I have many like them

Angeanon · 23/04/2018 21:51

It’s so good in a way to talk to people who have been through it and understand. And telling these stories now makes me think why on earth didn’t I walk away earlier x

OP posts:
sameoldsame · 23/04/2018 21:54

Easier said than done to walk away!
Hopefully we have all learnt from this.
I will NEVER date someone who isn’t fully divorced

I think when women leave a relationship they know it’s over, a lot of men still keep one toe in the water

PookieDo · 23/04/2018 21:56

The ironing is totally mental. What the actual fuck!!!!

He paid for all their Xmas presents a couple years ago, she was crying that she’s totally broke and then a few months later she went on a foreign holiday

He used to do DIY in her house but never did any of the DIY I asked him to help with.

She never ever packed clothes in their bags properly, just didn’t bother. He would have to take them out most weekends and buy them new things but never bring it up with her (he would complain to the small children about it which made me annoyed for them)

He would get his phone out and call her If we were alone ALL THE TIME or answer it to her. I mean like 5/6 calls between them every time. And no warning or ‘sorry just got to call X’ so I would just sit there while they chatted away

They are always having ‘meetings’ about money/divorce/kids which seem to be quite long and frequent but nothing actually ever changed or happened from the meetings they just meet up and talk about it all

Angeanon · 23/04/2018 21:58

Mine was never married but I know now to avoid someone who is still attached to their old life. I still have this small glimmer of hope but these issues will always be there, I can’t see it ever changing.

OP posts:
Angeanon · 23/04/2018 22:03

I can relate to the phone calls, although he would go in the other room but I could still hear him. I even turned my phone onto silent whenever he was on the phone to her incase it went off and she asked who was with him!!

OP posts:
PookieDo · 23/04/2018 22:18

Urgh that would suck!
We went to a birthday party once and he spent the last 30 minutes of it after everyone else had left sitting close to her about 10 feet away from me, talking, totally oblivious that I was sitting alone by myself waiting for him. I got up twice and said I was leaving, he apologised then just started talking again!
I really didn’t feel like having sex with him much that night

Angeanon · 23/04/2018 22:25

Omg !! It sounds like you have had a lucky escape ! Once my guy said he was going to take me out for meal. He didnt turn up to pick me up at time arranged. No msg. Nothing. I receive an apology text 4 hours later 🤔 I was all dressed up and felt so pathetic !

OP posts:
paranoidpammywhammy2 · 23/04/2018 22:27

Angeanon Mon 23-Apr-18 21:39:01
Can you believe that my guys ex still irons his shirts for him? And when I told him he was a piss taker he said “ well you can do it if you want?” .....!!!!

I think that's a pretty strong clue to get rid of him!

PookieDo · 23/04/2018 22:28

That is awful!!!

This must be helping us both get over it surely 😂

I’m not even really angry anymore just relieved