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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

Husband gets violent when our children scream or cry

218 replies

Avocado10 · 21/06/2018 13:01

We have 2 children, DS is 18mths and DD is 6.5. Both have lovely sunny natures and would not be considered difficult children. I was always more in favour of having children (particularly the 2nd) than him but he is a great dad and does wonderful stuff with both of them that I would never think of. He has always struggled when they cry or particularly scream, it gets into his head, hurts his ears he says (he wears earplugs when putting DS to bed if he cries). He is also prone to depression now and then -on the one full day (ever) I left him minding both of them in March (Easter) while I was at work he was on the Samaritians website that evening and retreated into himself. Over the past few months there have been times when one or both DC is being difficult/crying/screaming and he has lost his rag. Not directly at them or me, but with anger directed at objects. Last year when he had both of them for a few hours one morning they both did something to annoy him and he smashed a fruit bowl and some mugs onto the floor - my daughter still talks about this. At Easter this year when he had that bad patch he nearly put his fist through a wall and nearly broke the kitchen door he slammed it so hard so many times whenever they made too much noise. Yesterday morning he was doing the nursery and school run (I rarely ask him to do both but I had a deadline in work) and my son apparently screamed for half an hour after I left for work, DD then yelled at him when he picked her up from school later on (she was exhausted after her school trip) and that evening DS screamed at DD when she took at toy off him in the garden - at which point DH took a shovel and bashed it against a wall very hard a number of times, partly smashing the chalkboard on it. He then stormed off without a word. DS and DD stood in the garden watching, DD gave DS a hug while DS just stood watching and then put his finger to his lips in a sssh motion. Obviously that was a bad day but it scared them. His anger is never directed at us, just at objects. He is not one for talking about it afterwards, besides, I don't know what to say as I feel it is my fault for putting us in this situation, he could happily have not had children. Is this reasonable behaviour? Do I just weather the storm and hope it will pass when they are a little older (he was not like this before we had kids)? Does he need help? He is scaring DD and I am worried what kind of impression it gives to both of them if they remember this when they are older.

OP posts:
cestlavielife · 21/06/2018 13:22

He needs to live elsewhere.
Perhaps he can get help
But you need to get ypur dc away

misscph1973 · 21/06/2018 13:27

I think your DH needs help. It's not your fault for having children. He made them with you.

ElspethFlashman · 21/06/2018 13:27

People who are intolerant of noise don't make so much noise the neighbours must be able to hear FFS.

UpstartCrow · 21/06/2018 13:29

He has extreme anger issues and this will escalate. He needs to leave and go deal with those issues.

If you are scared to ask him to leave then please contact Womens Aid today.

gillybeanz · 21/06/2018 13:30

Your poor dc, as their mother you need to protect them from his abuse.
His mh issues don't trump your children's mh and stability.
You know what you have to do, if ss think you are allowing your children to be abused and not doing anything to protect them, they will remove them, simple as that.
OP, do something before somebody reports you both.

DailyMailFail101 · 21/06/2018 13:31

Yes he needs help, he’s obviously got problems with his mental health, I don’t advocate leaving this guy you wouldn’t leave him if he broke his leg, he needs help ASAP.I I would definitely be having a long conversation with him and give him some options because you can’t carry on like this...

Justaboy · 21/06/2018 13:33

He has always struggled when they cry or particularly scream, it gets into his head, hurts his ears he says (he wears earplugs when putting DS to bed if he cries). He is also prone to depression now and then

Jeezz! this man has a MH or possible as suggested earilier hyperacoustic problem. Can you get him to see a doctor as soon as and be reffered up the chain?. OK easier said than done but this does seem abnormal behaviour

MeMyShelfandIkea · 21/06/2018 13:33

Poor children, they must be terrified. One of my exH's ain memories from childhood is when his father punched a hole in the wall of the house. Although he never lifted a finger against exH personally it had a powerful negative effect on him. Your DH needs help.

TokenBritPoshOfCourse · 21/06/2018 13:33

Ugh I wish people would stop blaming this shit on MH or sensory issues.

I have appalling mental health AND misophonia that can be incapacitating at times. I’ve managed 38 years without punching anything or scaring my children.

He’s abusive.

MatildaLovesBooks · 21/06/2018 13:34

You can’t live like this OP. You need to leave your DH and only if he sorts himself out through counselling or another means should you get back together or let him see your DC. His behaviour is damaging for your DC.

StormTreader · 21/06/2018 13:34

Is he getting any treatment for his depression? If it's bad enough that hes on the Samaritans website then he probably should be, it can make it extremely hard to regulate emotions where there is outside stress, especially if he is very sensitive to noise already.

Note: the advice here is "if its this then he needs to get treatment for it so that he is able to cope with the stress from the noise", not "he has depression so this behaviour is fine", it is not ok especially around children but may be a symptom of needing to get official treatment started.

Ickyockycocky · 21/06/2018 13:35

I’m so sorry to read this. It is child abuse, definitely. You must act to protect your DC, they have to come first. If you need help and support you could talk to your health visitor or a social worker. 💐

Chasingcars123 · 21/06/2018 13:36

If I saw your husband behaving like that in front of your children I would report him to the pice and social services.

LonnyVonnyWilsonFrickett · 21/06/2018 13:37

He may have hyperacusis, which is a real condition and very stressful. That can be diagnosed/treated/managed better.

But he also has a serious anger issue. Which he's taking out on you and your children. I think you have to ask him to leave until he can sort that out properly and learn to manage his reactions.

SoftBallSophie · 21/06/2018 13:37

This will be damaging your children, it's abuse.

It is your responsibility to save them from this harmful environment, do what you need to do OP.

Nodnol · 21/06/2018 13:38

Your children are being abused right now. It doesn’t matter what his excuses are, the children need to be safe. He needs to leave today.

If he works on his issues maybe then he can rejoin the family in the future but as of NOW op, either he or the children need to be removed.

FizzyGreenWater · 21/06/2018 13:38

Jesus Christ.

No you don't stand by and let your violent stupid SHITE of a husband wreck your children emotionally.

You throw him out and tell him to get help.

Keeptrudging · 21/06/2018 13:38

I suspect he doesn't behave like this in front of friends, or workmates, or other family members, or if he's in a cafe and a child starts making a noise. If not, he clearly can control it, and is being abusive to you and your children. That's not ok. They must be terrified.

Maelstrop · 21/06/2018 13:38

People who do not like noise (my DD2) do not make extreme noise in protest like this banging - that’s intentional and pure intimidation. LOOK SEE I DONT LIKE IT SO STOP. People who don’t like noise - They will leave the noise or become internally distressed (cry, anxious etc)

This, a thousand times over. No way would he create more noise if noise was the problem. You know what you have to do, OP.

WeirdCatLady · 21/06/2018 13:39

If he is so sensitive to noise, why is he reacting by slamming doors or breaking things - that’s hardly quiet activity is it?

He is abusing your children, scaring them and making them alter their normal behaviour to placate him. This is shocking and things need to change before irreparable damage is done to those poor innocents.

Ohyesiam · 21/06/2018 13:39

Then you have to throw him out op.
Your children can’t grow up in this abusive environment.

oldbirdy · 21/06/2018 13:40

Actually that's not quite true about hyperacusis, your response to noises you make yourself can be different.
As I said that in no way excuses his appalling response to small children doing what small children do.

Lindy2 · 21/06/2018 13:41

I'm sorry OP but that is not normal or acceptable behaviour at all.
Your poor children must be very scared and must not come to believe that is how men behave.
I'm worried for you and them. He needs to seek help and if he won't you need to leave him.

dupainduvin · 21/06/2018 13:41

No it is not reasonable, yes he needs help, yes your kids need protection. There are a few conditions that have noise sensitivity as a feature, and you may not know before you have DC about that. If you're posting on a forum, your DH has obviously not acnknowledged he's scaring the children and needs to get help?

RantyMare · 21/06/2018 13:41

This will only get worse OP.

He needs some help.

For help, he needs to accept he needs it-and accept that this is NOT acceptable around children or you or indeed anyone.

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