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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

He doesn’t want kids and that’s not all...

175 replies

MissyEmRain · 04/11/2018 10:56

Been with partner for three years now living together for two. I have a nine year old son.

First year we were together DP was absolutely wonderful..., great with my son, talked of definitely getting hitched and having babies. I was 31 at the time and not in a major panic for any of those things.

As we enjoy alternate weekends where my son goes to his father, DP starts to suggest a reluctance to have babies ‘yet’ as we’re still getting to know each other and having fun etc. I have a second smear come back as needing treatment so I feel okay in waiting a bit longer anyway.

DP starts hinting that DS living with him wasn’t easy to begin with and he felt my parenting was lapse and I needed to be more hard on him etc let him go out to play by himself.

I have a conversation last year about getting on with babies or getting engaged or whatever and DP is coy about the engagement thing saying he’s not old fashioned and wouldn’t mind being proposed to. I ask him to marry me and he laughs it off and we talk about having a child and that is now a definite NO. Said the thought of it terrifies him and will never want them.

He’s strict with my son which is not necessarily a bad thing in itself as my sons dad is useless and let’s him do whatever he wants

Honestly this man is a good bloke, he wants the best for my son (but can be hard on discipline as he was raised by a tough single mum) he comes from a big family where he had to help with child rearing, so I understand he can’t be bothered with having kids and he’s already lost one long term gf because he didn’t want children and she did.

I’m now 35. I consider him the love of my life, my best friend. He doesn’t really want to do much with my son, but my son doesn’t want to do much with him either so we don’t really have family time. My son is happy, well adjusted and his behaviours much better since we’ve lived with this man. He’s a loving funny kid. I wanted more of a step dad figure but my OH said he simply cannot be the ‘perfect stepdad’ as he finds it too difficult but he does try. I was a step mum for many years too and I understand it’s not easy to begin with.

At 35, I’m struggling with the concept of leaving just to find someone else. I’d be fine single, I’ve done that before as a single parent and I can cope. I also have inheritance money to get my own place. He’s told me if I want to leave and find someone who can play daddy for my son, marry me and have more babies I’d better go. The marriage thing we can’t even discuss anymore as he feels women just try and trap men and he doesn’t know any men who are happily married or happy fathers.

When he talks about the future he discuss ‘his’ house or whatever, as I haven’t got my name on anything, he makes decisions without consulting me and I find it hard to say anything. He then tells me to ‘man up’ and say what I want.

OP posts:
userabcname · 04/11/2018 11:32

He sounds awful. Why is it everything he wants he gets and everything you want can't even be compromised on? He sounds like an arsehole, personally I'd rather be single. Also, the comments regarding your son are concerning - if he doesn't want to play "daddy" why is he disciplining your child and criticising your parenting? Why are you letting a man who doesn't like your son and had a dysfunctional childhood discipline your son in the first place? You need to have a serious think about what's really going on here and make sure you are prioritising your child's wellbeing above the wants of some shitty boyfriend.

Juells · 04/11/2018 11:35

He’s told me if I want to leave and find someone who can play daddy for my son, marry me and have more babies I’d better go.

That's the coward's way of trying to get you to end it. He's telling you in every possible way that he's not committed to the relationship.

BolleauxtoBankers · 04/11/2018 11:35

Are you this man's unpaid housekeeper, with sex on the side?

LizzieBennettDarcy · 04/11/2018 11:35

How can you prioritise this man over your own child?

Utterly heartbreaking.

He's telling you loud and clear he doesn't like your child, doesn't want to marry you and doesn't want kids. Pull your self respect up from your boots and walk away, for your DC if not yourself.

LoniceraJaponica · 04/11/2018 11:35

"as I’m a laid back person in general"

Most "laid back" people I know aren't so much easy going as lazy. At least two different people in your life clearly think you let your son get away with an awful lot. Maybe you need to reconsider how you deal with your son.

I also agree with everyone else. There is no future for you with this man. at least he is being honest with you now.

AttilaTheMeerkat · 04/11/2018 11:35

What did you learn about relationships when you were growing up?. What happened to you?. What's the state of your mental health?.

A person's relationship with their parents and family has a strong influence on how they come to see the world and what they believe about other people.

Unresolved fear, anger and distress from childhood can lead to a
variety of distorted adult thinking patterns, such as:
idealising others
expecting others to be a parent to you
expecting other people to bully you
behaving as if other people are adults and you're not

Is this the case with you?

MissyEmRain · 04/11/2018 11:38

Yes I didn’t have a great childhood and in between my sons dad and this man I ended up with somebody who became violent to me so I haven’t had the best time of it tbh

OP posts:
rwalker · 04/11/2018 11:40

tbh he's being very very clear and honest about what he wants it"s up to you to decides if that what you want if not leave

RB68 · 04/11/2018 11:41

He is saying he wants his cake and to eat it - honestly so selfish and self centered you would be better off without him...just move on

HoustonBess · 04/11/2018 11:44

You're getting a hard time on here OP, I'm sorry you're in a difficult situation.
I think it just sounds like your son isn't getting any love from your DP. Love takes all kinds of forms but it can't be discipline alone. It has to involve wanting to spend time with someone.
It sounds bearable but not great now, however your DS is probably going to get trickier as a teenager and if DP is a bit tough and cold now, that will get much worse when DS starts to talk back, stay out etc. Take what you've learned about discipline and start afresh - nearby if you don't want to uproot your son - so you don't go through the turmoil of conflict between DS and DP in years to come.
Find someone who is warm and loving next time!

ElspethFlashman · 04/11/2018 11:44

I'm confused.

You say you weren't fussed about marriage or babies. So why does it matter that he doesn't want babies?

You also say your parenting was lacking in discipline and he pulled you up on it. But it seems he had a point?

You say your son is more stable and seems to have improved in behaviour with this man's discipline?

Your son has a Dad, albeit a shite one, so why does he need your partner to be a father figure when it seems just living with this bloke is benefiting him?

I'm getting mixed messages all over this post, tbh.

astoundedgoat · 04/11/2018 11:48

Leave. There's no column a/column B here. He's a prat, but he is openly telling you this, so LEAVE.

MissyEmRain · 04/11/2018 11:50

That’s fair enough I’m confused myself about how bad the situation is.

I wasn’t fussed in the beginning especially as he said he wanted to do those things which kind of took the pressure off. When I eventually did think the time was right to have children together or get married, he pulled the rug out and said he wanted neither.

Yes he has benefitted my son for sure and yes my parenting needing some support from someone better than his dad. I just worry that because my DP doesn’t want to do any fun family type activities with my DS anymore, what kind of future do we have as the three of us, if I ignore my body clock telling me I want more kids.

OP posts:
AtrociousCircumstance · 04/11/2018 11:50

Stay with this man if you don’t care about your son.

That simple.

MadeForThis · 04/11/2018 11:51

He lied to you about marriage and babies until he thought you were to invested to leave.

That's sneaky and manipulative.

He has little interest in your son.

This won't get any better.

Don't waste any more time with him.

LukeSkywalkerBoots · 04/11/2018 11:57

Staying will damage your son. You must leave.

whatbeshrekking · 04/11/2018 11:59

I just worry that because my DP doesn’t want to do any fun family type activities with my DS anymore, what kind of future do we have as the three of us, if I ignore my body clock telling me I want more kids.

I wouldn't be having kids with him anyway. Best case scenario, you end up a single mum of two with two shit dads to contend with. Best case, he's a good dad to his child and that will only highlight the divide that already exists between him and your son.

Karmin · 04/11/2018 12:01

Wow @MissyEmRain you have it tough.

Let's go through this, you are with a man who is clearly telling you no, but doesn't want to say leave. He clearly will not want children and does not want to get married.

You have a child - that he doesn't like and would like more, he will not give you this.

No children like being disciplined, but they need to be and I am sure you wouldn't let your child misbehave.

Your posts sound so sad, so hopeless and so wanting this man to be right, a knight in shining armour which is beautiful but he won't give you that. From what you have written, if the two of you could have a casual relaxed relationship with separate houses I think it would continue to be great in a casual way. He does not want commitment, he wants it to be casual, it is telling that the last girlfriend broke up with him and I am sure his upbringing could have some cause in the way he is giving you clear signs but doesn't actually say that he wants to break up.

You can still be friends, but you both need space to be your own person, your son deserves to be happy in his own home. You are not asking for parenting advice so I am not giving you any. Your relationship needs to change.

As an outsider it is easy to say, but you need to get your own property which is in your name only and go from there, it is worrying that your name isn't on anything, you could easily be made homeless with your son. You need to act to prevent this.

Stop the relationships for a while, have a look at the Freedom Project or a Pattern Changing course and access some support so you are in a stronger place for both you and your son. You need to learn what is a healthy relationship is before you get in one.

Keep posting, there may be a bumpy road ahead, but you will manage, you have survived 100% of the tough days to get to where you are now. You will be able to get through it, I know it is terrifying, especially when you have had a difficult journey already, but for your sake and your sons listen to what you are being told by this man and go back to having fun but with separate lives.

Oliversmumsarmy · 04/11/2018 12:02

Most "laid back" people I know aren't so much easy going as lazy

I disagree. I am laid back with discipline. It has nothing to do with laziness.
It is about picking your battles.

My dc have not grown up to be lazy hooligans.

Ds has ADHD and dd has ADD and I was told by one parent (who also had a Ds with ADHD) that I should batter it out if him like she did. Or not pick up after dd if she forgot something because she would then learn. Even though the ED Psych said it was something that she would never learn.

I was constantly told I was too lax with discipline.

Both dd and ds have grown up to be hardworking, polite and generally nice people.

Personally I think discipline over every little thing is over rated and from what I have seen just delays the problems till further down the line.

Mix56 · 04/11/2018 12:08

Can you use your inheritance money to buy something locally ? it would give you a better base to be independent & financially safe, your son wold stay in the same area with his friends.
BF could continue to be boyfriend if he didn't get the hump, but you have options of also meeting other people

Karmin · 04/11/2018 12:08

@Oliversmumsarmy

I agree, especially when you have a child with additional needs after all, if your child couldn't walk would you batter them to make them learn Wink

I think discipline has its place, but being a good role model, reading fairy tales and showing unconditional love is so much more important.

There are natural consequences to be learned, but why punish a child for having a bad day, or showing emotions. As adults we are not perfect, we get snappy, over-tired, and forget stuff. But so often expect perfection from children...

PerverseConverse · 04/11/2018 12:09

Leave. He's a coward who is forcing you to end things as he won't himself. You and your son deserve better. This man is not the love of your life or your best friend. Don't settle for him knowing you can never be happy.

notangelinajolie · 04/11/2018 12:15

Sorry OP I think he has already checked out of your relationship. The fact he doesn't like your son is the red flag for me. You want another baby - you won't get that where you are now. You may or may not have another baby if you leave but at least you have a better chance of that happening if you go.

Mia184 · 04/11/2018 12:15

OP it isn’t your job to fix your partner’s messed up childhood or make excuses for it. But it is your job to make sure he doesn’t mess up your DS’s childhood.
Leave!

dontalltalkatonce · 04/11/2018 12:16

He's a dick to your son and your worry is that you need a baby daddy for yet another kid when you allow a man to treat your child like this? I mean, you have to ask? The mind boggles.