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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

Compromising with partner??

13 replies

tryingtosailthroughmotherhood · 04/04/2019 13:47

Sorry if this may be a little long I'll try to make as much sense as I can.

So as the title states my partner isn't one for compromising anything, it always seems to be his way or nothing with a lot of things, I've always just gone along with it but the bigger issues I'm struggling to let go and fear our relationship will end because of this. To make it short my main issues are, we live with his parents, it's a beautiful place however it's very secluded and very very far away from my family (about 45 mins/1 hours drive), my only immediate help is him, his mom and dad, which can be very little. Living with in laws is very difficult at the best of times but mine can be quite challenging, as much as I love them I've never really adjusted to the way they do things and how they can be on a daily basis. We have a DD together who is due to start full time school in September, ever since she was a baby I've been pretty much begging that we move out, but it's always been a solid no. He likes it here he has everything he needs he knows his parents are draining but has dealt with it his whole life so to he's used to it. He will also say we can't afford it, right now he is the only person earning anything, we get tax credits that go straight to his account to support me and DD yet every time I ask for money it always seems like I'm doing something wrong, I get lectured and 9/10 times told no. Before we had DD I worked full time but as soon as she was born and I moved in here I've been told it's just not possible for me to go to work, now that she's in preschool I'm still 'not allowed because what will happen in school holidays' I also don't drive and there's nothing in distance that I can get to without relying on anyone else. MIL is the main culprit when it comes to telling me working just isn't possible (unless a job in school) as she would be the one that I'd be relying on most for the help. MIL is also very overpowering when it comes to DD, from the day I was in labour she has totally taken over (turned up out the blue and left my original birthing partner that I chose in the hospital waiting room for 10+ hours) and me as DD's mother have often found myself having to do everything MIL says in regards to DD otherwise I'd fear I'd get a telling off! (Luckily I am wiser now, and don't allow it as much), those are a few reasons as to why I really want our own space yet he will not listen! He understands but won't do anything about it. The other issue I have is I really want another baby, as horrible as it sounds due to MIL overpowering with DD I feel like I've failed slightly, I don't feel like I got the chance to be mom and even now I still feel the same. I never got to fully find out what being a FTM was like because I was just being told what to do throughout it all, or if I do my own thing and decide I'm parenting my way I pretty much get argued with. My relationship with DD isn't what I wanted, when we're alone or with just DP it's amazing, I feel like I'm the most important person in her world, just like she is mine, but when MIL is around DD will make it quite clear who she'd rather be around and can actually be quite nasty to me sometimes. Which as you can imagine, really realllly hurts. The longing for another baby isn't just for this reason btw, I had a big family and just always wanted a lot of children, but DP point blank refuses, I could understand if there was an actual reason for it, i.e. If he actually helped parent our child but from the minute she was born he's never 'babysat' while I went out, never ever changed her nappy, never fed her solids I could go on but honestly he's never done anything, MIL says 'that's not how things work' very traditional family I wish I knew all of this before I got trapped.

How do I compromise with him? I've probably made him sound awful but he isn't, I love him to bits but I just can't see myself living this life much longer and resenting him for it, yet imagining life without him really does scare me.

Thank you for reading

OP posts:
Whatsnewpussyhat · 04/04/2019 13:53

Have you posted a few times before?
Seems very familiar.

Leave. Go back to live with or near your family. You should not need to beg for money or ask permission to get a job.
You are being kept isolated and controlled.

SandyY2K · 04/04/2019 13:54

This isn't about compromise, it's about abuse. He's quite simply controlling and financially abusive and so far, you've given him too much power.

You can look for a part time job for when she's in school. Or weekends.

My 16 yo DD didn't need my permission to get a job and you're a grown adult, so you need to stop allowing him such power over you.

Whatsnewpussyhat · 04/04/2019 13:54

And he is awful. He does fuck all and keeps you poor

Shoxfordian · 04/04/2019 13:58

He's abusive and you're in an awful situation
Move out
Don't even think of having another child.

AttilaTheMeerkat · 04/04/2019 14:03

How old are you and are you in the UK?.

You have really been further conditioned by them all to accept this as your lot. Your boundaries, low as they already are, have been further skewed by their control.

If he does not want any more children and you do then no compromise can be made. You will ultimately need to find someone else to be in a relationship with. Its over anyway because of his and his parents control of you and in turn your child who they also regard as their own. You are of no consequence to these people and they do not care about you.

What you are describing here re them is coercive control not just from your man but from his parents too (who are basically the same as their son). You are well within all of their grasps; you are controlled in ALL aspects of your life here. Your partner also controls you financially and such control from him is abusive in nature.

Ultimately you need to get away from all of these people and asap. Your DD cannot afford to grow up thinking that such a set up you have gone into is at all normal because it is not. If you did bring another child into this, his mother will want to take over just like she has tried to with your DD now. This is also why you need to plan your exit from this relationship and asap with care. There is no relationship to save or rescue here.

What did you learn about relationships when you were growing up, how did you and this man meet in the first place?. How is it you have ended up here?.

Womens Aid's number is 0808 2000 247 - do contact them.

Kko1986 · 04/04/2019 14:17

One word leave
It won't get better a second child will be raised the same way as your daughter.
Walk away they seem completely controlling and emotionally abusive
Think about what you want for your daughter.
Do u want her growing up thinking you are not worth anything.
I am sorry if it sounds harsh I'm just shocked that people get away with this behaviour xx good luck

Divebar · 04/04/2019 14:34

The only person who can do anything about this is you. Nobody else has a problem with this situation so if you want to see changes you need to drive it forward. You don’t need permission to get a job and you can find childcare to fit around it. Schools have wraparound care available in many cases or there are childminders. Your MIL controls nothing about you without your permission... you could have said no at the hospital and the mid wife would never have let her in. Whether you are incredibly meek in real life or whether you’ve have the confidence completely knocked out of you I can’t really tell but either way you need to make a change in order that your DD does not learn this dysfunctional type of relationship. Start pushing back, start saying no. Start telling them what your plans are and you’ll have an idea about how likely the rest of the family are to support you. Otherwise your only viable option for change is to leave

tryingtosailthroughmotherhood · 04/04/2019 20:33

Thank you all for your replies. It's taken me all day to reply because I agree with every one of you, but never been able to bring myself to admit this before. I probably should say I was never like this, I have always been very independent and didn't have a very good childhood myself, which is partly the reason I've put up with all of this for 4 years, because I don't want DD to have to look back on her childhood and think it was awful, like I do. When a lot of the 'control' started I allowed it to happen purely out of respect and because I'm too nice and didn't want to upset anybody. It has gotten out of hand and I've realised that, which is why I'm here I guess. I have totally lost my confidence and independence due to never doing anything alone until DD started preschool and I started doing the school run, I should point out that is due to where we live, without a car you can't get anywhere, public transport is a no so I never leave the house without DP or MIL, if they're busy I can go months without leaving apart from school. I guess I have a lot of real thinking to do, I have tried to leave before but with no money, no transport and my little girl I've always just stayed for the easy road. First time posting and I have to say how lovely it is to be able to 'talk' to people about my circumstance. Thank you all x

OP posts:
Closetbeanmuncher · 05/04/2019 00:04

The sitiation sounds absolutely stifling and he is financially abusing you....where exactly is this money going?

Presumably there will be a contribution to his parents for staying bit what about the rest of it??

Dont have any more kids with this Piss Whistler!

cantwait2bfree · 05/04/2019 00:13

Having more kids means being trapped forever. start making steps to move out ie by getting a job or applying for a council house

Lockcodger · 05/04/2019 00:28

trying It sounds like both your DP and his mother are narcissists. please read my thread on Arsehole or narcissist? and see if it rings true with you ❤

AceOfSpades123 · 05/04/2019 06:43

Compromise? There is no compromise here. You are already 100% compromising what you want out of life. Tell him you want the tax credits into your account. Are you getting any money at all? You are being severely financially abused. Please talk to women’s aid. You need help. You have been isolated and are being controlled. You need help to get out of this.

NC1989 · 05/04/2019 08:51

OP, I am in a fairly similar position to you apart from I don’t live with my MIL ( she does however live 5 mins up the road ), my DD is a lot younger than yours. However I have done a lot of conpromising which I now realise was sacrificing over the years! Anyway I decide to go back to my family 90 minutes away.

Can your family not help you get out? Talk to women’s aid as they’ll be a great help.

Just know you are worth more than this, relationships should be equal and this is far from it.

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