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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

Is he really just shallow and arrogant or is there hope?

30 replies

Chooseausername1 · 24/05/2019 16:29

Today this happend, made me think my husband is extremely Superficial, and made me re think us. Aibu for making such a big deal out of a small thing now we are working on us?

I always look good for my husband, wearing nice clothes, wearing sexy lingerie, etc. Today we didn’t sleep home and I didn’t have my things. So he how I looked, and said in our culture a woman should look good for her husband and that his mother used to tell his sisters that a woman should shower three times a day. I got annoyed and told him if he was talking like that, I had other things I needed to do and that i would prefer to be alone than to spend my day like that, we were to go shopping together. After he texted me saying sorry if i hurt you. I wasn’t hurt, i just found it shallow. So he send a laughing smiley which pissed me off and I found it immature. I am often thinking about our relationship and what I should do.

So I put the good and the bad.

I found it difficult to talk with him about these things as he often gets mad. I wanted to write it to him. But I think he thinks I am a coward for doing so. But I can better express myself like that.

I think love shouldn’t be this difficult.

But I am scared to leave, I think it is going to be a hell. And especially because he doesn’t want to cooperate and about the kids.

aibu for thinking he is shallow and just wanting to leave and tell him all this?

The bad:

He is 17 years older than me. I am in my 20s. At first he lied about his age. Moat of his girlfriends has been younger than him. We got married fast and had a child fast. He didn’t have any kids before and has not been married before, I guess he was a bit of a party guy.

He was in a long distance relationship the same time he met me, they never met but he called her his fiance and they said I love you to each other and in 3 months they had more than 6000 texts and some calls and video calls. When he met me he often told her he was busy. Even after he had sex with me and told me he loved me he still wrote with her, not breaking it off at first. I found out on my own, he doesn’t know that I know.

I think he cares too much about looks and is very private, caring a lot (A LOT) about apparence.

We were on and off at some point, impossible to plan about visitations about kids and talking together. He said i wanted to ruin his life and so he would ruin my. He went out every weekend just sitting in the bar.

Two weeks after giving burth he dissapeared an entire night to a party because angry at me.

We didn’t talk at all after giving birth.

When we disagree about childcare he insults me calling me awful things. Before he was too harsh with kids (he is very bad with emotions, such as crying). It got so bad he told a lot of lies about me being abusive and neglectful and a bad mother and said kids would turn out awful if they were just with me and that I wanted to take them away from him, and reported me to social services. (We are getting help in form of therapy, our kids are fine and I am a good mother, it all came back on him and how he talks to me, even though he started it. He got better, still getting theraphy.

The good:

Husband helps a lot with the practical things around the house.

Husband spends lots of time with the children and put his time with us above everything else.

He is faithful.

We often have fun together.

Husband is there for me and the kids whenever we need it, taking good care of us.

The kids love him.

Doesn’t go out without me, more of a home person than me.

Husband cares about what I want, and support me in what I want and stays with the kids one night a week so I can attend to my hobby.

Two times out from the blue he came by himself saying he knows to change somethings about him.

He compliments me, calls me a good mother, beautiful, that he loves me, for the things I do, calling me intelligent, etc.

We often cuddle, "play", and the way he looks at me is like he loves me.

OP posts:
Blondiejay24 · 24/05/2019 17:08

I don’t think you will find answers online, at the end of the day you know him best. I find it disconcerting that he is telling you how often to shower etc. Don’t you find that controlling? I think it is shallow, yes, but as I said there is being shallow like wanting you to look your best and then trying to enforce you to being a certain way. What would he say if you looked like a mess for a day? Would he accept it? What is his hygiene like? Does he look after himself as well?

I also think it’s wrong he lied to you about his age, and he lied to this other woman he was dating long distance when he first met you and you were sleeping together.
That would make me worry about his ability to be truthful to me.

I also would find it unforgivable if after my baby was born my OH went to some bar and ignored me. It seems selfish and unsupportive.

As I said, it’s hard to make a judgement because I don’t know him but the picture you have painted of him isn’t good. He sounds like he bully’s you and he’s using the children you have together to control you because he knows they’re your weakness.

HollowTalk · 24/05/2019 17:41

Why are you saying he's faithful?

HollowTalk · 24/05/2019 17:42

It got so bad he told a lot of lies about me being abusive and neglectful and a bad mother and said kids would turn out awful if they were just with me and that I wanted to take them away from him, and reported me to social services

This is absolutely appalling.

Are you both from the same culture, by the way?

Morgan12 · 24/05/2019 17:46

What culture is this?

He isn't faithful.

Chooseausername1 · 24/05/2019 18:07

I also find it unforgivable and sometimes I love him and other times I am filled with so much resentment. I just see no way out and think it is more difficult to leave.

OP posts:
75Renarde · 24/05/2019 18:08

He is absolutly not faithful. Neither is he a good father or husband.

Chooseausername1 · 24/05/2019 18:08

No and yes. One of my parents are so I am used to it, and somewhat yes, but still I am not realy as I also have my other half.

OP posts:
Chooseausername1 · 24/05/2019 18:11

African.

I know there is plenty of bad things about him, and I know it is a kind of cheating/lying that he was still with her (even if they never met) when he got with me. But I know he is faithful sexually in the time we have been together, and it is not just too protect my image of him, or to make him sounds better or anything.

OP posts:
Chooseausername1 · 24/05/2019 18:19

He probably isn’t a good husband. He cares about his child, is there and plays and lets me sleep in in the morning etc. So I don’t think i can just take that from him? I don’t see why he should be faithful, the thing in the beginning was a big lie, emotiknally cheating? But sexually. That time he went to a party my friend was there and he didn’t do anything, he never goes out otherwise or since that, we are together almost everyday, he works or spends his time alone or with us or his friend and doesn’t have a lot of social media other than facebook so I think he is faithful.

OP posts:
75Renarde · 24/05/2019 18:22

He's not. I'm sorry OP

Justathinslice · 24/05/2019 18:26

If people were horrid all the time, they wouldn't get away with the other shit.

He's lied to you an awful lot?
Do you trust him?

Loopytiles · 24/05/2019 18:28

LTB.

AttilaTheMeerkat · 24/05/2019 18:32

What are you getting out of this relationship with this man who lied to you about his age?. Regardless of what culture he is from he is unfaithful to you. He has said some truly appalling things of you and what you are also describing here is the cycle of abuse. His nice/nasty cycle towards you is a continuous one.

What did you yourself learn about relationships when you were growing up?. Is this really what you think you deserve from a relationship (and frankly you deserve far more). Your children are also seeing this model of a relationship from you both too; is this what they deserve too?.

Your list of good points re his is weak to say the very least, shows his controlling nature and is also indicative to me just how low your own boundaries are. You accept any meagre crumbs from a man who is much older than you and who called his ex a fiancé. To my mind she had a lucky escape.

Joint counselling as well if this is going on is NEVER recommended where there is abuse of any type within the relationship. I daresay he is not getting better through therapy at all. He may simply now be more careful around both the therapist and you and telling you both what you want to hear, such abusive men can and do manipulate counsellors all too easily.

AttilaTheMeerkat · 24/05/2019 18:36

But I am scared to leave, I think it is going to be a hell. And especially because he doesn’t want to cooperate and about the kids.

You cannot stay with him simply because you are scared to leave. That's also you saying that you are scared of the unknown (he has probably made you feel you cannot live without him etc). Abusive men never ever cooperate in the separation process because they have spent time and effort targeting their chosen target (in this case you) and will not let go of you easily. But you can and should break away from him. You owe it to your own self to do so.

Womens Aid if you are in the UK are well worth talking toon 0808 2000 247.

Chooseausername1 · 24/05/2019 18:45

I can accept that, but I have no reason to believe he is not. Ao I just wonder why you think that?

OP posts:
Chooseausername1 · 24/05/2019 18:47

I trust him to not do something, I am just not trusting him enough emotionally and to be fully vulnerable with him
After all that.

OP posts:
Chooseausername1 · 24/05/2019 18:52

Thank you, all this sounds right and I know it.

My parents relationship wasn’t like this and I know I deserve more, but still I have that voice saying I am getting older, I am a mum, nobody would want to deal with that and this crazy relationship or ex trying to make my life bitter.

Tomorrow is our son’s birthday. We are making a party another day. He said he just wants it to be us all day and not with my family, just family time. I want his first birthday to be a good one, now this is all that’s on my mind and I don’t look forward to soend all day just us.

OP posts:
Chooseausername1 · 24/05/2019 18:53

Thoughts of leaving, just at first when leaving I feel the abuse getting worse

OP posts:
ThatCurlyGirl · 24/05/2019 18:56

This

Husband is there for me and the kids whenever we need it, taking good care of us. The kids love him.

But then this

got so bad he told a lot of lies about me being abusive and neglectful and a bad mother and said kids would turn out awful if they were just with me and that I wanted to take them away from him, and reported me to social services*

These two statements don't match OP - a good dad is a good dad, he can't just pick and choose when to be. Threatening to get SS involved is disgusting when they weren't in any danger, he just wanted to win. And taking up precious resources so desperately needed for families who actually rely on social services to overcome real difficulties not including spite. It is unforgivable in so many ways.

He sounds like a wanker. And you sound exhausted and sick of it.

This is who is is. If he didn't change would you be happy with him in a year? Five years? Ten years?

Hope you manage to get out Thanks

ChristmasFluff · 24/05/2019 19:04

Erm, you are meant to shower 3 times a day?

Ain't nobody with a life of any sort got time for that shit. Seriously, OP, the fact you even allowed that sort of shit to enter your brain as being anything approaching a normal request, rather than being grotesquely controlling shows you that you are being abused, and probably have a history of being abused. That you may not know about (we think our family is normal because it is all we knew)

Dump. Dump fast.

And then start digging deep on what left you vulnerable to such a snake in the grass.

It's him. don't ever let him make it about you xx

zippey · 24/05/2019 19:16

Shower 3 times a day? What a waste of time and water. Does he shower 3 times a day? If not why is his expectation of you different to him.

Chooseausername1 · 24/05/2019 20:46

No but twice. I shower daily, once, only twice if I was sweating.

OP posts:
Chooseausername1 · 24/05/2019 20:47

I couldn’t; it takes so much energy.

OP posts:
Closetbeanmuncher · 24/05/2019 20:57

A good man doesnt lie, manipulate, emotionally blackmail and threaten.

I also agree with pp that hes a seasoned liar and a cheat

Social servives arent interested in the tittle tattle of a nut job OP, put your armour on and plan your exit.

alwayslearning789 · 24/05/2019 21:13

I've had some bad experiences with men of a certain culture. I won't say which for fear of offending.

But the references to his mother sounds familiar, and the blatant disrespect of women runs deep. It is very difficult to undo these cultural beliefs.

I feel for you, and ask that you keep your eyes peeled and alert. Don't let him run you down. Make sure you can stand on your own two feet - whatever happens.

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