Hi I’m a 29 year old woman, my partner is 10 years older and has 3 children from 2 previous partners. We have a 1 year old together.
He sees nothing of his first two children except occasional phone calls (never sends birthday cards/money etc) and same goes for his other child although he does really idolise his Dad. He had fairly frequent contact with his son from second relationship until he messed that up too by being violent in front of him. Is mother now allows contact when we are in the area. He’s been off drugs and drink etc for about 6 months although he’s still selfish (expects me to take brunt of childcare, do all cleaning, cooking, organising while he spends the majority of his time doing what he wants and watching tv). He could easily get a job to relieve financial pressure (we survive on my benefits only) but refuses too because he thinks he can’t be employed because he’s a recovering drug user. I met him at a vulnerable time in my life and it somehow progressed from there. I don’t take drugs/drink etc now and everyone tells me I’m an excellent mum to our son but I worry for my son because of the direct effect his dad is having on me. I try to squash everything down to everyone including my partner because I hate confrontation.
The mother of his first two has full custody of them, he was granted weekend access in court after a bad split/restraining order/years of domestic abuse and drug use but he says she stopped him from seeing them after she found out he had another girlfriend who he quickly had another child with.
I’m emotionally/physically exhausted after 3 years of hell and depressed when I imagine a future with him, despite that, I obviously have conflicted feelings as on some level I still desire him and love him and have remained with him..the reasons for which I’m actually not sure.
His family all think everything is absolutely wonderful between us because he’s shocked them giving up a long standing drug habit but I struggle a lot every day with his sulks, selfishness, laziness, him being sexually demanding and constantly groping me etc, treating me like his maid because I AM his maid, buggering off out and leaving me alone most days at home with our child.
I don’t know what to do, we rent a house together in another part of the UK from our families that we moved away together to and I love it (but I pay so am main tenant) and I simply don’t have the heart to ask him to leave or throw him out as I don’t know what would happen. I’d have to change my whole life too and relocate which is an extra added stress factor. I know I am an idiot for letting this man into my life and drag me down so far. I dream of having freedom and peace and rebuilding myself without having to look after an overgrown self entitled child. His ex (mother to his last son) is also causing me some problems constantly requesting money from him (My money) and moaning he doesn’t support her or their son when she was warned not to have a child with him and did so anyway after a very short amount of time being together. I can’t face another long healing process I feel I’ve gone through enough... I know I could stand on my own two feet financially without him but I feel if I ever approach the subject of not being with him I am potentially opening a huge can of worms and provoke another depressing period of my life. I don’t know if I have the strength to do it that’s why I stay and pretend to everyone (including him) things are great. What do I do?