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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

Am I Controlling?

20 replies

Scrapper142 · 16/09/2020 23:53

Disclaimer: i do not think I am. However my recent ex has said this is why he ended our relationship. Be aware of my unconscious bias in the post. I think I'm asking because if I am, I need to change. Also this might be long!

So couple of examples:

The first time I was accused of being controlling was after an argument. I said i needed a particular thing, he said don't buy one i have a spare one you can have. I needed it by a particular time, he kept saying he'd bring it round, but then excuses and delays. In the end i didn't get it before i needed it, he admitted he'd lied that he'd get it to me in time. I was annoyed and vented, we argued. He said i was being controlling of his time. That I was trying to control him. After that a pattern was established, he did what he wanted, if i got annoyed I was trying to control him.

During (strict) lockdown we lived together. I wfh, he worked shifts as keyworker, erractic hours. He was also doing top up shopping for his elderly parents. I didn't agree with the amount of shopping his parents required, ie every other day. But their choice. Once lock down eased I found out during lockdown he'd spent a whole day with multiply family members. To me he lied, he said he didn't, he just didn't tell me (genuinely don't know when this happened, so think it was a day when i thought he was at work). The reason he didn't tell me was I'm controlling him by expecting him to follow lockdown rules.

Next, lockdown eased so he was back at his house. We went out with a couple of friends, after one drink I felt unwell. Tried my best but needed to go home. I was going to stay at his, my car was there, so i called a taxi , tried to quietly slink off and said i'd go home and he should carry until whenever. He thought I was creating a scene by doing this, refused to give me his house keys, in the end i stayed and took myself off to throw up every so often. I was controlling him by asking for his house keys.

Apparently its not just direct control of him but also control of my environment. So I'm quite tidy and like things to have their place. That means I'm constantly tidying, moving stuff back to where i think it should be. I've tried to be more relaxed with this. Again apparently controlling. For example if he had a carrier bag of sweets and crisps, that if he left in the middle of the living room floor, he thinks it should still be there the next day, whereas i'd move it into the kitchen.

Finally, I didn't approve of the amount of fizzy drinks his kids drank when they stayed with us/him. His 8 year old would often have over 4 cans of full fat coke a day. I think that's wrong and wouldn't hold my tongue on that one. Guess what the response was...

I think I've lost all perspective on it. I'm being told I'm something that i don't recognise in myself, yet the person I love is telling me this how i am

OP posts:
SkyinthePie · 17/09/2020 00:06

You're well rid of him.

That wasn't you being controlling, that was him wilfully refusing to co-operate.

ChickensMightFly · 17/09/2020 00:11

You're a normal human. He is a dickhead.
Get some space from his narrative and surround yourself with sensible sorts and you should get your perspective back before long.
Thank goodness he's an ex.

AnnaFour · 17/09/2020 00:14

From your examples it’s definitely him not you with the issue. He sounds horribly manipulative.

YerAWizardHarry · 17/09/2020 00:23

It all seems fine except passing judgement on his parenting

Scrapper142 · 17/09/2020 01:08

@YerAWizardHarry

It all seems fine except passing judgement on his parenting
He's a good dad apart from the food. I think i mentioned it because its a conversation where i got shut down and wasn't allowed an opinion because he thinks nutritionists are wrong. He thinks kids should be allowed to eat and drink all the crap they want and eventually they'll work out they need a balance diet. Weekend before we broke up his youngest drank six innocent smoothies (proof they choice healthy stuff!!!) then a load of crap and washed it down with a coke and then threw up
OP posts:
wafflyversatile · 17/09/2020 01:16

You're well rid. At best you're not compatible. But most likely hes just an arse.

Aquamarine1029 · 17/09/2020 01:20

You should be celebrating that you're rid of this arsehole.

HerNameWasEliza · 17/09/2020 01:48

He was gaslighting you and you are well shot of him. Congratulations on offloading him. Lucky escape.

Boopthesnoot1 · 17/09/2020 03:34

I read all your points of him being;

  1. Lazy
  2. Liar
  3. Slob
  4. I don't think you should comment on his terrible parenting but not controlling. Controlling would be not allowing them to drink it, not commenting on it.

He was gaslighting you.

TenShortStories · 17/09/2020 03:59

It may not be your place to be commenting on his parenting, but you're certainly allowed to have an opinion. I'd really struggle to take anyone seriously who thought kids should be allowed to eat whatever they want, whenever they want. Fair enough at a party, or Christmas or something. I'd end it with him for that alone!

As for the controlling accusations, it sounds like he's either pointing the finger at you for things he does himself (it was him who was more controlling about the house keys incident for instance), or he has a big issue/worry about being in a controlling relationship and sees things that aren't there (has he been stuck in a controlling relationship previously perhaps?). Or your own perspective is so twisted that your side of the story is all wrong, doesn't seem likely though.

You are well shot.

Tlollj · 17/09/2020 04:07

He’s your ex who cares what he thinks 🤷‍♀️

TitsOutForHarambe · 17/09/2020 04:08

It's not up to you how much coke his kids drink (but for the record I would privately wince at that too).

Other than that this whole post is just a list of ways in which he has behaved like a massive dickhead. You don't sound controlling to me. Sounds like you're well rid of him.

Fuschiamum · 17/09/2020 11:18

I think you should take pride in the fact that you have standards and know what you want. You are not controlling - just incompatible with your ex. 'Controlling' and 'Nagging' are accusations that men throw around carelessly when they can't stand the fact that they are not in charge of everything. Move on with confidence - you are well rid and deserve better!

Lumene · 17/09/2020 11:23

Everything but the commenting on his parenting choices sounds perfectly reasonable as you have described it. He sounds controlling.

Scrapper142 · 17/09/2020 11:23

@Tlollj

He’s your ex who cares what he thinks 🤷‍♀️
Its still very raw and I'm hurting a lot. He's blamed me for the relationship failing and I'm trying to understand why to try and move on.

Just read back i said 'didn't hold my tongue', which might sound more like i was constantly saying something. I never stopped the kids having what they wanted or said anything in front of them. It was just when it came up in conversation I gave my honest opinion, maybe that's a lesson in not commenting on other peoples kids. But when you just cleaned up a kids sick and trying to work out if its something they ate and the food list is just sugary stuff I joined those dots and said something.

I think the point i was trying to make was that in his opinion me thinking that kids (not just his not, in general) should have limits on access to sweets/crisps/fizzy drinks etc. shows my need to control people around me.

OP posts:
Sparklfairy · 17/09/2020 11:27

He thinks a woman having an opinion is wrong and uses the word controlling to shut you up so he can do what he likes. It's like the word "nagging" - almost always used to describe women who are daring to suggest men pull their weight after being repeatedly ignored.

thistimelastweek · 17/09/2020 11:30

He's just using the 'controlling ' accusation to invalidate perfectly reasonable points of view. It's a sly tactic and one that's nigh impossible to deal with.

username501 · 17/09/2020 11:40

OP it seems as though his idea of a relationship was him doing whatever he wanted irrespective of how it affected you, then if you proffered an opinion, you were controlling.

It worked really, really well:

He said i was being controlling of his time. That I was trying to control him. After that a pattern was established, he did what he wanted, if i got annoyed I was trying to control him.

I don't think you're being controlling for moving food into the kitchen. I would really hate someone who was constantly tidying around me though but that's a personal thing.

I have a bf years ago who went out with his friends or prioritised his friends (we'd have plans and if a friend suggested something else, our plans were out the window) all the time. I only saw him once a week after several years, as the rest of the time, he wanted to be out with his friends. If I said anything he accused me of not liking the fact that he had friends. It's a way of getting you to put up and shut up, and it worked.

Scrapper142 · 17/09/2020 11:48

he has a big issue/worry about being in a controlling relationship and sees things that aren't there (has he been stuck in a controlling relationship previously perhaps?)

That's interesting. The lockdown argument became about how his ex was controlling. But I'm sceptical now whether she was or he just thought she was

OP posts:
Appleofmyeye05 · 19/09/2020 10:07

Sounds like an idiot.

Do as I say or You’re controlling. He is actually the one who is controlling.

The house keys thing is disgraceful

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