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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

Partner keeps telling me off like I'm a child.

114 replies

Whatsthatspookynoise · 03/04/2021 12:45

He's always done this thing where he'll just snap and start being rude to me out of nowhere. Recently it's gotten much worse. He talks to me as if I'm a naughty child and need to be put in my place if that makes sense? I've become extremely anxious because I never know when he will just be rude out of nowhere, so I'm doing that thing where I'm constantly looking for reassurance that he isn't angry or in a bad mood with me. It's his tone of voice, not necessarily WHAT he says that's the problem.

Last night I was in bed with a cold and couldn't sleep, so I'd wander into the living room every now and then. He ordered food really late and asked me if I wanted anything. I said no thanks.
When it came 2 hours later, he offered me some as he bought two large meals and I said I would have a tiny bit. He kept making comments about "you should have fucking said you wanted food when I asked". I said I didn't actually want a whole meal and I was fine not to have anything, I just thought since he had so much and offered I would have a bit. He insists I eat with him.

So we are chatting and eating and I took a tiny piece of pitta bread from the box. Then all hell broke lose. "you just took it without fucking asking, you knew I'd fucking say no." "Look at how you've ruined the meal, it doesn't look right and the proportions are off". "I fucking asked you and you said you didn't want anything and now you've fucked up my meal".

I cannot stress enough how tiny the piece was. I apologized of course. But the way he was going on about this pitta bread was insane. I thought he was actually joking. I felt myself shrinking. I felt so embarrassed and ashamed. I could feel that I was about to cry so I walked away and cried in my room listening to him laughing at the TV. He really laid into me and he keeps doing it. I'm usually the kind of person to stand up for myself, but I feel so small when he shouts at me that I just cry and say nothing and continue talking to him like nothing happened.

I really don't think this is right. If I ever bring up I don't like the way he's speaking to me, it's because I'm "sensitive". Which despite me saying it makes me cry, he never actually sees me doing so.

We usually get on really well, so when he suddenly changes, it's horrible because I can't see it coming. Absolutely everyone thinks he is the nicest guy on the planet and would never ever do such a thing. I'm tired of feeling scared I'm going to get told off and walking on eggshells all of the time. How do you hash it out with someone who absolutely believes they are always 100% in the right?

OP posts:
DeeCeeCherry · 03/04/2021 20:30

Absolutely everyone thinks he is the nicest guy on the planet

I knew this would come up as I was reading your post.

If you stay and waste your life with a bully like this, you'll end up a shell of yourself.

If you decide to leave he'll sweet talk you to change your mind. & If you listen to him, all you have to look forward to is crying in 20 years time, worn down and feeling worthless and sorrowful at the years of your one life you've wasted, because of the type of man that isn't worth having.

They hide their real face so they can reel you in. Well now you've seen his real face it's up to you to get away from it.

There's no respect and it's clear he doesn't even like you. He is scornful and contemptuous.

You can do better than him.

You will survive the end of your marriage. Countless women do, and find their peace again.

ScabbyHorse · 03/04/2021 21:55

That is not acceptable at all. Glad you told him this. Now can you get your own place with some help from benefits and live in peace again?

RabbiTouch · 04/04/2021 10:43

Like I need to stop brushing it under the rug. I've never had low self esteem or been afraid of anyone, so why have I sat back and allowed him to talk to me like this?!

Because he has trained you to do so, it has seeped into your life like a slowly dripping pipe hidden in a cupboard. He has groomed you to accept his behaviour. It will have started with one small incident that you'll have brushed off because you loved him. Look at where you are now - do you want your children to have relationships like that when they're older? Because that's what will happen. My mother was very controlled by my father and it turns out I was very controlled (and other things) by my husband. Please stop brushing it under the rug, it is not okay. You don't deserve it and neither do your children. Who does he think he is, treating you like that?

I can't afford to move out. I wish I had my own place.

Please speak to Women's Aid, they are there to help you to speak through the problems and offer ideas for solutions. And please do not tell your partner you are thinking of leaving or seeking help, it could put you and your children in even more danger.

I hope you're feeling better soon and feel strong enough to take the first step to your new happier life Flowers

WiseOwlOne · 04/04/2021 10:46

You poor thing.

He treats you like this when you're sick Brew

WiseOwlOne · 04/04/2021 10:47

I don't mean that it would be OK if you were well, I mean, knowing you're not well, he treats you like dirt. What does that say about him?
There is not a scrap of common decency in him

BlackCatShadow · 04/04/2021 10:54

It's called the cycle of abuse and it will only get worse.

I think if I were you, I'd start trying to find a job and look into trying to find a way out.

MarshmallowAra · 04/04/2021 15:49

Absolutely everyone thinks he is the nicest guy on the planet

Clearly they've never eaten a small piece of his pita bread!!

Well let's face it, if they did, he wouldn't behave like that to them .. like most men like him they save all the crazy and nasty for their invested (and often dependant) partner.

The proportions are off thing makes him sound like a fkg nut.

updownroundandround · 04/04/2021 15:50

@Whatsthatspookynoise

There's no excuse for the way he treats you, and what's more you know that.

It doesn't matter whether he has more money or not, what matters is you and your DC's happiness and your safety.............

You have probably read plenty of posts on MN about how to 'get your ducks in a row', so now's the time to do it.

GreyhoundG1rl · 04/04/2021 15:59

Absolutely everyone thinks he is the nicest guy on the planet
They don't, you know. Unbelievable that the mask won't have slipped at all, ever.

harknesswitch · 04/04/2021 16:02

Tell him to stick his pita bread up his arse!

He's abusive.

Derrymum123 · 04/04/2021 16:33

Red flags flying here.

Zerrin13 · 05/04/2021 20:50

He sounds completely nuts

billy1966 · 05/04/2021 21:09

He is very nasty and abusive.

Please contact Women's Aid for advice.

Have you any family or friends for support IRL.

He is a horror and a bully.

Your poor children.

You poor woman.
What a miserable life.

Please get out and get help.Flowers

TurquoiseDragon · 06/04/2021 19:28

Absolutely everyone thinks he is the nicest guy on the planet

I used to think this about my ex, that everyone liked him and would try to persuade me to take him back.

Then I left, and found that actually people didn't like him as much as I thought. In fact, he got kicked off the crib team for unreliability and poor behaviour.

Looking back, I can now see that I mistook his attempts to charm people when I was around as him being popular with people. However, since we split I had numerous conversations with others where they've basically said something along the lines of "didn't like him, mate, but diddn't want to upset you by saying so". I wish people had said this to me years ago, it would have helped me in feeling like I could have left so much sooner.

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