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Relationships

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Struggling relationship, to work on it or is there no hope?

82 replies

WhatToDoHmmm · 19/04/2021 14:39

Hi everyone,

My partner and I have been together over 3 years but on and off for a little over a year. We don't live together.

There's been a lot of issues we've been trying to work on, however a few remain still.

  1. No intellectual/ deep conversations..

We've had 1 deep conversation at the begining of our relationship and that was one he brought up about his ex.

We've had none since, I've made it clear so many times I need conversation and deep one's. Not just to sit and watch telly.

However, this has yet to happen.

  1. No act of service or 'planned dates'

So we used to date and go to the pub when we were first together, however this isn't my cup of tea so to speak. We've also been to the cinema a few times. But that dwindled within the first year and a half.

Things started to get really tough and I left a few times where my boundaries were crossed and behaviours displayed made me feel uneasy.

We rarely eat together and when we do it's take away foods.

We don't go out together (even for a walk) lockdown obviously has contributed to this.

Recently I've invited him round when I've had a bonfire in the garden (with my son) and when I had a child free 24 hours.

Although the child free time was for me to mainly catch up on my studies.

I carved out a few hours of my time to spend with him still and work on our connection.

However, no matter how much we tried no deep conversations came of it.

(he stayed the night for the first time in months).

In the morning we didn't eat breakfast together, he mostly stayed in bed untill he left at around 11am. I sat next to him in bed (feeling really weighed down) and ended up snapping at things he said because I just didn't agree with them or the small talk. Then I sat there and done some of my studying....

I need more and he knows it, yet it's like we have completely different values and outlooks on life.

I'm just not sure I can keep going on like this.

After he left, the small talk via messaging began again and I expressed that I'd rather have deep conversations (not all the time but maybe once a week for a while) and since then we've barely spoken.

I've now left the ball in his court. I've expressed so many times recently that I'd like a phone call when we're not seeing each other for a few days and deep conversations to build that connection.
Date nights where we plan to do something other than watch TV. Yet, I've planned them in the past and now I've stopped, nothing.

Can 2 fundamentally different people really work long term?

I like home cooked meals, fruit and veg. He lives off rustlers burgers processed oven foods and take away.

He spends his spare time watching telly and playing on the ex box. I spend my spare time contemplating life, learning new things, gardening, reading, meditating and watching telly.

I don't follow social norms so to speak and he sort of does. I tend to think outside that box of conditioning and strive for a life that will fulfil me and guide my son to make good healthy choices. Thinking about that, we parent very differently too.

I don't have a 9-5 or the equivalent, I have a part time job, home educate my child and studying most evenings.

I just don't see how our lives fit together long term.

Thank you for reading

OP posts:
Dery · 19/04/2021 14:50

Sounds like you’re flogging a dead horse, OP. You want different things from life and from a life partner. No-one’s at fault but it makes you incompatible. Why are you so invested in trying to make this work when you’re clearly not suited?

ravenmum · 19/04/2021 14:51

Yes, why would you want to work on it?

user1636853246842157 · 19/04/2021 14:54

I don't think you're compatible.

When people talk of working on relationships they don't mean trying to force together two people who are fundamentally incompatible.

Inthesameboatatmo · 19/04/2021 15:00

You are not compatible op
You like deep meaningful conversations and he doesn't or cant have them .
You are making this seem like he is a really shit waste of space when he just cant give you what you want it need,let him go and you will both be happier

ItsNotLoveActually · 19/04/2021 15:01

There is nothing to work on. Absolutely pointless.

HollowTalk · 19/04/2021 15:01

What would be the point in trying to make this work? You are completely different people.

edwinbear · 19/04/2021 15:10

You're very different people OP, neither of you is right or wrong, you just want different things out of life. You come across as if you think he's a bit shallow and I expect he's picked up on that, time to go your separate ways.

WhatToDoHmmm · 19/04/2021 15:10

I didn't mean to make him sound like 'a shit waste of space'.
I guess I just feel a bit conned as he said he could work on certain aspects as I am too working on certain aspects but when push comes to shove it just doesn't work.

I do feel like he's said we can have a date night and he thinks it's important etc... Just to keep me around, rather than being honest with me.

I'm not saying this is his intention it that he's even aware of it.

Like they say live is blind and I think I just pushed it all aside because I do love him and he is a great person.

OP posts:
ravenmum · 19/04/2021 15:12

There are lots of lovely guys out there (despite what you'd think reading this board 😂). You gave it a go, but you don't have to stick with the one lovely guy that you have literally nothing in common with.

Sooobooored · 19/04/2021 15:15

You are with the wrong person.

YouShouldLeave · 19/04/2021 15:15

What are these meaningfull conversations you’re looking for?

Aquamarine1029 · 19/04/2021 15:21

Fucking hell, exactly how much more time do you want to waste on this man? All these days of your life you've lost to this is a tragedy. You simply aren't compatible, anyone can see this. Ffs, end it already.

Sunflower1970 · 19/04/2021 15:33

All seems a bit contrived to me. You’re desperate to come across as interesting and intellectual and he just can’t measure
Up to your ideals.

WhatToDoHmmm · 19/04/2021 15:52

I wouldn't say I'm an overly interesting person, just striving for connection and an easy/ healthy life. Everyone's interesting in their own way, people just express it differently.

He can sit and talk about his games, work or what he's been watching with me. I'll listen. He can sit in the garden whilst I do some gardening. But Where's the line between being different and compromising and being so different you both end up unhappy.

OP posts:
Nancylovesthecock · 19/04/2021 15:58

You sound like seriously hard work.

I would hate to have to force myself to have 'deep conversations' regularly. Surely these things happen organically.

ravenmum · 19/04/2021 16:07

What do either of you get out of the relationship? Good sex? Somethig else?

WhatToDoHmmm · 19/04/2021 16:08

I don't 'force' him to, that's the thing they never have happened organically because we have nothing in common ans when we are together it's always me starting the conversation. With few word answers in return.

He rarely randomly tells me stuff, I. E how his sin is doing etc... I have to ask him, if I don't I have no idea what's going on in his life

OP posts:
IrenetheQuaint · 19/04/2021 16:12

You haven't mentioned a single good point about your relationship, OP - hard to see why you got into it and have stayed in it.

dieblauenStrumpfhosen · 19/04/2021 16:12

It sounds like you are both fundamentally incompatible.

You can't date someone expecting them to change into the sort of person you would prefer to date.

Triffid1 · 19/04/2021 16:15

Why are you bothering with this relationship? You're clearly not compatible and you don't have anything in common and as you're not living together, don't have children together etc, why are you even bothering? It makes no sense to me.

Kat6901 · 19/04/2021 16:17

You actually sound more shallow than him really, I’d end it.

Sstrongtn · 19/04/2021 16:18

I’m not sure why you even started it to be honest Confused

TwilightSkies · 19/04/2021 16:24

He doesn’t make you happy. Time to cut your losses. You want things that he can’t give you.

ScabbyHorse · 19/04/2021 16:27

You have completely different values so it would never work. He sounds a bit dull to me. Can you find someone else more aligned to your values and who can actually meet your needs?

Peakypolly · 19/04/2021 16:27

I think you would both be happier apart.
If it is amazing sex that makes you want to see him (because you haven't mentioned anything else you happily share), maybe a friend with benefits situation is the best solution with no other demands from you.

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