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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

DP doesn't seem to want to spend any time with me on our own

54 replies

teatrays · 09/05/2021 18:24

Just to set the background, I've been with my boyfriend for nearly 3 years. We both have kids, none together. We don't live together but spend plenty of time round each other's houses.

The issue I have is that he never seems to want to spend any time with me that doesn't involve the kids. We do lots with our DC, and everyone gets on well. He will happily use annual leave to take the kids (both sets) away or on days out. He will research places to take them. If there is a rare day that we don't have either sets of kids so we could do something, he will then have his extra. He will spend lots of time planning if it involves all the DC.

But when it comes to me, nothing. I'll suggest doing something and he'll agree but then he changes his mind, or it can't happen for some reason, or something else comes up. I'll say this film looks good, let's go cinema to watch it. He'll check if the DC can go. I said to him the other day let's have 2 nights away in the next few months. He agreed, and then said let's take the kids too, even though we're already taking them away somewhere else the following month.

I hope I don't come across as demanding. I do appreciate the fact that he is so willing to do things with all the kids (mine included, not just his), but it's really starting to get me down that he doesn't seem bothered in the slightest about spending any time with me. I just don't understand it!

OP posts:
Dontbeme · 11/05/2021 10:48

@teatrays

There's definitely no kind of abuse going on!
See I disagree here, it's just not the abuse others are referring to. He is telling your DC he loves them, building a relationship with them, they are getting to know his kids, the families are becoming entangled. Yet he has not told you he loves you, he doesn't want to spend time alone just the two of you to build your relationship and you are rarely intimate. That is abuse, to constantly push you away while drawing your DC near is abusive as you aren't getting what you want or need from this relationship but are being put in the position that if you end this relationship you know your DC will be hurt by him not being there anymore. His actions mean as some point you will be the one to hurt your children by ending the relationship, it is very manipulative of him really. I would be rethinking about what kind of man he really is as he actions are cracking your family in two.
BeGreen · 11/05/2021 11:01

If your sex life is not that great it could be that he just enjoys the “family” part to your relationship but is not that interested in you as an individual. That often happens in traditional families when kids come along and all the busy/new parent stuff happens and you can limp along for a while as you are BOTH parents of all the kids so there’s that connection. But not in this case, you bare just two people doing stuff with kids together. I personally wouldn’t be interested in that type of relationship, there would be nothing in it for me. A partner should be more than that.

Xoxoxoxoxoxox · 11/05/2021 11:38

I’m a single mum and if my long term boyfriend told my 7 year old that they loved them but not me, then I think that would be the end of the relationship.

Fortunefavours1 · 11/05/2021 14:01

I have to agree with @Dontbeme.

It's a form of parental alienation and is abusive. He's driving a wedge between op and her dc.

It's plain he's keeping up the pretence of a relationship so his dc do not lose their playmates ie, op's dc.

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