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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

Communication with Ex during separation

8 replies

Covidcabana · 10/11/2021 17:13

Hi all,

Sorry in advance as this all sounds a bit pathetic and is very long but I'm just at a bit of a loss.

I told my husband I no longer wanted to be his wife around 3 months ago after finding marijuana in his bag. We had first discussed that I was unhappy in the marriage about 18 months before so this was a final straw moment.

I knew he'd previously smoked marijuana regularly but we discussed this before ttc and he'd agreed he wouldn't do this when we had children. I made it clear before we started trying that I did not want to co-parent with someone who was dependant on any substance to function. I'd smelled it on him one time he came back from putting out the bins when our child was a few weeks old in 2018 (she's now 3). He said it was a slip and it would never happen again.

In 2020 he had a really difficult year including family illness, being diagnosed with ADHD and starting medication, moving house and an incident with the house. I knew he was really struggling and he said he felt like he was going to have a breakdown before I found the marijuana. He'd also said he thought he needed his medication reduced.

Anyway I'd initially thought the marijuana was in response to a period of great distress but during subsequent conversations he admitted he'd done this throughout the past 3 years (including before an interview which he was not remorseful about and has left me massively concerned about his judgement).

In the few weeks that followed he refused to leave the house (or take up my offer to move out) and made a number of suicide threats if I wouldn't let him live with his daughter. He produced a 3-page plan about the benefits of him living in the garage and generally it was a time of huge stress and trauma. He eventually left the house after I took our daughter to my mother's to stay.

He subsequently has started undergoing further assessment as he believes he has asd.

Basically in the past few months he's now been pushing the boundaries and wanting the three of us to spend time together, asking questions repeatedly via text if he doesn't get an answer he likes and has recently said I'm gaslighting him by omission because I'm not giving full answers to his questions.

He is the classic nice guy and that's how everyone would describe him. I've always felt that im the 'bad guy' who nagged him and upset him as he was sensitive.

Now he's been trying to push me into all three to us doing things together, trying to get in my car by saying in front of the wee one "is there a reason I can't get in the car?" and sending lengthy texts that have numbered sections which leave me exhausted and confused.

I just dont want to have to speak to him anymore (that sounds so immature - my head is just a mess having to deal with him) and I'm wondering what my options are. Can anyone advise whether they think it would be unfair/unreasonable to say to him I only want to text about contact drop off arrangements? Any suggestions on how to deal with this situation? Good tips/practical phrases to use when someone is repeatedly asking a question you don't want to answer?

I'm just at my wits end and not sure whether I'm being unreasonable or just pathetic by not deciding on my boundaries and being clear about them.

Thanks.

OP posts:
Cherrysoup · 10/11/2021 19:05

Does he have fixed contact days? I would tell him to only contact you via your email (which you check weekly) and block him from your phone. You need to be incredibly strong. He doesn’t come to the house or get in your car. Can someone do handover for your dc so you don’t have to see him? You no longer have a relationship with him so you don’t need to see him. He sounds like he has serious mental health issues.

Covidcabana · 10/11/2021 20:05

Oh Cherrysoup thank you for responding. It sounds so daft but honestly just to hear you say you think it sounds like he has serious mental health issues is a relief. I can see from what I've written that he obviously does but in 'real life' he always seems to rationalise and minimise everything and suddenly I'm the unreasonable and awful one and thinking maybe I've not read the situation right. Every time I push back or say that something makes me uncomfortable he always just makes it seem like I'm being so ridiculous.

He has a very high level of education, is very mild mannered and nice, is probably more credible/from a more middle class background than I am, used to fawn around me (but never actually do anything to help, demonstrate his love or show me real affection/intimacy) and is in a respected job. I think I've just felt for so long that I'm the mean one that was always on his case.

He always needs to change his contact days and lets me know when he's available. It's settled to a bit of a pattern now he's busy but he's pushing for time any other time it suits him and is then asking why he can't/what plans do I actually have over and over again. His work has busy periods in semesters so I dread when he has more time to mess around again come December.

My mum would do contact if really necessary but I'm a bit worried it's too much to ask. Also I drop the wee one off and originally he brought her home (by buggy - he doesn't drive). He then said he wasn't able to get her to leave his and was having me going up to his flat to get her (I know I'm an idiot for doing this - no excuse I know but she's been unwell on and off for the past 3 weeks and I was worried about her). This week he sent me a 5 point list about why he couldn't bring her home so I said in the immediate term I can pick her up at a public point and drive her home. The public point is less than 2 minutes walk from his flat but he was 40 minutes late (this was a power play from him trying to get me to go into his flat and take her but I stood strong and waited it out).

I sent him information on separation agreement details a few weeks ago which he said he's not had time to look at yet. I plan to go back to my lawyer once I receive his response and ask her to draft an agreement and negotiate with him. I'm dreading the bills as he will be as long-winded and round the houses with my lawyer as he is with me.

I think I'm now at the stage where I need to say to him not to text me unless strictly about contact. The final straw was the 'gaslighting by omission' texts this week which made me feel unsettled and unsafe again and reminded me of those few weeks when I was leaving that I felt so scared (I must say he was never aggressive to me, more unnerving due to what I perceived as a very worrying mental state).

OP posts:
AgentJohnson · 12/11/2021 15:48

If I were you I’d contact a contact centre because his manipulative games are not on. Keep a diary of his shit and mention it in writing to him. A paper trail of his bs will be needed if this ever needs to got to court.

He sounds vile, congratulations on getting rid.

crystalize · 12/11/2021 16:32

Agree about having contact via a centre. He sounds unhinged. Speak to your solicitor about this and do not respond to any of his crap.

GoodnightGrandma · 12/11/2021 16:37

If he’s admitted to taking drugs I wouldn’t be letting him take the child, I’d be asking for supervised contact.

GoodnightGrandma · 12/11/2021 16:38

And remember to keep a copy of all communication that’s not nice .

Covidcabana · 12/11/2021 17:23

Thanks folks. I've emailed my lawyer to set up another meeting to discuss my options.

The latest is that I think he's (again!) been getting the wee one to say she wants to sleepover at his - although when I ask her what a sleepover is she says that it's when she stays at Daddy's and mummy stays too. She also made a comment about Daddy picking her up from nursery and when I asked why she thought Daddy would pick her up she said "can't say". Honestly if he's at these games with her he's hurting her. We've always discussed the danger of getting children to keep secrets and how hoe makes children vulnerable.

Great point about the diary I've been keeping a log of contact and trying to be very factual but think I might need to put in a bit more detail.

OP posts:
Covidcabana · 12/11/2021 17:25

@GoodnightGrandma

And remember to keep a copy of all communication that’s not nice .
Oh GoodnightG he's much too smart for any communication that's 'not nice'. He's the eternal victim and 'good guy'. The communications are lengthy, circular, confusing, frequently contradictory, sometimes a bit indignant but always, always nice.
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