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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

Dating Thread 221 - will this thread see us through 'till Christmas?

957 replies

WeWantTheFinestWines · 18/12/2021 00:18

The Rules:

  1. The first rule about the dating thread is don't talk about it with people you're dating.
  2. Develop a thick skin.
  3. Do not invest emotionally too soon.
  4. It's all BS until it actually happens.
  5. Trust your gut instinct.
  6. People vanishing, lying & being generally weird is not your fault.
  7. Know your worth.
  8. If it's not fun, stop.
  9. Loo update is mandatory.
10. No dating the thread. 11. Treat others as you'd like to be treated 12. Any relationship you have that could get ruined by having a conversation about your feelings, standards and/or expectations wasn't really stable enough to begin with 13. The things you choose to ignore/ tolerate now are the reasons you will break up in the future 14. OLD can get very time consuming. Keep doing other activities you enjoy.

Optional: Please give your irons (potential dates you are talking to) nicknames like Mr Scottish. Initials are allowed (Mr S) when you are an item

OP posts:
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8
SortingItOut · 24/12/2021 13:01

@OnwardsEverStridingOnwards *
I think I bother with him because he believes in me as a person, no other man has*
He does not believe in you as a person, he is treating you worse than shit on his shoe.
If he believed in you he would be doing everything to help with your mental health but instead he is blocking and unblocking you adding to your mental health issues.

OnwardsEverStridingOnwards · 24/12/2021 13:04

[quote SortingItOut]**@OnwardsEverStridingOnwards*
I think I bother with him because he believes in me as a person, no other man has*
He does not believe in you as a person, he is treating you worse than shit on his shoe.
If he believed in you he would be doing everything to help with your mental health but instead he is blocking and unblocking you adding to your mental health issues.[/quote]
@SortingItOut what I mean is that he believes I can have a family and get married and do all the things normal people can ❤️

OnwardsEverStridingOnwards · 24/12/2021 13:06

He actually doesn't know about my mental health issues, just my physical ones.

SortingItOut · 24/12/2021 13:13

@OnwardsEverStridingOnwards what I mean is that he believes I can have a family and get married and do all the things normal people can

I think all the men on this thread believe this of you too so you can't say that no man believes in you.

I think you know he is no good for you and its not going anywhere otherwise you wouldnt keep posting to get advice. Hopefully you'll take the advice and move on from him.

OnwardsEverStridingOnwards · 24/12/2021 13:17

@SortingItOut the men on this thread are not romantically involved with me though...

No man has ever looked at me and thought 'I want a future with her.'

That's why I can't find a stable relationship.

On top of that, if I did get into a relationship, they will have to be my carer as well. That's what I was trying to say to Mr Gambit, that if we did get involved, it won't be a normal relationship.

OnwardsEverStridingOnwards · 24/12/2021 13:18

Mr Gambit has always known I'm disabled.

SortingItOut · 24/12/2021 13:22

@OnwardsEverStridingOnwards the men on this thread are not romantically involved with me though but you're not romantically involved with Mr Gambit are you?, you've never met so it can only be a friendship at most especially after 1 year.

OnwardsEverStridingOnwards · 24/12/2021 13:27

@SortingItOut no, I'm not. But the men I have been romantically involved with haven't been interested In a future with me, either.

When I said it seemed like everything was a surprise to him, it was mostly me saying that he'll have to look after me, that we can't just get married or have a child or whatever, because he'll have to care for me as well, and I feel guilty about that. ❤️

ibelieveinmirrorballs · 24/12/2021 13:41

[quote OnwardsEverStridingOnwards]@SortingItOut no, I'm not. But the men I have been romantically involved with haven't been interested In a future with me, either.

When I said it seemed like everything was a surprise to him, it was mostly me saying that he'll have to look after me, that we can't just get married or have a child or whatever, because he'll have to care for me as well, and I feel guilty about that. ❤️

[/quote]
This is a terrifying thing to say to anyone - not least someone you’ve never met. I have friends in a rock solid marriage who are struggling with the reality that one will likely become the other’s carer after having recently received a devastating health diagnosis. You can’t put that on someone, even though I know it weighs heavy on your mind.

I think this man enjoys having you there to role play with but is running a mile when you start trying to talk to him about these very serious things. You’ve never met him. It sounds to me like he’s not able for whatever reason to do the decent thing and say goodbye completely, because this blocking/unblocking cycle is horrendous for you to endure.

OnwardsEverStridingOnwards · 24/12/2021 13:48

@ibelieveinmirrorballs I'm not putting that on him. He's known I'm disabled for a year.

He really wants children, I know that. But he needs to know if he has them with me it won't be plain sailing for him. That it won't be as simple as having a child. He'll have to make a big commitment.

If we met, it wouldn't make a blind bit of difference. I'd still be disabled, I'd still be like this, and when push comes to shove, he'd still have to bear it.

OnwardsEverStridingOnwards · 24/12/2021 13:51

@ibelieveinmirrorballs plus if I do find a serious partner, you know they'd have to know about it.

ibelieveinmirrorballs · 24/12/2021 13:53

@OnwardsEverStridingOnwards

*@ibelieveinmirrorballs* I'm not putting that on him. He's known I'm disabled for a year.

He really wants children, I know that. But he needs to know if he has them with me it won't be plain sailing for him. That it won't be as simple as having a child. He'll have to make a big commitment.

If we met, it wouldn't make a blind bit of difference. I'd still be disabled, I'd still be like this, and when push comes to shove, he'd still have to bear it.

Yes but it’s bonkers to be saying “if we had children together” to someone you’ve literally never met.
OnwardsEverStridingOnwards · 24/12/2021 13:56

@ibelieveinmirrorballs we talk about that. We both want the same things in life.

I can't meet anyone in the state I'm in at the moment.

OnwardsEverStridingOnwards · 24/12/2021 14:00

I mean, with the pain and the tiredness that I'm suffering from at the minute, I wouldn't be able to feel comfortable on a date, anyway.

ibelieveinmirrorballs · 24/12/2021 14:26

@OnwardsEverStridingOnwards

I mean, with the pain and the tiredness that I'm suffering from at the minute, I wouldn't be able to feel comfortable on a date, anyway.
Yes but both wanting the same things in life ie children is a world away from meaning with each other..
OnwardsEverStridingOnwards · 24/12/2021 14:33

@ibelieveinmirrorballs yes, I understand that.

I can't meet anyone at the moment, least of all him. I just feel so horrible and worthless at the moment with my pain.

My doctor still doesn't know what's wrong with me, and it's murder trying to get someone who does.

OnwardsEverStridingOnwards · 24/12/2021 14:45

I think I just wanted him to tell me things will be okay.

WeWantTheFinestWines · 24/12/2021 14:55

onwards what about him makes you think he considers you a potential romantic partner? Words are cheap. Who would consider dating someone they weren't bothered about meeting in person and who didn't want to meet them?

Many people with disabilities find partners. I dated a man who was paralysed from the chest down. He'd been married, had a child, ran a successful business. His disability and associated health problems affected every aspect of his life but he was interesting, kind, loving, affectionate and funny. I fancied him and loved spending time with him. You can find someone who fancies you and loves spending time with you. But not if you let your disabilities define you and dictate your interactions with potential partners. Why tell someone they might end up caring for you? That will be obvious if you actually meet, and then it's up to them to decide how they feel about that. If you make your disability the most important thing about you, it will be. If you mention it to someone you have connected with on some level and let them decide whether to carry on chatting or not, you've done your bit. Give them the opportunity to ask questions, but otherwise just get on with getting to know each other as two human beings. And meet! They have no way of knowing how they feel about your situation unless you meet and see if there's a connection.

OP posts:
WeWantTheFinestWines · 24/12/2021 15:02

And if you're not in a place where you feel you can meet someone f2f then you are not really in a place where you can discuss starting a family with someone you haven't met. Right now you need friends - on or offline - who can listen and support. This man is no good for your confidence.

OP posts:
OnwardsEverStridingOnwards · 24/12/2021 15:03

@WeWantTheFinestWines I told him that because he needed to know.

Like it or not, my disabilities have defined me. I met my ex on OLD. Everything was fine until he decided that he didn't want to spend his life looking after me.

If me and Mr Gambit got involved, he'd have to look after me. The responsibility would have to be down to him as my carer.

He needs to stop thinking everything is 'fun' and think about these things.

That's why I told him. I don't want to date again at the moment, not with this hanging over me.

OnwardsEverStridingOnwards · 24/12/2021 15:05

I mean, the fibromyalgia thing.

InABetterPlaceNow · 24/12/2021 15:15

@OnwardsEverStridingOnwards I'm sorry you're having such a hard time right now. It sounds like you're potentially trying to push Mr Gambit away, even if you don't realise it, with the hope he will come back to you and tell you you would be worth fighting through all that for.

I feel like the problem is, it's very easy to say these things when you are distanced, but you are long way off it being any kind of reality. With the blocking and unblocking, it sounds like he has his own issues and I don't think you'll find the level of support you need from him, and if you did I worry it wouldn't be healthy.

For what it's worth, MrT was a carer for many years for his first wife. The reasons they split were unrelated and I believe he would have kept doing it. He has a bit of white knight syndrome that I'm having to actively talk to him about to make sure we both keep healthy boundaries in place.

I really feel that you need to focus on your own health, both physical and mental first. You honesty don't need a partner to take care of you - and you can build up a support network full of friends and professionals to split any support you need. That means that when the right person comes along you simply won't need them to look after you, though they may help in some ways. It means you can focus on all the other lovely stuff that comes with being in a real without constantly feeling like a burden.

Hopefully when you start counselling you'll get some support you work through some of these things and break some of the patterns. I think it would really, really help you to be a little happier and more hopeful. It was brilliant for me, though my struggles were different, I recognise some of my old patterns and everything I'm saying comes from a place of love and shared experience. ❤️

OnwardsEverStridingOnwards · 24/12/2021 15:15

Not to mention I've had to retrain professionally, as I can't do the jobs I've originally trained in anymore.

OnwardsEverStridingOnwards · 24/12/2021 15:20

I don't think I'm trying to push him away. He's been too focused on having fun, I don't think he's considered the bigger picture.

We've known each other for a year. He needed to know, he needed to understand, and I wanted him to know.

OnwardsEverStridingOnwards · 24/12/2021 15:21

@InABetterPlaceNow ❤️