Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

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

Resenting husband

97 replies

Meg1990mac · 07/07/2022 01:43

we have been together 14 years. We have 3 children 9yrs,5yrs,4months. I am on maternity at the moment, I havnt been at work for 7 months. My husband works full time in a school, a part time policeman (special), multiple bands and a motorbike club.
the last month and a half he has been out pretty much most days. He did a show for 2 weeks solid (plus working at school mom-fri), police shifts every Friday night, gigs every Saturday night, motorbike ride every Sunday day. X 3 school trips which have stayed over night 1-3 days. A 3rd show last week which lasted 3 nights. Rehearsals on an evening for both shows, plus a regular gig on a Tuesday evening which he does every week. I feel like I hardly see him. Plus if I am to say anything about him being out all the time, then his auto pilot response is that ‘you’re the one that wanted kids!’.
i don’t have any friends outside of work to meet up with (even with kids in toe) and being off work for 7 month has gradually distanced me from them.
whenever my husband is out, there is always women with him, whether they be work colleagues, part of the shows, part of the music atmosphere and it is really making me question his loyalty to me.
mom resenting him so much. I cry a lot. But he just tells me I’m not right in the head and that he hasn’t changed as he has always done all these things.
I don’t know what to do, I’m so miserable and that only pushes him away even more. But I can’t just snap out of it. Life seems so unfair, but I have 3 children to look after with what seems like no help at all.

OP posts:
coodawoodashooda · 07/07/2022 10:52

Shehasadiamondinthesky · 07/07/2022 09:36

My views won't be popular but quite honestly in the first place three kids is too many and secondly before you have three children NOT AFTER you need to make sure your partner is 100% on board with it not a feckless twat.
You say he's always done this so what exactly did you expect? A sudden revelation from God and all of a sudden a devoted house husband?
You went ahead and had three children knowing your partner is not on board and now want him to change - he isn't going to so you are going to have to lump it.
If you separate you can expect a life of poverty on benefits as well as dealing with three kids on your own.
I had one child as a single woman because that is all I could afford and cope with, I would have liked another but it wasn't feasible. You should have been more responsible.

I am really concerned about this comment. Do you suppose when an abuser gets married they announce their intention? The circle of abuse is carefully disguised to appear rationale and reasonable. Abusers have to be nice to sustain the abuse.

misssunshine4040 · 07/07/2022 11:01

Shehasadiamondinthesky · 07/07/2022 10:51

I've also had an abusive husband to the two previous posters, a feckless husband and a cocklodger. I didn't have kids with any of them. I knew they would be shit dads.
I left them and had a child on my own.
But I just don't think you can anticipate how hard being a single parent will be with just one child let alone three unless you have loads of support.
You basically have two choices, stay with him for the money and consider the marriage one of convenience or leave and live on benefits until all of the children are older.
I don't envy your choices tbh.

Why does she have to live in benefits? She is capable of using childcare and getting a decent job I'm sure, how judgmental.

You are massively projecting

PearlclutchersInc · 07/07/2022 11:10

Its very sad for you - but like many others I have to say he's a prize prick. Do your sums and consider how you can go about separating.

Meg1990mac · 07/07/2022 11:38

I really appreciate all the advice and have read every message. I’m not ready to throw the towel in just yet, there is so much to loose and it will be so messy. But I’m definitely not writing it off either! I fear it may come to it eventually. I just need a little me time I think at the minute. That is what I need to talk to him about first. I think that is where I will start.

OP posts:
Arthursmom · 07/07/2022 11:48

Leave.
OR get up early one day, hand him the baby and go out for the day. See how he likes it

noirchatsdeux · 07/07/2022 11:54

My father was like this. Checked out of family life more or less completely when I was 9. Got less interested in his 3 children as we got older as he didn't like us having personalities of our own.

Get out now, it won't get any better and your resentment will just increase. Personally I wouldn't have had one child with him, if he was like this from the start, let alone 3.

pinkyredrose · 07/07/2022 12:05

What exactly would you lose by leaving him? I'm really struggling to see.

coodawoodashooda · 07/07/2022 12:07

Meg1990mac · 07/07/2022 11:38

I really appreciate all the advice and have read every message. I’m not ready to throw the towel in just yet, there is so much to loose and it will be so messy. But I’m definitely not writing it off either! I fear it may come to it eventually. I just need a little me time I think at the minute. That is what I need to talk to him about first. I think that is where I will start.

But he doesn't want the same as you. And he doesn't want you to find this out.

HOTHotPeppers · 07/07/2022 12:18

To your husband, you are simply somewhere to stick his penis. Your children are a minor inconvenience, as you sort them. This is all you will ever be to him. You can't change him. So you either leave or accept that this is your lot and this is the example your children have. I'm sorry it can't be different but that is the reality of the situation.

UserError012345 · 07/07/2022 12:51

You'd be better off splitting. He'd have to have them then and choose between parenting and his other stuff.

Shehasadiamondinthesky · 07/07/2022 13:02

Thats the trouble though, he is not obliged to have them. Some fathers just never bother with their kids again and this sounds like one of them.

Shehasadiamondinthesky · 07/07/2022 13:05

I think you are right OP, don't do anything drastic, plan for your future first. I have so many friends who just left and the ex husbands don't see the kids at all, don't pay for them and the whole family lives off benefits for years.

Shehasadiamondinthesky · 07/07/2022 13:09

misssunshine - unless she is a top laywyer or business woman and has a spare 4K a month for wrap around childcare or a nanny. I know how expensive it is I've done it for one child on a nurses salary and I don't want to do it again.
After paying childcare I paid my small mortgage and had nothing left for food or bills. I had to do a second job to buy food and pay the bills. I can only imagine childcare for three kids.

BeggarsMeddle · 07/07/2022 13:20

My husband works full time in a school, a part time policeman (special), multiple bands and a motorbike club.

the last month and a half he has been out pretty much most days. He did a show for 2 weeks solid (plus working at school mom-fri), police shifts every Friday night, gigs every Saturday night, motorbike ride every Sunday day. X 3 school trips which have stayed over night 1-3 days. A 3rd show last week which lasted 3 nights. Rehearsals on an evening for both shows, plus a regular gig on a Tuesday evening which he does every week.

Does he have some sort of warped Saviour Complex?

Teaching the little children, shepherding the flock, keeping mankind safe, sharing the miracle of him with a wider audience via multiple shows and gigs. And tops it off with a dollop of machismo on his motorbike on a Sunday. Is it a 'Harley-Davidson' and he a God's Angel?

And to round it all off and 'keep it normal' he has a wife and three children at home. It must surely be quite an honour, and a squeeze, when both he and his ego are at home.

Oh, and psychiatrist too, with his pronouncements that 'You're not right in head'.

He sounds ridiculous but of course none of it a laughing matter and it is affecting your lives.

You're not right in the head would be the final straw for me. It all sounds abusive; treating you like a servant and not as an equal with your own needs.

He belittles your needs and insults you with with his words and actions. Pacifies you with the occasional bit of support.

Perhaps your first child was not unplanned on his part. A child will keep a partner reliant and trapped. Two more would seal the deal and he'd be onboard with the decision. Then he revises history. It's convenient how it's now you who wanted children as if he had no say in the matter.

Sometimes we just can't see the reality of our situation until the day we begin to.

So ignore PPs asking why you had three children, blah, blah, blah. Narrow-minded, judgemental and not helpful at all at this point. No, the question doesn't have to be asked.

MrsTerryPratchett · 07/07/2022 15:04

Does he have some sort of warped Saviour Complex?

Street angel, house devil.

BackToTheTop · 07/07/2022 15:20

He has the wife and kids at home for his public persona and lives the life of a single man.

Op you could pay someone to cut the grass and put your bins out.

Eviebeans · 07/07/2022 15:37

Do you have anyone family or friends who can help you out - give you a bit of time to yourself and some breathing space. I think that sounds a more likely source of help for you for the time being.
Do you have childcare sorted for when you go back to work?

Rosebuud · 07/07/2022 15:49

Cocacolacazza · 07/07/2022 09:26

Whether he was always like this or not doesn't matter. The OP can change her mind about whether or not she has to accept it. Which she clearly has.

Make definite plans to end the relationship OP. When you have got them together, tell your DP. He might change, he probably won't. But you need to be ready to kick him out regardless of what he comes back with.

She clearly hasn’t. She’s accepting it.

Meg1990mac · 08/07/2022 22:52

we have come to a head tonight. I asked that I have 2hours on a Wednesday night 6:30-8 to go to a yoga class. He has said no, he cannot look after the kids. I tried to barter and ask for fortnightly. He won’t do it. ‘You wanted 3 children that’s your problem, I was happy with 2’. ‘You want a perfect life but there is no such thing’.
he has now gone to bed and I am sat on my own.
thank you for the ideas of trying to get ‘me’ time. But it just hasn’t worked. I think this is the end for us now. I’m sure his side is completely different to mine. But now I need to figure out how we separate without upsetting the kids too much. And me and the kids coming off worse!

OP posts:
KosherDill · 08/07/2022 23:42

Meg1990mac · 08/07/2022 22:52

we have come to a head tonight. I asked that I have 2hours on a Wednesday night 6:30-8 to go to a yoga class. He has said no, he cannot look after the kids. I tried to barter and ask for fortnightly. He won’t do it. ‘You wanted 3 children that’s your problem, I was happy with 2’. ‘You want a perfect life but there is no such thing’.
he has now gone to bed and I am sat on my own.
thank you for the ideas of trying to get ‘me’ time. But it just hasn’t worked. I think this is the end for us now. I’m sure his side is completely different to mine. But now I need to figure out how we separate without upsetting the kids too much. And me and the kids coming off worse!

Was there discussion before the third child was conceived? Did he ever offer to get a vasectomy?

Sorry you are going through this.

MrsTerryPratchett · 09/07/2022 00:04

He's an arsehole. I'm sorry. I assume he's going to do no parenting after a split so make sure you act accordingly when assets are discussed.

Dilemmaemmaaa · 09/07/2022 00:21

We just have one baby and I wasn’t particularly close with work colleagues anyway so not missing them much, although I have seen a few nights out that I haven’t been invited to and felt a bit miffed. My husband has a jam packed schedule too. He’s great at sorting the house out in the morning, dishwasher etc done before he goes to work but the last few weeks I’ve been getting to the ‘desperate for help’ stage about 4 or 5pm phoning to see when he’ll be home and it can be 7 or 8 a lot of the time. On these days the baby is already in bed. He’s then too tired to do anything when he comes in and is in a bad mood so if I complain at all about how difficult my day has been he flips like I was saying his hasn’t been. He’s cut back on nights out but he was out at a thing with friends tonight that he forgot he had tickets to until after work so he was straight in and back out again while announcing he’s now working tomorrow too.

I think sometimes you actually just want someone to acknowledge all of the stuff you’re trying to juggle and how hard it is. When you have to just keep it all in and keep powering through all day every day it does eat away at you. The thing I find strange is the fact my thought process when I’m asked to go somewhere is about me but also the little person attached to me so I’d have to arrange where he could go etc, whereas my husband would just agree to go and not think for a second he’d need to sort anyone else out

wellhelloitsme · 09/07/2022 00:21

Plus if I am to say anything about him being out all the time, then his auto pilot response is that ‘you’re the one that wanted kids!’

He should have used his big boy words and said no to more kids then. Got a vasectomy, used condoms etc.

If he didn't want kids, you would likely not have kids / not have had more kids as he would have taken contraception into his own hands.

He didn't. And he didn't, knowing you did want more kids.

He's therefore not someone who takes responsibility or is accountable for his own decisions.

To throw that back in your face, and bitterly regret the existence of your kids (which is what those comments he makes implies) means he is not a suitable life partner.

And tbh makes him a shit dad too.

I can't think of many things less attractive than that combination.

coodawoodashooda · 09/07/2022 00:26

Meg1990mac · 08/07/2022 22:52

we have come to a head tonight. I asked that I have 2hours on a Wednesday night 6:30-8 to go to a yoga class. He has said no, he cannot look after the kids. I tried to barter and ask for fortnightly. He won’t do it. ‘You wanted 3 children that’s your problem, I was happy with 2’. ‘You want a perfect life but there is no such thing’.
he has now gone to bed and I am sat on my own.
thank you for the ideas of trying to get ‘me’ time. But it just hasn’t worked. I think this is the end for us now. I’m sure his side is completely different to mine. But now I need to figure out how we separate without upsetting the kids too much. And me and the kids coming off worse!

Come off worse than what?

Covidagainandagain · 09/07/2022 00:27

he hasn’t changed as he has always done all these things.

Out of all the crappy things you have said he has said this one really stood out to me. Because he is right, he has always done these things, he hasn't changed.

But the thing is you have had to change your life completely to accommodate children. Its what good parents do. Whilst he thinks that he can carry on exactly as he was before.

The first baby may have been unplanned but just because it came out of your body doesn't make that solely your fault or your responsibility.

He didn't have to go on to have two more. He chose to not make the contraceptive choices necessary to stop that from happening. Just because those babies came out of your body does not make them solely your fault or your responsibility.

He's a shit person Op for refusing to change his life to accommodate his children, to think he can blame them on you, and to make you the default parent. He can't love you or he wouldn't treat you like this. He can't respect you or he wouldn't treat you like this. You deserve better, even if better is just not having to put up with his bullshit.