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Relationships

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Loneliness in a marriage

5 replies

Dancingqueen90 · 21/08/2022 21:36

Just that really....lonely but married with kids. Live a full life, busy with family but there is no couple time with DH. Kids are in bed 8/8.30 and he sits in one room and I sit in the living room. I don't feel we have any mutual interests.

We don't go out as a couple. I would love to and if organise it, book a babysitter etc then we go. I stopped awhile ago as he would never do the mental load of it. I tend to be the one that pays too...

I don't really know what to do. We can't afford to separate. I don't really want to lose my kids 50% of the time either.

But it's just so lonely. I have zero emotional support..I don't want alot. Just to curl up on the sofa and watch TV and chill out.
Chat.

Usual stuff.

But I am on my own every bloody evening.

Just wondering how others cope?

OP posts:
KellyJonesLeatherTrousers · 21/08/2022 23:31

Why are you sat in separate rooms? Please don’t say he sits and does gaming in another room all night….

Could you try a few different things - maybe a film night where you choose a film together, turn the lights off/have popcorn/sit on the same sofa. Or a night where you cook and eat later together without the kids? Doesn’t have to cost a lot but you’ll need more time one on one to remember why you love each other if things are going to improve.

Dancingqueen90 · 22/08/2022 09:29

Yep you guessed it! We have had chats about it before but he says that is the way he relaxes and doesn't enjoy the TV I watch. Happy to compromise on what we watch but if anything highlights how different we are.

We co parent very well together, functionally we both contribute to the household (financially, as well as chores etc). But us as a couple seems to be dieing.

Our love languages are very different and he can't see the breakdown of us.

He doesn't think about his actions....for example our wedding anniversary was on a work night. All weekend he was going on about getting some nice food and we have a nice night in. Then the night before he says can we celebrate another night as he has to go into the office that day so doesn't have time to organise it..(I said no btw as I was looking forward to it....so we ended up getting up takeout).

I also have a birthday coming up which makes me feel crap as I know very little thought will go into it.

OP posts:
KellyJonesLeatherTrousers · 22/08/2022 14:29

Sorry to hear this OP, you deserve someone who thinks about your needs. DHs that don’t make any effort seem to be pretty common on Mumsnet but what is clear from most threads is that they don’t get any better with age/time. Best not to keep expecting him to suddenly become husband of the year, book the venue/restaurant/activity you want to do for your birthday rather than just end up disappointed.

I would certainly insist on two nights during the week where you do something together, it’s not a lot to ask. I’d also organise something for myself to do outside the house one night in the week and leave him to his gaming.

Hopefully you can find a balance.

Erlang · 22/08/2022 16:32

Speaking as a previously ignorant idiot husband on the other side of this, please try to have this discussion with your husband - perhaps even just share this thread.

We've been married more than 10 years, and somewhere along the way I took things for granted; I was doing the majority of the housework (though not financial stuff or much organising) and we were great at doing things with our child so I thought we were doing well.

Between my studies and wanting to do stuff with friends once or twice a week to unwind, the time I spent with my wife dwindled - my wife loves to rewatch a few different series every couple of years, I struggle to enjoy this so I'd go on my phone or take myself to another room.

Because I didn't do the finance stuff, I didn't know if I could spend; I'd ask permission to buy things and I didn't really think of spending money on us as a couple.

Me not being present meant that my wife got lonely, felt disconnected - she'd try to convey this by asking me if I was worried that our interests were different etc. I thought that family life outside of couple stuff was going really well, and assumed that we were solid.

Eventually that lack of a connection meant that our sex life suffered, I felt rejected and thought it might because I was too boring in bed or I wasn't good enough. This hurt me, and used to affect my mood - it got to the point that turning me down and me getting upset made my wife anxious and she closed up emotionally.

I struggled to communicate my perspective, and closed off too - I started to go out more and spend more time away from my wife, thinking that she didn't want to be with me anymore. We stopped going out or doing anything much as a couple.

We had a really stressful year (lots of external stuff) and my wife turned to friends online for emotional support, although I don't think she shared just how bad things were.

Eventually all the stress and anxiety became too much for my wife to hide, she broke down in tears one day and told me how she'd really felt for several years - that she felt I saw her as "mum" and not the woman I fell in love with.

I was stunned. My whole world felt like it had been ripped apart, and I felt ashamed how I'd left my best friend on her own for so long. I shared perspective, and we promised each other that we'd both try to open up more, and to reconnect.

Since then things have been getting better, we talk more and spend more time with each other. I've taken on more of the financial things and organising - which has been good as I now feel like I can occasional

Erlang · 22/08/2022 16:34

Hit post accidentally...

I feel like I can now occasionally splash out and spoil ourselves, make new, good memories together.

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