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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

I think he is going to finish with me,despite him being an asshole.

101 replies

ethiopiabeauty · 22/11/2022 11:15

My partner of 2.5 years does not live with me.We both have young kids and like to keep things separate.We wont be blending or living together until our kids have moved out. He is old fashioned as far as parenting is concerned.Strict,expects kids to do exacty as theyre told immediately.There's little room for mistakes.Doesnt understand in a house full of kids that there's often shouting and arguments, expects their bedrooms to be spotless and general seargant major stuff.His own eldest two kids have little to do with him and his younger child sees his eow but child would rather be with his friends. These are not my issues as they dont affect my kids normally. I have two kids with additional needs, one with severe anxiety and the other with ASD.I am under a lot of pressure and very busy as Ialso work full time and have another child in late teens with her own issues. My kids Dad essentially abandoned them when he left for affair partner four years ago.They are all badly affected in their own ways. My partner was at my home last weekend and when one of my kids was leaving, they asked me to come to the door to wave goodbye.My partner was kind of laughing.I didn't understand why at the time but later he told me it was because of the way my child has me wrapped around his finger.This is the child with severe anxiety.My partner knows this and due to his anxiety, my child engages regularly in controlling and manipulative type bahaviours.I understand why my child does this and know it's because he is petrified of being abandoned or anything happening me .I have told my partner all of this.I struggle wth these behaviours of course and try to put in boundaries but have little support. My partner then started to comment on one of my other kids shouting for me.This child is a teen, again with ASD.Ihad no intention of responding to the shouting but my partner jumped in and said..'you're not going to feed into that, are you/'.I wasn't going to respond but wondered why he felt it was any of his business.He had asked to stay on an extra night and I agreed but felt the need to pass remarks on any interaction I had with my kids. I finally lost my shit when he came barging into our lounge while we were watching a film asking where a personal belonging was and who had taken it from our room.He used bad language and was stony faced and clearly very angry.This was a charger btw. The truth was that noone had taken it but he had left it exactly where I found it minutes later. I spoke with him the next morning about it as I was annoyed.He hadn't apologized to any of us for his tantrum and acted like it never happened. He is now angry with me and has committed to bringing me to hospital this week but on his terms only.I'm over a barrell as I've no other help.He was going to stay before and after procedure but is now going to collect and drop me.I expect he will dump me now as he is angry and wont speak to me since Sunday due to the way I spoke to him.Can I have your thoughts and some strength please. What can I do...Have I also been unreasonable. Thanks

OP posts:
JasperJohnsPaintbrush · 22/11/2022 12:13

ethiopiabeauty · 22/11/2022 11:43

He is not abusive,he is very strict like his own parents were.

Strictness can tip over into abuse depending on the severity.

Is it possible that part of your child's anxiety is due to his strictness?

My dad was so strict he induced panic, fear and guilt into me from a very young age. It is only now that he is dead that I'm beginning to unpick it all....in my 60's.

Your partner sounds controlling and a bully. Put your children first and get rid of this man out of all your lives today. Do it NOW.

blanketseverywhere · 22/11/2022 12:17

Come on, OP. Don't be that woman, the one who puts her sex life ahead of her kids' welfare. Don't do that.

I'm not being sanctimonious. I've been there. The guy had to go, because no way was I going to carry on with a relationship once it became clear that he wasn't going to be a positive influence in my dc's life, regardless of how great a shag he was.

Goldpaw · 22/11/2022 12:23

You've been massively unreasonable to choose this man over your children for two and a half years.

And massively massively unreasonable to choose glorious sex over their welfare.

dontputitthere · 22/11/2022 12:25

Fucking shameful.

Hoppinggreen · 22/11/2022 12:27

Awful man
However great the sex is it’s no compensation for damaging your child’s MH.
You say you have fun on your own but you aren’t on your own, you have children.

Hoppinggreen · 22/11/2022 12:28

ethiopiabeauty · 22/11/2022 11:43

He is not abusive,he is very strict like his own parents were.

Keep telling yourself that

JeanMarie · 22/11/2022 12:28

Been there, got the t shirt and the divorce. With the benefit of hindsight i'd get a vibrator and have 'glorious' sex with myself before I'd let some arsehole dictate my parenting and add stress to an already anxious child. I'm still dealing with the fallout with my ASD son years later. Don't be me.

Zedcarz · 22/11/2022 12:30

My exh is like this with our extra needs kids, no accommodations, really impatient, oent learn about their needs, I deal with the fallout every time they come home. It's really impacting on them, especially the youngest who's disorganisation anxiety etc are far more disabling.
I am laughed at by exh everytime I challenge this and supply facts in support of their needs.
It's horrible and damaging. Let him go and maybe tell his kids mum how is towards their child

ethiopiabeauty · 22/11/2022 12:30

Can I just say that sex is the last reason I would stay with him.My point was that I had a free weekend eow and during those weekends, I had a good rest, company, fun and greatsex. Those weekends were a break from an otherwise very stressful life. My children really like him and he is good to them but his ignorance surrounding anxiety really fucks me off. He was meant to stay with me the night before the operation but has decided he wont be doing that now as I called him out on his shitty carry on.He wants to stay the night after to mind me but I've literally told him that as I am over a barrell with lack of transport, I'd appreciate it if he could still transport me but the silent treatment and lack of responses and refusal to talk to me is bullshit and im not interested in that.

OP posts:
Opentooffers · 22/11/2022 12:31

His care for you is very conditional, as long as you toe the line and yours and his DC behave, otherwise he will withdraw care and support. This is highly unreasonable and no way to be. But he's shown you this by dropping you off and picking you up only whereas before he would of stayed for your procedure - downright nasty.
I also can't abide people who don't apologise when wrong, especially when they have made such a big deal when being wrong, because it shows how they think they are right all the time - which is ridiculous, unrealistic and entitled and just a grim trait.

blanketseverywhere · 22/11/2022 12:34

He was meant to stay with me the night before the operation but has decided he wont be doing that now as I called him out on his shitty carry on.

This isn't the behaviour of a good guy, OP.

Motnight · 22/11/2022 12:40

You clearly state that he dislikes your kid Op. Don't be that type of parent who puts her partner before her children.

Soothsayer1 · 22/11/2022 12:42

I think if you could have kept this man for sex only he might have been worth keeping around but it will be hard to reign him back in now and get him out of the other aspect of his life as he's obviously getting a kick out of treating you badly!
If he gives you the silent treatment take advantage of it, don't contact him at all, back away slowly, change the locks, be unavailable etc

Goldpaw · 22/11/2022 12:45

I really think he dislikes my child

Why on earth would you stay with a man who you believe dislikes your child?

Oh yes, relaxing and having great sex eow.

Watchkeys · 22/11/2022 12:52

Can I just say that sex is the last reason I would stay with him.My point was that I had a free weekend eow and during those weekends, I had a good rest, company, fun and greatsex

So, you wouldn't forsake your childrens' wellbeing just for sex, but if you get a nice rest too, then it's ok?

Hoppinggreen · 22/11/2022 12:53

Goldpaw · 22/11/2022 12:45

I really think he dislikes my child

Why on earth would you stay with a man who you believe dislikes your child?

Oh yes, relaxing and having great sex eow.

That would make my VJJ snap shut!
How can you even speak to, let alone shag a man who “dislikes” your child?

TreadSoftlyOnMyDreams · 22/11/2022 12:55

ethiopiabeauty · 22/11/2022 11:36

He is normally very loving towards me and to my eldest two kids.He cannot hide his dislike for my child with severe anxiety or perhaps I'm being paranoid.

I've stopped reading the thread here. There is no excuse for keeping him in your child's life.

ShellsOnTheBeach · 22/11/2022 12:59

Can you really not see what long term damage this will do to your youngest child?

As well as the older two, because they are learning that you won't have their backs either if ever they needed you to put their needs ahead of yours.

ethiopiabeauty · 22/11/2022 13:01

I may have not made myself clear.My weekends when my kids are with their Dad and Im with my partner were great, easy and enjoyable.A welcome break from a desperatley stressful life. This is not a sex issue. I was asked what I got from the relationship and this was my response. It's very unlike you to respond as you did Watchkeys.I've always enjoyed your measured responses but I'm not sure where you are going with that one.Seems deliberately obtuse

OP posts:
JustLyra · 22/11/2022 13:08

ethiopiabeauty · 22/11/2022 13:01

I may have not made myself clear.My weekends when my kids are with their Dad and Im with my partner were great, easy and enjoyable.A welcome break from a desperatley stressful life. This is not a sex issue. I was asked what I got from the relationship and this was my response. It's very unlike you to respond as you did Watchkeys.I've always enjoyed your measured responses but I'm not sure where you are going with that one.Seems deliberately obtuse

Your weekends when you’re separate and he’s not near your children may be great, but you’ve allowed that to be blurred by allowing him around your children and allowed his attitude to be around your children.

Only you can decide if the sex is worth his attitude.

however, if you do continue seeing him you really must keep him and his abusive nature from your children.

You should also think about the future. What are you going to do to protect your children from him when they are vulnerable adults? Because his attitude won’t change. In fact it’ll likely get worse.

Watchkeys · 22/11/2022 13:13

It's not me being obtuse. You're putting your fun and relaxation above the need to keep your kids away from someone harmful who openly expresses dislike of them.

I'm not 'going' anywhere with it, I'm expressing that you clearly have yourself above your kids on your priority list. If you think that's obtuse or unmeasured of me, that demonstrates the point further, really. You're defending indefensible actions with indefensible actions, like a bloke saying 'No, you don't understand, you're being obtuse! I only hit her once!' as if that makes it ok.

Nachtleben · 22/11/2022 13:15

Hi, I'm honestly shocked how his character gets interpreted here by people who dont know neither of you. To me it sounds as if you have different characters and strengths which holds its benefits and it's difficulties. The separation between your lives that you are trying to make is kind of weird, you both deserve a real relationship and yes, good sex. You both had/have different issues in your lives with kids and previous partners and thats okay. I would suggest that you'd try and speak with him and be interested in what he says about your kids behavior. Yelling and manipulating really is not great, not just not for you but also not for the kids who are learning unhealthy coping skills that will make their own relationships and future parenting very difficult. To find better solutions and coping is something you all could work on together, it seems that he is open to supporting you when you need him and nobody is perfect.

TheShellBeach · 22/11/2022 13:19

ethiopiabeauty · 22/11/2022 11:36

He is normally very loving towards me and to my eldest two kids.He cannot hide his dislike for my child with severe anxiety or perhaps I'm being paranoid.

On these grounds alone you need to end this, OP.

Watchkeys · 22/11/2022 13:22

@Nachtleben

We have enough information to see abuse, so 'working on it' isn't good advice, regardless of how shocked you are by the opinion.

TheShellBeach · 22/11/2022 13:22

Watchkeys · 22/11/2022 13:22

@Nachtleben

We have enough information to see abuse, so 'working on it' isn't good advice, regardless of how shocked you are by the opinion.

This.

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