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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

Should I leave a 'good' marriage because I'd be better parenting alone

13 replies

Chevron18 · 17/05/2023 04:55

I'll try not to drip feed but just don't know if I'm feeling like this because of the current situation or if really it's a valid feeling and I should act on it.

Been with DH for 12 years married for 8. We have 2 DC one is 3 the other is 1. Both children have some additional needs and the youngest has numerous ongoing health issues which has seen us in and out of hospital since birth including 2 months stay as an inpatient. So generally life has been particularly stressful for the last year if not more with other things going on with our eldest needing extra support.

We both work but he earns probably triple what I do and covers the majority of our outgoings. I do the majority if the household chores, childcare and general life admin.

On the surface everything to the outside world would look good. Financially we are comfortable and we want for nothing in material terms. We have a great support system for childcare and we've always had a good marriage. He's alway been a good partner to me and honestly tries so very hard at our relationship and constantly tells me how much he loves me and values me. He's generally an involved dad and has been there for the big moments in our kids lives. But under the surface there are bigger issues. He's very quick to anger with the kids and get frustrated easily. He's never physical but shouts and stomps around. The littlest thing becomes a big to do and leaves me feeling so tense. He seems to expect the kids to act like mini adults and if they are being loud or uncooperative (as children are!) he just gets frustrated and annoyed. He'll say they're being pathetic or stupid when they're just being children and reacting to something not goinf their way. As well as this he doesn't ever want to do anything outside the house and if we do he'll complain its too noisy or too much to cope with the kids and we just end up having a bad time. Sometimes when he's one on one with the kids he's great and he'll take the time to play with them and engage but it's never consistent and just depends on his mood. When things are good they're great but when something inconvenient happens it's blown out of proportion.

I used to be quite an easy going person but feel like I'm feeding of these blow ups and feel tense and anxious about things and I wonder if I'd parent better alone.

My other concern is my youngest has ongoing health problems and we are waiting on results but she will likely need some form of lifelong support/care. My DH just seems in such denial about it all and when I try and discuss is he just shuts down and says "wait for the results". I'm increasingly worrying he won't be able to deal with the reality of her health issues and I guess part of me thinking of leaving is a reaction to this as well.

Finally (although I'm sure there's more to say) I feel like since we've had children I've noticed that he's quite a selfish person to be honest. Selfish in the sense of his needs always coming first and over the kids. Whereas I feel since having children they now become my first thought I feel like they're always an afterthought or the last thing for him. Some silly examples are he'll make drinks for us and not think to get DS a drink or he'll order food and not get anything for DS. If we're travelling somewhere he'll be neurotic with a list of things to take but I'll have to remind him to add on things for the kids.

Overall I feel like since having children together I see him in a different way and his reactions/behaviour have made me feel distant and sad to be honest. It hurts me to see him sometimes be so indifferent to our children. I just don't know if actually I'd be happier and a better parent if we were separated or if I'm just having those feelings as a reaction to a tough year and lots of ongoing life stress.

OP posts:
Cantdecide35 · 17/05/2023 05:02

Do you think DH could have undiagnosed additional needs and is struggling to cope with the changes in routine etc that come with parenting? I’m not excusing his behaviour but he may be frustrated and overwhelmed with the additional noise and organisation he now needs to deal with, empathy towards others that doesn’t necessarily come naturally and seems selfish because he can’t see outside of his own needs.

PermanentTemporary · 17/05/2023 05:05

I couldn't read without gasping at the load you're carrying. And I do think he is carrying it too; I think you're both horrendously stressed and worried, and reacting differently.

I've started replying and realised I don't have any answers. I often found it difficult parenting with another flawed human being. I did find that we went through phases where one of us was more in tune with ds than the other, and it wasn't always me. I also think life with very young children is so tough even in less stressful circumstances than yours, that you do see the worst of each other sometimes.

I did find it easier in some ways once I was widowed, I'm not going to lie. Not having to negotiate or see your partner do things you disagree with is easier. But ds really did suffer from not having his dad.

I'd try really hard to find some time to reconnect as a couple and remember why this was the guy you had kids with.

Smooshface · 17/05/2023 05:28

My ex sounds a bit like yours. You can't force someone to care, but solo parenting is hard work. Right now I'm ill with no backup, with a coparent who lives a few hours away with his mum and doesn't seem to be in a hurry to remedy that.

I would be looking at counselling for you both and try to salvage this. It must be hard, there are days where I'm glad he's gone as things can be simpler without him, but the day to day not having freedom is frustrating when they get to do what they want.

They also will end up with the kids solo some of the time, so if you don't like how they parent now then you really aren't going enjoy the fact that they will likely be doing it without you as a buffer.

Not that i want you to stay in a bad relationship that doesn't serve you! Just see if there is a way to turn it around, they might change if they think that they will lose what they have.

Chevron18 · 17/05/2023 07:40

Thanks all. Nice to get some perspective. To answer PP I do think he may have am undiagnosed condition as he does have alot of neurodiverse behaviours and often jokes himself that he's on the spectrum but when I've asked him seriously if he thinks that's worth exploring he doesn't want to discuss and just says he's the way he is.

I think we're definitely both mentally drained and I guess neither of us is very vocal in that so maybe counselling is a good idea.

After the recent hospital experience the nurse suggested we should think about getting some mental health support as we went through a bit of a traumatic time nearly losing little one. DH was a little dismissive of it then but i think I'll try and suggest counselling or something again and see what he says.

Thanks

OP posts:
Phineyj · 17/05/2023 08:06

I have a friend with a very similar story (I almost thought you were her, but her DC are primary age). It has not got any better and in fact the lockdown made her DH's issues worse as he was able to work from home in a separate building. He just fundamentally can't/won't engage with DC, family life or the outside world. They do have a lovely looking life from the outside though!

I don't have any magic solutions but yes try counselling and build up your own support network and savings as much as you can while you decide what to do.

daniyaal77 · 17/05/2023 08:14

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This has been deleted by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines.

Pinkdelight3 · 17/05/2023 08:38

It's so hard when DC are tiny. Even the strongest couples can be truly tested. It may always be hard, depending on the nature of your DC's conditions, so whereas generally you could look to things getting better when they're a bit older, only you know if that's a prospect worth hanging on for.

But the other thing that jumps out to me is how he's the bigger earner and you're financially comfortable. If you separate and are the main carer for two DC with additional needs - maybe the sole carer if he doesn't step up to do his share, which sounds like a possibility - then how screwed would you be? Obviously it sounds like I'm advocating staying for the money, which is reductive, but you have to be really practical here - look up what you could feasibly get and whether it would house you, where you'd still be comfortable, because so many threads on here are about mums getting screwed financially and it's a big factor to take into consideration, especially if it's a good marriage in other ways.

NewToThis77 · 20/05/2023 07:49

This could have been me posting 20 years ago. The decision I made - in fact, went on making over many years, because I never stopped wondering - was to stay, and it was largely for the 'quality of life' issues related to financial & situational stability: giving the kids what I thought they wanted & needed in terms of lifestyle/domestic setup.
What, it now turns out, I really underestimated was the true impact of the bad atmosphere on the kids. I would have described my DH's behaviour in very similar terms - not physical, but shouting and angering quickly, being dismissive of the kids' needs and expecting them to be capable of more than they were, really quite selfish. He loved them to bits, in his way, but he expressed it VERY differently to me, and in ways they didn't necessarily perceive as loving.
I would really urge you - if he is open to it, a lot of men aren't, sadly - in the first instance to look for some counselling or therapeutic support to talk about how he feels about parenting/family stuff, with a view to helping him understand the likely impact of his anger on the children, and finding different ways to cope with whatever they are bringing up for him. I think this particularly given all the health and additional need issues you mention - really don't underestimate the strain that this can put on you as individuals, and as a couple. Relate offer family counselling, I believe; or the Institute for Family Therapy may be able to help. We are working with an IFT therapist at the moment & she is amazing, but we've met her via consulting work she's doing for the NHS, so I'm not sure what their setup is for general enquiries.
I don't want to advise you to leave, because it is a MASSIVE upheaval & there are SO many things to consider. But it's what I now wish I'd done for myself.

Family Therapy - Institute of Family Therapy

Bringing people together in a safe and supportive atmosphere can often help to improve communication and allow a better understanding of each other. Therapy Services At the Institute of Family Therapy we offer help to couples, families and other groups...

https://ift.org.uk/family-therapy

Phineyj · 20/05/2023 08:27

@NewToThis77 I find your 5th sentence really interesting (sorry, I've never worked out how to quote on Mumsnet on my phone). My dad was/is like that. He's now in his 80s and I increasingly can't be bothered with it at all. If you're grumpy, critical and rude all the time, don't expect your family to want to spend time with you except out of duty.

More positively, OP, I've discovered recently that my local authority has some really useful parenting courses online. Maybe yours does. It was a faff to find out about them and they weren't on offer when we were actually in crisis, but still.

GoodChat · 20/05/2023 08:32

Before going for the nuclear option, could you try to encourage parenting classes?

Would it be helpful to try and find a support group for you both with similar needs to your children?

NewToThis77 · 20/05/2023 09:10

@Phineyj exactly this. I cannot count the number of times I warned my DH over the years: if you keep this up, you are going to find you will not have a relationship with your children. But he would NEVER listen to me - 'they'll have to tell me themselves, I'm not taking this from you, you're undermining me'. We're now in a position where our youngest is making plans to move out, at the start of 6th form (she's 17), because she's had enough & would rather be in a flat by herself than tolerate a minute more. I'm completely devastated.

Coldiron · 20/05/2023 11:39

I suspect both my father and my ex husband are neurodiverse.

The difference is that my father managed to deal with the challenges of parenting in a way that wasn’t abusive and I have a great relationship with him

My ex dealt with it in much the same way as the OPs husband with shouting, putting his own needs first etc. I thought he was just standard abusive/possibly narcissistic but I’m now starting to think it was his way of dealing with his neurodiversity.

I left and am much happier. The kids have a much improved relationship with their Dad now too as he can hold it together for the one day a week he sees them.

If I could go back in time and change things I would probably issue an ultimatum when the kids were small - get help/change behaviour or I leave and follow through with it if needed.

MMMarmite · 20/05/2023 12:24

If you still want to try to hold onto the relationship, I would seriously push him to get an assessment of his neurodiversity. That would shine a very different light on his behaviour - is he NT and a self-centred twat, or is he ND and some of his struggles are explained by that? If the latter, then awareness from both of you, specialist advice or a counsellor with expertise in his condition might help family life run smoother and happier.

Though if there are still issues it's always okay to leave, you don't have to stay just because he's ND.

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