Hi first time poster here. Need some advice please, I'm so confused about my marriage.
I've been with my DH for 10 years, married for 2. Have two boys, 3 and 1. We've been friends since our teens and I was always so clear when I pictured my future that he was in it but now I'm not so sure. Maybe because I'm permanently exhausted from working (part time senior management role) and raising two kids and it feels like he's a third child.
He doesn't do his share of the chores, the mental load or life admin. I basically run our house and he's trying as hard as he can to help me out and do me a favour (his words this morning) He thinks pressing go on the robot vacuum counts! For example I had a long day at work yesterday, collected the kids, cooked dinner and went to bed early. Came down early this morning with both kids to the kitchen looking the same as last night. He'd watched TV for hours and it doesn't cross his mind to clean up when he knows I hate waking up to a messy kitchen. He doesn't tidy anything away, he leaves clothes everywhere, doesn't put anything in the washing basket or put clean clothes away, always leaves rubbish on the side in the kitchen etc and it's rubbing off on the kids. I think I was blind to it before kids when I had more spare time but now this is all grating on me and resentment is building. I feel like he's got worse since the kids were born and now doesn't do any DIY or chores unless I constantly ask him and I hate feeling like a nag.
When our first son was around 6 months old he got a promotion at work and over time he's become more grumpy and impatient with the kids. My eldest has started picking up on it and frequently comments on how daddy is grumpy. We've talked about work life balance and he always says he will work on it but nothing much happens. This is a common theme for any issues.
Over time all of this has destroyed our relationship and there is a huge gulf between us now. He's not who he used to be, who I fell in love with and I don't know how I feel anymore.
We live like housemates now, there's no intimacy, minimal affection, we rarely have sex and I'm not really attracted to him. A lot of this also coincides with COVID lockdowns starting and it's like he never came back and joined the real world unless it's to go to the pub with friends. He now WFH full time, doesn't take care of himself, gained quite a bit of weight, drinking more and it doesn't bother him if he doesn't have a shower from one half of the week to the next.
I will always love him, he's the father of my children but I don't know if I'm in love with him anymore. It would break my heart to split our family up but I also don't know if I can do this for the rest of my life.
Thanks for reading. Any advice appreciated x