Apologies in advance for the long post!! My partner of 12 years tells me I don’t do enough, despite the fact I work a 50 hour week in an often stressful career, have 3 children (21, 19,17) from a previous marriage, the youngest 2 live with us full time and don’t see their dad, nor does he contribute anything towards them financially (and hasn’t done for 10 years but that’s a whole other post…) so I have to work to support them all. Partner has a really successful business, and will often say that if they were his own kids he would fully financially support them and I would’nt have to work! I’ve had a really tough couple of years - I lost my both my dad and best friend to cancer a year apart, my dog had to be put to sleep and my eldest son got himself in trouble. Partner was no support through any of this, I went through it alone.
I cook, clean, food shop, tidy, wash, iron, sort the dogs, etc etc basically everything that keeps the household running. If I’m not home (I often have to travel for work) he will cook for himself and leave the kids to sort their own food out (I’ve always left a full fridge) but wouldn’t dream of cooking for them all, saying it’s not his “job”. I can’t remember the last time partner said anything nice to me, he never complements me, or makes an effort with me. Im starting to feel really low about life - I work bloody hard and I don’t mind this, I would just love someone to make my dinner, or make me a cup of tea for a change! I sometimes feel like leaving but don’t want to put the kids through that again - they are keeping me here as they love their stepdad. I feel like im stuck - I turn 50 this year and I don’t want to spend the rest of my life like this but not sure what to do. I’m not sure I’m strong enough to leave and start over again, and support the kids through it all. Any words of advice would be much appreciated!