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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

DH refused request, feeling conflicted

467 replies

Igetolderbutneverwiser · 22/04/2024 01:08

I don’t know if this will sound childish or whether I have valid reasons for feeling how I do, but it’s driving me crazy questioning myself.

DH and I have been having ups and downs for a while. We previously discussed some things that we would like and need in the relationship to improve things.
One of the things that I said was that I’ve noticed that he doesn’t post things on social media anymore, and I find it strange that he just stopped. He said that he just doesn’t bother now. But even when it’s been something significant he hasn’t posted anything, which he would have done once upon a time, nor does he even acknowledge things that I post as I know he does with friends. I said it would be nice for him to do that again.

I mentioned it again when it was Valentine’s Day and he said he’s told me before that he doesn’t do it anymore. I reminded him that I had expressed that it would be nice to be acknowledged like he does his friends.

Now another occasion has passed, and on the day I said in a playful way “I guess you’ve just not had time to go on social media yet, but there’s still time”
He tried to fob me off at first, then I asked why he was ignoring me and he said quite firmly that he’s told me he doesn’t do it anymore. I asked why he couldn’t make an exception and reminded him of the discussion I’d had with him and how it would just be nice. He snapped at me saying that he’s not doing it and for me to drop it.
I asked why he is so against it and he said just because. I explained that it seems a bit extreme to have such a reaction if there’s no particular reason for not doing it and that it’s making me feel a bit insecure now. Rather than reassure me he just got his back up.

On the surface I do completely understand that it’s his choice and it is only social media; we aren’t kids, it’s not like our life revolves around it. And he has also stopped posting things about his DC. But I keep questioning why he suddenly stopped and why he’s so firm about not doing it. I just think if it was me, even if I wasn’t particularly interested in doing it, if it meant something to him I’d do it, if there was no reason not to.
And from another perspective, I’ve done things that have been a much bigger ask/sacrifice for him.

My mind is jumping, one minute feeling like he’s purposely “hiding” me (though as he’s not posting about his DC either then perhaps not?), the next that he’s just genuinely gone off using it and feels like he shouldn’t have to start up again just because I’ve said something.

It’s actually not about social media, I’m not overly active on it myself (cut down to barely anything since he stopped as it feels a bit weird), just that he’s so against it and reacted so badly towards me that it’s not sitting right with me.

OP posts:
PinchPostpo · 22/04/2024 11:58

Lovely post @Cherryon .

Lourdes12 · 22/04/2024 11:58

His behaviour has changed towards her on social media but not his friends 🤔

iloveshetlandponies · 22/04/2024 12:03

VenetiaHallisWellPosh · 22/04/2024 06:44

Very few men in my life maintain a social media presence. Very normal imo. However if he pisted a lot and just stopped, either he's just lost the impetus for ut, or there's something going on in hus life that he wants to keep private.

I wouldn't nag him tho. I'd just watch and wait.

This

Cherryon · 22/04/2024 12:04

Lourdes12 · 22/04/2024 11:58

His behaviour has changed towards her on social media but not his friends 🤔

Thats only a small piece from what I gathered, OP can correct me if I have it wrong. But what I thought she was saying is that he doesn’t bother with having a presence on SM about himself or his family and the events in their lives. That then means he is only viewing friends pages and doing the odd comment to stay in touch. OP hasn’t stopped altogether but says her SM is much reduced from before to “count on one hand over past six months” level of posts. She is worried because he isn’t commenting on her SM posts about their life. Which, as a pp pointed out is often an immature performance that young couples do by publicly posting comments to each other like “love you babes, best V day ever!” Or “Ty sweetie, you’re my soul mate” …why?! When you live together as a seasoned married couple this all seems very teenager crush.

WallaceinAnderland · 22/04/2024 12:06

Loads of people have stopped using spaces like facebook other than to keep in touch with friends and family who live away.

I've always thought it daft when someone posts a public 'message' to the person they live with. Why not just talk to them 😂

Cherryon · 22/04/2024 12:08

WallaceinAnderland · 22/04/2024 12:06

Loads of people have stopped using spaces like facebook other than to keep in touch with friends and family who live away.

I've always thought it daft when someone posts a public 'message' to the person they live with. Why not just talk to them 😂

Yeah, this is me, I cut all SM out a few years ago and had to go cold Turkey as I was a bit addicted. My family have literally guilted me into submission to use WhatsApp to stay in touch as we live thousands of miles apart. So I check that a few times a day and do the obligatory heart or thumbs up to my sisters cat photos.

SplitFountainPen · 22/04/2024 12:12

Social media usage has changed over time. It's generally used more for messaging people and groups than as a public autobiography now.
If you want to still make posts that's fine but I wouldn't expect him to still want to, interacting with others is different to self publishing on it.

popsickle555 · 22/04/2024 12:14

This is a bit of an odd post. OP take a look back at what you have written... Your (adult) DH has decided no longer to post about his personal life on the internet. I applaud him. My DH did similar approx 8 years ago. I respect him fully for it, he uses some social media (although says he no longer wastes his life on Insta and FB!) he just doesn't post about our kids or his life on their to a.) boast b.) get comments and reactions from others or c.) show me he cares when it's our anniversary or valentines or my birthday. He shows me that through his every day actions and the way he spoils me on those occasions. If your DH is doing well in other areas of your relationships and treats you with respect and kindness i say you may need to drop this. It's a bit odd that you feel 'he should' post about your life on there - why? I assume he's not still posting about other stuff in his life EXCEPT you and the kids?

Of course if he is not treating you well generally and you suspect he is cheating and trying to 'hide' his happy life from another than that is different. But my advice is to sit down with him and ask him. Not a 'why are you not posting about me' but 'why do you think it's best not to post, maybe i should stop too' - you may find he has very good reasons? When my partner stopped I will admit initially I felt a pang of envy when I saw my friend's posting about their romantic getaways etc etc and then after a while I realised he's on to a good thing! I stopped posting too and have been much happier for it.

CuriousMoe · 22/04/2024 12:17

Not sure if this helps, but I just stopped posting thing on SM a few years ago. I still keep an eye on it and like and comment on friends' posts but I stopped posting anything pretty much around the time we got married. We had two weddings (won't go into detail on this as its irrelevant), I posted about the first one on IG but that was my last post, I didn't bother with the second one, we've also had a baby and I didn't post about that either. I haven't even changed my status on FB to 'married' and pretty sure my DH is still 'single', his picture is still from about 15 years ago!
I have never and am not cheating, I love my DH and baby so much I could burst, but I enjoy them in my own private space, other's opinions have just stopped mattering so much and it takes time and effort to post something that in reality makes no difference to my life. I directly whatsapp friends and family messages and pictures I want them to see. Perhaps your DH is the same? Would it also really help you if he started posting under pressure? Surely it wouldn't have the same meaning.

LiquoriceAllsorts2 · 22/04/2024 12:17

I think you are reading way too much in to it. I wouldn’t bring it up with him again. It sounds very tedious to be constantly told you should be posting things you don’t want to.

LakeSnake · 22/04/2024 12:23

I think from his perspective he has had a calm discussion about SM, but you are not accepting his answer that he is no longer active on SM.

I get that but is
He snapped at me saying that he’s not doing it and for me to drop it.
I asked why he is so against it and he said just because.
an actual answer?

The issue seems to be more about poor communication than anything else.
He might well think he has answered and the OP is too insistent/controlling in telling him what to do.
But I think the OP is as justified to expect more than ‘just because’ from her dh.

@Igetolderbutneverwiser how is your dh communication skills? And is a ‘just because’ a regular answer to your questions. Or ignoring your requests etc….

If you are getting in such locked situation over something that could very easily resolved with a 2 mins conversation, then I’d look at couple counselling to see of you can improve how you communicate with each other.
(Your initial idea re helping you connect again sounds good though)

gamerchick · 22/04/2024 12:25

Sure he hasn't put you on restricted? I've.got a few I've blocked from seeing my posts but couldn't be bothered with WW3 if I just deleted them.

Cherryon · 22/04/2024 12:29

LakeSnake · 22/04/2024 12:23

I think from his perspective he has had a calm discussion about SM, but you are not accepting his answer that he is no longer active on SM.

I get that but is
He snapped at me saying that he’s not doing it and for me to drop it.
I asked why he is so against it and he said just because.
an actual answer?

The issue seems to be more about poor communication than anything else.
He might well think he has answered and the OP is too insistent/controlling in telling him what to do.
But I think the OP is as justified to expect more than ‘just because’ from her dh.

@Igetolderbutneverwiser how is your dh communication skills? And is a ‘just because’ a regular answer to your questions. Or ignoring your requests etc….

If you are getting in such locked situation over something that could very easily resolved with a 2 mins conversation, then I’d look at couple counselling to see of you can improve how you communicate with each other.
(Your initial idea re helping you connect again sounds good though)

What you quoted was the after she asked him 3rd time to post to SM about a special event.

OP didn’t really go into details about the first two discussions. I am not sure how much discussion is warranted beyond the “I’m not bothering with SM anymore” either? Does a person need a list of top ten reasons why?

MumMRM · 22/04/2024 12:35

I do not want to come over rude but I find your post rather weird. You are upset he does not use SM for events or romantically for things like Valentines Day!?!? It is not about him showing others how he feels so should not have to put it on SM. Use your energy on communicating and showing each other personally how you feel and come off SM. Again, I am not trying to be rude, but I find your post really childish.

WallaceinAnderland · 22/04/2024 12:36

'Just because' is the same as 'I don't want to'. Both valid answers and if OP was a man insisting his wife post about him when she didn't want to, I'm sure posters would be saying he was being abusive and controlling.

He doesn't want to. That is enough. He does not have to give reasons that are acceptable to OP.

Teledeluxe · 22/04/2024 12:37

For goodness sake. Social media is mostly trivia of no interest to many people. Your hubby just got bored with it!

shepherdsangeldelight · 22/04/2024 12:40

Lourdes12 · 22/04/2024 11:56

If he’s not into it anymore, why is he posting on his friends pages?

I only use social media for keeping up with friends who live at a distance.

Why would I speak to people I see all the time through social media?

FrannieGallops · 22/04/2024 12:45

In our large circle of friends, I struggle to think of any of the men that post on SM. It definitely used to be a thing, but it’s largely fizzled out, even amongst the women.

Expecting him to post so that you get some sort of public validation, is completely unreasonable and a tad childish.

The way he behaves in private is far more important.

Anonymous2025 · 22/04/2024 12:47

If he interacts with others and not you then it’s a issue imo

SquirrelMadness · 22/04/2024 12:50

I also rarely use social media, except for keeping up with certain friends and hobbies. If my DP asked me to post things about him I would find it odd and a bit uncomfortable.

If there are no other signs that something is up then I think you could be creating an issue where there isn't one.

MoonWoman69 · 22/04/2024 12:50

To the posters mentioning the massive pile on, I think everyone is aware of what the OPs concerns are, but the full on badgering and pestering her husband to post on SM is the thing that people are irked about. It comes across as attention seeking and needy. "Look how much my husband loves me everyone"!
It's cringeworthy trying to push someone to do this.
I was on SM all day long for years, I suddenly stopped overnight, it doesn't mean I'm up to anything! It seems to me that one little change in a spouses behaviour is seen to automatically signal that they're up to no good! Maybe for some people yes, but not all! For me it's just become something quite boring.
I also understand that it could seem that OPs husband is hiding something, because of his "just because" answer to her query about his sudden drop of SM use. Maybe he's seen something he didn't like posted on there? Maybe he's had an argument with someone? Or just got bored! But maybe, just maybe, he just wants to keep his private life private?! (Which made me laugh, as one of OPs updates stated they respect each others privacy! If there was any respect of privacy going on, there wouldn't be all this questioning him about his SM usage!)
There's more to this than meets the eye if this is all that's bugging you OP, so if I were you, I'd drop the obsession with his SM and actually sit down and have a proper conversation...

Angrymum22 · 22/04/2024 12:53

Validation of your relationship via sm is a very modern behaviour. Perhaps a novelty when sm went large, I think most normal people have become bored of it and have realised that enjoying the moment is better without viewing it through a camera screen.
Why do you need to tell your partner how much you love them via sm when they are sat next to you?
Most couples that converse via social media are obviously struggling in real life. It is entertaining to watch though.

notedgy · 22/04/2024 12:53

This reply has been deleted

This has been deleted by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines - previously banned poster.

willWillSmithsmith · 22/04/2024 12:58

Since your updates it really does sound like something is amiss and the SM stuff isn’t really all that relevant. I have always found that people who protest too much or get needlessly aggressive are usually guilty of something, or covering up something, it’s just a question of what.

Definitelynotme2022 · 22/04/2024 13:00

I actually get this...... I separated from xh a few months ago, but for quite some time before that his SM looked like he was single and childless. He rarely posted, apart from changing his profile picture to various gym ones. Nothing about me or the children, except ones that I tagged him in. Although I think Christmas was the last ones.

Neither of us are prolific posters, but this was a definite change in behaviour although I doubt it was intentional. Just a symptom of the state of our marriage.

Imo, if you want to save your relationship then you need to talk. Forget nagging about SM, and have a really indepth talk about your relationship. Consider some relationship counselling.