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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

He’s not a good egg is he?

9 replies

50yellownroses · 07/05/2024 09:44

I know this, but I need someone to say yup and you need you Close the door.

husband and I been together 10+ years and been Rocky the last few for various reasons. Been trying hard to work through it with effort/
therapy. 2 kids one with a congenital condition and one with autism so some increased challenges there but we don’t do too badly as a unit. I’m definitely main parent in sense I do all the “mom” stuff and work around their school times and my husband works much longer hours and it’s often quite a struggle to get him to join us for day trips at weekend as he’d rather relax after a week at work, fair enough but the kids love him Coming to pool/ cinema whatever the weekend activity is so after some grumbling he generally does and we generally have fun.

lately I’ve really been thinking we might make it but this weekend has thrown it right out the park. Booked a cheap deal away to a premier inn as it’s both kids birthdays this week and it’s a bank holiday. Planned it all down to a Tee, as is key when you have kids with additional needs, from when wed leave to booking quiet sensory times at pool to nice lunch etc, you get the picture. All is well tho he is a bit nippy by yesterday asking if we can chill in room for a few hours in the middle of the day which was odd as he wasn’t ill and we had activities planned and a hotel room with kids is great but not for him to have a
nap for 2 hours at 3pm! But I was trying to keep everyone happy so we did and ventured out again for a walk and food after his nap. All well until we stopped at sweet cafe for cake where I forgot my phone (obviously didn’t clock this until we got back to hotel for dinner). By then we had 2 hungry kids and were already headed into the buffet so I said to him “agh I think I left my
phone in X, could you call them from your phone and check?” And he simply behaved like a prize winning tool. In front of the kids and other guests said no, my fault for being careless for leaving it, he wouldn’t call them, I could just go and get it (15 min walk away). I had the 2 kids plates in my hand so I said less gently this is ridiculous, I’ve got the kids food in my hand please just Google them and call them and if they have it get them to hold onto it until we can go back. again he refused, saying he’s sick of my carelessness and no he wouldn’t call and I should just go and get it. By now the kids are crying saying no mummy don’t go (they have major food quirks so rely on me to make sure food doesn’t touch on plate etc) so I finally snapped and told him a real man would not be giving me
a hard time for a simple mistake and seeing as I was sorting out kids dinners would have happily called the cafe and gone to get it as the kids wanted my help with food at that point. I wasn’t exactly lounging around in a spa! he was so rude, can’t remember what he said but enough that people were looking. Kids now crying saying stop arguing and I was trying so hard not to cry, I just sat down to cut up their food and he stormed off saying I was clearly doing nothing as usual and went to the cafe returning with the phone and proceeded to act like nothing was wrong.
I was so upset but trying not to show it, surely a nice person would not give their partner a hard time for a mistake but try and help? I can’t even imagine not helping someone I didn’t like, let alone my partner.

it sounds small written down but it felt a big deal with the kids being upset with it and I oddly think it’s a small straw that has broken my back. I’m not overreacting am I?

OP posts:
category12 · 07/05/2024 09:51

It sounds like he was a prize prick.

He seems very resentful.

ILikePistachios · 07/05/2024 09:52

Does he have any good qualities? does he help with the children, housework, is he ever nice to you?

From what you've said above, I'd get rid. You don't need the constant negativity, extra hassle and being insulted by him, you deserve better than that

Georgie743 · 07/05/2024 09:53

He seems like a massive loser.

so you work too plus do all the parenting but he's too tired to be a parent at the weekend from work? Cry me a river.

honestly, we have one short life. Leaving my loser was the best thing I ever did.

Nottherealslimshady · 07/05/2024 09:57

Can you manage financially without him? And I don't mean same lifestyle, could you manage, could you have food on the table, clothes on their backs. Your life will be better in every other way without him, so if you can physically manage financially then leave

50yellownroses · 07/05/2024 09:58

he has a heck of a short temper, and agree resentful. No idea why despite therapy. Goes from happy to like a moody teenager over nothing as this example shows. he does help around the house yes but it’s mainly me and that’s ok but my breaking point is not having someone by my side to help me when it’s rough - so I forgot my phone, was dealing with 2 hungry kids and just wanted some help, so just wanted a help and a kind work - don’t worry, I’ll go and get it as you have the kids hanging off you, not a lecture on why I left it or a refusal to even call the cafe and see if they had it. It’s so so angry and resentful for no reason. 😭

OP posts:
Noshferatu · 07/05/2024 09:58

It doesn’t sound small at all, it sounds very upsetting I hope he’s ashamed of himself, because he should be! What a thing to make a scene over.
in a way he wants to be a child himself, scheduling in his nap! The holiday is not really for the parents at all in your case, so much to manage and make nice for everyone, it’s hard work, and it’s very off to say you’re “doing nothing as usual” when you’re helping his children. Rotten egg.

Dadjoke007 · 07/05/2024 10:06

We have all acted like an idiot at times and sometimes when I look back I can't believe what a fool I was. It sounds to me he is struggling with something - maybe work, maybe the kids, maybe he feels the marriage is not what it should be? Communication is key here, and if he wants to vent then go with it, try not to be argumentative or confronational.

Get some quality time together, explain that you love him etc but am worried about 'us' and things have not been as good as they should be. You want to see what you can both do to make it better so is he happy to open up and work on it together? This way he may explain the things that are making him to act this way and that he wants to improve things and you can do that. Or, it may be clear he has checked out but either way you need an answer

Unopenedpackofmenssocks · 07/05/2024 10:09

Arsehole. And you say he’s already in/had therapy, so you’d think he’d have some level of self-awareness.

Sadly, this sort of situation seems to arise time and time again in men with children who have disabilities or neurodiversity. They are angry that their child has not turned out in the perfect image of themselves/their fantasy family life has been thwarted, so they take it out on their partner.

See also the avoiding doing things at weekends and selfishly switching off for a “nap” in the middle of the afternoon. He wants to escape. Just let him fuck off, you’re better off without him (as long as he keeps sending the cash).

MothralovesGojira · 07/05/2024 10:43

What is it with 'blokes' who feel that a weekend doing nothing scrolling on their phones but 'resting' is a proper weekend?
DP & I both loved taking the kids out at the weekends to see them enjoy themselves (2 being ND) and we saw it as an opportunity to relax and have some fun. It's a given that it wasn't always fun but it still would've been the same at home but at least we were all getting some air. DP was a shift worker and we both had work & financial stress but at the weekends getting the kids out was a priority even if it was just a park walk/picnic or a visit to grandparents. You see this theme constantly on here in poor quality relationships. A giant manbaby who has sooo much work stress that they must spend the entire weekend decompressing and opting out of family time/fucking off to do a hobby/sleeping/doing 'important' doings etc. Bless - modern life is soooooo hard I don't know how they and their fragile ego's manage modern life really. Family life is 24/7 and you have to get with the programme - what did they really think having a family was all about? I can only surmise that they think that having a kid is about the same trouble as a puppy.

Your DH has checked out. Couples therapy should have improved things but it hasn't has it? He should be parenting on an equal footing but he's not is he? He should be doing 50/50 with home stuff but he's not really doing that either is he?
What are YOU getting out of this? An extra child or an equal partnership?
You arranged a lovely weekend and he shat all over it. What are your DC's going to take home from this? 100% good memories? No, those good memories will be tarnished with remembering Daddy got cross, Daddy made Mummy/us cry.
So, is any of it worth saving or can you see that life would be easier without him adding to your difficulties?

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