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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

Is he an enabler? Or he just so good at diffuse the situation? Is there a way to change him?

9 replies

stayathomewife · 14/08/2024 14:58

Sorry, English is my third language. Thank you so much in advance for your input/advice.

My childhood was terrible, dad abuse mom, then mom take out her anger and abuse me. In my adulthood, been with my husband it just so foreign to me, I never have good male role models in my childhood, and it just hard for me to adapt to my husband "norm" instead of the norm that I grow up with and know all my life, and it hard for me to grasp him, like try to understand him from his view his positions.

If you can help me with this, this is something I'm trying to understand more about my husband. Whether he enable me? Or he just so good at diffuse conflict situation? which in this case is my tantrums.
My husband won't fight with me, he enable me instead.

Trying to understand him more. And is there a way to change him?

Together 14 years, married 12 years, no kids. I know I was very wrong on throw tantrums at him, this was my fault and I admit I was wrong and I have stop throwing tantrums. I know my husband loves me and sacrifice alot for me, but sometimes I do feel that he is an enabler.

Example, I don't do it anymore but I used to, there were times when I throw tantrum, I just grab a cup of water or tea on the dinner table, of I go to kitchen faucet and fill up a jar or container of tap water. And I told him I will throw it in his face, I just said that for the heck of throw tantrum.

He is so so patience, he said he will stand there, he won't move, and let me throw water at him as many times I want until I'm SATISFY. I was just throw tantrum and I had a container of water in my hand as I fill it in the kitchen sink with tap water.
omg,
He so serious and INTENSE, he grabbed my hand throw the container of water in his face, yep. he grabbed my hand and throw the water all in his own face. He grabbed my hand and throw the water in his OWN FACE.

He said to me that he meant what he said, whenever I want to throw water at him, he'll do it himself he will throw it in face as many times until I'm SATISFY. He emphasize the word until I'm SATISFY.

My jaw drop, speechless, at the time I was still trying to process what just happened, he so intense.

You tell me, how can I fight with him if he like this?

-----
Another example, I used to when I get mad I slam everything that on the kitchen table all down the kitchen hardwood floor, dinner plates, fruits, ice tea, glass cups on the table, I slam it all down. Broken dinner plates, broken glass on the kitchen floor.
He not even mad,
he picked me up and carried me in his arms and put me on the living room sofa, he told me sit here wait for him and let him clean it all up, because he not want me to step on those broken glass.

He not even mad, he just quietly kneel down on his knee and pick up all the stuff I slam down (he skinny but very tall he 190cm so he had to kneel in order to pick all those stuff I slam down up).
He won't argue or fight with me. He just diffuse the situation in this case my tantrum.

He clean it all up, and he came calmly talk to me, he said I can slam it as many times as I want until I'm SATISFY, he emphasize the word until I'm satisfy, and he will clean it all up.

My was speechless. I no longer do it, I know I was wrong, and it just not work with him.

We just don't fight, how can we fight if he like this?
He does dotes on me, but I feel that he enable me out of love me, is there a way to change him? As I do not know how other than I have stop throw tantrums at him.

OP posts:
Octavia64 · 14/08/2024 15:06

I don't think you need to change him,

I think you need to change you.

It's not ok to throw water at people. It's not ok to break things.

Sounds like he was doing what he could to cope with you,

You need help.

notacooldad · 14/08/2024 15:10

You are the problem in the relationship, not him.
It sounds like you need some kind of therapy.

AccountCreateUsername · 14/08/2024 15:21

Do you want him to fight with you? I agree, you need to change not necessarily him. But it’s good you recognise that you were in the wrong. Have you done therapy before? Can you access it easily now?

If your husband posted a what you have described I’d tell him he is married to an abuser

RedHelenB · 14/08/2024 15:55

I hope you don't have dc.

Starlight40 · 14/08/2024 16:02

I think you need help. You need to speak to someone who will help
you understand why you behave like this, this is clearly due to the abuse you have suffered in the past. You are trying to start fights with him and you need to know why so you can change.

Justcallmebebes · 14/08/2024 16:03

I don't understand why you want him to change. Are you saying you WANT him to fight back with you?

I'm sure you know that your temper is shocking and no one should have to put up with someone throwing water over them or smashing things on the floor. Your husband is a saint

parietal · 14/08/2024 16:56

He sounds incredibly good and kind and gentle. You should not be fighting with him. You should be getting therapy and learning to accept the he loves you and will not fight you.

AccountCreateUsername · 14/08/2024 17:20

Actually, OP you sound distressed and this situation sounds very toxic. Is there anyone you can talk to? To try and unpick what it is that’s making you react in such a way. It seems to cause you distress.

From your username I guess you don’t go out to work? Do you get out much and what’s home life like generally?
Have you got any family nearby?

stayathomewife · 15/08/2024 10:40

parietal · 14/08/2024 16:56

He sounds incredibly good and kind and gentle. You should not be fighting with him. You should be getting therapy and learning to accept the he loves you and will not fight you.

My husband does treats me very well, I'm fortunate.
Thank you,I agreed with therapy, I do have alot of baggage with the death of both my parents.

I don't throw tantrum at him anymore, obviously it doesn't work with him, perhaps his strategy worked with me, as I stop throw tantrum at him.

I just don't understand his intensity and his tolerate me. So many times Ms., I grab a container like those water pitcher (so it big), and I go to the kitchen faucet and I fill it up with tap water, and I threatening throw in his face.
He so INTENSE, he grabbed my hand and he throw the whole pitcher of water in his OWN FACE. He throw it in his own face.

He said whenever I want to throw water at him, he'll do it himself he will throw it in face as many times until I'm SATISFY. He emphasize the word until I'm SATISFY.

Ms. I was literally was speechless, I was still trying to process what the heck just happened. This man intensity.

Well I guess whatever he did it work, I no longer throw tantrum.

Will work on therapist on my childhood baggage, I have alot of unsolve baggage from the death of my parents.

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