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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

Does your partner mind you going out?

178 replies

Emeraldiisland · 30/08/2024 01:37

I very rarely go out on my own. This will be the first time since having DS. I have been invited to an ex colleague's birthday party on Saturday.
I checked DH was free to look after DS and everything was good. Except since then he's made a few comments about me going out. I even caught him moaning to his mum yesterday.
He doesn't go out loads either but has been out more than me since having DS and I never complain about it.
I asked him if it was because he sees it as his money as I'm currently carer to DS so not bringing in any money but he denied that. However he's still making me feel like I shouldn't go out and keeps asking what time I'll be home at and telling me not to drink too much and checking exactly who's going, all things that I never say to him.
Part of me is tempted to cancel Saturday but I know I'll regret it if I do. I just need to find a way to get DH to stop nagging me. Does your partner /husband make you feel guilty if you want to go out? If so how do you deal with it?

OP posts:
whitefiligree · 01/09/2024 11:24

In replying elsewhere on another thread, I saw this and thought of this situation. Apologies if this has already been brought up.

Types of Emotional Abuse

Emotional abuse can take several different forms, including:

  • Accusations of cheating or other signs of jealousy and possessiveness
  • Constant checking on or attempting to control the other person's behavior
  • Constantly arguing or opposing
  • Criticizing
  • Gaslighting
  • Isolating the individual from their family and friends
  • Name-calling and verbal abuse
  • Refusing to participate in the relationship
  • Shaming or blaming
  • Silent treatment
  • Trivializing the other person's concerns
  • Withholding affection and attention
HazelPlayer · 01/09/2024 11:26

Time for marriage councelling maybe but only if his abuse doesn't esculate

Joint marriage counselling is only recommended where there is no abuse.

OhWell45 · 01/09/2024 11:51

Emeraldiisland · 01/09/2024 10:16

I had two missed calls from him while I was out but given I'd already told him I wouldn't hear my phone it was a pointless exercise (though I put it on silent just in case).
That annoyed me more than anything as when I asked why he'd called he said it didn't matter anymore now so now I feel he was just trying to spoil my night.
He's not giving me the silent treatment, he's constantly asking me what I did last night, asking for details, I think he's trying to catch me out (he can't because I'm not hiding anything). And he's saying things like well I'm glad you had a good time, I was stuck at home!
I feel like going out again. He makes me feel so sad sometimes.

You need to go out more often. He needs to get used to you having a life outside of him and DC. He also needs to get used to parenting on his own. So what if he was stuck in. You are stuck in when he goes out. Someone needed to stay in with DC. Try and get out once a month or every other month. Also, if you can try and get someone to babysit so you get a regular date night.

Nanny0gg · 01/09/2024 11:57

Emeraldiisland · 30/08/2024 01:37

I very rarely go out on my own. This will be the first time since having DS. I have been invited to an ex colleague's birthday party on Saturday.
I checked DH was free to look after DS and everything was good. Except since then he's made a few comments about me going out. I even caught him moaning to his mum yesterday.
He doesn't go out loads either but has been out more than me since having DS and I never complain about it.
I asked him if it was because he sees it as his money as I'm currently carer to DS so not bringing in any money but he denied that. However he's still making me feel like I shouldn't go out and keeps asking what time I'll be home at and telling me not to drink too much and checking exactly who's going, all things that I never say to him.
Part of me is tempted to cancel Saturday but I know I'll regret it if I do. I just need to find a way to get DH to stop nagging me. Does your partner /husband make you feel guilty if you want to go out? If so how do you deal with it?

Turn your phone off or he'll ring you with all sorts of 'problems' only you can solve

Nanny0gg · 01/09/2024 11:58

Cross post

Is there a future with this man?

fortheveryfirsttime · 01/09/2024 12:10

Emeraldiisland · 01/09/2024 10:16

I had two missed calls from him while I was out but given I'd already told him I wouldn't hear my phone it was a pointless exercise (though I put it on silent just in case).
That annoyed me more than anything as when I asked why he'd called he said it didn't matter anymore now so now I feel he was just trying to spoil my night.
He's not giving me the silent treatment, he's constantly asking me what I did last night, asking for details, I think he's trying to catch me out (he can't because I'm not hiding anything). And he's saying things like well I'm glad you had a good time, I was stuck at home!
I feel like going out again. He makes me feel so sad sometimes.

I can only see this getting worse. He's becoming possessive and controlling.

Any other behaviour changes or things that concern you?

If you stay with him, absolutely hold your boundaries, do not let him isolate you and make your world so small it's only him in it.

I think you need to be worried about this.

fortheveryfirsttime · 01/09/2024 12:12

To answer your question OP, no my partner doesn't mind at all and encourages me to have a good social life separate to my relationship. Lunches, nights out and holidays. All encouraged snd supported and we absolutely trust each other.

AttilaTheMeerkat · 01/09/2024 12:23

I would start on the quiet to plan your exit from this marriage because he will continue to try and control you like this and more besides. This man wants to keep you in a gilded cage of his own paranoid making.

The only acceptable level of abuse in a relationship is none and he has crossed that particular line repeatedly. He is also a poor influence to his children as they are seeing you being treated like this. Abuse is not a relationship issue.

I would read "Why does he do that?" by Lundy Bancroft, your man is in those pages. There are PDFs available online.

MangoMadness999 · 01/09/2024 12:24

He doesn't sound like a nice person at all. I'd reconsider this relationship.

Rory17384949 · 01/09/2024 12:32

I'm so glad you went out and had a good time. His behaviour is completely unacceptable though and you have a difficult decision to make, you need to have a serious discussion with him and if he won't accept that his behaviour is wrong and is not willing to work on it by doing counselling for example, then you should leave him.

AttilaTheMeerkat · 01/09/2024 12:35

Joint counselling is not recommended where there is abuse of any type within the relationship. He is not going to be amenable to a serious discussion either because he likely feels he has done nothing wrong here in treating you like this.

Clearinguptheclutter · 01/09/2024 12:38

Not normal. We check with the other for childcare/practical reasons only- most weeknights one of us needs the car to take a kid somewhere and we only have one.
but it’s pretty inconceivable that one of us would go out and the other be grumpy about it.

MsStella · 01/09/2024 12:47

My partner is going out this week and my only question is can I give you a lift and text me when you want picked up. Not ok to try to control another person or make them feel bad. I have my night on the couch with the dog and a takeaway and happy to pick her up whenever she likes, probably drop off her friends too. He doesn't seem like a good guy.

Daleksatemyshed · 01/09/2024 13:00

@AttilaTheMeerkat and@HazelPlayer I know join therapy isn't advised but what other help can we offer than LTB? I really don't think the Ops anywhere near the stage she actively wants to leave her marriage or that she sees him as abusive

Tumblingjungleofchaos · 01/09/2024 13:14

It's well known that many abusive men wait until a partner is pregnant/recently had a child to begin their process of coercive control and creeping increasingly emotional abusive behaviour.

Do NOT cancel!

Speak to him calmly and clearly and explain that this behaviour is unacceptable. And that you're not afraid to have discussions about the future of the relationship if he continues in this way.

Tumblingjungleofchaos · 01/09/2024 13:15

Oh and no, my DH has never complained about me going out. He's an introverted homebody but knows my friendships mean a huge amount to me and would never try to stop me going out.

HazelPlayer · 01/09/2024 13:24

Daleksatemyshed · 01/09/2024 13:00

@AttilaTheMeerkat and@HazelPlayer I know join therapy isn't advised but what other help can we offer than LTB? I really don't think the Ops anywhere near the stage she actively wants to leave her marriage or that she sees him as abusive

Suggesting counselling for the op?

Suggesting she reads some good books on the subject?

Suggesting he go for individual therapy for his issues?

Reiterating that this is unacceptable, unreasonable and actually abusive behaviour?

What's the point in saying couples/marriage therapy when there an abuser and coercive controller involved.

Daleksatemyshed · 01/09/2024 13:32

@HazelPlayer fair enough, maybe my answer was ill advised.

LadyMacbethssweetArabianhand · 01/09/2024 13:39

I had a husband like that, now exh .He never liked it when I went out with friends. He didn't say so, but engineered an argument every time. "You stink of garlic" "You're later than you said you'd be. Why couldn't you let me know" etc etc. After every nice time with friends, I would end up feeling low. I think he was jealous that I had a circle of friends when he didn't really. I would keep an eye on the comments and get out more, if I were you

Oblomov24 · 01/09/2024 15:50

Very controlling.

HazelPlayer · 02/09/2024 01:11

Someone like this has not developed past toddler stage in terms of regulating their emotions and expecting everything to be done to pander to their feelings and insecurities, while they in contrast are free to do what they like. There is no equality and no notion of it.

There is also a total lack of empathy.

At the root of this is stunted development and self regulation, if that hasn't happened by a certain age - probably a good bit younger than he is - its extremely unlikely to happen.

He's failed to develop emotionally as a healthy, functional adult.

You are suffering as a result. He's making you suffer.

I'm sorry but I doubt there will be any fixing him. An ex of mine suffered from this "affliction" and he has been like that from first getting into relationships, until his (so far) 50s ..from what I can see.
There was no changing him.

The certainly in his head that I was doing him wrong by socialising separately (because he couldn't deal.with his feelings about it) and his feeling of absolute justification & righteousness in resenting, criticising, berating and punishing me for it - was so deep rooted in his character and values, that it wasn't going to change.

When someone on here wrote about emotional development and maturity, a penny dropped and I started to put it all together with his interactions with other people, his attitudes, his background ...everything. He'd never grown up emotionally. He'd never got to the point that decently adjusted people do as they grow through childhood, adolescence, young adulthood etc.

I wound also wonder just what is behind his insecurity and lack of trust and certainty that you would be up to something with other men; with zero background, it's very odd how untrusting, paranoid, suspicious etc he is. One has to wonder whether it's projection.

Sceptical123 · 02/09/2024 01:25

Emeraldiisland · 30/08/2024 07:51

He says he's just worried about me and worried that I'll copy my friend's behaviour (most of them are single and flirt quite a bit). I told him I wasn't a sheep and perfectly capable of not flirting but he didn't seem to believe me.
I don't usually get on with MIL but even she told DH I was entitled to a night out and reminded him that he'd been out with his friends too. There was more to the conversation that I didn't hear because I was making tea bui she doesn't seem to have changed his mind.
I don't want to cancel tomorrow night but I can't help worried DH will hold this night out against me for the rest of the weekend.

Are you scared of him? (you need to leave)

Does he usually sulk/react badly/hold it against you when you do something he doesn’t like? (you should leave)

The very next time he goes out you should behave exactly the way he does by interrogating him etc and just say you’re worried about him etc - the same bullshit he’s feeding you.

I can’t believe you’re seriously contemplating not going bc it’ll be easier for you with his dickish behaviour - this is absolutely coercive control. He wants to go out when and with who he wants and for little ‘wifey’ to stay home with the baby where he knows where you are. Worries about you my arse - in a group of other ppl at a leaving do?

Presumably he doesn’t feel the need to copy his friends when he is out with them - or does he?

It’s a common thing for ppl to project, particularly cheaters or would-be cheaters who judge everyone by their own low standards. If he’s accusing you of inappropriate behaviour what do you think he gets up to when he’s out and about?

Emeraldiisland · 02/09/2024 07:17

I honestly don't think he's cheated on me because he's been disgusted by his friend who did this a lot (not friends any longer). So I don't think it's that.
He tells me I'm the best that ever happened to him and generally he really affectionate but when I upset him he's like a different person (with me., he's always good with the kids).
Things are still not back to normal but I showed him photos from Saturday that my friends had taken and I think he believes me now.
I haven't told him they invited me out for Halloween drinks though. I'm not sure I'll go to that though, I don't want to get in to the habit of going out loads.

OP posts:
paradisecircus · 02/09/2024 07:30

It sounds as if he's 'let' you go this time but made it so difficult that you'll be reluctant to go out again & want to save yourself the hassle. You absolutely should go out for the Halloween drinks. And do some thinking about whether you really want to live like this. Glad you had a good night at the weekend.

IdLikeToBeAFraser · 02/09/2024 07:38

Emeraldiisland · 02/09/2024 07:17

I honestly don't think he's cheated on me because he's been disgusted by his friend who did this a lot (not friends any longer). So I don't think it's that.
He tells me I'm the best that ever happened to him and generally he really affectionate but when I upset him he's like a different person (with me., he's always good with the kids).
Things are still not back to normal but I showed him photos from Saturday that my friends had taken and I think he believes me now.
I haven't told him they invited me out for Halloween drinks though. I'm not sure I'll go to that though, I don't want to get in to the habit of going out loads.

Why would he want to ve with someone he doesn't trust?

Why would you want to be with someone you don't trust?

Halloween is months away. You are already restricting yourself this much?