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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

Partner Might Leave

172 replies

Miserable123455 · 16/12/2024 11:02

Hi, I’ve name changed. My partner and I have been together for 28 years, we have three children.

For background, he works long hours and runs a lot, marathons etc. He is 52 and the kids love him, he is mostly a good person.

Im in the midst of peri menopause and trying to get hrt sorted. Our son has additional needs, is about to sit GCSEs. My parent has late stage dementia and has just moved into a nursing home. Life is incredibly difficult at the moment. I’m finding it all hard.

My partner likes to go out three to four times a year and get absolutely wasted - so drunk he can’t walk. Last year he had to be carried off a train by two men into our daughter’s car. The year before he fell asleep on the train, ended up at a different town and then tried to walk the 20 miles home along a dark dangerous road. He was picked up by the police and brought home. He also has a week in Ibiza with his friends every September. The trip before last he missed his flight home and had to pay for another. Money we didnt have.

When he missed the flight he just sent me a short text saying - I’ve missed the flight, will be home tomorrow! No explanation or apology. I had been alone with our sen son who can be challenging. I was knackered and looking forward to him being home. I flipped out when I got the text and did reply with some pretty nasty stuff.. you idiot, that kind of thing. When he got back he told me I had been unreasonable and why couldn’t I have supported him, he was tired after a week of clubbing and being up all night. He said he was leaving, he didn’t love me and was going to his mums. After a day of tears and arguing he agreed to stay.

The weekend before last he went to a rave in Manchester, stayed over and I made no contact with him whilst there.

He was out this weekend so I asked him to please be careful, that I worried about him and could he please catch the bus home at a reasonable time. He said he would. Gets to 7 and he’s still not home. They had met for breakfast at 10 am and it would be solid drinking from then on. I offered to go get him, he said he’d walk, again along a dark dangerous road. In the interests of not causing an argument I let him. He wasn’t home after an hour so I rang him, he shouted “f&ck off at me down the phone” ! He seemed ok when he got back and has been fine since but sulky and quiet so I said what’s wrong.

Now again, he’s saying he doesn’t like me, I have two days a month when I’m happy, I’m aggressive and controlling when he goes out. He doesn’t know if he can stay or if he loves me.

I honestly worry about him and yes I’m agressive when these things happen because I’m angry and upset. He’s a grown man with a family. Am I being unreasonable to expect him to consider us and not just get as pissed as humanly possible.

We aren’t married, a compromise I made for
him. Now I work part time and would struggle to live alone with the kids financially.

I do feel like our relationship is over and I’m just clinging on to something that’s not there.

OP posts:
Unexpectedlysinglemum · 17/12/2024 05:22

Miserable123455 · 16/12/2024 11:55

Maybe I was in the wrong for calling him names and getting so angry. Would other women do that? I don’t know if I’m in the wrong.

Other women would yes, or they'd leave him

Unexpectedlysinglemum · 17/12/2024 05:24

Miserable123455 · 16/12/2024 12:15

Up until the missed flight home things had always been reasonable between us. Something significant changed then. I can’t forget how cold and cruel he was to me. He even packed his bag and told our son he was leaving.
I think he only stayed because of him.

Missed flight or met a holiday romance?

Unexpectedlysinglemum · 17/12/2024 05:28

Look up reactive abuse

Miserable123455 · 17/12/2024 06:03

Unexpectedlysinglemum · 17/12/2024 05:24

Missed flight or met a holiday romance?

Glad I hadn’t thought of this. Maybe that would explain why he didn’t pick up the phone and ring me.

He claimed they were at the airport waiting for the flight but they missed the call to board the flight, because his mate was in the loo picking ham out of his teeth (thier exact story) got there too late as the plane had boarded they shut the gate leaving him and his friends and some other women who were apparently all crying stranded!! I should also have had sympathy for the crying young women!!! Ffs
He spent the night in the airport until the next flight in the morning.

OP posts:
Miserable123455 · 17/12/2024 06:16

That’s the thing he doesn’t say nasty things he ties me up in knots whenever I’ve tried to speak to him. He calmly says I’m aggressive, controlling a bully. I’m the one who reacts by for example .. raising my voice, yesterday whilst arguing in the morning (the argument that prompted me to write this post) he said look at you know pointing at me aggressively.

Ive been told I’m a very articulate person, but speaking to him is almost impossible. He comes back with arguments and justifications for things, he brings up things that have happened years ago or a winge I’ve had about one of my mates and then says see it’s not just me you can’t get on with.

its exhausting and I cannot speak to him about anything. He is always right, always superior.

I pointed out that the only abusive person on Saturday night was him when he shouted “f off” at me down the phone. He responded with… you pushed me to that!

Im so done!

OP posts:
Ilovemeggy38 · 17/12/2024 06:18

Oh OP!.
He is the classic midlife twat.
He has you and the kids, done that..now he's seeking his "lost youth" mine did that and eventually shagged another twat who was seeking her lost youth.
They both ended up destroying their relationships, I managed to still be with him because he realised just what a twat he was and he had a massive wake up call, I left, it was fucking horrendous.
He is literally one foot in one foot out.. Get him out and get him to realise the reality of being out.

DoorsClosed · 17/12/2024 06:19

A grown-arse man of 52 going to raves and out partying. Is this a bit…..odd?

Uol2022 · 17/12/2024 06:19

Riiiight, so if you get angry with him then it’s proof you’re a bully, but if he gets angry with you it’s because you drove him to it 🧐

Miserable123455 · 17/12/2024 06:19

By the way, when I say pointing , it was not in his face I was a couple of metres away, I was just talking animatedly.

OP posts:
Miserable123455 · 17/12/2024 06:21

DoorsClosed · 17/12/2024 06:19

A grown-arse man of 52 going to raves and out partying. Is this a bit…..odd?

He says he likes the music! It’s possible.

OP posts:
Miserable123455 · 17/12/2024 06:23

Miserable123455 · 17/12/2024 06:21

He says he likes the music! It’s possible.

He never liked that music until he got to his late 40s! Of course. God I hate him.

OP posts:
NotOneOfTheInCrowd · 17/12/2024 06:28

I can’t get my head around a 52 year old going off to raves and clubbing weeks in Ibiza. Seriously doesn’t he realise he’s about 30 years too old for that? How cringe. I bet he and his cronies are the laughing stock of all the younger generation who see him trying to look cool in the clubs.

Honestly, if he says he wants to leave I would pack his bags for him and wave bye bye.

Here2talk · 17/12/2024 06:36

He sounds horrible. I'd pack his bag for him.

Personally, I think you don't realise it now but your life will be so much happier without him.

Ilovemeggy38 · 17/12/2024 06:37

What are your actual boundaries OP?
I had mine, and they kept creeping over the years,
Finally I had mine exploded,he fucked another exciting woman.
Except she wasn't eventually, he realised she was just another symptom, the drinking, the benders, he was shit scared of getting "old"
He , like you didn't want to marry me, it was in his mind being tied down, not his thing.
Now I don't want to marry him, these men give you the ick eventually, you realise you are so, so much better than them.
You will get there OP🙏

Miserable123455 · 17/12/2024 06:40

Here2talk · 17/12/2024 06:36

He sounds horrible. I'd pack his bag for him.

Personally, I think you don't realise it now but your life will be so much happier without him.

When the time is right I absolutely will be packing his bags but for now with it being so close to Christmas, our first Christmas without my dad with us - I just can’t do that to my son or my mum.

i want Christmas to be special for them both. My partner is a vegetarian and I usually make him something special instead of turkey.. can’t wait to see his face when he has absolutely nothing this year.!!!

OP posts:
marshmallowbum · 17/12/2024 06:44

OP it's likely he is waiting for the GCSEs to be over before he leaves too.

So I understand why you need to wait to leave but you MUST get your ducks in a row now.

Also google Grey Rock. Works a treat with narcissists.

I'm in peri too and coil didn't help - the only thing that did was bioidentical HRT. If you still get symptoms maybe talk to your GP.

Just focus on Xmas 2025 - how different it will be and how free from him you will be.

Miserable123455 · 17/12/2024 06:48

Ilovemeggy38 · 17/12/2024 06:37

What are your actual boundaries OP?
I had mine, and they kept creeping over the years,
Finally I had mine exploded,he fucked another exciting woman.
Except she wasn't eventually, he realised she was just another symptom, the drinking, the benders, he was shit scared of getting "old"
He , like you didn't want to marry me, it was in his mind being tied down, not his thing.
Now I don't want to marry him, these men give you the ick eventually, you realise you are so, so much better than them.
You will get there OP🙏

He absolutely is giving me the ick now!!
He said marriage has nothing to do with love and is just some people do. He has refused to accept or understand that it is also a legal contract.

I could have stood my ground but at the time I had a beautiful baby girl and she was my priority. He was on the surface of it a perfect dad, he would take care of them all brilliantly and people would think he was amazing.. taking the three of them swimming normal dad stuff I guess.

All I wanted was for him to accept that this binge drinking, clubbing wasn’t normal - it was a problem. I don’t ask for much, I want a peaceful and simple life.

yesterday I asked would he be ok if our son walked home along a road and he got picked up by the police, he said he’s a child.. he’s like that all the time coming back with ridiculous answers, he can’t justify what he does but he still won’t accept it’s wrong. He said I wasn’t drink then the police just drove past and offered me a lift. He’s completely deluded and I can’t discuss or argue anything with him.

OP posts:
Ilovemeggy38 · 17/12/2024 06:51

Just do what is okay for you and your children love, don't give him any thoughts whatsoever..
I know it's hard when you have been the one to keep your relationship going.
Just think about me, I laid on a beautiful spread, full-on Christmas dinner for him and his family, he eat then proceeded to make an excuse to meet his friend but was actually meeting his shag. In car park layby. Fucking horrendous,she left her two young children on Christmas day as well. It's what they do to justify and keep the idea of they are special and young, they deserve it.

Ilovemeggy38 · 17/12/2024 06:54

I'm not saying he is at that place yet but everything you have said points to it. Be aware.

Miserable123455 · 17/12/2024 06:54

I think I could have even accepted the clubbing, raves, trips to Ibiza IF I felt that we had a happy and secure relationship BUT we don’t and that’s the bottom line.

I can feel he’s checked out, he doesn’t like me. He’s stayed after Ibiza for reasons other than me. But now I can see that and I’m ready to let him go. After a week living with his mum and her dog that barks at him specifically from the moment he walks through the door, he’ll soon realise the grass isn’t greener. By then I’ll also be checked out, financially and emotionally stronger and 50 and ready to start living again!!

OP posts:
Miserable123455 · 17/12/2024 06:57

Ilovemeggy38 · 17/12/2024 06:51

Just do what is okay for you and your children love, don't give him any thoughts whatsoever..
I know it's hard when you have been the one to keep your relationship going.
Just think about me, I laid on a beautiful spread, full-on Christmas dinner for him and his family, he eat then proceeded to make an excuse to meet his friend but was actually meeting his shag. In car park layby. Fucking horrendous,she left her two young children on Christmas day as well. It's what they do to justify and keep the idea of they are special and young, they deserve it.

What an absolute twat!! I will be aware - thank you!

I don’t know how he could be so sure he wouldn’t have encounters with other women when he gets so wasted he wouldn’t even remember.

OP posts:
Ilovemeggy38 · 17/12/2024 06:58

Dogs know 🙏he's not a nice person.

Miserable123455 · 17/12/2024 06:59

Ilovemeggy38 · 17/12/2024 06:58

Dogs know 🙏he's not a nice person.

Yeah, that’s what I thought too. Our dog likes him though. Damn it! 😆

OP posts:
Tubetrain · 17/12/2024 07:01

FFS why do women have such low standards. why haven't you left years ago?

Ilovemeggy38 · 17/12/2024 07:03

You and your doggo and your kids will be just fine OP, honestly think about you and your children. You have got this x