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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

Is it mean to not cook for Stepson after Relationship breakdown?

182 replies

JennaSays84 · 27/01/2025 17:50

Hi all,

This is my first post here but posting because I’m in a difficult situation and not sure if what I’m planning on doing is mean, but I’ve reached my limits.

I’ve been in my relationship for 6 years now which has been verbally and emotionally abusive from about 2 years in. Some physical in the beginning too. He has tried to change but I’m finding it hard to stay in the relationship because he says sorry but carries on. I get called names, nothing as bad as it used to be but I still get snapped at and punished for pulling him up on it. He likes to bang his fists about a lot and shout and swear too.

Last week for example I told him I really wasn’t happy with the way he’s just spoken to me again, can’t remember exactly what it was but think he called me a retard. He went and slept on the floor in the living room, I tried to speak to him but he told me to shut up and get out. Then text me each day from work saying he loves me and wants things to work etc. I’ve made with clear he only means it if he stops but it happens most days and the way things are I can’t see things getting back to good again. So now this has gone on for a week and a half, him sleeping away from me, I think he’s trying to punish me because he says it’s all my fault things are like this.

Lastnight he shouted at me because he’d had a drink, I picked him up from the pub like he asked and I was sat outside waiting for 10 mins when I told him I needed to back quickly. So he ranted at me, slammed my car door really loud and told me leave his dinner (I’d been hanging on for him to get home so I could finish cooking). He told me to leave his uncooked dinner on the side because he doesn’t want me to do anything for him. I knew he was ‘starving’ because he’d told me, normally I’d still cook for him as I always do, still caring and cooking for him and his son no matter how he speaks to me. But lastnight, I thought why should I. He’d already locked himself away in his man cave ignoring me, so I did mine and the children’s, left his on the side. Petty I know, but I’d reached my limit after he’d spoken to me like dirt in front of his son. Well he’s not spoken a word to me since, not looked at me, nothing.

I’ve started looking for my own place for me and my kids.

I do most things in the house as well as working full time, cooking, cleaning washing. I cook separately for his son as he has hobbies late til gone 7pm. I get up early to make sure he’s ready for school, iron uniform and do his packed lunches. I feel really taken advantage of, even though he says I used him ( he was in a much better paying job than me in the beginning) but isn’t now, he’s using this as the reason I’m leaving, which isn’t true, it’s because I’ve had enough of the emotional abuse.

But I’ve decided I won’t be cooking dinner for us together regardless like I usually do, I’ll make myself a sandwich or something. But he will call me all kinds if I don’t make his sons, but make my own kids dinner. I’d do them all together but my kids eat hours earlier due to him not being home too gone 7. I just feel like why can’t he do it? Is it mean if I stop cooking for his son, stop doing his packed lunch and ironing his uniform til I leave? I’ve no vendetta at all, it’s just I’m exhausted, feel so down and struggling through the sadness I feel and need him to know I will be leaving and it’s something he’s now going to have to take charge of from now on.

OP posts:
Elsvieta · 28/01/2025 07:15

Hmm. . . I've got a feeling that once you've left and he has to go back to looking after his son himself, he'll decide that he doesn't want him 5 days after all. DSS will be back to spending more time with his DM. So this could be the best thing for him too.

ThatRareUmberJoker · 28/01/2025 08:23

Your self esteem is shattered by this man. You can't tell him to dish up food for his son without him having a go. If it was me I would have went nuclear on him. Men like this are selective with the women they choose to be with. If you was confident and stood up for yourself and said what you mean and did what you said I doubt he would be with you. You have to change that part of you. Once you've gone your SS will be back at his mum's on 50 50 terms.

Go back to your childhood what was your mum and dad like, and how did they treat you. A healthy relationship is when you can say no or have a discussion. Was there shouting in your house was your mum not very confident. We take a lot from our parents they are our first teachers.

JennaSays84 · 28/01/2025 09:00

Its as though my blinkers have come off and I can’t unsee what’s happened and how much he’s gradually chipped away at me and the awful times he’s put me through. I stood up for myself last week and he’s punished me by sleeping elsewhere and ignoring me, but actually it’s been the most peace I’ve had in ages. I feel guilty he’s not having a good sleep on the floor but he’s chosen to sleep there to make me feel bad again.

My mum was abusive and drank herself to death. We were all neglected. Stepdad was awful. Lots of shouting. Says a lot doesn’t it. I love my kids more than anything, I carry so much guilt everyday for the situation I’ve gotten us all into, I didn’t see it coming. Like I say, things aren’t as bad now but when they were, I was trapped with no where to go. I’ve been saving to leave ever since. I could never have seen it from the beginning but all I can do is try my best to get out of here and start again and hope they forgive me.

OP posts:
Nantescalling · 28/01/2025 09:10

How can you feel guilty? You didn't have a crystal ball and nobody could have predicted the way he would turn out. When someone is ranting at me, I have a system. See what you think : I just stare back but imagine them standing there buck naked, pot bellied apart from long socks and beach sandals with filthy toe nails, sweating profusely and smelling vile.

Give it a shot. Nothing to lose!

origamitiger · 28/01/2025 09:14

oakleaffy · 27/01/2025 20:03

Leaving one child hungry while you and your children stuff their faces is really mean and unlikely to improve stepson's behaviour.

Do you have wider issues with food? Nothing the OP has said indicates her and her kids are ‘stuffing their faces’.

JennaSays84 · 28/01/2025 09:14

That’s really made me laugh, will definitely give that a go 🤣

OP posts:
sprigatito · 28/01/2025 09:16

You're in an abusive relationship, and your children are living in a toxic environment. Rather than getting into a cycle of playing mind games via the children - which is what you are proposing - I think you should be planning to leave.

JennaSays84 · 28/01/2025 09:18

oakleaffy · 27/01/2025 20:03

Leaving one child hungry while you and your children stuff their faces is really mean and unlikely to improve stepson's behaviour.

My stepsons behaviour is fine, we aren’t stuffing our faces either, stepson won’t go hungry, I’m not sure you’ve read everything.

OP posts:
fruitbrewhaha · 28/01/2025 09:30

Fingers crossed for the viewing today OP.

Im wondering if without you on the scene your SS will end up living more back at his mother’s house.

PP are right about making a hot pot of something SS can have something of later. Poor kid, he has a total arse for a father.

Good luck with getting out of there.

Ceecee2422 · 28/01/2025 09:59

Elsvieta · 28/01/2025 07:15

Hmm. . . I've got a feeling that once you've left and he has to go back to looking after his son himself, he'll decide that he doesn't want him 5 days after all. DSS will be back to spending more time with his DM. So this could be the best thing for him too.

I thought the exact same…….

Unicorny244 · 28/01/2025 10:39

No, I’m sorry you’re punishing this child because of his dads terrible treatment of you- having to plate up one extra meal is not an extra thing to do. You’re understandably at your wits end but you just need to leave this man and don’t use his or your children as any kind of emotional manipulation. That is the right and adult thing to do.

ScaredOfDinosaurs · 28/01/2025 10:46

JennaSays84 · 27/01/2025 18:20

You’re right, I’ll carry on. Things have been this way for months and I’ve carried on looking after him regardless. Just feeling particularly low today and something has to give .

He wouldn’t leave him without, I’d get made to feel awful though and abuse for it. I’ll carry on as normal. Just made his packed lunch too. Mine get lunch at school. Sorry, this sounds really silly and petty now, I know. The way I was looking at it was…he has 2 biological parents. I do everything for him…I can’t do much right though, but yes I’m looking for the easy way out by not doing dinner, just feel like I’m having the mick taken out of me, you know?

Wtf why are you caving in? Inform his dad that it's his issue to feed his son. The end.

You should not be acting as a skivvy to this awful man, he can feed his own child.

Ceecee2422 · 28/01/2025 10:52

Unicorny244 · 28/01/2025 10:39

No, I’m sorry you’re punishing this child because of his dads terrible treatment of you- having to plate up one extra meal is not an extra thing to do. You’re understandably at your wits end but you just need to leave this man and don’t use his or your children as any kind of emotional manipulation. That is the right and adult thing to do.

I think you need to read the post properly……….

Unicorny244 · 28/01/2025 11:15

Don’t worry- I did.

OP needs to forget about the moot point of feeding or not feeding her stepson (she has had surely at least some parental responsibility for him for 6 years they’ve been together as that is how blended families work??)- A plate of leftovers is absolutely fine.
It’s really an irrelevance, unnecessarily exclusive of the SS and she just needs to leave the kids out of it and move out ASAP.

Unexpectedlysinglemum · 28/01/2025 11:48

I think he sounds like a dangerous abusive man. I wouldn't provoke him and would keep everything the same and as light as possible until I had my ducks in a row to leave. Talk to a lawyer if you own property together and a dv charity to help you make a safe plan.
I would probably still feed the step child but low effort eg heat up what your kids had earlier

WoolySnail · 28/01/2025 12:45

Unicorny244 · 28/01/2025 11:15

Don’t worry- I did.

OP needs to forget about the moot point of feeding or not feeding her stepson (she has had surely at least some parental responsibility for him for 6 years they’ve been together as that is how blended families work??)- A plate of leftovers is absolutely fine.
It’s really an irrelevance, unnecessarily exclusive of the SS and she just needs to leave the kids out of it and move out ASAP.

Father won't allow her to make a meal and ss have a plate of leftovers warmed up though.

ThatRareUmberJoker · 28/01/2025 13:14

Fingers crossed you have a smooth move with your children. You do not deserve that treatment. He slept on the floor good he should be on top of rocks he's lucky.

Consider watching the film Nil By Mouth it's about addiction and abuse it's a powerful film. There is some books you can read to help you heal one of them is called Rescuing the "Inner Child" by Penny Parks, and Breaking Free of the Codependency Trap by Barry K Weinhold and Intercourse by Andrea Dworkin.

Good luck op

Ceecee2422 · 28/01/2025 13:46

Unicorny244 · 28/01/2025 11:15

Don’t worry- I did.

OP needs to forget about the moot point of feeding or not feeding her stepson (she has had surely at least some parental responsibility for him for 6 years they’ve been together as that is how blended families work??)- A plate of leftovers is absolutely fine.
It’s really an irrelevance, unnecessarily exclusive of the SS and she just needs to leave the kids out of it and move out ASAP.

You clearly didn’t as she has stated she has no problem making him a plate of food but the father will not allow it to be heated up later………she should not be made to start cooking twice in an evening because of the man’s coercive control so like I said read the post properly……….

mollyfolk · 28/01/2025 15:33

I'd keep everything the same while making plans to move out. He is controlling you by insisting you cook a fresh dinner ect.... He's using his son as a tool to manipulate and control you. You can't see the wood for the trees anymore.

Hope you get out safe soon

WoolySnail · 28/01/2025 16:06

How did the viewing go op?good I hope 😊xx

fashionqueen0123 · 28/01/2025 17:39

JennaSays84 · 28/01/2025 06:53

Thanks for all of the replies. He is home straight from school and could eat before he goes which is what I used to do with my son when he had his swimming, but his dad said he doesn’t want him running on a full stomach. They all used to eat together but his dads signed him up to be out of the house 3x a week which has put the timings out for us all. And so that he can have more control over him, because some of these days were his mums but he’s told her she’s not allowed to take him because she’s ’useless’, she isn’t useless by the way. Hes gone from being with us for 3 nights to 5, which I don’t mind at all but it doesn’t seem right on ss mum. She seemed upset at first but now just gets on with it. He told me his aim is to have him full time. It isn’t right at all.

Just wanted to say, I wasn’t thinking of doing that as punishment or to take it out on my ss as others have said, it’s about what’s right and what’s wrong, my dp should be doing this for him anyway. He’s abusive to me but not his son, he wouldn’t go hungry. Just seems silly that I wait in the kitchen for him to come home to plate his tea up when his dads capable, but I’m that worried about setting him off and being seen as ‘mean’ that I go above and beyond everyday. He knows he’s got me where he wants me. I’m up at 6 each day, getting all the kids ready, drop offs, working an 8 hour day, doing school pick up on my ‘late’ lunch that I use to pick him up from school, home, dinners, homework. I have a daughter with additional needs which takes up a lot of my time and energy.

Im not abusive and not a cruel person at all, just expecting his dad to do something for him to take the load from me. I think I posted because I doubt myself all the time.

Thanks for all of the helpful replies, like I said, I will be leaving as soon as I find somewhere, I’m hoping my viewing goes well later

Edited

Sounds like the mum could do with a friendly ear too. Are you in content with her? Maybe she’d be a good friend!

TinyMouseTheatre · 28/01/2025 18:35

Hope your viewing has gone well today @JennaSays84

JennaSays84 · 28/01/2025 20:13

Thank you….it was nice…,a lot smaller, and more money than what this house is, so expensive for what it is, but I guess it’s that way everywhere now. I’m not sure if the small room is big enough for my sons bed so going to measure up and figure it out and do another search and see if there’s anywhere else I can view that might be cheaper and slightly bigger.. but don’t want to hang about for too long x

OP posts:
JennaSays84 · 28/01/2025 20:15

fashionqueen0123 · 28/01/2025 17:39

Sounds like the mum could do with a friendly ear too. Are you in content with her? Maybe she’d be a good friend!

Only to chat to quickly about the basics at drop off, but yes she does seem nice enough

OP posts:
SaveMeFromMyBoobs · 28/01/2025 20:36

fashionqueen0123 · 28/01/2025 17:39

Sounds like the mum could do with a friendly ear too. Are you in content with her? Maybe she’d be a good friend!

Opposite to be honest. She's still just accepting her ex's behaviour. She isn't fighting to free her son of his influence.

She may well continue to do as he says and any information OP gives her can backfire. I'd stay well clear bar basic welfare concerns.

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