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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

I don’t think I can live with my partner anymore

100 replies

ThisElatedMintDreamer · 11/02/2025 15:12

Hello Mumsnetters!
Just looking for a little advice or a moan - not sure which.
I have been living with my partner for just over a year with my child from a previous relationship. However, as much as I love him I just don’t know if I can continue to live with him and I’m starting to get easily irritated.
A few reasons as to why:
He eats everything in sight, and will gorge on full packets of biscuits in one sitting. My child asked for a certain packet of biscuits in the weekly food shop, they’ve had one biscuit out of the pack and my partner has scoffed the rest. He barely ever contributes financially to the food shop, and when he lived on his own he would only buy food that he would need for that day eg a microwave meal.
He never puts lids back on anything, which means when I come to use the bubble bath/milk or any liquid they end up spilling everywhere.
He constantly rams clothes into the washing machine to the point that the door will barely close. He will then continue wash after wash to proudly announce the basket is empty but there is nowhere to dry the clothes, and the clothes that are dry he will just throw on the bed for me to sort.
He never washes dishes, but will fill the sink with cold water. This leaves me to get up on a morning and wash his dishes from the night before.
If there is packets of food in the fridge, he will just rip them open to use and then leave them open in the fridge. I’ve tried explaining that we have bag clips to seal things, or if he actually uses the ‘pull me’ tab they will restick but it falls on deaf ears.
He shaves/trims his beard and will just leave all his hairs everywhere.
He never cleans his toothbrush and there will be toothpaste all over the sink/mirror after he has brushed his teeth.
He drops and breaks everything, but will not pay to replace items.
He never closes the back door, and will happily leave it open all day if he has let the dog out.
He will put the heating on in the morning and leave it on all day, and falls asleep with the television on rather than turning it off when he knows he is tired but doesn’t pay towards the heating/electrical bill.
He has point blank said he refuses to learn how to drive, but expects me to be a taxi driver to him and his child when it is his days and never offers petrol.
He does pay half towards household bills (barring gas and electric) but that is where it stops. He won’t pay towards days out, the rare takeaway, or anything financial in the house (our fridge broke and I had to pay for a new one). He also never contributed to anything when we moved into our house eg paint, wallpaper.
He offers to help with housework, but it normally ends with me having to reclean his idea of clean.
Sorry it is a long post but I am at my wits end! No amount of sit down discussions seem to get through to him. Other than the above he is a lovely person, and is nothing but caring towards me and my child. However, I just feel as though since we have moved in together I’ve became a mother to him rather than his partner. He was a very capable adult when living on his own. I’m also pregnant, and I’m beginning to worry about the fact I’m going to have to deal with this behaviour and a child and a newborn. Does anyone have any advice on what I can do other than tell him we will have to live separately?

OP posts:
Bumblebeestiltskin · 11/02/2025 15:52

Is this a joke? WHY is he still there?

Sassybooklover · 11/02/2025 15:53

Why have you allowed this situation to continue for a year? And for the love of God, why on earth did you get pregnant by this man?! He's a freeloader, who treats you like an unpaid maid, driver and chef, with sex on tap thrown in! He treats you badly, there's no respect for you. If you think he's bad now, what do you think he will be like once the baby arrives?! You'll be doing the same as you are now, but it will be twice as hard as you'll have a newborn too. Does he not work? You need to sit him down and have a very honest and blunt conversation with him. You are not his Mum but his partner. He needs to be contributing financially, pulling his weight in the home, working and supporting you through your pregnancy. It's a case of shape up or ship out. If he can't behave like a responsible adult, then it's time for him to leave.

SoScarletItWas · 11/02/2025 15:53

MostlyHappyMummy · 11/02/2025 15:40

Mentioning the pregnancy at the end - good touch but made it even less believable

We have to hope it’s a joke, otherwise there is no hope for the future of womankind!

Sadly there’s plenty of evidence on MN to show the some women will put up with all shades of shit in order to have a man around.

DancingLions · 11/02/2025 15:54

If he's not paying for food or gas or electric, what bills is he actually paying half of?

Seriously, tell him to move out. You will be so much happier for it!

OlderGlaswegianLivingInDevon · 11/02/2025 15:58

'he is a lovely person,'
and we are having our first child together this year.

WifeImprovementWorksInProgress · 11/02/2025 15:58

I stopped reading after a few lines and skipped to the end to find the inevitable "and I'm pregnant" bit.

If this is real op, you need to sort yourself out.
There are men like this out there and they won't change, so don't subject your children to it.

Movinghouseatlast · 11/02/2025 16:02

Oh come on, you can do better than this idiot surely?

Why have you decided to have a child with him? Why?

NeedsMustNet · 11/02/2025 16:04

This person offers nothing better than soul-destroying contributions to our marriage and treats the home like a sty pigs would be ashamed to live in

…… but other than the above

he is a [great husband / awesome dad / lovely man / cracking guy / man I want to spend all my free time with].

I exaggerate only slightly for effect.

Why do we self-undermine like this? I am as guilty of it as you are.

He is not a good person for you to be with.

skippy67 · 11/02/2025 16:08

Bin him off. He's adding precisely nothing positive to your life.

ByQuaintAzureWasp · 11/02/2025 16:13

Too late was the cry! Why the he'll did you get pregnant with this scumbag?

You need to ask him to leave.

Try and make better life choices in future.

Zucker · 11/02/2025 16:17

FFS why are women living like this. Putting up with these pigmen and making do with the scraps they throw their way.

Throw him out, if you can't do it for yourself, do it for the kids FFS

TwistedWonder · 11/02/2025 16:20

Zucker · 11/02/2025 16:17

FFS why are women living like this. Putting up with these pigmen and making do with the scraps they throw their way.

Throw him out, if you can't do it for yourself, do it for the kids FFS

Agree. Even if you won’t kick him out for yourself OP, do you really want your kids growing up in a skanky household where daddy treats mummy like a skivvy and scrounges off of her?

MostlyHappyMummy · 11/02/2025 16:21

SoScarletItWas · 11/02/2025 15:53

We have to hope it’s a joke, otherwise there is no hope for the future of womankind!

Sadly there’s plenty of evidence on MN to show the some women will put up with all shades of shit in order to have a man around.

Sadly very true
whilst we can only blame men for their actions - women who condone or put up with these men aren't doing themselves any favours and they do it willingly

whatapalarva · 11/02/2025 16:23

Yep, righto 🙄

cheezncrackers · 11/02/2025 16:24

There genuinely is a very good reason why some people are single.

Time for you to reinstate his single status OP.

cheezncrackers · 11/02/2025 16:25

And why oh why did you get pregnant by this pathetic excuse for a human being? Now you'll be tied to him and his fuckwittery forever 🙄

ThatEllie · 11/02/2025 16:26

At the risk of being insensitive… er, is it too late for you to not be pregnant by him? Because being trapped into a lifetime of dealing with this nonfunctional male creature is going to grind you down and have a detrimental impact on your children.

Huckyfell · 11/02/2025 16:28

Funny thing about the theory of evolution is that it starts with a monkey and ends with a developed man. I've always doubted it because we've still got monkeys but not the semi developed ones. This post has me thinking though, it sounds like you've landed with something between the monkey and man. He may have value to a zoo possibly?

oakleaffy · 11/02/2025 16:28

Please don’t say you are pregnant with this waster?

He’s hopelessly chaotic.

Kick his sorry arse out of your house and your children’s lives.

oakleaffy · 11/02/2025 16:32

NeedsMustNet · 11/02/2025 16:04

This person offers nothing better than soul-destroying contributions to our marriage and treats the home like a sty pigs would be ashamed to live in

…… but other than the above

he is a [great husband / awesome dad / lovely man / cracking guy / man I want to spend all my free time with].

I exaggerate only slightly for effect.

Why do we self-undermine like this? I am as guilty of it as you are.

He is not a good person for you to be with.

Have just seen an ACTUAL pig sty.
Immaculate-
Pigs poo away from where they sleep.

Pigs are far cleaner than this trampy man.

Bananalanacake · 11/02/2025 16:34

Wouldn't life be so much easier if you didn't Live with this lazy twat. As soon as he broke something of mine and didn't rush to replace it he'd be out the door. But then I don't date men who can't drive.

ChristmasRoses · 11/02/2025 16:42

Get rid. You won't regret it.

11JustBeKind11 · 11/02/2025 16:58

Stripeyanddotty · 11/02/2025 15:14

Why are you subjecting your child to this shit show????

How old is he???

Tell him to clean up his act or move out and live separately. Your home your rules and expect your home to be treated the way you do. Bad enough you cleaning, paying and ferrying him around never mind also his child and you are pregnant.

If he’s getting away with this now imagine how your relationship will be in 10 years.

You already have a child and one on the way to bring up, you don’t need another. He is supposed to be an adult partner to add to your life not be another child leaning on you.

To refuse to learn to drive what on earth is that about ? This guy screams pure Lazy.

All very well teaching eachother things and growing together as a couple but if he’s got no self respect to pay for himself, be clean and tidy, do the pure basics then how is he going to respect you and your kids.

If yoh paying for everything then at the least his should be doing all the cleaning and cooking!

11JustBeKind11 · 11/02/2025 17:02

ThisElatedMintDreamer · 11/02/2025 15:12

Hello Mumsnetters!
Just looking for a little advice or a moan - not sure which.
I have been living with my partner for just over a year with my child from a previous relationship. However, as much as I love him I just don’t know if I can continue to live with him and I’m starting to get easily irritated.
A few reasons as to why:
He eats everything in sight, and will gorge on full packets of biscuits in one sitting. My child asked for a certain packet of biscuits in the weekly food shop, they’ve had one biscuit out of the pack and my partner has scoffed the rest. He barely ever contributes financially to the food shop, and when he lived on his own he would only buy food that he would need for that day eg a microwave meal.
He never puts lids back on anything, which means when I come to use the bubble bath/milk or any liquid they end up spilling everywhere.
He constantly rams clothes into the washing machine to the point that the door will barely close. He will then continue wash after wash to proudly announce the basket is empty but there is nowhere to dry the clothes, and the clothes that are dry he will just throw on the bed for me to sort.
He never washes dishes, but will fill the sink with cold water. This leaves me to get up on a morning and wash his dishes from the night before.
If there is packets of food in the fridge, he will just rip them open to use and then leave them open in the fridge. I’ve tried explaining that we have bag clips to seal things, or if he actually uses the ‘pull me’ tab they will restick but it falls on deaf ears.
He shaves/trims his beard and will just leave all his hairs everywhere.
He never cleans his toothbrush and there will be toothpaste all over the sink/mirror after he has brushed his teeth.
He drops and breaks everything, but will not pay to replace items.
He never closes the back door, and will happily leave it open all day if he has let the dog out.
He will put the heating on in the morning and leave it on all day, and falls asleep with the television on rather than turning it off when he knows he is tired but doesn’t pay towards the heating/electrical bill.
He has point blank said he refuses to learn how to drive, but expects me to be a taxi driver to him and his child when it is his days and never offers petrol.
He does pay half towards household bills (barring gas and electric) but that is where it stops. He won’t pay towards days out, the rare takeaway, or anything financial in the house (our fridge broke and I had to pay for a new one). He also never contributed to anything when we moved into our house eg paint, wallpaper.
He offers to help with housework, but it normally ends with me having to reclean his idea of clean.
Sorry it is a long post but I am at my wits end! No amount of sit down discussions seem to get through to him. Other than the above he is a lovely person, and is nothing but caring towards me and my child. However, I just feel as though since we have moved in together I’ve became a mother to him rather than his partner. He was a very capable adult when living on his own. I’m also pregnant, and I’m beginning to worry about the fact I’m going to have to deal with this behaviour and a child and a newborn. Does anyone have any advice on what I can do other than tell him we will have to live separately?

How old is he???

Tell him to clean up his act or move out and live separately. Your home your rules and expect your home to be treated the way you do. Bad enough you cleaning, paying and ferrying him around never mind also his child and you are pregnant.

If he’s getting away with this now imagine how your relationship will be in 10 years.

You already have a child and one on the way to bring up, you don’t need another. He is supposed to be an adult partner to add to your life not be another child leaning on you.

To refuse to learn to drive what on earth is that about ? This guy screams pure Lazy.

All very well teaching eachother things and growing together as a couple but if he’s got no self respect to pay for himself, be clean and tidy, do the pure basics then how is he going to respect you and your kids.

If you paying for everything then at the least he should be doing all the cleaning and cooking!

11JustBeKind11 · 11/02/2025 17:05

Bumblebeestiltskin · 11/02/2025 15:52

Is this a joke? WHY is he still there?

I’m wondering if this is fake.

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