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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

Handhold needed - think we're over

227 replies

heartbrokenlost · 25/02/2025 22:44

Just had a big argument with DP. We just cannot see eye to eye on our relationship at all. We have 2 kids and I'm just so lost as to what to do next. In my heart I know we're not right for eachother and I could be happier elsewhere but I am so scared of the implications/finances etc of splitting.

I need to try and sleep and see if we can talk calmly in the morning but honestly I think this is it.

OP posts:
Nettleskeins · 26/02/2025 10:48

I would take everything he says with a massive pinch of salt. He knows you want to appease him and make the marriage work - because you believe that is the 'right" thing to do - for the kids. So he is going to use that against you. He is not a good father at the moment and he certainly won't want to the kids 50/50 except to punish you. And what does that tell you about your relationship and what you are exposing the kids to..that he dares to threaten you if you were to break up...does that make any sense - to dare THREATEN someone with CONSEQUENCES if that person wants to break up?
Asking for changes, as you are doing, isn't a threat - it's a cry for help, which someone who loved and respected you would acknowledge, an attempt to get him to listen, which is a perfectly reasonable step to take before you consider.
He may perceive you as threatening HIM but somewhere along the line he has created a false narrative for the situation you are in.

An intolerable narrative. You should not tolerate it.

heartbrokenlost · 26/02/2025 10:50

Velvian · 26/02/2025 10:30

What us the point of him @heartbrokenlost ? What does he think he brings to the table?

money. although he doesn't like to share 'his' money with me 😁

we booked our summer holiday recently and he decided i should pay half. i explained i cant afford to, and if thats the case we would need to hold off booking. i said i could contribute a third (proportionate to our income and available cash) - and he begrudgingly accepted and has since pointed out multiple times that im 'barely even covering the cost of myself to go on holiday'

he also has a cushty pension, i do not, and am trying to put every spare penny into that, but he seems to think that my spare cash should go towards reducing his expenditure rather than my own financial security.

didnt even want to mention the pensions as the more i share the more crazy i feel/seem for staying here for so long tbh.

OP posts:
BustyLaRoux · 26/02/2025 10:51

heartbrokenlost · 26/02/2025 08:44

Thank you! Hearing other stories really is helping me realise I am not alone, many have walked this path and that shows so can I.

DP will empty the bin, but categorically refuses to replace the bin bag afterwards because ‘inside job’ and so will happily pile rubbish next to it until I cave and put a bag in. Honestly it’d take 20 seconds to pop a fresh liner in!

Of course it would. And he knows that. He doesn’t really think it’s your job, but he knows you’ll cave in and do it!

Do you know I spent years (two decades nearly) just trying to make my ex see reason. I kept saying to myself “surely if I could just make him see how unreasonable it is to refuse to do all this stuff that so patently should be split equally…” and I tried and tried and tried in vain. Because he did know. The problem wasn’t that he genuinely thought these were my jobs. Of course he knew it was unreasonable. The problem was that that he didn’t want to do those things so would refuse to engage in a conversation about it. If he had, then he would be forced to say out loud that he expected me to do all that because he preferred not to and knew he could get away with it. And who’s going to admit that? No one!! So he derailed any attempt to discuss our imbalance by calling me abusive names, or saying he was a good dad or worked hard at his job, or saying when I gave him more sex then he would think about doing more…. Anything so as not to have to admit what we both knew. That he was a lazy pig who preferred his wife to do the grafting so he could sleep in and socialise and work on his body and relax in front of the TV. Such a life!!!!!

Eventually I gave up trying to make him see it. I accepted he could see it perfectly well but would never change. So I stopped wasting my energy trying to engage him in a conversation which would only leave me angry and frustrated. I just got on with it, as I always had, but without the arguments! I was happier. With less arguing I had more time to think positive thoughts and more energy for myself. But as I say, it left me time to consider what I wanted from life. And he wasn’t it!!

Your updates are awful. I promise you, you can do better than this man. He won’t change. He wants you to pay 50:50 even though he earns more? And do all the housework and childcare? And give him sex daily? And what do you get out of this…? What value does he think he adds to your life? Probably he has spent zero time thinking about that as he is a selfish pig who sees you as someone who is there to facilitate what he wants out of life and nothing more. This man isn’t your partner in life, and he never will be!

heartbrokenlost · 26/02/2025 10:51

@Lilactimes thank you for your lovely words

OP posts:
Lilactimes · 26/02/2025 10:52

heartbrokenlost · 26/02/2025 10:51

@Lilactimes thank you for your lovely words

That’s ok - you deserve it - seriously play that song tho … it’s a real feminist anthem and will give you strength. You have totally got this xx

Onemorecoffee77777 · 26/02/2025 10:55

Please get out now. I have been there and got out and wow it’s so much better!!!!!

So much of your post resonates, even the low support network and mum dying. And the sex pest - it totally isn’t normal and it’s in fact part of controlling abusive behaviour. As is the financial abuse, household chores falling on you, total selfish attitude but gaslighting it to be you being unreasonable. One stand out moment for me was alone in A&E with my sick toddler whilst he slept at home and didnt even text. Another was him coming home in bad mood and ranting at me randomly about me not buying him this expensive food supplement as part of food shop (which I funded despite earning less!) and when I said why didnt he just buy it he threatened to throw his dinner at me and my poor babies face as she couldn’t talk yet but knew the tone was bad. Times he sulked over not getting sex or blamed me if he was ‘too rough’’. I could go on… So many things like this where he put me in my place and I learnt to be quiet and do what he wanted but couldnt see at the time. He also would regularly throw it in my face that I didn’t have any close living family and was ‘alone’ and would never be happy as it was my personality.

It’s all abusive behaviour. But I couldnt see how bad it was till I left. Now it seems unimaginable that I put up with this and even blamed myself and questioned my sanity.
So please please leave. This will be a tough year - but it will be worth it!!! Go into survival mode now. Focus on managing your energy around the practical issues you will need to sort. Practically for me I had given myself a small nest egg that I used to buy my ex out and keep house. But I had offered to just get flat. I went from part to full time in work and found extra paid childcare. Financially this first year is tough. Get legal advice. Maintenance he will have to pay but yes he wil get out of it for few months. But it will go off previous tax returns if self employed so if he hides money it might be tricky but whatever he submits as taxable will be liable. I highly doubt he will go 50:50 as he sounds way too lazy! Mine certainly didn’t empty despite threats. Instead I’d be prepared for you to have children almost 100% initially. Get a routine going on cheap play centres, play dates with other mums etc to break up weekends for you. Get outside as much as possible, try do some exercise for your own MH, eat well when you can, take hot baths when you can, cut alcohol out 100% as it will only make you emotional, go bed some nights as early as children if tired. If you feel yourself feeling overwhelmed don’t suffer please go gp and get an antidepressant for 6-12 months as it will honestly help you manage by just boosting serotonin and energy and providing a buffer. Look into counselling - any free stuff from work? Use online forums like this to vent and share.

This all sounds awful I know! But honestly out the other side is amazing! I am happier than I’ve been ever in my life (I met my ex at 16!) as I feel much stronger and able to navigate myself to a healthy happy relationship - which I have. But I also feel free from fear of being alone. If my new partner was to leave I’d be sad but ok. If he ever treated me even 5% as bad as my ex he’d be given the boot. I am a happy mum and love being a mum now. I have made new friends who are lovely and did keep some of the old ones. There will be hard times of course as life is never smooth sailing but honestly it is better than a relationship like that.

So instead of trying to live in the eye of the storm of your relationship always scared to do the wrong thing and say no to him and face the wrath of the storm, put your head down and head off on your own path. It will feel like another storm initially but honestly out the other side is sunny blue skies! And there will never be a blue sky with him - you can’t change him.

But you can be happy too - and you honestly deserve it xxxx

snowmichael · 26/02/2025 10:58

Try to get an appointment (just you, to start) with Relate?
https://www.relate.org.uk/what-we-do/counselling/relationship-counselling

BeAzureAnt · 26/02/2025 10:59

heartbrokenlost · 26/02/2025 06:21

He says he won’t do it. He ‘could pay someone to come everyday and do it’

Ok, tell him to do that. He might be a bit surprised how much a full time nanny costs who also cleans every day.

DogRocket · 26/02/2025 11:10

heartbrokenlost · 25/02/2025 22:51

We've been together 8 years. We own the house (mortgage).

The main issues are sex, household, finances, parenting. Quite a lot if I think about it like that.

Financially, he earns more we split bills proportionately it's around 40/60 monthly expenses and then he will cover more of holiday cost. (he doesn't think this is fair - thinks it should be 50/50 despite his higher earnings). We both work full time.

Household - I do 95% of kids/house (I don't think this is fair as we both work full time). Said I'd happily do 50/50 finances if he picked up 50% of the house/kids - he said he absolutely will not.

Sex - he basically wants it everyday. I don't have the energy, 2-3 times week is enough. Makes me feel objectified and guilty if i say no to sex. Cannot wrap his head around the fact that id have more energy for it if i wasn't overworked/overwhelmed with my full time job and 95% of the kids/house - he doesn't think theres a link (i absolutely do!).

I don’t think he’s being very fair to you at all. Couple’s counselling is always an option but only if he is going to put 100% into it and be vulnerable as well. Sorry you’re going through this x

Buildingthefuture · 26/02/2025 11:11

If he thinks you doing everyone's washing only takes "5 minutes" then it will take him a mere 30 seconds to do his own won't it? Smile sweetly and tell him that. Down tools doing anything for him op and stop pandering to this Neanderthal!
Oh and tell him you don't want to go on holiday with his lazy, selfish arse. How much of a "holiday" will it be for you??

TipsyBlueOtter · 26/02/2025 11:13

So awful to read that it made me excited for how much better your future is going to be when you leave him. Find out as much as you can about how much he's earned for the last few years, just in case cough he isn't quite up to 50-50.

FormerlyPathologicallyHappy · 26/02/2025 11:17

Fail to see how it could get much worse and you’d get half his pension anyway.

OhCobblers · 26/02/2025 11:19

He's fucking awful OP - Get that divorce - you are 100% right too. I couldn't possibly stay with someone who treated me like that. What kind of relationship are your children seeing?

Dollydaydream100 · 26/02/2025 11:20

He knows what he's doing to you OP - he doesn't care. Men like this have utter contempt and dislike for their wives. He thinks you're a robot, a commodity to do all the housework, childcare and fulfil his sexual wants. They do not see women as equals.

He won't change - the laziness and misogyny is entrenched. Unfortunately it often doesn't come out full throttle until you've had children and they will not do what is required of them.

My guess is you'll tell him you want a divorce and when he sees you really mean it he'll promise to change etc. (he won't want to lose his servant and sex slave) he may even behave for a while. But he won't be able to keep it up.

And that's not even getting into the fact he expects you to pay equal when you don't earn as much as him. He's horrible.

OhCobblers · 26/02/2025 11:24

Sorry just read DP not DH - that makes it easier!

askmenow · 26/02/2025 11:31

“He’s still in his office, no calls or anything”
….then what is he doing??

I think you’d be surprised if you got a look at his computer.
Porn/gambling/Andrew Tate/ misogynistic drivel perpetuating women as users/second class citizens.
So he comes out of his hidey hole office demanding “rights”.
See this soo often now, the selfish entitled men whose family life isn’t enough

They've sown their seed, been validated in the eyes of their peers, and don’t want to put in the hard graft of raising their progeny.

ByQuaintAzureWasp · 26/02/2025 11:36

Two words for your husband ... selfish twat

MumWifeOther · 26/02/2025 11:43

heartbrokenlost · 26/02/2025 10:50

money. although he doesn't like to share 'his' money with me 😁

we booked our summer holiday recently and he decided i should pay half. i explained i cant afford to, and if thats the case we would need to hold off booking. i said i could contribute a third (proportionate to our income and available cash) - and he begrudgingly accepted and has since pointed out multiple times that im 'barely even covering the cost of myself to go on holiday'

he also has a cushty pension, i do not, and am trying to put every spare penny into that, but he seems to think that my spare cash should go towards reducing his expenditure rather than my own financial security.

didnt even want to mention the pensions as the more i share the more crazy i feel/seem for staying here for so long tbh.

This is so unattractive!! I cannot believe men like this exist. Really, you deserve so much better!!!! If he really believes all he needs to bring to the table is money, then there bloody better be a lot of it and he better be happy to share it. Otherwise, get your washing up gloves on and get the hoover out 🤢 Leave and set an example to your children. You don’t need him.

Nanny0gg · 26/02/2025 11:43

heartbrokenlost · 26/02/2025 06:29

This is where I’m so confused. He really uses this against me to a point I genuinely wonder if I’m wrong?

I just don’t have the energy for sex daily. Great example is what caused the argument last night:

I have a big presentation at work this week. I’m struggling to get it done, along with housework etc. I finished work earlier than him to pick up kids. He’s still in his office (at home we’re both remote) until around 645. He doesn’t have to be - he chooses to no calls or anything. I finished at 5, got the kids from after school club, made dinner, did a super quick tidy, got the kids in bed (he semi helps with bed time but actually makes it worse as he stands around on his phone in a strop). Once they’re asleep it’s gone half 8 and I get my laptop back out to continue working. I’m head down in this presentation when he ‘demands’ sex and then gets the huff when I don’t jump on top of him. I say demands because if he wants sex I can’t say no without either an argument or a guilt trip and a rubbish evening.

Oh, seriously

He is abusive.

Tell him to go and sulk somewhere else

And 'demanding' must make you shrivel up.

Ask him what pleasure he gets from sex with someone who doesn't want it? (There's a special name for that)

Namerequired · 26/02/2025 11:47

Crikeyalmighty · 25/02/2025 23:14

I'm afraid OP you aren't remotely crazy and this guy is destined to be very disappointed by relationships , as he seems to have reverted to 1955

Except he wants her to pay 50/50 also!
He has no respect for you op, he’s treating you as a belonging to do his bidding while still wanting you to pay for it. What would he do if you just opted out of everything like he has?

DemelzaandRoss · 26/02/2025 11:48

So sorry but your DP is selfish, uncaring & not suitable.
You will most definitely be 100% happier with yourself & the DC. Whilst you will be tired on your own, you won’t feel resentful or need to worry about having sex every night.
Try & seek legal advice, maybe take a day off work. Set yourself a target timeframe to free yourself of this relationship. Good Luck.

AnonymousBleep · 26/02/2025 11:50

He sounds like a blast from the past - apart from the part where he also wants you to contribute equally financially, as well as providing sex on tap and 100% of the domestic labour. It's almost hard to believe that men like this still exist.

But they very much do. Mumsnet has shown me this much! OP, you deserve so much better. Please extricate yourself from this selfish, miserable git and find the happy life that's out there for you.

Nanny0gg · 26/02/2025 11:51

heartbrokenlost · 26/02/2025 10:50

money. although he doesn't like to share 'his' money with me 😁

we booked our summer holiday recently and he decided i should pay half. i explained i cant afford to, and if thats the case we would need to hold off booking. i said i could contribute a third (proportionate to our income and available cash) - and he begrudgingly accepted and has since pointed out multiple times that im 'barely even covering the cost of myself to go on holiday'

he also has a cushty pension, i do not, and am trying to put every spare penny into that, but he seems to think that my spare cash should go towards reducing his expenditure rather than my own financial security.

didnt even want to mention the pensions as the more i share the more crazy i feel/seem for staying here for so long tbh.

Do not give him any money towards it

Hopefully you will have left him by then anyway

user1492757084 · 26/02/2025 11:52

What happens if you do not pick up the children and do their clubs etc?
Have you ever tried working at an office, cafe or library for a couple of afternoons per week and letting your husband know that he's the pick up and clubs man? The school will phone him when the kids are not picked up, surely.
You could work late and arrive home in time to tuck the kids in bed twice a week. Could not being available/visible be a way to insist that husband helps with childcare?
You work from home. Is that giving him more control over your time? He watches you leave early every day.

He is dreadful at pulling his weight.
He doesn't want to change and there in lies the problem.
Leaving him with force change.

MostlyHappyMummy · 26/02/2025 11:55

Would you consider cancelling the holiday? He won't go without you because he'd have to take care of the children which you know he won't do. So perhaps use some of the money you save to seek legal advice?

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