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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 me?

13 replies

GreatCyanRobin · 05/03/2025 03:47

My partner has been with me for over 20 years. We have adult / teens and a 7 years old. One adult is disabled, who has autism, and many of thier own things going on. They are struggling, they have thier own children and partner and house. (I'm trying to not be specific as I don't want them to see) we have another young adult child who lives with us, they struggle with mental health, thats but thats another story. We have our other children. Anyway. Me and hubby work. Me from home for a supportive service and him from the office as senior management. The older children were brought up by him as well, but they aren't his biologically. Whereas the younger 3 are. The oldest has her own issues, we have supported her significantly for many years, she had one child who she struggled to have and manage but with support from the entire family she did it, with her health issues looming it was difficult for her. We begged her not to have another baby for her health and we were wrung out from helping but because of her asd and her husband also being similar, they always said they'd have two kids and that's it! With ASD it's black and white and that's it. So for the past 2 years whilst working from home, I was up and down the hospital supporting her in her 2nd pregnancy(her hubby was at home with there oldest) my hubby was home with our children. I was working out of hours to keep my job, even sitting next to her at 2am, I was trying to balance my job, her, family, my marriage etc. However hed argue with me that "she can do it on her own and her husband should step up." (He was at home with the other baby). I felt stuck, exhausted and crying out for help but no one helped including me. What could I do? Ask my autistic adult child to go up to the hospital on her own as she was struggling not to feel the baby. Anyway. 9 hard months of her struggling, me not sleeping, me arguing every step of the way with her (over not going up to the hospital every 5 mins) whilst also at the same time arguing with my husband over "your family need you and your supporting her and shes just anxious or putting it on" my other child, and other adult children were safe, supported by me and him. And he told me that I'm ruining my job.(His words not there's they were always happy with work). I'm also arguing with the hospital as they are saying everythings OK with baby and they doubt she's not feeling her, then they say baby is small, too small. They drop all this on her and make her feel like she's over reacting. So fast forward to birth. I'm.not allowed in because they have this thing where if his mother can't go, then neither can I. I was sad but it's a choice for them as a married couple. I get a phone call she poorly after the birth and they need me. So I go and support them. Turns out baby was wrapped around the placenta, and right at the back and that's why they couldn't feel baby, added to how small she was, was why she'd had issues. We move on, I carry on working as normal dealing with my family, marriage and other adult child (whose mentally struggling) she lives with us. She has a partner whose she's been with for 3 plus years. They both work, until her mental health became so bad she couldn't and needed time to recover and find another job. They want there own place but it's expensive to rent and other than buying they have no way of moving. He lives with his parents. My husband dislikes people who arent our children staying over, often saying it makes him feel like he can't relax in his own home. Which I kind of understand. She stays at his house as much as possible but he also lives with his parents and they have rules. When her bfriend stays at ours I have to ask my husband, as I would always say yes as, me being brought up in a large family, it never bothers me about who stays, when etc. But my husband will more than often say no, even if my answer would be yes. So then, of course it's a no. Which I struggle with. If he says no, then it's no! Regardless of my feelings about it. Moving on. Our oldest begins to mentally struggle, her husband whose lost job after job because she needs him, has now stopped losing time off work and just has committed to being at work more as he's struggling with his MH. So guess who picks up the supporting of my daughter and grandchildren..me. ok so they are still at school but as of 3pm, giving me time to work, if I'm not taking them in. They are here until her husband finishes work. They are safe, happy and my daughter comes but just sits there either sleeping (she's ill and the pills make her very sleepy). Or not interested in anything die to her post natal depression soni end up parenting them, whilst working, managing dinner etc. I do this whilst also managing my life, other teen and 7 year old and work and house. Now the reason for my needing help/ advice apart from the above. Since under all this pressure, all this stress my husband walks in from.work at 6pm and is just moody, p off and sits there with a scowl, the mood towards everyone is palpable. Hes peed off that our older daughter is here with her kids, he can't relax until her husband takes her home at 6:30. So his moods are palpable. He's fuming most evenings when she's here, add to that, if the others bf wants to stay and I've dared to say yes on the odd occasion, then we have a row. Most days infact are spent avoiding his mood or annoyance. Well this mood has taken a turn to ignoring our oldest daughter, being "off" with our grandchildren also, because I apparently "put them before our family and he's trying to protect me and my health" i don't think that's the case, hows someone whoses like this help? His behaviours are unattractive and unhelpful. He's hyperaware of me buying something for my daughter and grandchild at the same time. Stating our grandchild isn't our child. So if I were to buy a tshirt, and hadn't bought our daughter one as she'd not wanted one, that's me choosing grandkids over the our children?! Then an argument ensues with him telling me how hard life is for us, how they should look after there own children and how our other adult child should just move out. Like she can snap her fingers and it's done. I spoke to him yesterday on the phone, told him I'd made a decision that my other daughters bf was staying due to him needed to be at this end of the county for a meeting at his work the next day. We don't see him, or hear him often. My husbands anger is enough to make me put the phone down to him at lunch. He accused me of not caring about his feelings, he's stressed because he can't relax in his own home. (With his kids, grandkids and a potential son in law whose not seen or heard) and I don't care. He then said " I don't trust him around our 7 year old as he's weird" no evidence just a feeling. I sat there and physically recoiled at the nonsense. Our 7-year-old is never alone with him, he's pleasant with her and he works with children so he's comfortable talking to all ages. I preface this with, I was abused as a child so I never and have never fully trusted any adult that's not related to me or I don't trust with our children, regardless if they are offended, I put my children first. She's never left with anyone apart from our other son in law in a pinch, or her grandmother. My husband sat and told me all these things, that he's struggling and I don't care.
I understand he's struggling but his behaviours don't help life. Coming in moody, being angry all the time. Being cold to our adult child and grandchildren. I'm struggling, he tells me he's trying to protect me from the stress when hes adding to it. He doesnt want to hear thatbhe is a problem. I feel that if mom can't help you when you're low, who can you turn too? Especially when your disabled and need it! Yes she mostly needs a lot of support, but I manage it. I'm stressed, disgusted in my husbands behaviour, I feel he's being selfish as he always adds to stress. He's not supportive just an added problem on my never ending list of problems. I'm worried our marriage is suffering and due to his behaviour, his current "I'm stressed when I get home" and " I put others before me, him and our 7 year old" stance. (Our 7 year old is very looked after being the baby) He calls our oldest a bad mother she's not, she's struggling. I'm feeling I can't do anything right for anyone, I help I'm.in trouble, I don't help it's adding a problem I'm going to have to wade into in the future. I'm not sleeping, I'm trying to keep it all together and work and be mum and wife but I'm currently failing. I am starting to hate my husband and resent him. Forgive the grammer its 3am for. Me. Thoughts?

OP posts:
Ddakji · 05/03/2025 07:52

If you want some answers you need to shorten that considerably and put in some paragraphs, I gave up about a third in.

MiddleAgedDread · 05/03/2025 08:00

Ddakji · 05/03/2025 07:52

If you want some answers you need to shorten that considerably and put in some paragraphs, I gave up about a third in.

You got further than me!!

category12 · 05/03/2025 08:10

So you have 5 children and a husband.

2 adult kids:
-one of whom is ND and doesn't live with you but needs lots of support and has 2 children of her own.
-the other adult child lives with you and has MH issues and a boyfriend who she wants to stay sometimes.

Neither of the adult kids are your husband's.

The 3 younger kids are his.

Your husband is resentful of the time and energy you spend on your adult kids and kicks off about the boyfriend visiting.

You're starting to resent him for making your life more difficult and you want to have more of a say about who stays instead of having to negotiate his moods.

category12 · 05/03/2025 08:13

He also calls your dd a bad mum.

Actually maybe the adult child still living with you is also his?

Sorry.

category12 · 05/03/2025 08:17

I'm not sure how to advise. It sounds like you're under extreme pressure as a mum and partner.

It's difficult to know if he's just not coping well and is handling things badly or if he is a dick.

Maitri108 · 05/03/2025 08:30

Sorry you're feeling overwhelmed OP.

I'm also a bit confused. One thing that stood out for me is that you don't allow your husband alone with his 7 year old and never have. You think he's going to molest her. Is that correct?

Your daughter is an adult and though I know she's ND, she needs to learn strategies to cope or you'll be at her beck and call all your life.

There may be support available in her area, Gingerbread and the Autistic Society may have information on support available to her and her husband.

What help is your daughter with MH issues getting for her condition? Again, if she's leaning heavily on you for support, she'll never be independent. Spare room.com is a website with flats/houses with spare rooms her and her partner can use.

Your husband shouldn't be moody, demanding and domineering. However it sounds like you're running yourself ragged and are barely there.

I can't work out if he's abusive or just trying to enforce boundaries.

category12 · 05/03/2025 08:40

@Maitri108 I don't think it's her husband that's never left with the 7 year old.

I think the husband has argued that the adult dds boyfriend could be a risk to the 7 year old as a reason for not letting him stay over. And OP was just explaining that the boyfriend is never left alone with her.

OkayLetMeKnowHowItGoes · 05/03/2025 08:54

It sounds like he is becoming resentful at being at the bottom of the priority pile. He’s coming home from work to a chaotic household with grandchildren there everyday. When was the last time it was just your immediate family together?

It also reads as if you are taking on more of the parenting of your grandchildren than you can cope with. You seem to be burning the candle at both ends, and in the middle, and microwaving it at the same time. You need to find time to yourself otherwise you will break down.

PussInBin20 · 05/03/2025 09:09

Tbh I think he’s got a point.

You’re doing way too much for your adult DD and her kids - how are you ever going to be able to step back and make her independent if you are always there doing it all? It’s not sustainable.

It’s also his home too and if he doesn’t want the other DDs boyfriend there I think that’s fair enough. Why should he come home after a day at work and have all this chaos around him. He probably just wants a bit of peace and for you to be less stressed.

I also think he’s got a point about the 7 yr old. How can you be giving her the attention she needs when you are doing it all for the others?

I bet he does feel bottom of the pile.

The older kids aren’t kids anymore and they need to learn to stand on their own two feet. You must be completely exhausted.

Or what’s the answer - you carry on as you are, he gets fed up and leaves you?

ErickBroch · 05/03/2025 09:18

I don't think you are wrong necessarily, you are a good parent who cares and does everything she can. Almost too much. I managed to read it all, and you are doing too much for your older children. I can understand why your husband feels this way, it sounds exhausting and frustrating. You need to work with him to look into support that your eldest can seek elsewhere. You cannot be doing this additional childcare for your grandchildren whilst trying to keep down your own job and look after your younger children. It's too much - you know it is.

unsync · 05/03/2025 09:27

That was quite difficult to follow, but where are you in all of this? Who is looking after you? I think you need to step back from the adults that do not live with you, especially the ones with a partner/partner's family.

You need to put yourself first. It seems selfish, but it's really not. If you go down, the ship goes down too if you are the only one that steers it. To use another well worn phrase, put your own oxygen mask on first.

its2025 · 05/03/2025 09:28

Your two adult children need to learn to stand on their own two feet. Especially the one with two children of their own.

Of course its normal to want to help out as a grandmother - but you also have young children of your own so you need to be realistic about putting the younger ones first and helping your adult children a bit less than you do now. Look into what support they can get via social services - charities aimed at their specific conditions or even just a GP if they need help with their mental health. All that does not have to land on your shoulders to sort out.

Your husband is probably a bit stressed out coming home to a busy noisy household and it sounds like he's maybe also feeling a bit neglected as your spending all your time helping everyone else. It's his house too - so if he doesn't want the boyfriend to stay that's his choice - perhaps you need to speak to him about an agreement on how many nights he can stay and get a routine so say BF stays every Friday - and no other time. Then at least your husband knows what to expect rather than having the BF stay unexpectedly.

GreatCyanRobin · 05/03/2025 12:48

GreatCyanRobin · 05/03/2025 03:47

My partner has been with me for over 20 years. We have adult / teens and a 7 years old. One adult is disabled, who has autism, and many of thier own things going on. They are struggling, they have thier own children and partner and house. (I'm trying to not be specific as I don't want them to see) we have another young adult child who lives with us, they struggle with mental health, thats but thats another story. We have our other children. Anyway. Me and hubby work. Me from home for a supportive service and him from the office as senior management. The older children were brought up by him as well, but they aren't his biologically. Whereas the younger 3 are. The oldest has her own issues, we have supported her significantly for many years, she had one child who she struggled to have and manage but with support from the entire family she did it, with her health issues looming it was difficult for her. We begged her not to have another baby for her health and we were wrung out from helping but because of her asd and her husband also being similar, they always said they'd have two kids and that's it! With ASD it's black and white and that's it. So for the past 2 years whilst working from home, I was up and down the hospital supporting her in her 2nd pregnancy(her hubby was at home with there oldest) my hubby was home with our children. I was working out of hours to keep my job, even sitting next to her at 2am, I was trying to balance my job, her, family, my marriage etc. However hed argue with me that "she can do it on her own and her husband should step up." (He was at home with the other baby). I felt stuck, exhausted and crying out for help but no one helped including me. What could I do? Ask my autistic adult child to go up to the hospital on her own as she was struggling not to feel the baby. Anyway. 9 hard months of her struggling, me not sleeping, me arguing every step of the way with her (over not going up to the hospital every 5 mins) whilst also at the same time arguing with my husband over "your family need you and your supporting her and shes just anxious or putting it on" my other child, and other adult children were safe, supported by me and him. And he told me that I'm ruining my job.(His words not there's they were always happy with work). I'm also arguing with the hospital as they are saying everythings OK with baby and they doubt she's not feeling her, then they say baby is small, too small. They drop all this on her and make her feel like she's over reacting. So fast forward to birth. I'm.not allowed in because they have this thing where if his mother can't go, then neither can I. I was sad but it's a choice for them as a married couple. I get a phone call she poorly after the birth and they need me. So I go and support them. Turns out baby was wrapped around the placenta, and right at the back and that's why they couldn't feel baby, added to how small she was, was why she'd had issues. We move on, I carry on working as normal dealing with my family, marriage and other adult child (whose mentally struggling) she lives with us. She has a partner whose she's been with for 3 plus years. They both work, until her mental health became so bad she couldn't and needed time to recover and find another job. They want there own place but it's expensive to rent and other than buying they have no way of moving. He lives with his parents. My husband dislikes people who arent our children staying over, often saying it makes him feel like he can't relax in his own home. Which I kind of understand. She stays at his house as much as possible but he also lives with his parents and they have rules. When her bfriend stays at ours I have to ask my husband, as I would always say yes as, me being brought up in a large family, it never bothers me about who stays, when etc. But my husband will more than often say no, even if my answer would be yes. So then, of course it's a no. Which I struggle with. If he says no, then it's no! Regardless of my feelings about it. Moving on. Our oldest begins to mentally struggle, her husband whose lost job after job because she needs him, has now stopped losing time off work and just has committed to being at work more as he's struggling with his MH. So guess who picks up the supporting of my daughter and grandchildren..me. ok so they are still at school but as of 3pm, giving me time to work, if I'm not taking them in. They are here until her husband finishes work. They are safe, happy and my daughter comes but just sits there either sleeping (she's ill and the pills make her very sleepy). Or not interested in anything die to her post natal depression soni end up parenting them, whilst working, managing dinner etc. I do this whilst also managing my life, other teen and 7 year old and work and house. Now the reason for my needing help/ advice apart from the above. Since under all this pressure, all this stress my husband walks in from.work at 6pm and is just moody, p off and sits there with a scowl, the mood towards everyone is palpable. Hes peed off that our older daughter is here with her kids, he can't relax until her husband takes her home at 6:30. So his moods are palpable. He's fuming most evenings when she's here, add to that, if the others bf wants to stay and I've dared to say yes on the odd occasion, then we have a row. Most days infact are spent avoiding his mood or annoyance. Well this mood has taken a turn to ignoring our oldest daughter, being "off" with our grandchildren also, because I apparently "put them before our family and he's trying to protect me and my health" i don't think that's the case, hows someone whoses like this help? His behaviours are unattractive and unhelpful. He's hyperaware of me buying something for my daughter and grandchild at the same time. Stating our grandchild isn't our child. So if I were to buy a tshirt, and hadn't bought our daughter one as she'd not wanted one, that's me choosing grandkids over the our children?! Then an argument ensues with him telling me how hard life is for us, how they should look after there own children and how our other adult child should just move out. Like she can snap her fingers and it's done. I spoke to him yesterday on the phone, told him I'd made a decision that my other daughters bf was staying due to him needed to be at this end of the county for a meeting at his work the next day. We don't see him, or hear him often. My husbands anger is enough to make me put the phone down to him at lunch. He accused me of not caring about his feelings, he's stressed because he can't relax in his own home. (With his kids, grandkids and a potential son in law whose not seen or heard) and I don't care. He then said " I don't trust him around our 7 year old as he's weird" no evidence just a feeling. I sat there and physically recoiled at the nonsense. Our 7-year-old is never alone with him, he's pleasant with her and he works with children so he's comfortable talking to all ages. I preface this with, I was abused as a child so I never and have never fully trusted any adult that's not related to me or I don't trust with our children, regardless if they are offended, I put my children first. She's never left with anyone apart from our other son in law in a pinch, or her grandmother. My husband sat and told me all these things, that he's struggling and I don't care.
I understand he's struggling but his behaviours don't help life. Coming in moody, being angry all the time. Being cold to our adult child and grandchildren. I'm struggling, he tells me he's trying to protect me from the stress when hes adding to it. He doesnt want to hear thatbhe is a problem. I feel that if mom can't help you when you're low, who can you turn too? Especially when your disabled and need it! Yes she mostly needs a lot of support, but I manage it. I'm stressed, disgusted in my husbands behaviour, I feel he's being selfish as he always adds to stress. He's not supportive just an added problem on my never ending list of problems. I'm worried our marriage is suffering and due to his behaviour, his current "I'm stressed when I get home" and " I put others before me, him and our 7 year old" stance. (Our 7 year old is very looked after being the baby) He calls our oldest a bad mother she's not, she's struggling. I'm feeling I can't do anything right for anyone, I help I'm.in trouble, I don't help it's adding a problem I'm going to have to wade into in the future. I'm not sleeping, I'm trying to keep it all together and work and be mum and wife but I'm currently failing. I am starting to hate my husband and resent him. Forgive the grammer its 3am for. Me. Thoughts?

Apologies, it was early and I can't edit this but here is a clearer picture.

My partner and I have been together for over 20 years. We have a mix of adult and teenage children, as well as a 7-year-old. One of our adult children is disabled and has autism, and they have their own family and house, which makes things challenging. Another young adult child, who lives with us, struggles with mental health issues.

Both my partner and I work— I work from home for a supportive service, while he works from the office as senior management. He helped raise the older children, although they are not biologically his, whereas the younger three are.

Our oldest daughter (25) has faced significant health issues, and we have supported her extensively. She struggled to have and manage her first child, but with family support, she made it through. Despite our concerns for her health and our exhaustion, she and her husband, both with ASD, decided to have a second child. For the past two years, I've been working from home and supporting her during her second pregnancy, balancing my job, family, and marriage. My partner often argued that she could manage on her own and that her husband should step up. This left me feeling stuck, exhausted, and without help.

During her pregnancy, we/ I faced numerous challenges, including arguments with my partner and the hospital about her condition. When she gave birth, I wasn't allowed in the room, but I was called to support her afterward. It turned out the baby was wrapped around the placenta, which caused the issues. I continued working and managing my family, marriage, and our other adult child who struggles with mental health.

So pur 25 year old daughter began struggling mentally, and I ended up supporting her and her children even more. They stay with us after school until her husband finishes work. My partner is often moody and upset when he comes home, making it difficult for everyone. He argues that I prioritize our grandchildren over our own children and feels stressed because he can't relax at home.

Our other daughter (21 year old) and her partner want their own place but can't afford it, so they live with us. My partner dislikes people staying over and feels like he can't relax in his own home. This often leads to arguments, especially when my daughter's boyfriend wants to stay.

My husband out of the blue stated he doesn't trust my daughter's boyfriend around our 7-year-old, despite there being no evidence to support his concerns. Our daughter isnt alone with amyone and certainly isn't alone with my daughter boyfriend. I love my husband but his behaviours only adds to my stress. His moodiness and anger are affecting me and inturn our family, and I'm worried about our marriage. I feel like I'm failing to keep everything together and resent my husband for not being more supportive. I'm exhausted and unsure how to handle the situation.

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