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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 says he’s not going to ‘pander’ to me anymore

351 replies

Potentialfuturemother · 16/05/2025 22:41

So for a bit of background, we’ve been together for 12 years and are getting married this summer. We are both nearly 32 and are planning on having children next year. I am overall very happy in the relationship and love him very much. However the last few days we’ve had a couple of rows and the way he’s dealt with them is very different to usual. Everyone argues ofc and normally they’re two sided affairs. But the last two we’ve had it feels like he’s almost trying to stamp out my opinion. Today we disagreed about something he said (he tried to blame me for the dog hurting himself and getting a limp on a walk which I thought was outrageous) so I got annoyed and argued my point. He then came out with this narrative that from now on he’s not going to pander to me, that he said nothing wrong and that he’s going to be firmer from now on. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing, he was speaking like I was a child. I’ve tried not to exacerbate the row and just let it be for now as he does sometimes get in weird tired moods and he’s had a very busy week at work. But I’m basically wondering if anyone else has experienced this and where this idea could be coming from.

OP posts:
RedRock41 · 27/05/2025 06:48

WayneEyre · 16/05/2025 23:07

What was the full story with the dog? Why did he blame you, for what, what was your reaction, and what does he mean about 'pandering to you'? What do you think has happened here? What would his version of events be?

Good point. There is a chance (none of us know the full story) that he maybe has felt that his voice and views have been diminished for a long time - maybe before he’s deferred to OP and this was his (poor) had enough of that reaction. Maybe for an easy life he usually just agrees or goes along with it.

Some folk can be an unstoppable force in bickering moments, not saying that’s you OP but hard to reconcile both positions (a) he’s otherwise great 99% of the time so nothing to see here - so not him - with (b) he said this for no reason, out of nowhere but also - not me. I was in the ‘right’. Worth reflecting if your own tone or part also not great.

‘Weird tired moods’ would indicate also he’s not as happy as OP with the general status quo at least for some of the time.

Communication is key to marriage. Both should be putting in the work now to get to the root of this and find a better way going forward. Sadly many LTRs don’t last and break up shortly before or shortly after marriage as decline been slow, blindsiding the other. Whether that applies here time will tell.

For now, don’t blame you feeling upset OP - but (and as I say none of us were there) do notice too you seem to also not pander to and outright dismiss his POV as also being not worthy of any regard:

he tried to blame me for the dog hurting himself and getting a limp on a walk which I thought was outrageous

Guess trying to say it matters not what the row is, if there is a future in it the key be finding a way you both feel heard and respected (communication). Fighting to be right when you are on the same Team causes no end of issues once the ring is on. If either or both of you aren’t willing to get in the trenches to do that, is there really a proper commitment?

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