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Relationships

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Marriage when you’re just so grounded down

11 replies

Choicesgalore · 25/05/2026 22:40

This is going to be long. Sorry.

I love DH. He’s a great guy. He does have ADHD and that’s a bit of an issue in our relationship. Lots of ‘can you pack X’ <get to place> ‘oh fuck I didn’t pack X’. He hates it, he’s feels very frustrated and I try and be understanding. Most of the time I manage it, but I’ll be honest, there are times when (under my breath so the kids don’t hear) I go ‘oh ffs’. Like today: we went to a riverside pub and I asked him to bring the kids Crocs while I sorted the car, of course they werent in the car and were by the door when we got home.

We had a miscarriage 3 weeks ago; it’s really thrown me. We’ve had a shit year with him in in a precarious job situation. He’s fairly likely to be made redundant in the next month or two, but his executive disfunction is a factor and he’s more likely to be made redundant if it comes to him v anyone else. He was on a PIP for much of last year. After the miscarriage he said he didn’t want to carry on trying for a third. I’m sad about it, but I accept it takes two people to be pro for a baby to happen, so that’s done.

After the miscarriage he was awful and cold. Which is so not him. I was bleeding on the last bank holiday while I lost the baby and he went and played golf. He didn’t ask how I was at all and he didn’t answer his phone when I called. I was at home with the kids and losing the baby and he didn’t pick up. I’m finding thar hard to get past.

Mitigating factors - he’s genuinely, when happy, lovely. I think he’s depressed. I could have married some city guy who earned all the money but I didn’t want that: it’s what my mum picked and she was a sad SAHM. I thought having a caring partner and my own career would insulate me; I’m scared that all it means is I’m both the emotional anchor and the financial one. He’s ok for now in work but could lose his job at any point if the redundancy kicks in.

Another mitigation; our youngest is almost certainly ADHD too, too young for a diagnosis for another year but due to go to reception in September. He’s violent and has no impulse control and I’m terrified of what education will mean for him. Meanwhile our eldest is having to sit and watch a load of conflict with us and her brother.

We’ve spent the last week in a pattern: fine during the day, kids get to bed (eldest fine but the ADHD 4 yo has only just gone down) we start snipping at each other.

Is there any hope? I desperately want to stay married but we’re just being horrid to each other. We talk all the time about being kind to each other but we’re not.

OP posts:
Choicesgalore · 25/05/2026 22:44

Some other bits before anyone jumps in:

  • baby 3: he was super on board before the MC, we can just about survive on my salary and we figured we had like 15m for him to get stability
  • I do think he’s depressed and I urged him after the cold response to the MC (I can’t get past ‘he played golf’ but that’s a me problem), he is seeking counselling
OP posts:
mumofoneAloneandwell · 25/05/2026 22:45

So sorry for your loss op. And that youre having to do it all by yourself

Him going golfing is a big piss take, and you should really lay into him about that

I commented to offer practical advice, op: 'car crocs'

I have them for autistic dd who cant keep her shoes on

She goes down to the car barefoot, and I take the shoes she will wear with me, but if I forget, or just want to run errands, we have the car crocs

All the best op x

Choicesgalore · 25/05/2026 22:45

I just feel like I’m carrying everything and he doesn’t get it. I am so very tired.

OP posts:
Choicesgalore · 25/05/2026 22:48

mumofoneAloneandwell · 25/05/2026 22:45

So sorry for your loss op. And that youre having to do it all by yourself

Him going golfing is a big piss take, and you should really lay into him about that

I commented to offer practical advice, op: 'car crocs'

I have them for autistic dd who cant keep her shoes on

She goes down to the car barefoot, and I take the shoes she will wear with me, but if I forget, or just want to run errands, we have the car crocs

All the best op x

Thank you. X

I think you’re right I’m just so tired of carrying it and I don’t feel like I should ‘have’ to be the list keeper. But then the kids are in the river without crocs (yeah it’s fine but better for them to not have stones on their feet).
He tells me I’m too OTT about fixing things for the kids. Maybe they’re right but I don’t think paying the mortgage is in that category.

We’re just low level niggling all the time and it’s horrid x

OP posts:
Octavia64 · 25/05/2026 22:49

I would also struggle with the going golfing while I was miscarrying.

i have a child (now adult) with adhd and autism, and we are now fully aware that her dad my ExH has adhd aswell.

fixing the executive functioning is basically impossible although some stuff does help suppprt it.

the older the kids get the more you can train them with routines into doing stuff for themselves which does reduce the burden on you,

I stopped relying on my ExH to do anything child related or me related very early in the marriage. That way his fuck ups only impacted him.
it’s a hard way to live though.

margaritabonita · 25/05/2026 22:51

Hi op it’s good he is seeking counselling. Is he diagnosed and taking meds for the adhd?

Choicesgalore · 25/05/2026 22:55

No meds for the ADHD, he has epilepsy and as I understand it they are not compatible (which is crazy as I believe AdHD and epilepsy are often common together)

I am teaching the kids to do stuff themselves eg ‘when we get in we put our shoes in the cupboard’ which is great but hard to police when DH walks in and leaves them in the middle of the hall…

OP posts:
junebirthdaygirl · 25/05/2026 23:01

Its very regular after a miscarriage to feel very down, overwhelmed and of course sad. Try not to judge things at the moment. Is it possible to have a conversation with your dh about the golf thing as that is bound to be bringing resentment in which leads to sniping. Clearing the air might help. Go very easy on yourself for the moment and focus on looking after yourself.
My ds was diagnosed with ADHD as an adult which has led me to recognise my dh has it too and l get all the forgetting, losing etc but it's going to seem much worse after something upsetting like a miscarriage. Mind yourself

Choicesgalore · 25/05/2026 23:06

Thanks and I do of course recognise I’m going to be not ‘normal’ after the MC. It was very early but I was so excited about having my ‘gang’. I am sad and it’s been a horrible 12m - my parents have also been v ill - I am scared we won’t survive it. We are just constantly cross with each other. I’m scared and feel like the breadwinner and the person carrying all the emotional strain (which is clearly silly, he’s stressed about probably losing his job) - it’s just every night we’re falling out and I’m scared. I love him. I want us to survive this.

OP posts:
UpDownAllAround1 · 26/05/2026 07:36

Maybe he can take some control and try to find another job

PrizedPickledPopcorn · 26/05/2026 08:00

I’m sorry for your loss, and that you aren’t being properly supported through it.
Part of this is acceptance- accepting his limitations and finding out if you can live with it.
That doesn’t mean he can check out, but it does position you as the gap filler. You will always find things that haven’t been done, and need to complete where necessary.

I had little call and reply song phrases for things like getting in and out of the car-
Where do we put our shoes?! In the cupboard!
What do we need today?! What have we got today?!
Bags, water, PE kits shoes?!

Throw in a random one for silliness- PJs on a school day, recorders on a trip to the park etc.

I found the out loud thinking and the memorable phrases helped dc do it when I wasn’t there. But crucially, they’ll help him, too.

Where do the dishes go?!

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