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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

H wants a divorce. Struggling to cope. AIBU to be considering moving the dc's back home - but away from H?

110 replies

tiredoftherain · 06/08/2009 13:40

Sorry this is a long story, have tried to keep it as short as possible -

H has decided he doesn't love me any more, our home life is "mundane," I spend all his money(!) and that he thinks he wants to divorce me, as we "don't make each other happy" although hasn't decided for certain. It's got slowly worse since dc2 arrived, almost 2 years ago. To complicate things, dc1 has mild SN which H has always been in denial over, and has never shared the worry, or work to help dc progress. He has belittled my anxiety over him, to the extent that I've tried to bury it and deal with it alone.

We currently live near H's parents in a remote area and moved here when dc1 was little. H then relocated with his job back to where we used to live (he led me to believe that a company sale would result in a payout for us which would clear our mortgage and enable him to work part time on a permanent basis within a couple of years). He now works away 4 nights a week, has a very senior position with lots of corporate perks and also has interest in a business near our home, which has prevented us all from moving, as he totally refuses to sell this. I know it sounds crazy but I've supported him because I believed he had our best interests at heart, and that hard work now would lead to a better life for us all in the long run.

He's tried to juggle all this for two years while I've slowly gone under trying to manage the children alone. In 2008 he took only 10 days of leave (including bank holidays and full weekend days) all year. My family are a very long way away, and have been very worried but too far to do much to help in a practical way. My IL's have never once offered to have the dc's for me and MIL once told me when I was upset about dc1's health issues that I needed to get on with it, it was "all part of having children."

To make everything worse, it emerged last month that H had been having an affair where he now works. I would never have found out if the OW's H hadn't been on to it (it's all happening hundreds of miles from here) and I'm certain H now has a plan to be with the OW once we've separated. She's now left her H. H's family believe his denials of the affair and (other than a couple of siblings) are starting to close ranks against me, despite our previously good relationship.

H now wants me to move to live near him where his main job is, he says he wants to be hands on and supportive with the dc's (he has never been so far while living with them). I want what's best for the dc's, but can't help thinking that I will struggle in an area where I have no support (other than him), where I'm still hours from family and close friends, and if he then gets together with OW, it will be unbearable to try and stay friends. What I want to do is move near my family, to have support with dc's condition, to make contact with old friends and to be somewhere familiar while I get back on my feet, but this would make it hard for H to see them regularly unless he really makes the effort.

Am I being unreasonable? Should keeping the dc's near their father be the main goal, even though I'd be miserable? Please give me your honest thoughts.

OP posts:
mumoverseas · 06/08/2009 18:27

Totally agree with geordieminx and all the others who say go to where YOUR family, friends and support are.

I can't believe it even crossed your mind you were being selfish, look at what he has said and done.
You do need to go and see a family lawyer asap, ideally one who is a member of Resolution, who aim to try to keep things as amicable as possible which is important when you have children.

Don't let this arse dictate to you any longer.
Good luck x

TheCrackFox · 06/08/2009 18:43

Please move near your family and friends.

Reading your OP it sounds like your DCs didn't really see a great deal of their father anyway. Your DCs will be happier if their mum is happier.

Your "D"H has dictated to you long enough. If he wants to be a good dad he might actually have to put some effort into it and travel. He has been a crap dad and a shit husband.

You and your DCs deserve more out of life.

tiredoftherain · 06/08/2009 19:00

lizziemum, that horrid thought struck me too. I suppose I should be grateful he hasn't found me attractive in that way for some time so contact has been limited.. despite me shifting all remaining baby weight and really looking after myself. I actually had started to wonder if he were gay, but I guess I know now what was going on.

He's just called and has been lovely. He sounded really concerned and thoughtful, he was obviously in "nice" mode. Then I realised he had colleagues in the background, and this is all part of the game to keep me on side. It's so hard to step off this rollercoaster as I feel sick that he can't just be like that all the time.

Solicitor booked next week. That feels like a big step. Will try and get all financial info I can before then so I'm armed with some practical knowledge.

OP posts:
ZZZenAgain · 06/08/2009 19:10

maybe take photocopies of any financial records you can find when he is at work

you are not being selfish AT ALL if you do not choose to live where it seems to best suit him. I don't believe he will help you out with the dc after a divorce if he did not do so during your marriage IYSWIM

If he becomes really difficult, you could fob him off a little by indicating that in the short-term you need the emotional and practical support of your family to get through the break-down of your marriage, therefore you are intially moving to be near them. However longer term you would be open to another solution.

anothermum92 · 06/08/2009 22:13

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

twoclimbingboys · 06/08/2009 22:17

YANBU - you need to move close to your family. Good luck with the solicitor next week

tiredoftherain · 07/08/2009 13:23

Saw H for coffee this morning. Have told him about solicitor, he also has one lined up just in case. He's booking a Relate session so we can get some guidance, and is being all nice and saying he isn't 100% sure what he wants, and I can feel myself wavering. It's much easier if I can keep up the angry momentum, but I wonder at the moment whether I'm looking for any way to avoid the pain that I can see coming..

It's all so horrible. I feel like I've really failed.

OP posts:
Alibabaandthe40nappies · 07/08/2009 13:34

Please don't waver - he is just stringing you along. The pain will be short and sharp, and then you can focus on your new life with your DCs with your family.

What is the Relate session for? Do YOU want to do it?

He sounds like he has been a terrible husband to you, and a terrible father to your children. They will not miss him from their lives as he is hardly in it!

Unlikelyamazonian · 07/08/2009 13:43

tiredof, what sort of childhood did your h have? This man has serious issues and you need to stay strong and angry (if the anger helps keep the momentum going) and get out of the relationship.

Have you ever heard of Narcissistic Personality Disorder? Goggle it and see if it rings any bells. I would echo everyone here and say move, fast, to your friends and family.

But first, get some good legal advice about where you would stand if you split, look carefully at your finances and maybe get some money stashed away in a single account (do you have one? That he cannot access? If not, set one up.)

I am truly shocked that he can even try to suggest the grounds that you file on. What a first-class bullying arrogant bastard.

He sounds cold, cruel, manipulative and interested in one thing only: himself.

He has ground you down and shattered your confidence. He is a prize twat and you do not need him. Your instincts sound spot on - you think he is unhinged, possibly gay, etc...you are asking questions you might never know the answer to but please make him someone else's problem, not yours.

PerArduaAdNauseum · 07/08/2009 13:44

Tired - did you used to be sickofthisrain? I'm pretty sure I've seen you on the EA thread?

Yes - you should move to be near your family. He's not made any effort to spend time with his children so far, why should you enable him to ignore them close-up? And maybe if it's not made easy for him, he'll put a little effort into seeing them regularly?

I wouldn't go to Relate, because he does sound like an emotional abuser, and is likely to turn things around on you. That he's being "all nice" at the moment is part of the abuse - to deliberately put you off balance, so he can get the best outcome for himself.

You can file for unreasonable behaviour with a solicitor, or adultery - depending on which one you want to go with. Talk to a solicitor about it? See if you can get the name of a good one from your local Womens Aid?

And please do stay angry. He's got away for too much for too long. You can do this.

tiredoftherain · 07/08/2009 13:45

Thanks AliBaba, I'm trying to be strong but I just don't know what to do with myself today. It seems to have really hit me. My friend said it was because I've moved from dealing with emotions to practicalities and that's a massive step.

We have lots of family do's coming up, I just don't know how to handle it all. H wants us all to do things together this weekend, but is that just making it worse? I feel like I'm standing by the edge of a cliff and need to summon the courage to leap.

OP posts:
PerArduaAdNauseum · 07/08/2009 13:49

You don't have to do things his way. Are they his family? Think about how it'll make you feel. And maybe prepare some stock responses?

e.g. - if we're divorcing I don't think it's appropriate for us to play happy families

or - yes MIL, we're getting divorced because H can't keep his trousers on and hasn't ever wanted to be a proper father

But you don't have to do this on his agenda any more - you're allowed to make the right decisions for you and your DCs for the long term.

PerArduaAdNauseum · 07/08/2009 13:51

I have to go for now, but wanted to send you a hug manly pat on the shoulder

KIMItheThreadSlayer · 07/08/2009 13:53

Get a bloody good laywer, divorce him on grounds of being unfaithful, take him to the cleaners and then move away from him to somewhere youy have the support you need.

tiredoftherain · 07/08/2009 13:54

and yes, perardua, that's so well remembered (unfortunately). I did used to post under that name (although neither are my regular MN names, I use that for happier subjects)

It's like H really has a split personality. On one hand narcissistic personality disorder rings bells, and I'm certain he has EA tendencies, on the other, I'm falling into the classic trap of blaming myself for not having given him more attention when the dc's arrived, thinking I've been too cold, and that I'm incapable of having a functional relationship.

He can be so bright, caring and lovely, his colleagues adore him, his parents think the sun shines out of him, so why is it only me which triggers this side of him? I must be awful. In my rational mind I do realise this is bollocks, (he has few real friends, a very distant relationship with his siblings, my parents can't bear him etc) but can't seem to snap myself fully out of it.

OP posts:
countingto10 · 07/08/2009 13:57

TOTR, take your time and do what you want, that is all that matters. If you want to make a go of your marriage or do everything possible to try like going to Relate then that's ok. Lots of people will tell you you are mad for trying but that is your decision and nobody elses. The fact that he wants to go is probably a good sign. Don't forget that he also has OW pushing his buttons and pulling his strings etc, telling him what to do & say like my DH. He needs to get away from her so he can do some proper thinking about the marriage, you and the DC. You need space as well.

You do need to start calling the shots and getting control because that was the only thing that shook mine DH to his senses.

I am thinking of you.

tiredoftherain · 07/08/2009 14:22

thanks counting, I'm so grateful for yours and everyone's advice. H said he was "scared" of Relate but is setting up the appointment anyway. I don't know yet what I think it might achieve, possibly just mediation.

There can be no going back once I've made a final decision so I think this is the run up to that and until today I've not wobbled too much. What I know for certain is that things need to change, and I absolutely cannot go back to how things have been. So either way, I guess things will be better.

I'm stuck wondering whether he is a good man who has been acting like a cock, or just a cock and I've spent the last decade not realising..

Unlikely, he and one of his brothers had a good childhood, and his parents are happily married but the wider family is very disjointed with step siblings and parents all over the place. We will be the 3rd divorce amongst his siblings if it happens for us.

OP posts:
countingto10 · 07/08/2009 14:39

TOTR, sometimes things happen in a childhood that nobody knows about and everything can come to the fore in midlife. This happened with my DH - something happened that he had carried for nearly 30 years. It is not an excuse for appalling behaviour but is a reason for what lies behind it. My DH had been using gambling etc to bloat out this incident together with a lot of other stuff to do with self esteem. I too had issues and together we were like a volcano about to erupt or actually erupting IYSWIM.

Relate might help. Keep your solicitors appointments - me and DH both saw solicitors. You don't have to do anything, it's just advice initially.

Alibabaandthe40nappies · 07/08/2009 15:03

I think it's very important that you keep your distance from him. It is totally unacceptable and cruel of him to try to maintain the facade of normal family life when all of this is going on and he is treating you so badly.

PerArdua's idea of the stock responses is a good one. You certainly shouldn't feel any loyalty to him in terms of keeping quiet in front of his family.

tiredoftherain · 07/08/2009 15:16

counting, if there is something in his past, it is very well buried indeed. Having said that, I'd been with a guy for four years once when one day he broke down completely out of the blue and confessed he'd been sexually assualted when he was a child. I had no clue previously and I guess you just never know if people don't say anything.

I think if anything, it's more a mild touch of Asperger's or similar, which affects the way he relates to people. He seems to like to know his hierarchical position in relation to them, like a kind of organisational chart at work. Friends can't be easily categorised, nor my family so he struggles. It's strange.

Think I will book myself some spa treatments for this weekend and use my credit cards while I still have them! I'll make sure I have lots of time to myself and send him off with the dc's, I feel totally exhausted.

And I haven't kept quiet to his family at all so far - I announced it all to them in spectacular fashion when I found out about OW and asked them to let him know I'd left.. Totally out of character for me and I think they feel I'm a bit of a loose cannon now even though I've seen them all since and it's been fine (we've always got on very well despite MIL's oddities and I will actually miss them all). It's what comes of keeping a quiet, loyal wife and trying to struggle on for so long, the cork just came flying out!!

OP posts:
wilkos · 07/08/2009 15:18

he is an arse, go home. be happy. this is a perfect opportunity.

Since my father died I have desperately wanted to go home too. dh knows it and is trying hard to put a spanner in the works... what he doesnt know is that I WILL go without him before dd starts school whether he agrees to it or not.

he is also under the impression that i wont be able to do it without him

I can and I will

sorry to hijack, but go now and get the support you need. much love to you and dc x

BottySpottom · 07/08/2009 16:41

Didn't you post about this the other day and you were thinking about trying to make a go of it?

I would just go without a second thought. He sounds very selfish and you and your family need support around you.

Fizzylemonade · 07/08/2009 17:31

I am really sorry that you are in this position, but do you think the relate appointment might just be his way of telling the world that he really tried to make it work? Despite being with OW?

It is along the same lines as him being extra nice and you realising it was all an act in front of his colleagues.

It's him saying well I tried to be nice and make it all work and she is the one divorcing me and taking my children. I found comfort in the arms of another woman.

Just a thought. Not a nice one but there is the suggestion of not one but two affairs and you found the condom in the washing machine.

If you want this to be over then I think you need to focus on the negative to stop you wavering.

FabBakerGirlIsBack · 07/08/2009 17:34

Definitely move to near your family.

When he asks why tell him he isn't hands on now so why would he once you are divorced.

I would file for divorce before him and in secret to be honest.

Why should he call all the shots.

Good luck.

TheCrackFox · 07/08/2009 17:53

Really, what would be the point of Relate? It all seems to be too late. He has pissed all over his marriage and you have tried your best.

I think Fizzylemonade has a point. This is all about your DH maintaining his reputation. He will be able to tell everyone "boo hoo,I worked away from home. It was so hard on me. We tried Relate but, hey, we had drifted apart".

Leave him. He is a twat.