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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

Please help me write a letter to DP

22 replies

ChequeredFlag · 04/05/2010 21:58

DP and I are having some relationship issues, and in our heated 'discussions' I have found it hard to express how I feel, so am in the process of writing a letter to him to put my side of things which I could do with some help with.

This morning, he told me (after another unrelated argument) that I was lazy, that he earned the money therefore he shouldn't have to do any cleaning, and that I was selfish.

Some background:

We have 2 dc, 2 years and 3 months. He has his own business and so do I, although mine has been ticking away on a fairly low-level footing since we've had children. My business operates summer only, so requires me to do a couple of days work a week through the summer (one day on location for long hours) and maybe half a day a week during the winter, with my intention being to build it back up when the children are a bit older and can be left more easily. The 2 year old goes to a childminder 1.5 days a week. I am about to start the summer work this week, so will be doing one day on location, taking the breastfed baby with me in a sling/pram and fitting the other day's work into the childminder days or evenings, obviously with the baby with me during the daytime too.

He works (tradesman) Mon-Fri, usually starting mid-morning and getting home in time to help with the children dinner/bath/bedtime. He often gets up with the toddler and plays/dresses/breakfasts him, more so since dc2 was born.

He is someone who is generally lovely, great with the children, and great at doing (often unnecessary) DIY/gardening/outdoor jobs, so likes to have projects on the go - currently the vegetable garden. He does nothing in the house; no cooking, cleaning, paperwork, washing; he doesn't put his dirty clothes in the basket; he doesn't take plates or glasses out to the kitchen; he makes work for me by being untidy/dirty. We have a large garden which he keeps on top of and he feeds the animals (5 mins each evening).

I do all of the household tasks and weekday childcare. My business makes approximately 1/3 of the net profit that his does.

IMO, we have fairly equal roles, and think that he should be made to see that this is the case, and have enough respect for what I do to not ever say such things as he did today.

OP posts:
ninah · 04/05/2010 22:00

don't write him a letter
talk to him
you shouldn't need to communicate with your dp in print (and I have been there, believe me)

GypsyMoth · 04/05/2010 22:02

does he say that kind of thing often? cos thats not something i would ever stand for again....after previously being married to someone who belittled me that way!

Hassled · 04/05/2010 22:03

Talk to him - but condense your post into shorter bullet points, and have it with you as a prompt for when you get panicked and teary.

AnyFucker · 04/05/2010 22:05

are you sending this letter to his new address ?

that might be a better course of action, tbh

ChequeredFlag · 04/05/2010 22:12

Ninah I feel like I shouldn't have to explain myself and I don't really want him to justify himself, I just want him to read it and understand without us having to discuss it further, IYSWIM.

ThreeBlondeBoys That was pretty much my response this morning, I told him I wouldn't listen to it again and if I did I would be moving out. Yes, it's happened before, when we argue he tends to throw out the most hurtful words he can, true or not, and often apolgises afterwards. I feel like an apology if worthless if he then does it again.

Anyfucker

OP posts:
Spatchadoodledo · 04/05/2010 22:12

OT - But AF, you crack me up! Some of your one liners are classic!

Ivykaty44 · 04/05/2010 22:13

Gosh even my children take there plates out to the kitchen

To be honest he is behaving like a small child, he wants to do his diy and gardening but ignore the chores and leave them to you - hardly fair.

He may well earn two thirds more than you - but that doesn't mean seriously that you then become his scivey, if you play by theose types of rules what on earth will happen if you start to earn more than him? Will he throw his dolly out the pram if he has to lift a plate and take yours aswell to the kitchen.

Seriously you need to explain that you have to share the chores and both have time for hobbies.

You are in this together and he is not the boss

ChequeredFlag · 04/05/2010 22:21

I don't even mind doing all the cleaning, it's the lack of respect for what I do that bothers me. To the extent of not taking muddy boots off in the porch even if I've just mopped the floor, for example.

OP posts:
AnyFucker · 04/05/2010 22:25

My father was like this

He used to come into the house with muddy shoes almost on purpose just to prove a point

What point ? Fuck knows...just because he could, I suppose

Then my mother would be "unreasonable" and harpy-like for "making a fuss about nothing"

Mind you, he is a narcissistic, verbally-abusive man who drove my mother to a nervous breakdown, so we may not be on quite the same page here...

ChequeredFlag · 04/05/2010 22:35

Think I might take the laptop down and show him this thread actually...

OP posts:
AnyFucker · 04/05/2010 22:38

Good luck with that

ChequeredFlag · 04/05/2010 22:52

AF You don't think that'll help?

OP posts:
AnyFucker · 04/05/2010 23:02

If you think he will take notice of a load of old harridans on an anonymous website when he doesn't listen to you, then go for it

That sounds harsh, sorry

If he is the sort of fella that will dismiss your worries, he ain't gonna suddenly have a lightbulb moment when he sees us lot ganging up on him...

Could be counterproductive, but you know him best

Why do you need us to put him straight anyway...tbh you have bigger problems in your marriage if you cannot talk to him at all about your lives together

Katisha · 04/05/2010 23:08

This business of so pointedly doing sod all in the house seems quite nasty and unecessary. It is basic courtesy to take stuff to the kitchen and put your own stuff in the washing basket.

Sadly I suspect he is one of these men who only sees worth in terms of money coming in, and therefore he doesn't need to afford you much respect.

AnyFucker · 04/05/2010 23:15

CF, I hope you are Ok

Cocky tossers like this make me spit (blame it on my childhood )

ChequeredFlag · 04/05/2010 23:30

I'm fine thank you - went down (have been upstairs trying to settle colicky baby all evening) but he seems to have picked up the same stomach bug our ds has, so wasn't exactly up to reading it - karma, perhaps?

Will do 'the talk' tomorrow. Just fed up and can't really be bothered either arguing or talking reasonably about it any more, hence the letter idea.

It seems to be a small part of a bigger picture really. I think he has to realise that what I do in a day is equally as valid as his, and neither of us are 'lazy' - but the bigger problem is why he wants to say these things at all.

OP posts:
AnyFucker · 04/05/2010 23:41

aww, good, was hoping you were ok

keep posting and good luck x

ChequeredFlag · 04/05/2010 23:42

You're nice!

OP posts:
AnyFucker · 04/05/2010 23:43

don't sound so surprised

ChequeredFlag · 05/05/2010 00:20

was meant to be compliment

OP posts:
ChequeredFlag · 05/05/2010 00:20

thank you

OP posts:
AnyFucker · 05/05/2010 14:02

how are you feeling today, CF ?

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