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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

I've really upset dh and don't know if I can make it up to him :(

155 replies

TheRedSalamander · 20/05/2010 13:37

Dh and I had a row on Tuesday night and I don't know how to even begin to make things better. It was about the fact that I had to get up very early on weds morning to drive 5 hours to get to a meeting, and that I wanted him to help me get the childrens things ready for the morning (book bag, school lunch and nursery bags, uniform etc), he was doing the school run instead of me. I was upset that he wouldn't, when I had just done all the above (as usual) for the last two days plus two evenings of bath and bedtime as he was either playing golf or having drinks with friends after work.

None of that excuses how I behaved however.

When he refused to acknowledge the fact that I had a problem with this and basically ignored me, looking at the computer, I got more and more irate until he finally spat the words "ok I'll f*g do it just stop f*g going on about it" I guess I should have stopped there and be satisfied that he was at least going to help.

But I kept on wanting to talk about why (I felt) he was being so unkind- I even helped him get his golf kit together that morning before work ffs- blah blah blah blah snipe snipe etc. I was being rather controlled and reasonable about this however I didn't rant and rave. More of the same from dh, ie he continued totally ignoring me unless to say shut the f* up I am doing what you want fgs now go away.

Not proud of this but I was holding a towel and ds2's nursery bag and slapped his back with the towel a few times and chucked the bag at him, totally out of anger and frustration before storming off. So unlike me I don't know what happened.

He refused to come to bed that night, slept in the spare room and has refused to talk to me bar the odd text telling me how angry he is that I lashed out at him ever since

I feel so remorseful and ashamed about this, as he points out if the shoe was on the other foot (which it never has been- I trust him 100% not to be violent towards me) this would have been a hideous event. Although it didn't hurt him physically I've obviously really done some damage. What's nearly the worse thing is that I didn't even realise until he told me that it was the fact that I'd lashed out that was winding him up. "If you were a bloke you'd feel sorry for your wife" is what dh said and he's right.

He still doesn't want to talk to me or see me (we work fairly close by to each other and I wanted to see him at lunch time, plus I stayed in a hotel last might as planned because of my meeting on the other side of the country)

Am I able to make this up to him? I feel dirty and scared about this and don't know what to do next

OP posts:
Unlikelyamazonian · 20/05/2010 16:32

Do men have periods?

Snorbs · 20/05/2010 16:34

unlikelyamazonian, are you my ex? You sound just like her.

And regarding your comment regarding "why haven't [I] commented directly on the OPs post" I suggest you have a look at my post of 15:04. But, please, don't let the facts get in the way of your aggression.

policywonk · 20/05/2010 16:41

Agree hully, SGM and UA. Suggesting that flicking someone with a towel and a child's backpack equates to violence is nuts. And the OP's husband sounds like a nasty little twerp. (Sorry OP, but he does.)

thumbwitch · 20/05/2010 16:42

Snorbs, rather than bowing out, can you say whether you feel that what the OP did constitutes a violent attack?

AS someone who has been on the receiving end of such, I think your input would actually be useful here. (God am sounding patronising and lickarsey but actually would appreciate your views so I can get mine in order, so to speak as I do feel that the OP's DH is over-reacting somewhat)

OrmRenewed · 20/05/2010 16:44

It was the OP herself who was concerned about her reaction. She is expressing remorse so clearly feels it was OTT.

pookey · 20/05/2010 16:48

Not that weird its only been 3 hours since she posted and there are lots of messages to digest.

I would say give your husband some space look after your children and when he seems to be a little more approachable you can try apologising for violent outburst and say you will not do that again but he needs to apologise for his behaviour and agree to stop swearing at you.

Agree with other posters who suggest there must be undelying resentment on both sides that has caused this to flare up.

Unlikelyamazonian · 20/05/2010 16:49

orm and your point is?

Unlikelyamazonian · 20/05/2010 16:50

'violent outburst' ???

Shut the fuck Up whoever you are. I am fucking Busy on MN

MmeLindt · 20/05/2010 16:51

I do not feel that the aggression that the OP displayed is in anyway comparable to domestic violence. She flicked him with a towel, and threw a back pack at him.

To equate that with one partner thumping the other is imo unfair to those who have truly suffered from domestic violence, whether they are male or female.

And yes, it was wrong but it was not unprovoked. I have seen a thread on MN where the female poster admitted that she provoked her partner to the point that he hit her. She was told that her behaviour was not acceptable, and that she should seek counselling.

Anyone (man, woman or child) who provokes another person using words as weapons risks the other person hitting back, either verbally or physically. The OP's DH is now using this response to punish her.

OrmRenewed · 20/05/2010 16:54

Goodness UA, aren't you cross?

My point is that the OP clearly felt she had gone over the top in her reaction. She would be the best person to judge I think.

OrmRenewed · 20/05/2010 16:56

That is not to say her DH is not being a selfish git who needs to sort himself out.

junglist1 · 20/05/2010 17:05

Only the OP knows if he was scared or not. That would make it violent, if he was frightened. Can't see it though, TBH. Unless he's a shivering wreck most of the time

pookey · 20/05/2010 17:07

Well it was an outburst in that op said she acted out of character, throwing and hitting are violent actions but I didnot mean to suggest her actions were comparable to domestic violence so I apologise for that - we know she didnt actually hurt her husband. Agree with Orm. op says she does not want to excuse her actions she just wants help to sort the problem out.

Unlikelyamazonian · 20/05/2010 17:08

orm that is very naive.

Unlikelyamazonian · 20/05/2010 17:11

Anyway, the OP has gone away to wear sack-cloth and ashes and hope she can woo her H back....

fuck off he might be saying as he gazes at ebay..."until you have fully apologised"

Hullygully · 20/05/2010 17:11

Oh. It's gone all serious again

policywonk · 20/05/2010 17:14

But if her husband is abusively manipulative (accepting that this is just speculation of course), he would be pretty practised at making her feel guilty for things.

TheProvincialLady · 20/05/2010 17:16

MmeLindt I agree. There are some things that go on in many relationships which, whilst not ideal and definitely need apologising for, do not - as a one off with unreserved apology after - constitute abuse. Inonce threw a custard pie in my DH's face (I must be the only perspn in history to actually do that) and I promise I don't make a habit of such behaviour. We both agreed that it was totally deserved by DH and that it was hilarious, not worrying (as an isolated incidence).

I do not condone violence and aggression from men or women, but in this case it does seem to have been relatively minor and the response from the OP's H is clearly intended to deflect blame from his own woeful behaviour.

tiredlady · 20/05/2010 17:20

OP

Your husband sounds like a selfish lazy twat.
I don't know why you are so upset about flicking a towel at him. It's not as if you took a shovel to his head.

Ok, you have apologised, now you should ask him to apologise for his unecessarily rude language to you.

pithyslicker · 20/05/2010 17:29

The op didn't say she flicked she said she slapped. Which I think is abut different.

junglist1 · 20/05/2010 17:30

at the custard pie. My mum threw a bowl of cocoa pops over me and stuck a cheese slice to my face once. Was about 16 I think

thumbwitch · 20/05/2010 17:34

am utterly over the cheese slice - I mean, why??!

policywonk · 20/05/2010 17:37

lol cheese slice

Surely these actions - by 'these' I mean things that are aggressive but unlikely to cause actual injury - are all about context. If they're occurring all the time, it's a big problem. If it happens as a one-off because someone has become hugely frustrated by their partner's unutterably twattish behaviour, then it's a very different kettle of Coco Pops.

thumbwitch · 20/05/2010 17:40

well yes policywonk, but that's where the other side of it comes in again - would we be so reasonable about it if it had been the H doing it to the W? I just don't know that we would, tbh.

I'm starting to feel hypocritical myself here (always a bad sign) but it might be because it's stupid o'clock here and I'm tired.

minipie · 20/05/2010 17:43

Look, there is a HUGE difference between slapping someone with a towel and throwing a kids bag at them, versus seriously hitting them with the intention to hurt.

And, FWIW, I would much rather my DH slapped me with a towel if I was acting horribly towards him, than that he insulted me verbally (for example).

My point is that there are much worse things the OP could have done.

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