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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

when do you give up on your marriage?

7 replies

halia · 10/06/2010 23:45

Been with Dh for 12 years and married for 8 with DS (5). Had alot of ups and downs, more downs than ups in the past 5 years and I'm hitting a point where I feel that it maybe just isn't worth hanging in there in the hopes it will get better.

I don't even know if I love DH anymore.... I love him when he is the man I fell in love with (if that makes sense) but it feels like he is that person less and less.

We are fighting ALOT, and I feel relieved when he isn't here.

when it works well DH is my best firend and the only person I feel I can be myself with and share certain things, but then I feel that maybe I've let that feeling cut me/us off from other people. I dont' ahve any close friends although before DH I did have a good circle of friends. DH doesn't have friends full stop.

DH is currently in bed, possilby asleep,possibly sulking/sad after a fight. And I dont' actually care - I feel I ought to worry about whether he is upset but as I also had the fight, and I then ironed DS clothes, tidied up after DH had made himself some food, watered the plants DH asked me to buy I just feel tired and cross.

What was the fight about?
DH works away in a high pressured job mon-thurs. We agreed that once DS was in school I would gear up my career again so that DH could go back to university. I got the job (sooner than we'd planned for), I also manage ALL the childcare that is needed for both our jobs, do most of the things needed for DS (eg school stuff, ironing washing etc). We agreed that for me to take this job DH had to be able to help out, eg my job couldn't come second because that woudl scupper my chances of getting promotion etc to enable DH to give up his job. (I got the promotion and extension of my contract too)

All DH has to do is be home by 6.30 on thursdays, cover 4 events a year when i work very long hrs or am away overnight and take some of his holiday time in school hols to share the chidlcare.

I have been let down so many times in 6 months, and the altest straw. I was asked to go on training which will pretty much guarantee me a chance at promotion a year earlier than normal AND gives me a recognised qualification for jobs elsewhere. I'm away for 2 overnights, back late on the 3rd night. I told DH as soon as it was offerred to me and he said no problem of course he could be here. I booked before and after school childcare so all DH had to do was drop DS at 8am and pick him up at 7pm on the 3 days.

3 days ago DH calmly infomed me that he was away at a conference and wouldn't get back until 9/10pm on one of those nights.

now DH claims that saying "I can't get back in time to collect DS from childcare - what are we going to do about it" is solving the problem!

Is it so bloody unreasonable for me to want him JUST ONCE to actually sort it out...

its like he is sabotaging my job all the time, its worse than if I was a single mum because I can't rely on DH and colelagues at work wonder why I cancel evetns on them and then I have to explain its because my bloody husband and childs father can't look after DS after all.

DH plays the wounded innocent every time we discuss this, tonight he went on about how he had taken 2 days off at half term, So did I!

He also tonight said well before DS started school you didn't work.... erm excuse me? I went back to work f/t when DS was 7 months old. I changed jobs because I couldn't get childcare to cover my hrs as DH was (suprise suprise) never around but for those 4 years i worked for 3 of them and completed my OU degree at the same time.

Thing is if DH simply said he'd prefer it if I stayed home or only had a lowkey job and he earnt the wages I'd agree to that for a couple of years. But he has CONSTANTLY moaned about how he has 'supported' me whilst DS has been young and how he hates his job and 'when will it be my turn to go to uni'. I WANT to be the main wage earner, I WANT DH to go to uni, but to do that I need him to live up to our agreement that now I have this job and I am back on the career ladder we are putting MY job first.

the way I feel tonight I want out of this relationship, I like my job, its what I've trained to do and I am good at it. I've started building myself a network of friends and support again.... and unfortunatly DH is no longer someone I can rely on to support me, cheer me up or take a real interest in my life.

OP posts:
mophead5 · 11/06/2010 00:02

this does not suprise me in the least. Men have children and carry on. women are expected to completleychange their lives in order to look after the children.
If the child is sick, its the mother who has to take time off work. in the school hols its the mother who has to sort out childcare....so bloody unfair.
Tell your DH in no uncertain terms that if he doesnt start acting like a proper equal parent in this relationship, he will be coming home to an empty house and cooking his own meals...see how he likes that.

MrsSawdust · 11/06/2010 00:05

I don't know how to advise you, but didn't want this to go unanswered.

It's such a well worn theme isn't it - the woman is expected to hold down a demanding career and run the home / childcare singlehandedly.

He has become so used to you being organised and in charge, it has made him somewhat helpless and dependant.

I suggest that you don't organise any childcare for the night you are away. Let him handle it. He won't have a choice but to deal with it.

Your unhappiness seems to run deeper than this issue though. I don't think it's healthy not to have friends outside of your relationship.

What's good in your relationship?

halia · 11/06/2010 00:09

MrsSawdust

I just darn't not organise chidlcare, I gave him 3 days to sort it out but he had done nothing about it and I couldn't just leave DS to chance.

I've tried it with other stuff to do with DS and DH simply doesn't do it.

whats good - he's the only person I've met who shares my viewpoint on certian things
he adores DS
He works long hrs in a job he hates because he feels he has to earn money for DS
He has worked hard on the DIY to get our hosue looking nice (so have I btw not playing the helpless female card here)
He tells me I am gorgeous

OP posts:
MrsSawdust · 11/06/2010 00:25

What's he going to do if you don't sort it - just leave your ds at his after school care?

Your ds will be fine - no one is going to push him out onto the street to fend for himself if your dh fails to pick him up.

I'm serious - let your dh deal with it. Remind him if you must but let him deal with it.

It sounds like there is still a lot of mutual appreciation going on in other areas of your relationship.

beingsetup · 11/06/2010 07:36

Why not walk out for a week and leave him to do everything???

halia · 11/06/2010 15:35

well maybe next week it will be different what Dh has done in the past is to tell me that he can't make it to pick up DS and its up to me to reschedule my work or organise someone else to get to DS.

after last night however I am going to have a seriuos talk with DH and warn him that in future if he says he can look after DS then if anything goes wrong it is his responsibility to sort out an alternative. eg I NEVER want to hear "I can't get DS" I want to hear "X is collecting DS because I will be late". (solution not problem)

If DH does say "I can't" I'll simply say calmly, oh thats a shame, what are you doing to sort that out?"

I'm also going to leave DH a list of what needs doing during the week.

OP posts:
cestlavielife · 11/06/2010 16:12

by leaving him a list you not letting him take responsibility - he should know what needs doing.

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