I feel like you’re overthinking your relationship, because you suddenly got pressure from friends and family about getting married. Have you even asked your girlfriend what she wants? Does she have a timeline of when she wants to get married? Does she see a future with you? You don’t have any of these answers, because you haven’t asked. Basically you’re not communicating in your relationship.
You want to know if you’re compatible with someone else. Of course you are. There are millions of people who have a lot in common and are compatible, but they don’t always marry each other. Of course there’s someone else out there that you will connect with too. But at what point will it be good enough?
You say you have a loving and supportive relationship, so what happens in your next relationship if you end up feeling the same way? I’m not saying waste your girlfriend’s time until you figure it out. I’m saying you don’t even know what you want now.
Do you love your girlfriend, or are you in love with her? Because that answers all your questions right there. If you’re not in love there’s no question you need to break up. Staying in this unsure state of mind won’t help you make a decision, so you need to figure out yourself ASAP. Your girlfriend deserves that respect and decency.
Thanks for your reply. Yes we are intimate outside of sex, kissing, cuddling all that good stuff. And as for initiating, I kinda just leave it till bedtime as usually advances made during the day are rebuffed. As I said in the post, it's not so much the regularity more so the adventurousness that I am missing.
No no and no!!! After reading post and comments…. Drop that boy and find you a man!
I’m not single but for arguments sake let’s say I am, if I were to start a relationship with you, you would be the only girl on my mind, I wouldn’t even see the others girls because I’m enthralled with you. I would never say anything to make you uncomfortable or develop a complex. You would get to enjoy tiny surprises like your favorite candy or a hand written note that I left for you to find. You would never feel inadequate because my verbal, physical and mental language would assure you so.
Does any of that sound similar to what you have now…
This is not a person you should have children with, OP. You are not to blame for your miscarriages and it’s absolutely vile that your husband behaves as if you are.
If you truly have changed, then move on with your life.
Realise that the damage you caused cannot be undone, and while you might now be a better person, you have already permanently changed her to the point that there is no chance of reconnecting.
I'm sorry, but all of this went way over my head. Maybe it's just because I am not a techy person, but I am still genuinely confused as to why you have access to all this information or even need it. I get the benefit of practicing skills at home but am still lost as to why you need to track devices in your own home to report outages, nor to gather stats on what traffic is coming from where.
Toxic relationships are so difficult to get out of for a reason, in some cases it takes time for them to mentally come around to the realisation they can't and shouldn't put up with it anymore.
I hope he realises he deserves a hell of a lot more than what he's got.
Do what you can to be a great friend. Be uplifting. You'll likely end up feeling a bit frustrated at some point, which is fine. You just have to make sure you have your own outlet as well. Look after yourself too.
There also may be more appropriate subreddits like r/ToxicRelationships. There might be some members on there who are more equipped to give you advice on how best to support your friend.
Good luck! I wish you and your friend the best. I truly hope he's able to leave the situation.
For starters, and I really hate to point this out, but this is YOUR CHILD TOO. Yes, right NOW she gets to make unilateral decisions regarding her pregnancy. HOWEVER, after the baby is born, YOU ARE AN EQUAL PARENT to her. She doesn't get more of a say. She doesn't get to refuse to allow your child to be around your mother for a reason like this. SHE doesn't own that child.
To put it another way: If you divorce you will likely get 50-50 custody. She can't enforce a restriction against your mother because she doesn't like people who are overweight. She just doesn't get to do that. No judge would go along with that. In fact, your wife trying to alienate your mother for that reason might actually get you more custody.
You need to get your wife into therapy. NOW. I suggest you do it by convincing her to go to couples therapy to make sure you are on the same page for raising your child. You know, to make sure everything is in sync regarding expectations, rules….that kind of thing. You can organically work it in there. How long after the baby is born before we allow visitors….you know, to give us bonding time. When should our families meet the baby. SHE will likely bring up that she doesn't want your mother to be involved. Discuss it with the therapist.
By the way…..one thing your wife IS right about: It doesn't matter how much weight your mother lost. She is your mother and, by your account, a damn good one. This is ESPECIALLY true when you factor in the circumstances regarding your conception and her age when you were born. She did a hell of a job. THAT should be what matters. Not her weight. Which, according to you, not only did she never allow impact your life, but she also encouraged good habits in you. The reasoning your wife is using doesn't make sense. Your mother RAISED YOU and you are fine……but sporadic visits from 1000 miles away are going to do lasting harm? I don't think so. In fact, I KNOW so. I can't help but wonder if part of this is just an excuse your wife cooked up to keep your mother away because of her age. They are more peers than MIL/DIL. The real issue is that your wife has a problem with your mothers age.
This DOES need to be addressed. Not just for your mom. You WILL gain weight in a few years….most people do. So will your wife. She's 33. It's not going to be as easy to get her pre-pregnancy body and weight back as she thinks. Is this going to turn into self-loathing? Will she blame your child? Then there is your baby. If your baby is chunky……will she put it on a diet? When her child packs on weight before a growth spurt…..will that child be subjected to body shaming causing him or her to develop an eating disorder or other self-harming behavior? Will your child feel that if they don't conform to the standards your wife sets that they are unlovable? This is not a small issue and your mother being excluded from your life is only the tip of a very big iceberg.
Right lol. Not to mention, this is ONE SIDE of the story. We know nothing of their history as a couple, we know nothing about what is causing him to think the kid isn't his. Also, people keep suggesting he will play favorites, but why would he do that if it turns out the kid is his? Seems to me he'd be quite happy to have it confirmed to be his, and if not, THEN yea she should leave.
People act like you can just trust 100 percent of women when they say the kid is yours.
When I was coming home I reflected on it, and I came to the conclusion I was being a jerk. I felt so bad I started crying. My mother saw me like that and she didn't let me go until I told her what was wrong. And when she told me I was right that's when I started doubting. I mean, the person that raised me told me I was right, when I am not.
Only having sex with a condom is a boundary that you can set. I don't think it's coercive to say “condom or no sex” as an alternative to him getting the snip. Because even if he does not get a vasectomy, he still has options that include sex.
However, no matter what, I'd say you should still use at least one additional method of birth control, like a diaphragm+spermicide. Just in case something does go wrong with the condom.
What the fuck? Who puts their drink on the upholstered surface instead of the table named for that purpose? Put the coffee on the coffee table, Jesus wept who raised him?
This isn't a relationship. This is a dictatorship.
If you have to establish this many controlling rules just to keep her to yourself, just kick her to the curb. You will be 150% better off than having to babysit her for the rest of your life. You clearly want commitment. She doesn't. Pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and walk away. Don't do this to yourself. You deserve better.
What are you talking about “who knows how she got it” read the op. No it’s not some unsolicited dick pic, it the dick pic of the guy their mutual friend is seeing who’s freaky in bed. Jesus he literally says that in the first sentence. That’s why it’s sketch because they’re passing around a private pic that was most likely not meant to be shown to the whole friend group.
You really need to practice your reading comprehension.
That’s a good point. Nothing has seemed romantic or anything like that. I think your suggestion of asking in a non accusatory way is the best course of action. Do you have on any suggestions on how to ask it non-accusatory? I don’t wanna come off as aggressive or anything like that. I am just genuinely curious about what their friendship is.
Or you can take the third option and sorry if I'm being straightforward with you but I don't miss my words. The third option is to stop acting like a teenage girl and act like a grown ass woman.
Your daughter doesn't need her dad. Anymore than you need him. You should be teaching yourself and your daughter to be able to survive on your own feet without needing somebody emotionally or financially because that's how you get stuck in situations like this.
If your husband wants to love your daughter he can do that regardless of who you are sleeping with. And getting back with your husband just because of your daughter is a recipe for disaster. Whatever circumstances that led to you guys getting to this point in the first place still exist.
Im sorry but that is the weirdest excuse for… returning a certificate of recognition.. like there are definitely more things happening but that is so bizzare and really makes me wonder what else has happened at work that maybe his boss didnt consider him for that position.
There's a whole boatload of red flags in this relationship. She sounds like she's making you codependent. Threatening your life if you tried to leave is the biggest one, though. You definitely need to find a job and leave as soon as possible.
Maybe start getting proof about the threats she has said to you would be good as well.
He should be able to have more faith in your person but his line of thinking isn’t anything crazy. He’s not pulling hypotheticals out of nowhere. But at the end of the day your partner should never be telling you where to go and when to come home. Simple communication throughout the night should absolutely be okay. It sounds like the ball is in your couchette if you can deal with his issue forever, or if you care enough of his opinion to change something you like.
This is not your relationship to mend. It’s between your father and your husband. You can try to facilitate conversation but it’s clear your father is afraid it will happen again. You know that your husband will do his best “to control it” but that’s not even a promise it won’t happen, but that he’ll try to not beat the shit out of abusive misogynists on your behalf.
She wants us all to be a close family unit and having the same last name will do just that.
I told this to my fiancee, and she's pissed. She says that if I don't want to accept her son as a family.
So by her logic, her son's own father is no longer his 'family' because they won't share the same last name?
This is a hill to die on, in my opinion, becuase there is something else going on there. A shared name doesn't make a family 'close' nor does it make them a family and her stance about that is weird. This is more about some hang-up she has about being a blended family, or her guilt about her son having a 'broken home' or something. She is trying to heal some kind of wound or fill some kind of hole with this name thing.
I think you should gently tell her that you do not agree with it and you do not think it is fair to her son or to his father or to you and that you're concerned about where this is coming from and what is behind it. Ask to go to counselling/therapy with her so you can uncover why this is so important to her.
Sorry to tell you, but you're not going to get past this.
She wants it. She wants it bad enough to ignore your feelings about it and asking if she can contact him. Not to mention, she was already obsessing over him by messaging him daily.
She's going to resent you for saying you wanted it and then back tracking.
If you give in and do it, you'll resent her and not see her as the same person.
WTF? He wanted to have sex while you were in the middle of a miscarriage? And you didn't just tell him to get out and never come back? This has to be a troll post.
I don't think you're overreacting. I think he's gaslighting you. I think he has anger issues. The reason I phrased my questions to you in my post in the way I did is because you're the one in the relationship so you would know him and the situation better. I think if you can reflect on the questions I posed and see what your thoughts are and listen to yourself then you might find the answers you're looking for.
It is rather obvious that your parents do have the funds to pay for his travel, though. I'm sure some confusion and resentment has built up because of the question of why they're not offering to cover his expenses in lieu of treating him like unpaid help.
This!!! I think your wording just wasn’t good and it was way too much info as well. I think keeping it simple and sweet next time will get the point across better.
Don't divorce him. You can get survivors SSI when he dies. Tell him you are married for life. You have been in this marriage for 12 yrs. I think I'd have to beat the chick up.
It's bothersome that he doubled down on it when you expressed your fear. I fortunately do not have a history of abuse and I would be scared if someone came at me like that with no warning. Even if he didn't have bad intent, he should have been apologetic for making you fearful and said he'd be more aware of his actions in the future. I don't know that it warrants divorce, but if you have further discussion about it and he doesn't back down, that is symptomatic of a bigger problem.
Stop disrespecting yourself and block her. On everything. Stop contacting her. If she finds a way to contact you, ignore her and block her. You don't want to be with her. You're not happy. SO STOP BEING THE CAUSE OF YOUR UNHAPPINESS!!
Why?
get a restraining order. gather all of your proof of his abuse, call the cops if he threatens you or lays a finger on you.
Lol, dude.
First she tells you EVERYTHING, and later you make your decision accordingly.
You ain't a Hotel room, are you..?
I feel like you’re overthinking your relationship, because you suddenly got pressure from friends and family about getting married. Have you even asked your girlfriend what she wants? Does she have a timeline of when she wants to get married? Does she see a future with you? You don’t have any of these answers, because you haven’t asked. Basically you’re not communicating in your relationship.
You want to know if you’re compatible with someone else. Of course you are. There are millions of people who have a lot in common and are compatible, but they don’t always marry each other. Of course there’s someone else out there that you will connect with too. But at what point will it be good enough?
You say you have a loving and supportive relationship, so what happens in your next relationship if you end up feeling the same way? I’m not saying waste your girlfriend’s time until you figure it out. I’m saying you don’t even know what you want now.
Do you love your girlfriend, or are you in love with her? Because that answers all your questions right there. If you’re not in love there’s no question you need to break up. Staying in this unsure state of mind won’t help you make a decision, so you need to figure out yourself ASAP. Your girlfriend deserves that respect and decency.
Thanks for your reply. Yes we are intimate outside of sex, kissing, cuddling all that good stuff. And as for initiating, I kinda just leave it till bedtime as usually advances made during the day are rebuffed. As I said in the post, it's not so much the regularity more so the adventurousness that I am missing.
Lol you make it sound like OP has the controlling say in this situation
No no and no!!! After reading post and comments…. Drop that boy and find you a man!
I’m not single but for arguments sake let’s say I am, if I were to start a relationship with you, you would be the only girl on my mind, I wouldn’t even see the others girls because I’m enthralled with you. I would never say anything to make you uncomfortable or develop a complex. You would get to enjoy tiny surprises like your favorite candy or a hand written note that I left for you to find. You would never feel inadequate because my verbal, physical and mental language would assure you so.
Does any of that sound similar to what you have now…
This is not a person you should have children with, OP. You are not to blame for your miscarriages and it’s absolutely vile that your husband behaves as if you are.
Updoot for great advice. Don't be overly needy, let her enjoy her day.
No.
If you truly have changed, then move on with your life.
Realise that the damage you caused cannot be undone, and while you might now be a better person, you have already permanently changed her to the point that there is no chance of reconnecting.
I'm sorry, but all of this went way over my head. Maybe it's just because I am not a techy person, but I am still genuinely confused as to why you have access to all this information or even need it. I get the benefit of practicing skills at home but am still lost as to why you need to track devices in your own home to report outages, nor to gather stats on what traffic is coming from where.
Toxic relationships are so difficult to get out of for a reason, in some cases it takes time for them to mentally come around to the realisation they can't and shouldn't put up with it anymore.
I hope he realises he deserves a hell of a lot more than what he's got.
Do what you can to be a great friend. Be uplifting. You'll likely end up feeling a bit frustrated at some point, which is fine. You just have to make sure you have your own outlet as well. Look after yourself too.
There also may be more appropriate subreddits like r/ToxicRelationships. There might be some members on there who are more equipped to give you advice on how best to support your friend.
Good luck! I wish you and your friend the best. I truly hope he's able to leave the situation.
For starters, and I really hate to point this out, but this is YOUR CHILD TOO. Yes, right NOW she gets to make unilateral decisions regarding her pregnancy. HOWEVER, after the baby is born, YOU ARE AN EQUAL PARENT to her. She doesn't get more of a say. She doesn't get to refuse to allow your child to be around your mother for a reason like this. SHE doesn't own that child.
To put it another way: If you divorce you will likely get 50-50 custody. She can't enforce a restriction against your mother because she doesn't like people who are overweight. She just doesn't get to do that. No judge would go along with that. In fact, your wife trying to alienate your mother for that reason might actually get you more custody.
You need to get your wife into therapy. NOW. I suggest you do it by convincing her to go to couples therapy to make sure you are on the same page for raising your child. You know, to make sure everything is in sync regarding expectations, rules….that kind of thing. You can organically work it in there. How long after the baby is born before we allow visitors….you know, to give us bonding time. When should our families meet the baby. SHE will likely bring up that she doesn't want your mother to be involved. Discuss it with the therapist.
By the way…..one thing your wife IS right about: It doesn't matter how much weight your mother lost. She is your mother and, by your account, a damn good one. This is ESPECIALLY true when you factor in the circumstances regarding your conception and her age when you were born. She did a hell of a job. THAT should be what matters. Not her weight. Which, according to you, not only did she never allow impact your life, but she also encouraged good habits in you. The reasoning your wife is using doesn't make sense. Your mother RAISED YOU and you are fine……but sporadic visits from 1000 miles away are going to do lasting harm? I don't think so. In fact, I KNOW so. I can't help but wonder if part of this is just an excuse your wife cooked up to keep your mother away because of her age. They are more peers than MIL/DIL. The real issue is that your wife has a problem with your mothers age.
This DOES need to be addressed. Not just for your mom. You WILL gain weight in a few years….most people do. So will your wife. She's 33. It's not going to be as easy to get her pre-pregnancy body and weight back as she thinks. Is this going to turn into self-loathing? Will she blame your child? Then there is your baby. If your baby is chunky……will she put it on a diet? When her child packs on weight before a growth spurt…..will that child be subjected to body shaming causing him or her to develop an eating disorder or other self-harming behavior? Will your child feel that if they don't conform to the standards your wife sets that they are unlovable? This is not a small issue and your mother being excluded from your life is only the tip of a very big iceberg.
Right lol. Not to mention, this is ONE SIDE of the story. We know nothing of their history as a couple, we know nothing about what is causing him to think the kid isn't his. Also, people keep suggesting he will play favorites, but why would he do that if it turns out the kid is his? Seems to me he'd be quite happy to have it confirmed to be his, and if not, THEN yea she should leave.
People act like you can just trust 100 percent of women when they say the kid is yours.
This is rape. Call the police and file a report.
When I was coming home I reflected on it, and I came to the conclusion I was being a jerk. I felt so bad I started crying. My mother saw me like that and she didn't let me go until I told her what was wrong. And when she told me I was right that's when I started doubting. I mean, the person that raised me told me I was right, when I am not.
Only having sex with a condom is a boundary that you can set. I don't think it's coercive to say “condom or no sex” as an alternative to him getting the snip. Because even if he does not get a vasectomy, he still has options that include sex.
However, no matter what, I'd say you should still use at least one additional method of birth control, like a diaphragm+spermicide. Just in case something does go wrong with the condom.
yes, he did!!!
What the fuck? Who puts their drink on the upholstered surface instead of the table named for that purpose? Put the coffee on the coffee table, Jesus wept who raised him?
This isn't a relationship. This is a dictatorship.
If you have to establish this many controlling rules just to keep her to yourself, just kick her to the curb. You will be 150% better off than having to babysit her for the rest of your life. You clearly want commitment. She doesn't. Pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and walk away. Don't do this to yourself. You deserve better.
What are you talking about “who knows how she got it” read the op. No it’s not some unsolicited dick pic, it the dick pic of the guy their mutual friend is seeing who’s freaky in bed. Jesus he literally says that in the first sentence. That’s why it’s sketch because they’re passing around a private pic that was most likely not meant to be shown to the whole friend group.
You really need to practice your reading comprehension.
That’s a good point. Nothing has seemed romantic or anything like that. I think your suggestion of asking in a non accusatory way is the best course of action. Do you have on any suggestions on how to ask it non-accusatory? I don’t wanna come off as aggressive or anything like that. I am just genuinely curious about what their friendship is.
i will definitely do that, start creating boundaries
Did I say that?
Or you can take the third option and sorry if I'm being straightforward with you but I don't miss my words. The third option is to stop acting like a teenage girl and act like a grown ass woman.
Your daughter doesn't need her dad. Anymore than you need him. You should be teaching yourself and your daughter to be able to survive on your own feet without needing somebody emotionally or financially because that's how you get stuck in situations like this.
If your husband wants to love your daughter he can do that regardless of who you are sleeping with. And getting back with your husband just because of your daughter is a recipe for disaster. Whatever circumstances that led to you guys getting to this point in the first place still exist.
Im sorry but that is the weirdest excuse for… returning a certificate of recognition.. like there are definitely more things happening but that is so bizzare and really makes me wonder what else has happened at work that maybe his boss didnt consider him for that position.
You did the right thing. He reached out for a booty call.
Poly isn’t an orientation you’re born with it’s a choice. You can’t “be poly” if your partner doesn’t agree to it. She’s just cheating on him.
There's a whole boatload of red flags in this relationship. She sounds like she's making you codependent. Threatening your life if you tried to leave is the biggest one, though. You definitely need to find a job and leave as soon as possible.
Maybe start getting proof about the threats she has said to you would be good as well.
He should be able to have more faith in your person but his line of thinking isn’t anything crazy. He’s not pulling hypotheticals out of nowhere. But at the end of the day your partner should never be telling you where to go and when to come home. Simple communication throughout the night should absolutely be okay. It sounds like the ball is in your couchette if you can deal with his issue forever, or if you care enough of his opinion to change something you like.
This is not your relationship to mend. It’s between your father and your husband. You can try to facilitate conversation but it’s clear your father is afraid it will happen again. You know that your husband will do his best “to control it” but that’s not even a promise it won’t happen, but that he’ll try to not beat the shit out of abusive misogynists on your behalf.
Define “regularly”. Monthly? Yearly?
She wants us all to be a close family unit and having the same last name will do just that.
I told this to my fiancee, and she's pissed. She says that if I don't want to accept her son as a family.
So by her logic, her son's own father is no longer his 'family' because they won't share the same last name?
This is a hill to die on, in my opinion, becuase there is something else going on there. A shared name doesn't make a family 'close' nor does it make them a family and her stance about that is weird. This is more about some hang-up she has about being a blended family, or her guilt about her son having a 'broken home' or something. She is trying to heal some kind of wound or fill some kind of hole with this name thing.
I think you should gently tell her that you do not agree with it and you do not think it is fair to her son or to his father or to you and that you're concerned about where this is coming from and what is behind it. Ask to go to counselling/therapy with her so you can uncover why this is so important to her.
Sorry to tell you, but you're not going to get past this.
She wants it. She wants it bad enough to ignore your feelings about it and asking if she can contact him. Not to mention, she was already obsessing over him by messaging him daily.
She's going to resent you for saying you wanted it and then back tracking.
If you give in and do it, you'll resent her and not see her as the same person.
WTF? He wanted to have sex while you were in the middle of a miscarriage? And you didn't just tell him to get out and never come back? This has to be a troll post.
I don't think you're overreacting. I think he's gaslighting you. I think he has anger issues. The reason I phrased my questions to you in my post in the way I did is because you're the one in the relationship so you would know him and the situation better. I think if you can reflect on the questions I posed and see what your thoughts are and listen to yourself then you might find the answers you're looking for.
It is rather obvious that your parents do have the funds to pay for his travel, though. I'm sure some confusion and resentment has built up because of the question of why they're not offering to cover his expenses in lieu of treating him like unpaid help.
I don't comprehend how conceding is problematic and unwanted. The whole point of a disagreement is to convince the other person.
Talk to her about it
This!!! I think your wording just wasn’t good and it was way too much info as well. I think keeping it simple and sweet next time will get the point across better.
Don't divorce him. You can get survivors SSI when he dies. Tell him you are married for life. You have been in this marriage for 12 yrs. I think I'd have to beat the chick up.
It's bothersome that he doubled down on it when you expressed your fear. I fortunately do not have a history of abuse and I would be scared if someone came at me like that with no warning. Even if he didn't have bad intent, he should have been apologetic for making you fearful and said he'd be more aware of his actions in the future. I don't know that it warrants divorce, but if you have further discussion about it and he doesn't back down, that is symptomatic of a bigger problem.
His mistake was thinking I was going to support him through this
What can I do differently? Should I try not backing down when he pushes back on something I've taken a strong stance on??
What can I do differently? Should I try not backing down when he pushes back on something I've taken a strong stance on??
So her pregnancy is a curse? That seems like a way worse thing to say
Stop disrespecting yourself and block her. On everything. Stop contacting her. If she finds a way to contact you, ignore her and block her. You don't want to be with her. You're not happy. SO STOP BEING THE CAUSE OF YOUR UNHAPPINESS!!
You're being a d*** to yourself and you know it
Can consider a parrot or a cat too. As for dogs, they generally have more health problems.
According to his deranged made up thoughts
Why does a man need to show you he cares before you go to therapy and work on issues you know you have?