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Here, have my feelings

ITB2012's picture

That's how it seems to me now that I'm not engaging with DH when he tries to bait me into a fight or that I feel/think something with malicious intent. He's written two letters now, the one to my therapist that he did not deliver and the one that summarized his talk with his therapist (DH said the therapist said he should tell me how he feels). It seems to me like if he cannot interactively pass off his feelings to me, that he's doing so literally (like literally literally--hard copy literature).

He said we would have been better off had we parented our own kids. I agree and told him that.

He said that I did not allow him to parent his kids. Point of order: I continually suggested that we parent our own children. He fought me and wanted us to parent together. We agreed on things, or so I thought, but he did not follow through with what he said he was going to do parenting-wise. The points at which he suggested we parent separately are when I got frustrated with the non-existent co-parenting/double-standard, said something, and his response was to get mad and state to leave him alone, that he would take of his own kids. I'd back off, he'd be unhappy he'd have to be the bad guy, he'd convince me to step in again, rinse, repeat. I learned. I did stop. I only engaged in any sort of boundary-setting/parent-like activity when it affected me directly. I don't think he recognizes that.

I addressed a few things with him but said I wanted to think on more of them. Both letters are about things in the past. Things he's hanging onto. (But I'm the one who isn't supposed to bring up the past or patterns, to forgive and forget.) He even said I should forgive him. I said I already have forgiven him, but that doesn't mean I forget, ignore, or condone what he as done.

At the end of the discussion I said that I was thinking lately about a comment he made while we were traveling a few months ago: that he liked that I'm a happy person. I said I've thought about that a lot lately, and thought about how I've been across my life. And I agree, I am a generally happy and content person. And that recently I was thinking about it I happened to glance at our wedding pics and remembered the photographer continually telling DH to relax, that he was so tense. (DH quietly made a comment that he can't even relax for a massage.) I said that he seems to be a generally unhappy person.

It's been one therapy session, we shall see if additional ones so the same direction as this one.

 

 

Comments

justmakingthebest's picture

I don't think that you can parent separately and have it work in a household. Having different rules and structure at different houses (BM/BD vs. Ours)- Sure. But one kid can't have- no limit on TV time and no chores and not have to eat dinner and still get snacks- while the other has to turn it off at 8:00, clean the bathroom and help clean up the kitchen and no ice cream if they didn't eat dinner. 

That will only lead to chaos and animosity between kids, between kid and step parent, between parents. 

As for the rest, it has only been one session. These things take time. I do think that people can change their outlook. I used to feel very much like a victim. I still think that I had a right to be for a time, but I realized that the mentality that went along with that wasn't healthy. I took control back over my life. Hopefully with this therapy he can find tools and techniques to let go some, communicate more and find a healthy balance with parenting that you are both happy with.

ITB2012's picture

I've never seen that. Now that's funny.

Siemprematahari's picture

I think in all this he's still not focusing on HIMSELF. He's still making it about you, and/or everyone else and not taking responsibility on his part in all this. He said you did not allow him to parent his kids and still not looking deeper into this statement. Him playing victim and writing letters will get him NOWHERE. 

He needs to own his shit and stop with the victim mentality.

strugglingSM's picture

I agree with this...he's still deflecting. That's something he could work with the counselor on...not on how you feel about things. 

ITB2012's picture

I know it's only one session but it does really depend on what DH says is the goal/purpose of why he's there and the way the therapist likes to handle things.

Perhaps he will bring up that I said he's an unhappy person. Perhaps he will remember and bring up that when he asked me if I loved him I told him that right now I'm struggling to do so. Who knows what direction the therapist will guide the discussion.