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HOW do I make him understand?

ocs's picture

I am so tired of this.

SD is 14, and as far as I'm concerned, since everyone thinks she is old enough to make her own decisions, then BM needs to back the hell off, and DH needs to stop communication.

BM and DH only talk via email, but it is her form of control. DH knows it makes me crazy and he insists that it is for needed communication only. (ie- school issues) The don't have any kind of personal emails or involvement.

THEN- she emails unneeded BS about SD and DH responds instead of ignoring. He pleads with me that it is so she doesn't get all pissy again and wage a new war. He doesn't see that it is because she just feels the need to insert herself in stuff. I see the manipulation, he doesn't.

They never speak on the phone, or text, its always email, a couple times a week. Is this normal communication? Am I being jealous? Or territorial? I don't have bios, and maybe this kind of communication keeps everything on an even keel? I don't know? Part of me is pissed that another woman contacts him, and then I feel horrible about that- bc it is his daughter's mother and they do need some kind of interaction.

In the past, when he has stopped communication, BM waged an all out ugly war. Right now, he is enjoying a peaceful existence with his daughter

Sparklelady's picture

Yes, ^this^

Be honest with him. Tell him how it hurts you. Admit you feel second place to her. This is no time for pride to get in the way.

You are correct, that he is wrong to believe by giving in to her she will be less hostile. This is a control ploy on her part. There truthfully is no reason for them to communicate this frequently, however she obviously hasn't let go of him yet.

The next best step for you, is to insist that he no longer tell you anything about communication with her. Don't ask, don't tell, should be your new mantra. You can't get upset about something you don't know about!

Maxwell09's picture

I think you should pick your battles. If you ask them to stop emailing then they will move to another form of communication. Would you rather BM text him? It's more formal because it is an email communication whereas if it were texting, which is easy, it might increase more than 3 times a week. Honestly emailing it's probably a good way to communicate because it can be used in court. Phones calls are a lot harder to prove what you talked about. My ss2's BM calls almost every night to tell him goodnight (irritating) and text throughout the week for pictures and updates. I would give anything for them to just communicate 3 times a week through email.

QuailCreek's picture

Lawyers like txts and emails because its uncorrupted evidence.

Have you read the emails? That's not necessarily a crazy amount of communication but I can relate about noticing manipulation from BM. I smell that crap a mile away.

My DH does the same thing even though he knows BM is extremely manipulative. For us women it's a common tactic, our way of being competitive, to impose psychological warfare so of course we know. I wouldn't be surprised if your BM knows the emails drive you nuts, because if he's like my DH, he tells her--strictly for self ego stroking reasons. Or SD over hears and tells her mom.

If your DH says its about school he can prove it and let you read them. Even if its about SD (excluding household issues) I wouldn't fret about it. I think not knowing is what's driving you crazy.

Orange County Ca's picture

I also wondered if you were privy to reading them? If not why not?

Email communication is so easy today I don't see 2 a week as being out of line just to confirm pick-up schedules and what's happening at school.

ocs's picture

yes- but sometimes it is her asking, "how was SD at visitation? Was she ok? What did you do?"

I want him to say- "ask SD"

I feel it is intrusive and it is none of her goddamn business what happens here.

ocs's picture

This advice is really helping. THANK YOU!

The emails are about SD- he has shown me, (his email is open). I don't think he shares anything about me to her. But as you guys have said- we ARE women. WE KNOW.

They were never married, but split up 13 years ago. I'm convinced that my DH is the 'one that got away' to her. She has had 2 other children since, with a deadbeat, and he has recently left her.

In the past, BM has come after me and DH was solidly on my side when the police got involved. I don't know why I feel so insecure about this.

When BM and SD waged war because I called the cops, SD refused to come over if I was home. DH said, then don't come. I know he will set up walls when need be. I will try to not fret- childishly- I just want her to disappear forever.

ncgal1980's picture

That's what I live with. My DH's ex calls him at least every other day, whether the skids are with us or not. There's always some issue with one of the three kids that she has to discuss with him. Every time the phone rings and I see it's her, I want so bad to say "Oh look! It's your girlfriend calling again!" I don't say it, though. As others have said, you have to pick your battles.

I have three stepsons, and at least one of them is sick ALL THE TIME. I swear to God I've never seen so much sickness as these damn kids have. Pinkeye, strep, bronchitis, ringworm, strep again, and strep AGAIN, colds, stomach bugs...It goes on and on and on. I have two sons myself, and thankfully they almost never get sick.

Most of the calls are about one of the sick skids, and the calls are pretty brief, thank God. He doesn't talk to her any longer than he has to, and I don't have any concerns about it, really.

It still kind of icks me out every time she calls, though...It feels like an intrusion for some reason.

ocs's picture

LOL ^ True.

I suppose I would be less of a maniac if SD was younger. She is 14 with her own smartphone.

RedneckAngel's picture

I do feel you, My SS is 21 and SD is 16 and there is still a lot of communication between BM and DH and I have had my belly full of it...mostly because the calls and texts rarely concerned the kids (which live(d) with us) and I have accepted my position with this and crazy as it sounds it's made my life a bit easier. I feel second sometimes sure, but it is what it is and DH just hides it now, but I always find out. Makes me insecure at times sure, but it just makes you have your own "secrets"...and no not another man, just shit I don't wanna talk about to him.

What helps me...I think, HMMM... if I were at a bar, party or restaurant or even a singles cruise...would I find her as competition
ANSWER: Nope I wouldn't, so I'm not going to compete with her over him either, if that's what he wants go back then and she may leave you again and it ain't my fault.

I speak about 3 times a year at most to my X....if I wanted to talk to him, we'd still be married. Plus, I got this mom thing, I don't need his input when he only sees the kids on occasion.

Orange County Ca's picture

I think you should use your search engine like Google and use these key words to make a search: signs infidelity man

Watch for those signs. Until they appear I'd not worry about his emailing twice a week, emails that are open to you to read anytime you want from a man you say you trust without reservation.

moeilijk's picture

I think it's DH's attitude towards the communication that would worry me, more than the content or the volume.

He pleads with me that it is so she doesn't get all pissy again and wage a new war.

The way you phrase this makes me think that he's acting as though he's having to choose between you and BM (and wrongly choosing BM). He's also saying that he's still busy trying to manage/control her crazy - so he's still in a relationship with her.

This doesn't sound like a polite and unemotional exchange of 3-4 emails a week about the skid, and your DH is emotional, putting himself in the middle and preoccupied with maintaining a relationship with BM. So yes, I'd have a beef with that.

simifan's picture

Honestly if the kid is 14, 2-3 times a week seems very intrusive and obsessive to me. At 14, I agree with you - ask SD is an appropriate response. Or a general - I will let you know if there are issues during my visitation - then ignore.

omgsaveme's picture

Im a BM as well as a SM and I will say that I know my exes SO has an issue and is very insecure when we talk. I can't stand my ex but I can talk to him at work and he will be friendly enough but then I can tell when he gets home and is given lines from his girlfriend or she will cut him off on phone time. I think they are both ridiculous, my ex and I discuss my son only, there are no feelings there and its strictly business.

What is the content of the email? 14 or not they still need to discuss issues with their child. If she's flirtatious and tries to make it personal then I would limit the contact but if they are just discussing her, then I would let it go.

ocs's picture

She is high conflict. And a grade A bitch. She has also harassed me in the past, so maybe I'm hyper sensitive.

I have no issue with communication regarding school etc.. but when she oversteps and starts asking intrusive questions is when I have a problem.

Although not personal, she does say some things that she seems to be begging him to ask questions, and he doesn't. He will respond to questions about SD. I just don't think the things she asks are any of her business. He doesn't email her and pepper her with questions about daily life with SD, why the hell should she ask him?

He has admitted to me that he has made the mistake of answering too much. I was super honest about how I felt and he agreed and explained what and why he did what he did. I don't know- a tiny step forward?

Cocoa's picture

he doesn't have to understand, he just needs to cut it out. i'm having this problem with my dh now, his oldest kid is almost 18! i told him he'd better start forming his own relationships with those kids cause if he thinks i'm waiting until 12 year old is 18 (or longer!) for communication to die down, tell me now cause i'm not living through that. i'm thinking another year or so and he can pretty much communicate strictly with ss12. at 14 with no other kids in the house, contacting twice a week is excessive. i wouldn't tolerate it.

omgsaveme's picture

hmmmm I may talk to my ex once every 2 weeks at the most. Your DH should just respond to her the next time she oversteps and say something along the lines of, "we don't need to discuss anything unless its important info regarding SD" Im just trying to speak from the BM side even though I know theres different situations. If she's asking questions that are none of her business, then DH needs to address it.

My DHs DD is an adult so I would flip shit if they were talking still (BM). So I can see from your end that its annoying for an ex to talk to your DH, but its not her fault its your DHs fault. Also what is keeping the relationship cordial between him and BM, going to make her wage war for ?

His groveling and kissing ass is only going to make things worse, not better. If you want him to understand then flip the script and tell DH you need to call your ex and talk to him about the Cactus you guys purchased together, cause you noticed its dying. Your ex was the best at taking care of your cactus and you will be horribly upset if it dies. Then proceed to talk to your ex about other bullshit and plead with DH that its just till your cactus comes back to life.

When that little vein pops up on DHs forehead then you'll know it worked lol.