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Being prioritized last, because I can handle it?

Sticksandstones's picture

Just a vent, feeling like a martyr and would appreciate some encouraging words on how right I am and how wrong everyone else is Smile

So the other day me and SO had an anniversary of sorts. He's not really in to celebrating it, but he usually does it do humor me. The last couple of weeks we have hardly had any time together since I work very erratic hours and often on weekends, but for once, on this special day we would both be free for the entire day! Several days in advance I had booked him for the entire day. A couple of days before SS, who's at BMs house falls ill, and BM asks if SO can't have him, since SO works from home and then she wouldn't have to stay home from work. Fine enough, he gets to stay at our place for 2 days to recuperate. I again ask SO "But I have you booked for all of tomorrow, right?" and he says yes.

Then it turns out, that while I was at work, FMIL was over to see her grandson, and when BM came to pick him up she said "SO can have him tomorrow as well!" And SO said yes. So the next day, I'm all giddy about having the entire day with SO, I've planned some nice things, wanted to treat him to a nice lunch and some fun daytime stuff that we never get to do together. Then SS gets dropped off in the early morning, me completely dumbfound.

It't not that I don't want him to have his son here when sick, it's that I had planned things, and asked him several times to give me the entire day, and he didn't even tell me that the plans had changed. I tried to keep a stiff upper lip, I really did. I went by the day playing with SS (he's always in a good mood, even when sick), but I had a very hard time hiding my disappointment. It slipped out that I had planned things, and naturally SO felt bad, but explained that he couldn't say no when his mother had said it would be ok.

So my life is controlled not only by SS, but BM and MIL too. Their wishes always come before mine. Because he thinks I can handle it, I'm his strong woman who doesn't need people the way the others do. Is it too much to ask that I get ONE day, on a special occassion when we haven't spent time together in weeks? No relationship is so strong that it can go on if we don't work on it, don't spend time together, damn it!

Jsmom's picture

Sorry, but I would have gone off on this one...He is at fault here, not BM or MIL and you for allowing it....We show others how to treat us...

Stand up for yourself, you are the only one who will.

Sticksandstones's picture

Exactly what I think! MIL wasn't even available to take care of him herself, so why should she say that we could? But the relationship between BM and MIL is a whole different story, if the two of them get any closer I will have to assume they are lovers.

All I want is some respect and to be taken into account. If he would have called me up and told me about the situation it would have been ok, but he just assumed it would be fine with me. And there's not much I like less than being taken for granted. I feel like my plans always involve him, but I'm only his plan when everything else fails. Grrrr...

2ndclasscitizen's picture

Sigh, not coming first.......I struggle with this all of the time. Seems like sometimes DH is nicer to his ex than to me! I always feel like our daughter and me always come second to his daughter from his first marriage. I keep trying to get through it by telling myself that in time I will love his child like he does, but it has been 7 years to no avail. Sometimes I fantasize about what it would be like to have a nuclear family; just me, my DH and our daughter. I know it's terrible, but sometimes I can't help myself.

Sticksandstones's picture

Not terrible! I'm actually not willing to have children with my SO as it is because I don't want to feel that way. Which is ok with me, I've never wanted kids. Fantasizing is good though, an excellent defense mechanism! Day dream away about how it could have, and should have been...

Sticksandstones's picture

Right!? Unfortunately, the next day we have together is in a couple of weeks, and after several disappointments like this I'm just not in the mood to make plans with him anymore. I'll probably get over it in a while, but I do feel stupid for making nice plans with him for OUR sake, and he just doesn't care. He's trying to make up for it now though, he just poked his head in and asked if we shouldn't cook a nice dinner together and share some wine. All hope is not lost.

Kes's picture

I used to get this "assuming it would be fine with Kes" from DH and it took me a few years of telling him - with appropriate degree of anger that it was most certainly NOT fine, to have plans made etc without consulting me, or stuff cancelled. He doesn't do it any more. You have to be really assertive with DH and make it clear that this isn't acceptable.