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DH coercing me to retire in 50s

(32 Posts)
Wondering12 Wed 05-Mar-25 11:43:04

Any words of wisdom? After training part time in my second career for 20 years I’ve finally reached the top of the ladder and have my “dream job”.

In fact it’s not what I had expected - ridiculous hours (double what I’m paid for) and hugely stressful deadlines which I often can’t meet (largely due to me being a control freak about attention to detail and possibly also some ADHD, which only came to light in the last couple of years and hasn’t been formally diagnosed).

DH is trying to force me to quit. He says I’ve completely changed due to the stress, that I have a short fuse at home (ie can’t take his bullying, coercion and rages like I used to and now scream back at him rather than just leaving the house until he calms down like I did before), and I need to “prioritise the family”, ie cook homemade meals, declutter the house and sit with teenage DD while she watches TV and does her homework (fortunately we have a cleaner).

I’m completely torn.

Do I quit after all the years of training, letting down all the friends, family and colleagues who helped with childcare, emotional support and extra tuition along the way?

Or do I stick it out, fuelling rages and daily harsh critisism from DH and feeling eternally guilty for not being the homemaker I perhaps should be, in both his and my own eyes.

Any thoughts?

I only go in to work on two days a week, so can do all the school/activity drop offs/pick ups and be home in the house with DD on the other days, but I have to spend all day and evening working on my laptop rather than doing housework/homemaking.

silverlining48 Wed 05-Mar-25 18:01:19

So if you retire and he still hasn’t found a job that paid enough to keep you all in comfort? Can he be jealous of your success? His perceived failure?
It’s not ok that he is pressuring you it has to be your free decision but frankly you are only in work two days a week and the rest you can do in your own time at home.
You worked hard for this and have got to the top. A good example to your dd.
Were anything to happen to your dh or marriage and you had given up your job under pressure would you be able to earn sufficient if you were solely responsible.
Why if he thinks it so important, doesn’t your dh sit with his dd while she does her homework, though frankly this shoukd not be necessary. My gd same age does not want or need anyone watching over her.
We obviously don’t know your circumstances but your dh seems to resent your success which is presumably paying the bills. Be very careful, you have worked hard so don’t throw you career away. Unless YOU really want to.

M0nica Wed 05-Mar-25 22:08:40

Of course the obvious solution, as you are working in a demanding job and he is home all day, is for him to take over running the house, cooking the meals and sitting with his daughter while she watches tv and does her homework.

Yu would then be able to relax in the evenings and life would be less stressful all round.

LaCrepescule Thu 06-Mar-25 07:13:40

No, it’s not worse to be divorced from an irrational self-centred bully than married to one. Your thinking is completely skewed.
I’m sorry but I don’t have much sympathy for you if you truly believe that. Your priority is to separate from your odious husband. Your daughter will cope and she’s old enough to make up her own mind about what he says about you. You describe yourself as being controlling and that’s what you’re trying to do here. You think that by staying with him you’re controlling what he says about you to your daughter.

silverlining48 Thu 06-Mar-25 11:07:43

What exactly does your stay at home husband do all day? He should be doing what he seems to want you to do, housework, cooking blah blah but you are working and earning. He is not.

As for his rages that in itself would make me seriously consider my future with him. As I said in my other post, don’t give up your job because if at some time in the future you split up you will need to support yourself and presumably your daughter too.

Cossy Thu 06-Mar-25 15:08:35

Do exactly what you want, and can afford, to do.

Don’t let anyone bully, coerce, force you to do anything you don’t wish to do.

Good luck flowers

Cossy Thu 06-Mar-25 15:09:46

M0nica

Of course the obvious solution, as you are working in a demanding job and he is home all day, is for him to take over running the house, cooking the meals and sitting with his daughter while she watches tv and does her homework.

Yu would then be able to relax in the evenings and life would be less stressful all round.

What’s more, this is exactly how it would work in any normal family set up!