Hi everyone! I'd like to hear your perspectives as men.
I've been with my kids' father since I was 13. At 15, because of problems with his family, he moved in with mine (he was 18), and after we got caught in the act by mom, who naively trusted us to be celibate, we got engaged when I turned 16. I got pregnant at 17 and had our first daughter just shy of 18. Today is actually my daughter's 17th birthday, and I'm reflecting back on all these years of motherhood and dealing with him. I got pregnant again, just six months after I gave birth. I was on birth control pills, so I'm not sure what happened then. By 19, I had two babies, and we moved out to our own place. We had fights, and he would leave and come back after a while. I was too young to realize he would cause the fights to go get drunk and do drugs, and normally felt bad because I was the one who yelled and lost my shit. Finally, after I'd had enough, I moved back in with my mom and took care of my two kids on my own. He never paid child support; I worked and went to school part-time, so I wouldn't miss too much time away from the kids. I never kept them from him unless he was actively using, so he was in and out of their lives. I allowed him to spend the night from time to time and go on vacations with us, where I had already paid for everything. I'd lent him money when he needed. This went on for about 7 years, and during this time I didn't have any relationships and hardly went out because I was devoted to the kids. At 28, my mom passed after a short battle with cancer, and after the funeral, he offered to stay over and take care of my younger sister and me and the kids. He was really nice, took care of the kids, and cooked for us while we grieved and adjusted to the emptiness we felt. He would always ask for sex, and I finally agreed. We did it one time; it lasted less than 5 minutes, and a month later I found out I was pregnant. I did not want to keep the baby; I wished to miscarry or have something happen because I was so sad and scared to be tied to this man who was never there for my older two and was still in addiction. We kept the baby, and he was the biggest jerk during the pregnancy and postpartum. He would continue to leave and get high, wasn't there for her first birthday, etc. I went through severe Postpartum Depression, and I 1000% feel it had a lot to do with him (at one point I was so bad I couldn't sleep for days and couldn't stop crying; I felt so bad I had thoughts of Sui**de. He was asleep, and I woke him because I needed someone so much in that moment, and he told me to go do it already and leave him the F alone). It also happened during the pandemic, so I was not working, which was a huge change, grieving my mom, dealing with him, and nursing my most difficult baby. I would spend my own money (my mom left the kids and me money from her life insurance, and I used my credit cards. When I ran out of money, he did not want to help me pay them, so I ruined my credit and have slowly brought it back. He finally got sober, and I felt so happy, feeling like my prayers had been answered. I was truly in love with him again. I treated him like a KING. Not exaggerating. Home-cooked meals ready when he got home, ironed clothes laid out, packed lunch, took care of everything essentially.
Fast forward to now, I manage everything. I work part-time from home and once a week outside of my home, take care of the bills, finances, planning anything and everything, cars, kids. We had another baby, and she just turned 3. I'm going to be starting a second job 30hrs a week where I used to work before my mom passed away.
I'm 34 now, and he's 37. We have s*x mostly when I initiate, sometimes beg for it. He won't let me give him oral, which is such a turn on for me, and I really, really enjoy doing it. I've tried to tell him in so many different ways how much I am starving for affection and connection. He doesn't kiss me; if I kiss him and want to make out, he'll push me away. I beg him to hug me for at least 5 mins, and he does it like a chore. I love to touch him, caress him, and massage him because I'm a very affectionate person. He sleeps in the living room because I bug him, and he doesn't want to wake me. He works from 3-1ish, so long hours, and gets home, eats, stays stuck on his phone, and then goes to sleep. Everyday. On his day off, he also rests but does take the kids to school and picks them up; sometimes helps cook, and doesn't take care of anything else. We don't talk, and when we do, I upset him, or he's completely checked out.
Over the past year, I made a really good friend at work; he's a gay man who just turned 40. From the first conversation, we just clicked, and I figured since he's gay, it's ok for me to be friends and talk to him all the time. I ended up falling for him; obviously, it's not reciprocated since he likes men, but the feelings he awoke in me felt nice. My man started to act jealous when we started going for drinks at gay bars after work and has broken up with me over it, but has not moved out. I'm indifferent about it; honestly, it does hurt because of the kids. I remember how my older ones missed him, and imagining the little ones going through it breaks my heart. I am also sad that I am older with two more kids and am aware dating isn't in the cards for me, as I have never wanted to give my kids a stepdad due to my own traumas. We had a conversation yesterday about when he moves out, and he basically said that he will fight for half custody so he doesn't have to pay any child support and wants to be involved this time around. I don't know what to do; I can't imagine being away from my kids, especially the younger two (3,6). My older two (15 & 17) tell me it's ok to leave him, as it's obvious to them we are not compatible. My sister also chimes in that, financially and in this economy, one paycheck doesn't cut it for a family this big. (I manage both our incomes, and he's very laidback on my spending. I buy everything he needs, so he hardly spends on his own, and as long as we have money, he lets me buy the girls whatever, or we go on little trips I plan. I'm confused and scared. His coldness and constant rejection affect me. I'm on antidepressants and sleep medication. I feel like a weight will lift when he leaves, but I'm also scared of making the wrong choice for my family.
He doesn't want to leave, says he loves me and I'm his favorite person but he feels the drugs messed up his brain and he doesn't know how to connect or do what I need. He says I'm being selfish because I want to go to gay bars and hang with my gay friends. I do think he might be depressed, but he refuses to seek therapy or meds.
He ruined Thanksgiving and Christmas last year by fighting with me, sleeping, and not being present even though we rented a cabin. Feeling nervous about these holidays.
Can we fix this? I know I'm capable of choosing him again, loving him, because when he breadcrumbs, I feel that happiness and completeness. What should I do?