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AIBU?

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Husband and tea

121 replies

ata345 · 18/07/2023 20:07

Big row with DH was I unreasonable....

I always make dinner and usually cook from scratch. I made dinner dished it up and called DH to say it was ready.

DH is upstairs playing xbox.

He doesn't come so I call again and again he doesn't come. I'm getting annoyed now so call and say it is on the table ready and to come down.

He comes all sweary and angry saying I treat him like a little boy or dog saying he should come down for dinner. I told him it is disrespectful and rude not to come down when someone has made you tea and you're just playing xbox.

Who is in the wrong!?

OP posts:
AvanGelist · 19/07/2023 12:10

ChiefWiggumsBoy · 19/07/2023 12:01

There's also a moral code.

It's seen as morally good by a lot of people to be reading a book, or out on a bike. Watching tv seems to be neutral. Gaming? Worst. Thing. Ever. You might as well be married to Charles Manson.

@ata345 I have Alexa's in most rooms, I'll do a dinner time call five mins before and then again when dishing up. They can eat it cold if they come after that.

YANBU to be upset at his attitude about it.

I find the lack of logical baffling, especially from people like Master Beth.
Video games are basically point and click, then watch things on a screen. It's basically watching TV with added steps, so how is it playing with toys? Why is watching TV not childish but video games are?
Also if toys are childish... What makes Warhammer and board games childish but not sports which also involve implements like badminton and archery? They're similar, no?

It would make sense for the gaming selfish twats to be in the same category as the husband's fucking off to cycle, play football or whatever from a selfish POV but gaming = bad.

ChiefWiggumsBoy · 19/07/2023 12:01

MasterBeth · 19/07/2023 11:48

Why is video gaming seen as a children/teenager hobby?

Because it is.

I mean, of course, adults play video games. Video games are expensive. Many video games are adult- (well, adolescent-) themed - (violent or sexualised). Yeah, yeah, we get it.

But it's still sitting down playing with a toy. Which is primarily a childish activity. Just like Lego and D&D and Warhammer.

Feel free to embrace your inner child by doing any or all of these things, but don't pretend you don't know why anyone would think it was childish.

There's also a moral code.

It's seen as morally good by a lot of people to be reading a book, or out on a bike. Watching tv seems to be neutral. Gaming? Worst. Thing. Ever. You might as well be married to Charles Manson.

@ata345 I have Alexa's in most rooms, I'll do a dinner time call five mins before and then again when dishing up. They can eat it cold if they come after that.

YANBU to be upset at his attitude about it.

travelallthetime · 19/07/2023 11:56

I have a 15 year old who did this (although I find it incredible a fully grown man acts like this). Anyway, they can get a ban for 24 hours if they leave a game early depending on what they are playing.
Rule in our house is I shout up 20 mins before its ready to tell them, if, when it is ready, they are dicking around, I trun off the wifi. Mainly because im sick of the attitude around it.
Now, seems excessive for an adult and I would go mental over the comment about treating him like a child, in fact I would spit my dummy out and only cook for myself for the next few days and when asked about it mention not being his mother. However, I am petty like that

MasterBeth · 19/07/2023 11:48

Why is video gaming seen as a children/teenager hobby?

Because it is.

I mean, of course, adults play video games. Video games are expensive. Many video games are adult- (well, adolescent-) themed - (violent or sexualised). Yeah, yeah, we get it.

But it's still sitting down playing with a toy. Which is primarily a childish activity. Just like Lego and D&D and Warhammer.

Feel free to embrace your inner child by doing any or all of these things, but don't pretend you don't know why anyone would think it was childish.

WaltzingWaters · 19/07/2023 11:47

He’s being treated like a child because he’s acting like a child playing games rather than being respectful and coming to eat with you when you’ve put in lots of effort cooking for him. It’s extremely rude of him and I wouldn’t be cooking for him anymore if he continues.

Commentsonly · 19/07/2023 11:41

He’s the tw-t definitely!

Talipesmum · 19/07/2023 11:30

ABugWife · 19/07/2023 11:07

This works for my TEENAGE sons. I wouldn't expect to micromanage an adult that way.

OP just cook your own dinner and let him sort himself out.

It all depends on the norms in your house. We don’t have a set time for tea - it’s whenever it gets cooked and it can vary between 6.15 and 8pm on a weeknight, typically. Could be either of us cooking it. So we always holler round to everyone else in the house with an “tea will be ready in x minutes” warning to give everyone a chance to finish up what they’re doing - kids on homework, me or DH on whatever we’re doing for jobs if WFH, hanging up the laundry, playing online chess, on Xbox, ps4, or just flopping around. It’s not micromanaging - it’s letting people know relevant info so they can plan.

If we always ate at 6.30 on the dot then we’d expect people to know and to make sure they’re free then.

MrsSkylerWhite · 19/07/2023 11:22

takealettermsjones · Today 10:49
MrsSkylerWhite · Today 10:40

Any adult male who spends his evenings playing games is unreasonable, full stop.
What if it was chess? 🤔

Every evening with someone other than his partner? Equally unreasonable.

sawnotseen · 19/07/2023 11:21

Him

bonzaitree · 19/07/2023 11:20

I would feel micro managed in his position. Leave him to it and do your own thing.

MsRosley · 19/07/2023 11:20

I'm not sure the problem is his rudeness and childishness - though that is an issue - as the fact that he's happy to focus on his gaming instead of helping you.

maddiemookins16mum · 19/07/2023 11:19

Mine plays Xbox as soon as finishes work. For at least 45 mins. I’m in the kitchen cooking.

Disclaimer: I then do nowt after we’ve eaten, he clears everything, washes up, does the cats, bins, other jobs and brings me a brew.

ABugWife · 19/07/2023 11:07

Talipesmum · 18/07/2023 20:15

Don’t want to make excuses for feckless husband, but I find with Xbox it goes a lot more smoothly if I give a warning “ready in 20 mins” then say when it’s ready so they don’t start up a new game or something when it’s nearly tea time. If he knew what time it was going to be ready he’s totally unreasonable. If not it can be v annoying to stop in the middle of something - I know it’s only a game but it can be annoying.

This works for my TEENAGE sons. I wouldn't expect to micromanage an adult that way.

OP just cook your own dinner and let him sort himself out.

Georgyporky · 19/07/2023 11:05

My DH used to do this when watching TV, so I started calling once then left it to go cold.
Only happened twice before he saw the error of his ways.

VintageBlossomHill · 19/07/2023 11:04

OMG is he 12?

LadyBird1973 · 19/07/2023 11:00

Anyone who feels like they are being forced to eat when they aren't ready, or doesn't see why they should stop what they are doing and eat with the person who cooks their dinner every day, is free to make their own!

AvanGelist · 19/07/2023 10:53

MereDintofPandiculation · 19/07/2023 10:49

Of course it’s reasonable for an adult. Unless dinner is always the same time. Imagine stayibg somewhere with meals cooked for but knowing only it’ll be sometime between 6 and 7.30, but you have to drop everything and rush down when it arrives, else it’ll be thrown in the bin.

I do think if dinner is served at the same time you should know as a grown adult!
I WFH and have evening meetings so dinner appears from anywhere between 6 - 9.... I can't expect H to twiddle his thumbs for 3 hours 🤣

If it was served at roughly the same time it's not hard to estimate.

Lololow · 19/07/2023 10:52

My 15 year old who is usually on the xbox when i call him for dinner always comes down as soon as ive called him. There have been a handful of times i've called a couple of times and its taken him a few mins to come down as he just needed to finish an 'important match' but this is very rare and he doesn't come down and be rude to me for calling him, he knows better than that or he'll be cooking for himself!
I would call your DH for dinner, ensuring that he has heard you and then let him choose when he comes, if its gone cold then that's on him, simples.

takealettermsjones · 19/07/2023 10:52

MereDintofPandiculation · 19/07/2023 10:49

Of course it’s reasonable for an adult. Unless dinner is always the same time. Imagine stayibg somewhere with meals cooked for but knowing only it’ll be sometime between 6 and 7.30, but you have to drop everything and rush down when it arrives, else it’ll be thrown in the bin.

But surely it's more reasonable in that scenario to say, "hey, wife who cooks every single meal for me without so much as a complaint, I'd like to go and play an online game for 20 minutes (rather than come into the kitchen and help, or set the table, or even just talk to you), will I have time before the meal is ready, or should I wait until later? Thanks for cooking again, by the way!" 😂

MereDintofPandiculation · 19/07/2023 10:49

Luxell934 · 18/07/2023 20:17

This would be totally reasonable for a teenager. For a grown adult man who is her husband? Not so much.

Of course it’s reasonable for an adult. Unless dinner is always the same time. Imagine stayibg somewhere with meals cooked for but knowing only it’ll be sometime between 6 and 7.30, but you have to drop everything and rush down when it arrives, else it’ll be thrown in the bin.

takealettermsjones · 19/07/2023 10:49

MrsSkylerWhite · 19/07/2023 10:40

Any adult male who spends his evenings playing games is unreasonable, full stop.

What if it was chess? 🤔

Backstreets · 19/07/2023 10:43

This is on you for marrying a 14 year old op

CarPour · 19/07/2023 10:42

AvanGelist · 19/07/2023 08:20

The comment was obviously tongue in cheek 🤣
But ... How many video gamers do you personally know to declare that they behave frequently like OPs DH? Other than on here?
People only post to complain.

I'm a software developer and most of my colleagues game. All full functional adults and great catches too judging by the amount of cooking and laundry discussions. Of course you can't tell.

My own DH is a great catch. However he also comes down immediately for dinner so no issues there

They are obviously not personally going to declare themselves to be a childish twat are they?

But yet vast swathes of partners of men who game (not just on MN) complain about this sort of thing.

DH works in quite a geeky male industry, and quite often comes home shocked by the selfishness of his colleagues, including their gaming habits. So some men definitely admit to shit behaviour

MrsSkylerWhite · 19/07/2023 10:40

Any adult male who spends his evenings playing games is unreasonable, full stop.

billy1966 · 19/07/2023 10:39

Really rude.

I wouldn't want my child around someone who thinks that is appropriate behaviour.

Tae a break from making food for him.

How manchilds like this get women to procreate with them is beyond me.

Men who game should come with a warning.

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