Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To think SAHD is totally unfair ?

84 replies

greyA · 19/05/2025 20:16

My husband became a SAHD 9 months ago - we have a 1 year old and a 9 year old. I wfh and love my job and earn a good wage- he hated his job, money was poor, was facing redundancy plus he’d always romanticised being at home so we took the plunge. My expectation of him possibly was a tad high to begin with - I assumed I would be responsible financially for everything and he’d take the lions share of the childcare / housework. He said to me this evening- like he frequently does what a luxury it is that I get to sit on my bum all day working whilst he’s juggling our toddler. For context, I had the toddler whilst he did the school run this morning and grabbed a coffee whilst I put a load of washing on, and hoovered, all whilst entertaining toddler and juggling teams messages. When he returned I started work, popping downstairs frequently to see them both. Toddler napped after lunch and he went to run errands and when toddler woke up after only 35 minutes I was left ( as I frequently am ) juggling work and a toddler. He constantly expects me to drop what I’m doing so he can do what he needs which frequently leaves me behind with work. I’m also still doing a huge amount of housework ( we had a cleaner until recently but it didn’t work out ) AIBU to expect a bit more ?

OP posts:
steff13 · 19/05/2025 20:26

Agree with him that working is a luxury, and offer to be a SAHM and let him go back to work?

Pleatherandlace · 19/05/2025 20:25

Is there an office to work from? I think you going up and down stairs and watching the baby at nap times is blurring the boundaries. I think this is more on you than him.

fairygardenpath · 19/05/2025 20:23

Tbh, I think WFH with young children at home doesn’t work. I know that’s not going to be a popular view here as MN husbands appear to meekly disappear upstairs and no one knows of their existence. Mine is a PITA and in and out and up and down and it winds the kids up no end.

He is now back in the office and life is much easier.

I think if you have to WFH it has to be work, no going up and down, it’s unfair on everybody. That’s not to say DH isn’t taking the piss but someone being present and around then vanishing is harder than them just not being there.

Marble10 · 19/05/2025 20:23

You really need to set boundaries, as if you are not at home - what would he do? This is why I prefer physically being out of the house!

LowDownBoyStandUpGuy · 19/05/2025 20:21

What a chancer! OP if you can go into the office, even just for a few weeks, or find another workspace you can use then do that to stop him taking the piss then you can gradually come back home with stronger boundaries. Otherwise he can go back to work since he thinks it’s so much easier.

REDB99 · 19/05/2025 20:21

I’d go and work in the library or coffee shop. He needs to stop seeing you as so available. Once you’re not there to pick up what he doesn’t do he’ll soon realise how little he does. He’ll obviously complain more too and the house will be less tidy and the washing won’t get done but until he realises how much you do he won’t change. I’d stop doing his washing too.

Given he can’t hold down a job he sounds lazy and seems to act like a victim. Has he got any positives?

SudsySaturday · 19/05/2025 20:21

when toddler woke up after only 35 minutes I was left ( as I frequently am ) juggling work and a toddler. He constantly expects me to drop what I’m doing so he can do what he needs which frequently leaves me behind with work

Stop being such a wet blanket.

If he's a SAHD that means 100% of your working day, he has the dc. Stop agreeing to mind the toddler when you should be working.

DoYouReally · 19/05/2025 20:20

He sounds like a bit of a dud.

He didn't manage the working work.
Now he's not managing the SAHD role.

Surely, he's fully free to apply for fully WHF roles if he thinks they are so handy?

He's lazy, sees ever option as easier than what he has.

Justme2023123 · 19/05/2025 20:17

Can you go out of the house to work so he stops taking the piss?

Swipe left for the next trending thread