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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Mad about DP refusing to do School Run

195 replies

LittlePeachh · 10/09/2025 22:48

As the title says, AIBU to be mad about the fact my DP is refusing to do the school run?

Before we would take turns, but he seems to think I should do it every morning as I’m off on Mat Leave. He WFH. Usually doesn’t start until after I return back from dropping DC off.

By this point I’ve done the night feeds, got DC up, made breakfast, got DC ready whilst feeding and changing the baby AND getting myself ready. He’s happy to be awake, in bed and for me to leave the baby. But I’m shattered, even completing the most mundane household tasks takes all my effort.
baby goes back to sleep just after 8am and usually just before leaving for school run. DP dropping DC off means I could pop back to bed for a little while which would help with getting everything done before pickup.

Am I right to be mad or do I need to put on big girl pants and get on with it?

OP posts:
JustMyView13 · 11/09/2025 10:41

This man baby.
Regarding the car - invoice him for the childcare and let him settle the difference.
This relationship is clearly transactional for him.

chattychatchatty · 11/09/2025 10:34

Write to him explaining how unbalanced the situation is at the moment and say you expect him to help out by doing XYZ - be very specific. Ask him to respond in writing. It’s a weird approach but I think you need to take the emotion out of it, treat it like a business plan. If he can see what a CF he’s being in black and white, maybe he’ll reconsider. And if he doesn’t respect what you’re trying to achieve, it may well be time to rethink your future together.

JFDIYOLO · 11/09/2025 10:33

This is what he thinks:

Her job - gestate, birth, nurture, watch, lose sleep over, change, hold, feed, bath dress them and cope with everything physical and emotional postpartum / drive the children to and from school and all activities / manage appointments, crises, household shopping / clean the house, do the laundry, feed and service MEEEEEEE. Because she is STAFF. And this will of course continue when she goes back to work.

(Does he also have the impression you're currently on holiday?)

My job - get a good night sleep because I'm the busy and important one, wake up refreshed and shower, breakfast, stroll into my study, focus on my job at all costs, pop a head out to refuse and criticise. Because ... 🤷‍♂️ income.🤷‍♂️

Too many men think like this. The be all and end all of the relationship is 'but I bring home the money'.

Draw up a 24 hour chart for the last week and mark in red every single hour you spent on wifework, mumwork, housework and what you did. Everything.

Every bit of lost sleep, every juggling three things at once, and also at the end note everything you didn't have time for yourself - shower, exercise, breakfast etc because you were busy creating his life.

Then add in the hours he spent sleeping, grooming, relaxing etc as well as actively working at his job, and actively working to bring up your family.

You will be putting in more hours work. While you are on MAT LEAVE.

Time for a formal house meeting, held and delivered as if you were both at work. Leave emotions and accusations behind. Talk KPIs, goals, objectives, feedback, 'going forward'.

You mentioned your marriage was rocky - then he wanted another child. I wonder if the second baby business rather papered over cracks in the marriage that are splitting open again?

Hedgehogsaremyjam · 11/09/2025 10:28

LittlePeachh · 11/09/2025 10:24

@Hedgehogsaremyjam
I’ve paid into my pension since my early 20’s and I have life insurance but no savings or anything to fall back on. I have chose to return to work before my full year of maternity, I could really go back any time though.

You need to protect yourself. Your partner sounds useless and unlikely to change and could up and leave you with your children at any time.

Regardless of if/how you decide to tackle him about his laziness please protect yourself and make a backup plan

382827GGH · 11/09/2025 10:26

hey, are you okay to drop DC off this morning?’

And there you have it.

Why the hell are you ASKING him to parent??

Just stop it. "You are taking DC tomorrow"

"DC, go straight into see daddy when you wake up"

On repeat.

LittlePeachh · 11/09/2025 10:24

@Hedgehogsaremyjam
I’ve paid into my pension since my early 20’s and I have life insurance but no savings or anything to fall back on. I have chose to return to work before my full year of maternity, I could really go back any time though.

OP posts:
Pinkcherry26 · 11/09/2025 10:21

sadtimeshardtimes · 11/09/2025 09:57

What a twat of a man

This is one of those times I wish we could publicly like posts. I bet the numbers for this one would be off the scale, and the OP can't see it.

Overwhelmedandunderfed · 11/09/2025 10:21

Of course it isn’t fair, you would think they would want to now and again wouldn’t you? Most of them don’t want to and that is part of the reason you will never convince me that the majority of men are good people. It doesn’t matter what anyone says to me on here, I’m certain that men are inferior in almost every way.

noidea69 · 11/09/2025 10:20

Sounds like a right twat, why doesnt he do the school run if WFH and can fit it in?

Havent read all the messages but does he also expect you to take the baby on the school run too?

Bananarama2000 · 11/09/2025 10:20

Don’t put up with it.

You’re capable of out and out refusing just as he is. Play chicken. And if DC get a day off then that’s on him.

You can prewarn him that you cannot continue to shoulder the entire burden of lack of sleep and expect him to do at least 50% of the school runs, if not more when you’ve been up all night. Then you say, this will start tomorrow when you will be taking DC to school for X time.

Then the following morning you stay in bed with baby and he either goes or he doesn’t. If he’s not concerned by repercussions because you’ll just do it, why can’t that work the other way too?

Homegrownberries · 11/09/2025 10:19

This is who he is. He has shown you that he can change temporarily when it suits him but he will keep reverting to type. No amount of tough conversations will change this. You can either live with it or you can't. Personally, I couldn't. You deserve better.

arethereanyleftatall · 11/09/2025 10:17

The quicker you realise he’s just a cunt and there’s nothing you can do about that, the better.

put the wheels in motion for a happy life op

Hedgehogsaremyjam · 11/09/2025 10:11

Please tell me you have protected yourself financially.

You say DP not DH so I assume you are not married. What is your housing situation like? Do you have your own savings, pension etc?

Have you got a plan for going back to work?

Flatironstate · 11/09/2025 10:10

He absolutely should do school runs. Alternate might be fair if not him doing more. Also if it's your turn do the school run that day but it's proving difficult, the baby should stay with him while you do the run with your child.

I hate this kind of entitled behaviour from men. You're not off on mat leave, you're taking care of you baby

Handmethegunandaskmeagain · 11/09/2025 10:07

OP, do you think your life would be easier if you separated?

Zippidydoodah · 11/09/2025 10:06

I’ve popped back and only read your posts, op, but he’s fucking horrible. You deserve so much better than this. If he doesn’t listen when you tell him, maybe it’s time to separate. I’m so sorry you have kids with such a poor excuse of a man.

Donewithschoolruns · 11/09/2025 10:01

You need to nip this in the bud before your DC grow up thinking this is normal and accept poor relationships or become poor partners.

MaudlinGazebo · 11/09/2025 10:00

Oh no. Sounds like you almost escaped. I’m sorry.
He should be doing the school run every day. You’re not unreasonable to want that or expect that. Most men would instantly see you’re up all night, they automatically take the morning shift. I don’t even know why that would need explaining to someone.
I am not sure how you can enforce it, but it would become my life’s work to enforce it at this point. Every interaction with him would be about the school run and the Saturday lie in. I would be a dog with a bone. He wouldn’t be able to come near me without being harangued about it. He would be completely cold shouldered on every other topic and I would not be lifting a finger to do anything for him until he was reliably and fuss free doing the school run and taking both kids on Saturday mornings.
Then as soon as you can get back to work, get some money together and leave. Which I NEVER say. But this will never ever improve.

Tigerthatcameforbrunch · 11/09/2025 09:58

Tell him you're going back to work and all night wakings and drop offs will have to be shared 50:50

sadtimeshardtimes · 11/09/2025 09:57

What a twat of a man

Busybeemumm · 11/09/2025 09:55

Kate8889 · 11/09/2025 09:29

Mu husband does drop off and pick up, I get the kids ready in the morning while he showers and log in at 7:30 and work a bit then shower before my virtual meetings at 9:30.

As far as night feeds, I do the midnight-6 shift while he does 7-12 so I can get ok sleep. He also does most of the cooking. I do dishes and other cleaning.

One time I was talking to my grandma about this and she was like "Wow! He helps you so much!" I just rolled my eyes and said they're his kids too!

Edited

Oh yes I've had this too from older relatives -wow, you are so lucky that he helps... I guess in their generation it was all more clear cut on the division of labour and child care was seen purely as 'womens work'.

MummaMummaMumma · 11/09/2025 09:54

Your husband is horrible.
You need a frank conversation with him.
Don't ask "are you ok to do school run" tell him, "tomorrow, you are getting them up, ready and taking them to school". Why does he get to dictate?! You are the one who has grown and birthed a baby, who's up in the night with them both. Whilst he sleeps in another room?
What a prince to "pay" for "your car" are you not a team? Are you not "saving him" money on childcare?
I would despise him if that was my husband and be finding a solicitor.

LittlePeachh · 11/09/2025 09:52

And honestly I went through hell my first pregnancy and afterwards. He was bone idle of course until I had enough. We basically separated under the same roof. I was looking to leave when something huge happened in my life. I had a year of counselling regarding a lot of things, we worked on everything and he wanted another child. I scoffed at the idea and kept telling him he had no idea what it was like for me.
We were in a good place, I think for me I was working more and doing for myself helped massively. I decided for various reasons I’d like a second child, fell pregnant straight away.
Thankfully, pregnancy and recovery was much better second time round.

Also a while ago, he signed himself up for something external outside work. He done this whilst I was on holiday with DC - yes without him… i was given no choice. This takes up 2 evenings and some weekends. He spun it as he could get paid for doing it. So now I’m getting told that be technically works 2 jobs - this I actually did for half of DC1’s life. So I’m unappreciative, blah blah.
He still attends works out every day, has time to shower and do stuff whenever he wants and eats his meals in total peace, but I’m unappreciative!

OP posts:
Tandora · 11/09/2025 09:51

LittlePeachh · 11/09/2025 09:43

So he woke up as I was feeding the baby this morning (he’s in a separate room so wasn’t disturbed by that)
I said ‘hey, are you okay to drop DC off this morning?’
met with an outright ‘NO’, door shut and back to bed. I say what do you mean no?? No answer, get DC up, refused to get myself dressed and waited. He never stirred, never moved.
I wait until 10 mins before I’d typically leave and go say to him, I end up shouting. Whilst I’m getting dressed to take DC, he says ’I’ll just skip my shower will I?’
like I’ve been showered? He flinging my face that he technically (currently) paying for the car that I’m driving.
takes DC and returned 35 mins after I normally would after drop off. So I’m laying there wondering why it’s took so long for drop off and have been unable to actually get back to sleep!

I’m so sorry OP. He is treating you with zero respect 😔😔.

Busybeemumm · 11/09/2025 09:51

It's not great timing to try and sort this out in the morning when in the middle of getting DC ready for school and drop off and the general chaos of the start of the day.

You need to let him know that you both need a serious talk about sharing responsibilities whilst DC are at school. I suspect drop offs are the tip of the iceberg.

It's absolutely unacceptable that he is treating you in this way with zero respect for you and your health.