To want dh to stop taking my bloody water?

Lovelyzara · 2025-09-12T16:21:02+00:00

I like to have a glass of water by me to drink. I keep the same glass throughout most of the day and just keep refilling it. I always have it with me on a coaster next to where I’m sitting. Dh keeps clearing it away, all the bloody time. I go to have a sip and he’s taken it. Just why? And yes I have repeatedly asked him not to.

Anna1mac · 25/10/2025 18:00

Jeesus wept. I had heard Mumsnet had gone right downhill but this takes the biscuit 😑

GleisZwei · 13/09/2025 15:27

Perhaps if it had a lid of some sort, essentially a bottle/flask? I must admit that I see open glasses of water as having a limited time when they're still fresh/hygienic.....I am quite odd though. 🤣🤣🤣

ForgetMeNotRose · 13/09/2025 15:25

GentlemenPreferBuzzcuts · 12/09/2025 20:50

I’m with your DH. I find the continual sipping, as if you’re going to shrivel up and dehydrate if you go half an hour without drinking from a glass at your elbow, kind of irritating.

Hahaha I KNEW there were slow drinking haters out there. You would not be impressed by me, I usually have a tea and a water on the go at the same time.

Hmm OP is he just doing the dishwasher all the time or something and collecting all the cups? Although you said he leaves his coffee cups, does he clear your cup as he is going around collecting general cups on his cup round for dishwasher? Either way it's irritating of course.

notsurewherenotsurewhy · 13/09/2025 14:48

Dispiriting that there are so many posts suggesting you inconvenience yourself by keeping a coaster or post-it on top of your water, rather than expect him to change...

I have some sympathy for your DH, in that my DP is also a sipper and every time I catch sight of a half-empty glass I feel the urge to tidy it away to the kitchen (also not generally a tidier!). But I ignore that urge, because I realise there is nothing wrong with taking hours over a drink, and it's not doing any harm on the coffee table or windowsill or wherever. I don't understand why your DH can't also get over it.

SliceofTosst · 13/09/2025 14:26

Put a coaster on the top. It might trigger that he's not supposed to take it.

welshmercury · 13/09/2025 14:09

I like the cat collar idea so get one that you can slip on and off the glass. That way when he takes it you will hear him. When you go to take a sip, you can just trap the bell between your fingers.

just start taking drinks out of his hand.

if he has only just started doing it rather than always done it and forgets things, I would make a trip to doctor just to rule out anything as things like dementia can start early. It may just seem like nothing now but it all starts somewhere and all the tests will hopefully come back clear

ThreePointOneFourOneFiveNine · 13/09/2025 09:11

Unless you think it’s malicious, which it doesn’t sound like you do, then it sounds like a subconscious habit that he’s not really aware he’s doing. He needs to retrain his brain to not do it. The card saying no on the top could work, he’ll have to move the card which is not what he’s used to so that might get his conscious brain to kick in. I think I’d be tempted to march him through the kitchen and supervise him getting a fresh glass of water and bringing it back to where the first one was. Maybe he’ll end up training his brain to take your water and immediately bring you a fresh one, which isn’t ideal but it would be an improvement. The human brain is a funny thing.

readingmakesmehappy · 13/09/2025 08:52

My dad does this. He thinks he’s helping.

ArmyOfNorks · 12/09/2025 23:47

Ratafia · 12/09/2025 23:42

Must admit I would take pleasure in torturing her in this situation by leaving those last few drops in for ages, only occasionally taking the tiniest sip, or even picking it up, bringing it to my mouth, and then changing my mind and putting it back down again.

Show quote history

Oh challenge accepted! I love it.

soupyspoon · 12/09/2025 23:46

Oh mine does that with my tea cup. Im quite fussy about what mug I will drink out of and hes always putting it in the dishwasher. I like to use the same one all day, particularly porcelain ones.

Ratafia · 12/09/2025 23:42

ArmyOfNorks · 12/09/2025 19:55

My mother in law does this when we visit her. She cannot cope with a cup or a glass anywhere but the cupboard or dishwasher. Her beady eyes stare at you calculating when you are close to your last sip. She will then sit on the edge of her seat ready to leap up and clear it away. It’s control freakery.

Must admit I would take pleasure in torturing her in this situation by leaving those last few drops in for ages, only occasionally taking the tiniest sip, or even picking it up, bringing it to my mouth, and then changing my mind and putting it back down again.

ForZanyAquaViewer · 12/09/2025 22:59

ArmyOfNorks · 12/09/2025 19:55

My mother in law does this when we visit her. She cannot cope with a cup or a glass anywhere but the cupboard or dishwasher. Her beady eyes stare at you calculating when you are close to your last sip. She will then sit on the edge of her seat ready to leap up and clear it away. It’s control freakery.

🤣🤣🤣

Studyunder · 12/09/2025 21:13

SkankingWombat · 12/09/2025 17:40

Could you insist he gets you a replacement every time he does it? The inconvenience being pushed onto him may focus his mind to leave it be.

This is a great suggestion. Just keep you phone handy and call him EVERY time.
I was going to suggest putting a cat collar with a bell around it…..

Original poster

Lovelyzara · 12/09/2025 21:03

Thank you everyone you have all made me laugh.

It was only meant to be lighthearted although it does irritate the hell out of me.

OP posts:

Original poster

Lovelyzara · 12/09/2025 21:02

LovelyBitOfSquirrrel · 12/09/2025 21:01

Clear away his plate whilst he’s mid eating

That might actually work you know 🤣

OP posts:

LovelyBitOfSquirrrel · 12/09/2025 21:01

Clear away his plate whilst he’s mid eating

Ponoka7 · 12/09/2025 21:00

I will drink my coffee hot or cold. I make it in a latte cup. My DP used to pour it out, it took me blowing up about it every time, for him to stop. He tidies up nothing else.

TheCurious0range · 12/09/2025 20:59

DH drinks all in one go, so he'll make a drink and finish it within minutes, I'll make a drink, drink some, read something, watch something, do something, drink some more, maybe go to the loo come back and finish it. I often lose half a drink because he thinks it's gone stale?! I mainly drink water so even if it's sat there for an hour or two I'll still drink it. Christ I'll drink my bedtime water in the morning.

Original poster

Lovelyzara · 12/09/2025 20:57

I don’t think dh is taking my drink because he’s irritated by me, but if you did deliberately take someone’s drink away because you couldn’t stand them sipping a glass of water that would be very spiteful.

OP posts:

Original poster

Lovelyzara · 12/09/2025 20:54

GentlemenPreferBuzzcuts · 12/09/2025 20:50

I’m with your DH. I find the continual sipping, as if you’re going to shrivel up and dehydrate if you go half an hour without drinking from a glass at your elbow, kind of irritating.

That’s so weird and quite nasty.

If you don’t like sipping water then don’t do it. But how does it affect you how other people drink?

I suffer with terrible migraines and drinking water does help.

OP posts:

ReadingSoManyThreads · 12/09/2025 20:52

My mum does this when I'm at hers, does my bloody head in. This would piss me right off if I lived with this!

GentlemenPreferBuzzcuts · 12/09/2025 20:50

I’m with your DH. I find the continual sipping, as if you’re going to shrivel up and dehydrate if you go half an hour without drinking from a glass at your elbow, kind of irritating.

bobby81 · 12/09/2025 20:50

My DH used to do exactly the same thing & it drove me crazy. For my birthday I asked him to buy me a glass with my name on it and now I always use that. He is not authorised to touch my special glass & the problem has been solved!
We’re not complete weirdos btw & we do laugh about it but seriously he’s not allowed to touch the glass at all 😂

Kreepture · 12/09/2025 20:31

Mum said you need a coaster/table mat on the top of it with a post-it with 'Touch it and Die" written on it xD

Nearly50omg · 12/09/2025 20:24

The fact he leaves all his dirty cups lying around shows it’s abusive controlling behaviour towards you