to think dh is bu expecting me to be able to cut the lawns when i'm looking after a 3 year old allday?

[carriedababi]

hes got home tonight, and told me i really should be able to cut the lawns, i guess it would take about 45 mins, as i'm at home allday.
[sahm]

he was going to the gym tonight, which he seems to have time for.

so should i be doing the grass cutting while looking after a 3 year old?

Of course, rationally speaking, you have time to cut the lawn. You are looking after ONE child. A 3 year old. Let him play in the garden while you do it.

But in the grand scheme, is it that big a deal? I'm assuming that you do a lot of other things in the day, if he wants the lawn done that badly, can't it be done at the weekend?

I can't do it with the kids as DD is scared of the lawnmower and just screams the entire time it's on. It's rather convenient

Sassybeast - That's the point though - the ManJobs are the ones you don't have to remind him to do.... Would be chaos round here otherwise. If he decided to take reponsibilty for the ironing then that would also be classed as a ManJob in this house.

YANBU I find it really hard doing big jobs like that while DD's around.

Don't see why you can't. I've had grass to cut for two and a half years and only once has a man done it for me! My youngest is now three and is happy to sit on the doorstep while I mow or she'll just amuse herself. When she was younger I sat her in her pushchair and she watched me. No big deal!

Yabu. Surely you can mow the lawn while your child plays?

I never mow the lawn even though I am in all day with my son because a) I am scared of the mower and b) It is my husbands job so why the hell should I do it? I do everything else!!!

I think you can mow a lawn whislt you at home all day. Give the 3 year old a roll of wallpaper and some crayons or something. Easy.

Equally you can argue that mowing a lawn used more muscle groups than an equal time spent at the gym.

I put ds in the rabbit enclosure when I mow the lawn.

And I do the bins, they would never get done if I left it to dh.

has the op come back

maybe she is mowing the lawn?

I enjoy mowing the lawn, as I can keep a good eye on my DD (2 years, 3 months) while she plays. She loves using her little bubbling lawn mower to help!

It's a big garden, so takes half a day to mow, but it's fine as we can stop for snacks and 'review' our work.

I suppose it's like anything - if it's a safe environment, then they're fine. Yep, lawnmowers are noisy, but that's why I keep my eyes open, so I can ensure she's fine.

I also agree about guineapigs - excellent for keeping the grass down! Rabbits, not as effective as g'pigs though!

Oh no, Grass Cutting, Putting Rubbish out, cleaning upstairs windows [ outside], cleaning cars, all mensjobs - got this sorted withing months of getting married and 38 years on still works out just fine, mind you he don't know how hoover or dishwasher work, or the iron come to think of it.

Who can be arsed? Get a gardener out.

If not then lawn is a weekend job.

This is also presumably one of the things men are for, yes I could cut the grass if I have to but why bother when there is a man who will do it for me.

YABU, it's do able nless you have a particularly wild 3 year old most will relish the opportunity for a bit of cbeebies whilst yo get on with jobs like this.

more's to the point could they not play with their toys/colour/digging making a den by themselves etc.etc. at this age? i speak as someone who had a dd who was always v reluctant to play by herself so I had to train her which sometimes involved saying "mummy's busy right now you'll have to play/look at your books/do jigsaws for half an hour" and then ignoring the subsequent tantrum. You do not need to be "looking after" them constantly in most cases.

at 'we can stop for snacks'
Where do you people live?
Wherever i am in our garden, i am close enough to kitchen or living room, can stretch my hand and put the kettle on.

OP it is of course doable and i didn't mind doing it BUT i would not if i was told by dh to do it.

I think of lawns as a weekend job. Not necessarily a man job as I didn't mind doing it in the old days before I was home with children but if you have a man who is less good at doing indoor cleaning drudgery but doesn't mind doing lawns its a good way of evening up the division of who does what. There is no way I'd get DH to, say, clean the shower - he just wouldn't do it to the same standard (!) but does the lawns well enough.

That said I have a man do it once a fortnight. They come and go and its beautifully green and striped afterwards. And as it turns out they are doing some weeding and other shyte for me because I just dont get out there enough.

Regarding whether you could do it with a 3 year old - yes, probably in most cases depending on the child. But it doesn't mean its not some big stressful saga depending on the child.

I went out to water my grass just before because I've put some seed down to fill the patches and it needs regular water. I didn't want my son out there too because he likes to get involved and take control of the hose with the gun thing that sprays the water. Just say no - yes, I do, but he protests and nags and maybe even cries - so easier to sneak out there when he's occupied. Which I did, then he saw me and started banging on the patio doors and protesting. Arghrrr. So whilst I probably could do it, technically, you can see why I dont. He's not my only child either.

Whilst I acknowledge that it can be done, my DH would get a succinct retort if he were to imply I "should" - which is why I get a man in, because its ALWAYS raining at the weekend, and if its not, we damn sure have better things to do.

like peel and chop vegetables