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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

AIBU or unfair, or is DP thoughtless and selfish?

99 replies

LittlePickleHead · 19/12/2010 15:55

I'm really tired right now which is probably clouding my judgement, but I am feeling so upset and annoyed by my DP I'm almost starting to wonder if he is the kind of man I should be marrying.

I've been away with DD (22 mo) staying with family in Shropshire, DP stayed at home as he couldn't get time off work. I was pretty cut off up there with no phone signal or internet access so on Friday evening when we heard of the bad weather coming the next day I called him.

He was out and I asked when he'd be up in the morning (yesterday), he said early doors as he has to go Christmas shopping (he hasn't bought any presents at all yet). I said I'd call him first thing to find out the weather report at his end as I was driving back. I also mentioned that I hadn't been able to do the Ocado shop as I'd had no internet access (usually use iphone) so I'd have to do a quick shop before we headed to the party we were supposed to go to last night.

Anyway, I called him twice yesterday morning to find out what the weather was saying, as the reports in Shropshire and on the national news didn't mention anything about the M1 at all. It seemed from the weather reports I was just about going to miss the snow but I wanted to know what the report was for the SE.

Anyway, both times (9am and 10.30am) he was still in bed. Actually had a go at me because I was annoyed with him as he'd said he would check.

I decided to leave at midday as planned, and lo and behold hit bad weather. He called me about 2 hours into my journey to tell me that the reports in SE were awful, don't travel etc. Too late to turn back as the traffic was queuing in the other direction, so I had to carry on. Long story short, got almost stranded on the M1, skidding around etc, luckily got a hotel and stayed the night. Got no sleep due to sharing a bed with DD. DP, however, went to the party and had a great time, still texting me at midnight with photos of them having fun and asking me for party game idea. Thanks for that Hmm

Called him 8am to get him to check the weather/traffic again, and headed home.

Spoke to him an hour from home and told him where I was.

Get home, ring him to get help with DD and bags out of car; 'oh sorry I'm just in the bath'. Good timing.

Get in. No housework done. Bed not made. No food in the house. DP obviously just got up.

I just burst into tears and locked myself in the bathroom for an hour to have a soak in the bath.

I feel so let down and hurt. It just seems completely and utterly thoughtless. If it had been the other way round I would have felt so bad for him, made sure I'd been shopping in the morning and had some yummy warm food cooking for his return, house tidy so we could just chill and relax for the rest of the day. Instead he just seemed to have got pissed and had lie ins all weekend.

And to top it all off, my plant is dead as he hasn't watered it once.

We seem to have the same conversation at regular intervals, I'm upset because of his lack of thought in various situations, he gets angry and denies he is in the wrong, I get more upset before he realises he has messed up, he apologises and promises he will be better and it won't happen again. Until the next time.

So, AIBU and too hard on him, or is it actually not too much to expect looking after a bit at times like this?

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LittlePickleHead · 19/12/2010 17:04

avoiding I see your train of thought (read enough of the relationships forum myself) but he is DEF not abusive in any way. And for the most part he is very good and thoughtful.

It's just punctuated by episodes like this.

Just had a word and he doesn't think he's done anything wrong still.

Npt moving that quickly truck, just letting a few doubts creep in I guess.

I'm in no doubt he loves me.

He has gone to the shop and is cooking dinner but I would actually just like an apology and acknowledgment he's been a bit shit.

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LittlePickleHead · 19/12/2010 17:08

ChippingIn cross posted

Feeling very guilty now this has moved on to saying I should leave him. He's not bad at all most of the time. I do wonder if I'm just being unrealistic in my expectations.

I was going to show him this thread but don't think I can now. I'm not quite sure what to do with my doubts so I have been suppressing them.

I do love him, at what point does it become enough to actually leave? Would councelling help for this kind of thing?

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AnyFuckerForAMincePie · 19/12/2010 17:12

I'm not quite sure what to do with my doubts so I have been suppressing them.

that isn't healthy for you

perhaps counselling would help...would he consider it ?

I don't know why you couldn't show him this thread...unless he would just call us a bunch of bitter man-haters or summat Xmas Hmm

Avoidingargosthischristmas · 19/12/2010 17:14

or lesbians sitting around in their dressing gowns when they should be spending time with their kids.

That was my ex's favourite description.

LittlePickleHead · 19/12/2010 17:14

AF - it is a distinct possibility that he would say that :(

I think he would consider counselling if he knew how seriously I felt.

Very glum now.

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Avoidingargosthischristmas · 19/12/2010 17:15

Although I am sure some of us are lesbians wearing dressing gowns or not, I just thought it was rather a sweeping generalisation Grin.

Ephiny · 19/12/2010 17:18

I wouldn't say leave him over one bad day/weekend, but if this is part of a general pattern about him not caring about your needs or feelings or happiness at all, and not pulling his weight in household work (and using weak excuses like 'I just don't notice') you might want to think seriously about whether you want to spend the rest of your life with him, and if you do, what's going to have to change to make it bearable. Counselling can be helpful but I think it's something where you both need to realise there's a problem and want to work to change it, if he doesn't think there's anything wrong then presumably he wouldn't see the need to even go?

I really hate the 'I just don't notice things that need doing' excuse. To me that says he has never had to notice things because he's quite happy to just ignore them in the comfortable knowledge that his wife-servant will run around doing all the work while he lounges in bed. It doesn't speak of love and respect for his partner. You're not being unrealistic to expect better than that.

AnyFuckerForAMincePie · 19/12/2010 17:19

AF - it is a distinct possibility that he would say that

that is no surprise to me at all

suggest counselling to him, perhaps a third party can make him face how unhappy you feel with aspects of your relationship

I am sorry this thread is making you feel worse x

hatesponge · 19/12/2010 17:20

avoidingargos - my Ex used to say something very similar. I think it was something along lines of ugly lesbians lazing around on their fat arses Hmm

AnyFuckerForAMincePie · 19/12/2010 17:21

well, I am in my dressing gown because I haven't got dressed all day Grin

but my arse isn't fat

Avoidingargosthischristmas · 19/12/2010 17:21

Is he a big Blamer OP?

Avoidingargosthischristmas · 19/12/2010 17:22

I am wearing my dressing gown over my clothes because I am freezing, its a great look Xmas Grin.

moondog · 19/12/2010 17:23

God, what a prick.

LittlePickleHead · 19/12/2010 17:23

Can you elaborate avoiding?

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Avoidingargosthischristmas · 19/12/2010 17:25

Does he blame you for things are not your fault or can't be helped very often? My ex was a massive blamer and it was just awful, everything could somehow be swung round and made my fault, it is soul destroying combined with being supremely selfish.

hatesponge · 19/12/2010 17:25

Due to the cold I'm wearing my pyjamas/loungewear, plus socks, cardigan and scarf Grin

my Ex would look at me in my current attire and say it is no surprise I am single. But when you consider some of the alternatives... Grin

LittlePickleHead · 19/12/2010 17:27

No I wouldn't say so, and usually he is good at apologising.

It's probably more along the lines of 'yes it's my fault, I'm soo crap, god I suck' then looking really down and dejected.

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LittlePickleHead · 19/12/2010 17:27

But not today obviously!

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TarheelMama · 19/12/2010 17:27

Maybe he took the opportunity to be 'single and childless' for a weekend. And why not? I'd love to do that every now again. It doesn't make him a bad person. Yes he should have cleaned up or offered to clean once you got home but I really don't think what he did was so bad. Or worth leaving him over.

Avoidingargosthischristmas · 19/12/2010 17:30

Tbh I think he sounds like a pig and if it is a regular occurence I would certainly be thinking twice about marrying him, this kind of thing most emphatically does not get any better. Why did he not admit how crap he was today then? Look at the end of the day you know your DP but I do think this is shockingly selfish behaviour from what you have posted.

LittlePickleHead · 19/12/2010 17:31

Taheel I think that is so, and I would do that same IF that was how it was planned. But it's surely not on to think 'ooh great, my DP and DD are stranded in the slow, time to Parrrtay!'

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LittlePickleHead · 19/12/2010 17:33

Avoiding I think the 'I'm so crap and rubbish blah blah blah' is worse in a way, because it's not accpeting responsibility either, it's as if to say 'this is the way I am' rather than 'that was bad behaviour, I won't do it again' and then prove it with actions.

I think today he genuinly doesn't see the fault...

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HecTheHallsWithBoughsOfHolly · 19/12/2010 17:35

Why on earth suppress your doubts? You have to express them.

You cannot suppress doubts and then complain when things go badly. You have a responsibility to address things, just as much as he does.

If you are filled with fear at the possible consequences of expressing your doubts and fears to the man you love and who supposedly loves you - that should tell you more than anything any of us can say.

Avoidingargosthischristmas · 19/12/2010 17:36

I was stranded at Barcelona Airport once with my 2 year old ds, didn't know when I would get back, no food, running our of nappies, all very stressful. I rang 'd'h to tell him and he made all the right noises. On arrival back home 24 hours later I found him pissed up in bed, house a wreck, he had on hearing my news immediately gone out of the piss, didn't even wake up and wonder where we were the next day, no calls, no messages nothing, too drunk. This reminds me of that.

LittlePickleHead · 19/12/2010 17:39

Hec you are entirely right, I know that deep down.

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