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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

to be annoyed that DH has stayed out all night?

187 replies

CeliaDeBohun · 18/03/2012 06:08

He was out all afternoon yesterday, doing a sponsored walk for charity (obviously I'm not complaining about that) then came home for about three hours and went out again for a mate's birthday. Said he would definitely be coming home rather than staying out but when DS (18 months old) woke up at 4am I realised he was still out. I called him and his phone was off. Rung one of his friends, they put me on to him and he was still awake, party still in full swing. Sounded quite annoyed that I'd rung and said he would be back but was pretty vague.

I couldn't get back to sleep after that and DS woke up properly about twenty mins ago so now we're up and when DH does get home, he'll be useless as he'll need to sleep for a good few hours before he can help with anything. I probably am being unreasonable as it's not like he does this every weekend. And single parents do have to cope on their own weekend. Actually, reading that back makes me realise that this thread sounds petty and spoilt Blush

I do feel really annoyed though! Can't help it. Aaargh!

OP posts:
WhiteTrash · 18/03/2012 06:21

Has he ever done this before? Fact is I dont think YABU but if hes usually a lovely hard working good father (who does stuff for charity no less!) Ud be tempted to turn a blind eye but let him know you're doing so! (i.e Say you'll let it go but let it not be a regular thing!)

However if hes a git if a father, doesnt pull his weight and does this kind of thing regularly then the shit would be well and truly hitting the fan.

CeliaDeBohun · 18/03/2012 06:28

He did it all the time when I was pregnant but it's only been a few times since DS was born. And he's a brilliant, very hands on dad.

I am definitely being unreasonable! I'm tired though and feel all pissed off and resentful and martyr-ish despite knowing I'm being mean

OP posts:
Hopandaskip · 18/03/2012 06:38

Eh, maybe IABU, but if my husband did that then he would probably find the house empty when he came back because I would go out and take the kids too. Staying home and worrying about where I am and when I'm coming back might focus his brain on the number of reasons as to why it is extremely inconsiderate.

WhiteTrash · 18/03/2012 06:40

Only a few times? He's only 18 months old.

Id not be happy with that. Its not like hes warning you 'Love Im pulling an all nighter, I wont be back and when I am I'll be utterly useless all weekend. Farewell!'

Hes not giving you any warning at all, in fact hes lying to you. Imagine if you did that!! But no, us women cant do stuff like that, we're the sensible ones. And isnt your husband taking advantage of it.

YANBU

BuckBuckMcFate · 18/03/2012 06:49

YANBU

I would be so unimpressed. Angry

And he gets to sleep it off during family time? AngryAngry

I'd either not be home and I'd be leaving my front door key on the inside of the lock and going out through the back door because I am that childish.

Or I'd be waiting with a full day itinerary.

It is disrespectful not to let you know he'd be home and unfair to you and your child that he goes to bed when he's back.

Sorry if this is rambling, only just got up and caffeine hasn't kicked in yet.

But YANBU

Kayzr · 18/03/2012 06:54

YANBU,

If he doesn't do it often, I think it is fair enough to have a night out now and then but he has got to let you know that he is likely to be out all night and then you don't wake up in a panic when he isn't home.

I think I would either go out all day and have a great day with your DS. Or when he gets home and probably goes up to bed I would give DS the saucepans and a wooden spoon. Grin

DialMforMummy · 18/03/2012 06:58

YANBU I alway tell DH that he is going out on the lash, he should be prepared to be in a reasonable state to be able to help with DS the next day. It does my head in to seem still wasted all day on the sofa.

AThingInYourLife · 18/03/2012 06:59

When you stay out all night partying do you give him any notice?

Do you spend the next day in bed while he looks after your son alone?

A "brilliant, hands-on father" who will barely see he child all weekend because he's too busy having fun presumably means there are other weekends when you get to absent yourself completely to get pissed (and take drugs?) and do hobbies while he does everything.

Not how I'd like my family to be, but if you guys really love to party so much, I guess that's fair.

Lucyannieamy · 18/03/2012 06:59

YANBU. Having a DH who does the same I understand. It's not fair to assume you will just be ok with him not being back, and therefore also no assistance come 7am.

YouOldSlag · 18/03/2012 07:37

YANBU. IT'S MOTHER'S DAY.

The one day of the year where we might get a bloody day off, or at least some of the chores done by someone else and we are scraping our hungoiver selfish bastard husbands off the floor instead and doing their share for them.

Can you tell this happened to me last night? OP you are so not unreasonable. My DH did this and I am beyond upset.

puchai · 18/03/2012 07:37

Just waiting to see how long it takes for someone to post the ever witty and original "deal breaker" or "leave the bastard".

QuickQuickSloe · 18/03/2012 07:38

YANBU

OnlyWantsOneTwoAndThree · 18/03/2012 07:41

YANBU

he is though

Sorry. Sounds like you'll have a pants mothers day. Go out and Lock him out. That's what I'd do. But I'm a churlish twat Smile

Wheresmycaffeinedrip · 18/03/2012 07:43

Omg was it national arse day yesterday or something mine didn't get back til like midnight was up at five thirty for work and I know for a fact that he's gob a come home fall asleep on the sofa while I sort the kids out all day. Happy mothers day to us all hey :(

GreatBallsOfFluff · 18/03/2012 07:43

Leave the bastard

Wink
DPrince · 18/03/2012 07:44

I have no issue with dh going out. But if he went out and stayed out all night (even once) I would be pissed off. YANBU.

iloveminieggs · 18/03/2012 07:44

YANBU as previously said its mothers day, your H should have been the one getting up early this morning, not you!

Wheresmycaffeinedrip · 18/03/2012 07:44

Oh and yanbu by the way. But then I think that a night out doesn't have to mean staying out all night getting wasted that's what you do in your teens not when you have a family to consider.

GreatBallsOfFluff · 18/03/2012 07:45

Seriously though, YANBU to be pissed off that he's not back at 6am, but you say usually he's not like this. Let him know that you're annoyed and (if it's shining where you are) why not take DS out for a walk to a park.

Then wake hubby up at 12 Grin

Chandon · 18/03/2012 07:46

It always makes me cross that men, even the "brilliant ones" can opt out of fatherhood for a day if and when t suits them.

The question you have to ask yourself, OP, could you do the same? Could you stay out all night, stay in bed the next day, and would he happily pick up the pieces and accep it?

If no, yanbu.

If yes, yabu

YouOldSlag · 18/03/2012 07:48

Chandon has it in a nutshell. How come men can opt out of fatherhood whenever and we can't? How come women then get a bad press (off men) for giving them a hard time?

Chandon · 18/03/2012 07:51

When I was in your situation, I ended up going out to a spa all day, or even jst the local pool and the cafe with a newspaper, the next weekend.

He would always be a bit panicky about the kids tea and where their stuff is, and he woul call. But it made him feel like fool, having to call his wife to ask these things, so he got himself sorted.

So we would take turns with the days,/nights off and that way we had both a bit of space to do our own things. I tried being a martyr first but that was no fun and it did not work! Put some money aside for YOU. :)

CeliaDeBohun · 18/03/2012 07:52

Well I just called him on his friend's phone again and he asked if I wanted him to come home now. This really annoyed me as I felt it put me in the position of being the nagging wife ordering him home when he should (IMHO) be saying something along the lines of "oh my god, didn't realise how late it was. I'm so sorry, I'll come home as soon as I can."

So I was very undignified and told him I didn't give a fuck what he did now as the rest of the day will be a write-off because of his hangover. Constructive, I know.

No I don't go out all night on my own. Actually, having said that, I did once last year. It was a hen do and he had a lot of notice. That's the only time. The only other times I've been out have been with him. He hasn't been out on his own that much. It's only been a handful of times, I've never really kept track. I'm starting to think that maybe I should keep score, as it were, even though that sounds horribly mean spirited.

This is because last week I went away for two nights mid week (theatre trip). It's the first time I'd ever done that and, as I said, I have only been out without him once since DS was born. Actually it's since I was pregnant (and during that time, he was constantly popping out for one or two drinks at 8pm and then not resurfacing until halfway through the next day). When I was away last week, DH took DS to stay at his parents' house with them and they looked after DS during the day and helped with him in the evenings. Anyway, DH told me that as I'd had this time off, he wanted to 'book' the next Saturday ie last night, so he could go out to this birthday party.

That's completely fair but I do feel a bit miffed that after all this time of him getting to go out and stay out, he was immediately making me 'pay' for my bit of time off. Sorry, that's worded really badly but I can't think of the right way to put it. What I'm trying to say is that if I'd added up all his nights out over the last 18 months to two years as a sort of flexitime then I'd have more than earned my time off last week. I honestly don't grudge him going out and seeing his friends although that might be hard to believe from what I've written! It just doesn't feel fair that he said he'd be back at some point last night but he wasn't and still isn't home now. And that he hasn't been in contact and I've had to chase him to get some idea of when he might be home and that I'm knackered and won't get any help from him for the rest of the day.

Would love to take DS off somewhere for the day but we're in a village with no buses running on Sundays and I can't drive. This does make it all the more frustrating tbh as we're completely dependent on DH, living here but that's another story.

OP posts:
Alibabaandthe40nappies · 18/03/2012 07:56

YANBU

If you have known in advance then it would have been different, but waking to an empty bed at 4am when you are expecting to find your husband is not fun.
DH has never done this since we had DCs, he has no desire to.

MyNameIsntFUCKINGWarren · 18/03/2012 07:58

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

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