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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

or is DH? Warning: long and arguably petty!

94 replies

moviemadness · 01/11/2012 18:47

OK, this is going to seem silly, but DH and I are bickering over a recent trip to the cinema.

DH's family are not great at communication and not very connected as a family. Instead of them being clear and concise with issues of domestic life, they tend to just put up and shut up or expect everyone else to go along with what they want (depending on who the issue involves) until someone suddenly explodes from frustration and it all comes pouring out in a big row.

DH has of course picked up these habits and is sometimes blind to the effect it can have on a family unit and how it can cause unnecessary problems.

For example, we once stayed with his DM and were paying rent for the time we were there. DH's job has times of the year when things can be very stressful. He had a weeks holiday coming up which everyone was aware of. His mother decided she was going to have the bathroom overhauled without mentioning it to anyone. We only found out the morning the guys came round to do the work. Keep in mind we were paying rent. It caused a huge issue with DH's ability to work at home as well as massive inconvenience during a very stressful work week. Had she simply mentioned that builders were coming to do some work, he could have asked her to hold on a few days till the start of his holiday.

Incidents of complete lack of communication like this are totally normal in his family even though they constantly lead to disagreements in domestic life.

DH doesn't understand that communication even with minor issues is key to having a smooth running and stress free home life.

The other day we decided to go and watch a film.

I asked him how long a film was and he told me an hour and a half without checking.

The film was actually two and a half hours long and it caused subsequent problems which would take too long to explain, but to give an idea, we missed DD's bedtime, I wouldn't have wanted to go let alone take DD had I known.

He does this kind of thing all the time (at least once a week) and I am so fed up. I don't understand why he didn't just check the films run time so I would have just stayed home to begin with.

He says it was just a throwaway response. When he does this though, it can cause all sorts of confusion and stress.

He was on the cinema's website when I asked so could so easily have checked.

I know it sounds petty in isolation, but he does this constantly and I am at my wits end explaining to him that this kind of blaze' attitude to answering simple questions can cause a lot of stress later on.

I am finding this hard to explain.

DH thinks I am BU and that I am seeing his actions as malicious even though they are not.

I just do not understand why he wouldn't check the run time of the film when I asked specifically and I think it is really rude.

AIBU? And does anyone out there understand what I mean? Its so hard to explain.

Its just that a minor thing can spiral, causing larger problems because of one blaze' answer to a question that doesn't require a brain surgeon to answer.

OP posts:
nokidshere · 02/11/2012 09:13

Yes but if we are chatting and I said "how long is the film" and got a reply of "about an hour and a half" I would then say "no I meant I need to know how long it actually is so I can make proper arrangements" if I needed it more specific.

I wouldn't think that my dh doesn't care about me because he answered a question wrongly. Bizarre notion.

I suppose it depends on the rest of your relationship really.

katiecubs · 02/11/2012 09:26

My DH is like this too, he says things like they are facts just because he assumes them to be true. Exactly like you say he would make a vauge estimate and speak it like the 100% truth.

Even simple things like i would ask 'whats the time' he would look at his watch and say 9am or something when really its is 8.50 or 9.15 - i think he just likes to simplify things but it drives me mad too! Things are always going wrong because of this - missing trains, not being insured, not confirming plans or getting the wrong tickets etc etc.

Not sure if there is much you can do though TBH i think it's just a personality trait. We try and laugh about it but i do get bloody angry at times.

PoppyAmex · 02/11/2012 09:34

I'm starting to wonder how these people function in RL, do they not have jobs, fill official forms, attend events, see friends, handle general daily life things?

I know if my boss asked me how much I was billing next month and I nonchalantly answered "oh about a million" there would be consequences.

I know if I filled in an official form with "approximately" accurate information there might be serious consequences.

I'm sure these people manage, so why would they not show their nearest and dearest the same respect.

I have often said this, I don't understand why someone would be polite, sociable and civil with strangers and treat their loved ones like shit. It's seriously twisted.

In fact, I just find the whole thing bizarre - why on earth would you lie/mislead someone for no particular reason?

katiecubs · 02/11/2012 09:34

Just to add though i know that my DH does not do this on purpose and gets cross at himself for getting things wrong too (at least that's something). It's just frustrating as i feel like i have to make all our plans and do all our household admin to make sure it's right.

DH just say's 'argh i always get everything wrong!' then i feel bad! It is true though if you want something done right.....

katiecubs · 02/11/2012 09:37

Lol poppy - you are right but my DH is TOTALLY differant at work, very on the ball and dedicated, perhaps that's why he is so lax at home.

TBH i think it's probably partly my fault for taking on more responsibility and being seen as the 'organised one'.

diddl · 02/11/2012 09:50

Well do we know if OPs husband said "about" or answered with one and a half hrs as if that were correct?

He was on the website though-how many people would think he was guessing when the info was there at his fingertips?

thebody · 02/11/2012 10:04

Can't actually see the man here treated the op like shit!!!

Bit ott.

I have to say in our marriage it's give and take and we actually like each other. Our marriage isn't about who needs changing, who is right or wrong, who is being 'passive aggressive' who needs to he slapped down for a mistake, who has the upper hand...

We are total opposites and often drive each other mad but we love each other and far more important like and respect each other so don't magnify short comings.

Some of these relationships sound like battle grounds and that's just sad.

geegee888 · 02/11/2012 10:14

I sympathise, my DH and his family are like this. You don't realise it at first, but its the constant level of lack of planning, communication and organisation that gets you down. For instance, DH is simply incapable of planning a meal, evening, or day out with me. If I didn't initiate and organise it, we would sit in night after night. Even when I do initiate it, he will moan during it if its not quite right for him. So if I say I would like us to go out for a meal on x day, and leave it up to him, he will not book anything. I have seen us driving round the city we live near, stopping off at various restaurants to go in and ask if they have any tables, being told they're busy, and driving on. Then he will start googling on his phone for other restaurants while I'm driving. Its maddening.

Similarly his family don't plan ahead, and are prone to announcing on the day that they are having a family meal/gert together and you will not be expected to leave until x time, even when you've got something else planned. Their reasonsing seems to be that they are so pre-eminent in importance, you are expected to give up everything for them at the drop of a hat to prove loyalty. Hence horrendous rows have ensued on occasion...

ecclesvet · 02/11/2012 10:15

A woman who made a guesstimate about the length of the film would not have been torn to shreds like this man has been. She would have been supported, told her partner was hugely overreacting, asked if he was normally this controlling, asked if she was usually walking on eggshells, etc.

PoppyAmex · 02/11/2012 10:28

I honestly hate man-bashing and double standards when it comes to this sort of thing, I really do. That's why I said in my post "people", not "men".

I would say the same thing about a woman who:

  • repeatedly did this to her DH
  • left her DH and her baby waiting for 1 hour outside a cinema, whilst sitting snuggly inside without even checking if they were ok
  • refused to take responsibility for the situation afterwards
  • minimised her DH's feelings by saying they overreacted and not apologising

I suppose some people wouldn't bat an eyelid at this behaviour and that's fair enough as we all have different boundaries.

However it annoys me that the prevalent advice is for the OP to treat her husband like a sensitive child and implying she's a control freak whilst absolving the DH with a "oh well, he'll never change".

nokidshere · 02/11/2012 11:03

But if you know that your partner is like this then surely you either have to accept it or have a strategy to combat it that would make your own life easier? Otherwise you will be at loggerheads all the time.

I hate being late. I would rather sit outside somewhere in the car for half an hour than leave half an hour later and risk being late. My DH thinks I am nuts and is very relaxed about there being no hold ups on the way which would make us late. We could argue about it until we are blue in the face but it wouldn't change the way either of us are. So he asks me what time we need to leave and I tell him the time based on me needing to be early. He knows this, leaves at the time I say and then laughs at me when we are inevetibly sat in the car - again! When we are going somewhere alone we revert to our own way.

Neither of us see this as being uncaring, lying or uncompromising. Its just who we are and how we have learned to deal with it.

diddl · 02/11/2012 12:24

But nokids-if your husband is happy to leave early with you-that´s fine.

Ops husband will find out stuff properly if it´s for him-but not for her-even if he´s on the website at the time!

I think that that´s horrible.

Do you never leave when your husband wants?

nokidshere · 02/11/2012 12:50

No because then we would be late :)

diddl · 02/11/2012 13:12

Oh I see.

I hadn´t read properly that he would always be late, sorry.

I wondered if you compromised by not leaving quite as early as you want-but not as late as he would iyswim.

nokidshere · 02/11/2012 13:15

Sorry diddl I was being flippant.

When we are going somewhere together we always leave at my time. When he goes alone he leaves at his time. He is also never late but I am always early.

diddl · 02/11/2012 13:25

BlushGrin

thebody · 02/11/2012 14:06

Just feel that if you constantly magnify and agonise over each others faults then your marriage becomes an unhealthy nasty place.

Everyone has different strengths and weaknesses so in a good marriage each partner takes on the role that they are best at.

It's called a compromise and working together... Marriage,,,,

If the op actually left the cinema to stand outside for an hour with her baby then quite frankly that's idiotic.

She should have stood up, got dh by the arm and all left together.

He fucked up a cinema time.. He's a bit of a dreamer.. Yes mildly irritating but sorry op you also sound controlling and uptight so neither of you come out of your posts as the best.

nokidshere · 02/11/2012 15:13

Sorry was on the ipad before - its crap for typing on!

I agree withthebody.

I would have taken the baby and said "this isn't working I am going to take her home, you stay and I will see you later" and left.

I wouldn't have made him leave too because have you seen the cost of cinema tickets these days? lol

MummytoKatie · 02/11/2012 20:14

My husband is a bit like this. He states stuff in a very confident voice that he has actually just guessed. The main thing I've learnt after 12 years of marriage is that if he says something and I'm thinking "really - that doesn't seem right" I say so!

Ooh and his parents drive me nuts. When my parents come they say when they are arriving, when they are leaving, if they would like to go out for food during that time. And then they do it! And they eat what they are given!

I never know when his parents are coming, going or what they will deign to eat. And the worst bit is that they genuinely don't want to be any trouble. It just hasn't occurred to them that is very little trouble to cook 2 extra pork chops (especially as I have bought the d@mn things). It is quite a lot of trouble for them to "just have a sandwich" as I have to get out bread and fillings and do complicated calculations as to the impact on sandwich needs for the rest of the week and sometimes go to the shops to buy extra as they have eaten it.

But I have solved the problem. It's very simple. "Dh - I've done the tesco order for us - we are eating x, y, z on days a, b,c. Can you sort out your parents please. You have until 11:46pm tonight to make changes or you'll need to go to the shops later in the week."

Actually - it doesn't solve the problem at all as they still turn up 3 hours later than expected or refuse our meals but at least it makes it dh's problem too!

Oooh - feel better now.

Off to phone my parents now - they are coming to visit tomorrow (visit planned for a month) - to confirm the military style arrangements.

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