To wonder why I have to do EVERYTHING?

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So DH answered the phone downstairs and shouted to me that our eldest DS wanted me. I was painting, up a stepladder, at the top of the house. So I put down my paintbrush and trail all the way downstairs to find that he is 'just calling for Granny's address to send her a birthday card'.

Granny is DH's mum. Could he not have asked his ruddy father????

I dont understand why your DH doesnt know where his mother lives!

LOL! DH does know where his mother lives! I have just trained my children so badly that obviously they just think, 'I'll ask Mum' rather than it occurring to DS that when his father answered the phone he would be the logical person to put the question to - rather than having to bother me as well!

When people shout at me fom another part of the house I do not go to them unless they are possibly on fire.

I cheerfully call to them. "I am in the x room if you want something. I am not a fucking dog"

Me too Pag

Pag - I actually ask the question. It goes like this:

Distant voice "Mummmmmmmm. Mummmm. Mummmmm."

Me "are you on fire?"

Distant voice, disappointedly "no, but....."

Me "well come here and talk to me then".

Yes, I do this too. I don't have shouted conversations with people in different rooms - they have to come and speak to me. It was just that DH shouted up the stairs, 'DS is on the phone. He wants to speak to you'. That's what made me trail all the way down there.

Excellent Endoplasmic .
Very clear

Was grannie's address a ruse?

But you don´t have to do everything!

You decided to stop what you were doing & go see what he wanted!!

No. He just phoned up for granny's address. (And is clearly so gormless that having thought, 'I'll phone Mum for granny's address' it NEVER occurred to him to simply ask his Dad!

So your eldest has left home & was phoning?

Why didn´t you tell your husband to ask what it was or that you would phone back??

He just wanted to talk to you, I reckon. You are the oracle.

It's not all bad.

Oh goodness! It was a lighthearted one, folks. I should have shouted 'what does he want?' but it didn't occur to me. I was just a bit that clearly I've failed to install much common sense in DS!

Is your phone attached to the wall? Maybe you should get a wandering phone so that people can bring it to you instead.

I think this happens. If I ring my parents my dad always passes me over to my mum, although he is perfectly capable of having a conversation. For example last night I rang them to let them know I'd made it home through a blizzard (I knew they'd be fretting) - and got "I'll just get your mum". Although he could have easily just told her I was safely home himself.

Well it sounds as if he might have got his lack of common sense from his Dad, who, knowing you were up a ladder-or at least busy painting-might have asked if he could have helped rather than bothering you!

I will try the on fire line. I already do the information ("I am in the kitchen").

Problem is DC3 is a pest who will start breaking things or hurting people if he thinks his needs aren't being meant. Other 3 DC are sane, thank goodness.

Get a cordless phone so your DH can bring it to you instead. Then you can answer it, discover that your DS wanted to know something that your DH could have told him and then rant at the DS for annoying you while you're painting.

I use the "is there any blood? No? Then I am in x" line.

I do not have shouted conversations with people.

Although, I've been doing this since dc1 was 5. She is now 14 and still doesn't get it.

lol...is it just men, do you think, Endo? Because my Dad does this too. It clearly never occurred to DH either when he answered the phone to an offspring saying, 'Is Mum there?' to say, 'Yes. What do you want?' He just said, 'Aye. I'll shout her for you'.

I really need to instigate the whole "are you on fire?" thing. I've succeeded in the refusal to take anyone to A&E unless they're bleeding from the jugular thing - everyone's still alive.

sowornout - my left-home DS1 texted me recently to ask for his father's new address. I very patiently explained that the person to text was maybe his father. You're not alone.

This is something that drives me to the outer reaches of sanity. My dh (and his parents/brother) are quite happy to shout their conversations rather than moving closer to the person they want to speak to. This could be because they all lived in a teeny tiny cottage.

But somehow it has crept into our family life and we have a largish house on 4 levels. I have ranted about it for years but now I will not even acknowledge anyone unless they come into the room I'm in.

Why didn't he call granny?!

He'd have had to phone here and ask for granny's phone number first, presumably!

On the plus side, I'm dead chuffed that he's 18 and male and he has remembered it is granny's birthday next week!

You get to do everything because you are good at it.

Next time answer the phone and say "Oh I don't have a clue, ask your Dad" and then hand him the phone and wander off.

You realise if you were 'terrible' at painting DH would be up the ladder and you would be free to answer the phone first

Kudos on an 18 year old who remembered granny's birthday! Don't think I would have done that at 18!