Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

See all MNHQ comments on this thread

To stop DP going on lads holiday???

368 replies

MummytobeDC2 · 01/05/2013 12:49

DP and I are in our twenties, and I am 13+5 pregnant, due in November. His friends have decided to book a weeks holiday end of August, start of Sept... DP asked if I would mind him going and I said yes as il be 7months gone I have DS to previous relationship so will need the help and money etc... He got upset etc and made me feel exceptionally guilty. So me being me said he should go for a long weekend and come home before his friends, stay 3nights, that way we are both happy! His mother advised us "he should go as it will be his last" and he keeps repeating that now complaining after agreeing to the long weekend he wants to go for the week!

First of all I will be 7months, I have DS I need help with and the money would benefit the baby, flights and accommodation are costing £300 and spending money, well, at least 2weeks wages! We are far from flush!

AIBUR????

Please tell me I'm not insane? Shock

OP posts:
MummytobeDC2 · 01/05/2013 23:45

Anyfucker too funny, your comment made my night Grin

Cherry - thank you very much for your support, I think some of the replies are from women going off on tangents!

Hopefully this all resolves with none of us being resentful of one another... Joys of pregnancy!

ThanksThanksThanksThanks

OP posts:
Iggi101 · 01/05/2013 23:46

the majority of women do not go on equivalant holidays and I have also read loads of these type of threads and it is always the same sort of story. Or maybe Im wrong, maybe there are loads of threads on Dadsnet the same only from a male point of view?? Nah didnt think so
Cheryl you have put into words something that always rumbles at the back of my mind on such threads. It sounds fair, but in practice it isn't. And then when women don't want to go away and leave (small) dcs for a week, it's seen as being our choice, so still ok for the man to do so.

Dadthelion · 01/05/2013 23:47

You could send your son to his dads for the week and put your feet up.

MummytobeDC2 · 01/05/2013 23:54

Dadthelion - bless your reasonable comment, it actually put a smile on my face, if however it does come to it I may ask DS dad for extra help, lol although it may be too much for him as far as parenting goes as in October he is taking DS to Spain so I can relax and nest Brew this is a once in a life time event, trust me. Thanks

OP posts:
Repeatedlydoingthetwist · 02/05/2013 00:01

To be honest the whole 7 months pregnant thing isn't anyone's call but yours. I certainly wouldn't like my DP leaving me at that point. Great for those who can cope alone, but everyone's is different so I don't think YABU. Also, the money thing is a HUGE deal. What if something happened (God forbid) whilst he was away and he had to come home early? Extra expense there surely? I can't get past that it seems a little selfish to be spending £1500 on something that only benefits him, and has no lasting value (i.e. a car would be a different issue) and not your little family team. Also in a non judgey way (honestly!) I think it's a bit sad that he wants to go away on a lad's holiday so close to the birth, if it were my DP he wouldn't want to miss a minute of the whole joyous experience that has been me being pregnant!

So all in all YADNBU. I hope things work out for you.

chubbychipmonk · 02/05/2013 00:11

I was in exactly your situation, my DH had been talking for years about him & his pals all going away for their joint 30th birthdays. . Never thought it would happen but lo & behold they got their fingers out, saved up & went to Alicante for 3 nights. Our DS was 3 & I was 6 months pregnant.

Firstly, yes you will be tired & probably a bit resentful when your stick here in the pudding rain however think of the positives. . When your DS goes to bed at night you'll have house to yourself, make the most if it! Catch up on soaps, watch girly films, have long baths, do your nails. . All the things you won't have time to do with a baby & a toddler! I actually enjoyed having a few days without picking up after him & the TV remote to myself!

I also got a lovely bottle of duty free perfume & was waited on hand & foot after he came back. Also. . When your next invited on a hen weekend, girls holiday, long weekend away your DP will just have to smile sweetly & look after the 2 kids while you go off & have fun. . . Revenge is sweet!! Wink

chubbychipmonk · 02/05/2013 00:12

Stick here in the pudding rain??! Stupid predictive text!

*stuck here in the pissing rain

Littlehousesomewhere · 02/05/2013 00:22

I think a long weekend is a very fair compromise. I do think that maybe you should also plan a treat (weekend away, spa break) as well so that you have something to look forward to as well.

To go for a week I think he needed to have planned a lot further in advance and budgeted for it by cutting back on some of his other discretionary purchases/nights out etc. To just expect to go on an expensive holiday like this without any proper budgeting/sacrifice on his part is very unreasonable now he is a father. Maybe you can suggest this to him so he can start planning in advance for a similar holiday next year.

About the pregnancy, this is very much down to the individual. If he knows you find pregnancy particularly difficult then he is being selfish. If pregnancy is a fairly easy process for you then I don't think you being 7 month pregnant is particularly relevant to this decision, as long as you do have friends and family around to support you if something unexpected happens.

Darkesteyes · 02/05/2013 01:26

I bet if the OP was having to apply for any benefits to replace the 1500 spent on holiday if something went wrong like the DP being made redundant just after the holiday most of the posters saying "Awww let him go" on here would be saying "Why the fuck did you let he go on that holiday? OP even if he didnt know he was going to be made redundant he should have been saving the money blah blah!!!

ben5 · 02/05/2013 02:03

I think he is BU. You have said he can go for 3 nights. To be honest I would let him go for the week because insurance/ extra clothes( really??) are all still going to have to be paid for. I don't get how expensive it is? Food doesn't need to be that expensive. He doesn't have to do all activities that his friends are doing. Surely it wasn't that long ago he was a student so he can remember how to live cheaply! I would also not buy him any fathers day presents/ birthday or Christmas presents and say that the money was spent on the holiday.
Do you have anyone close by to help you with your child? how old is your other ds? There are lots of us who cope for more than a week while expecting with other young children around, so I'm sorry I can't feel sorry for you on this one. But If you are used to having him around and needing help then surely for a week you have friends around?
Good luck

DonDrapersAltrEgoBigglesDraper · 02/05/2013 02:39

seriouscakeeater - please don't allow yourself to be wound up over Holly's posts; she's long since lost any credibility on here!

Totally O/T, but mummytobe - 'a doggy dog world'...?! Grin

DonDrapersAltrEgoBigglesDraper · 02/05/2013 02:43

As an aside, my DH went away on a stag weekend to Porto when I was nearly 8 months pregnant with a 16 month old DC, which I was totally fine with. I'm another one who has no issue with groups of friends going away together, I definitely don't think it's something that should stop on entering the marriage stakes. Good Lord, we're a long time dead.

But I still don't think you are being unreasonable.

This situation just somehow comes across a bit differently, and beside, just because I might be happy with a situation, it doesn't follow that everyone else should be.

HollyBerryBush · 02/05/2013 06:12

As this thread is about a blokes holiday I didn't see the need to trott out my holiday requirements.

Of course I go away as and when I see fit. I used to pop over to Toronto for a long weekend once a year to see family, they've long since passed away, so it tends to be girly weekends within the UK now. I'm sure if I took up golf and found a gaggle of females to play with, I'd be buggering off to Spain once a year too.

Dutiful? do you mean equal and respectful of each other needs? allowing each otehr to have interests and friends and hobbies? Well yes, something this board doesnt often portray I'm afraid.

sydlexic · 02/05/2013 06:39

I must be very old fashioned, i would expect DH to be by my side if baby came prematurely or god forbid there were complications. I would expect to plan holidays together and have shared experiences, I would expect to plan how we spend our money together.

I would not want to be appeased with time to watch soaps and have spa weekends.

I do not think married men go on lad's holidays.

I think it is a good thing to realise that you can't stop a man from going anywhere but you can stop them from coming back.

Iggi101 · 02/05/2013 08:18

Never got the lure of spa breaks as a lure/reward for mothers. If you're pg, you can't do most of the stuff surely (hot rooms) and ditto if bf. And if not, maybe not wishing to expose slightly wobbly body and potentially very sore bits to a jacuzzi. Never mind leaving your wee one overnight - so you put it off for a year, and meanwhile the man builds up a further debt of weekends away/nights out that will never be paid!
(Yes, just my - somewhat bitter - experience)

flipchart · 02/05/2013 08:22

I have already commented and I don't think the OP is Bu with regard to the money situation.

What I am surprised with is the number of people who have thePOV of couples never having holidays apart.

I get 7 weeks + bank holidays. - the bank holidays are added to the leave to be taken whenever we want rather than the day.
DH gets a lot less than me. I can only take 3 weeks in school holidays.
Why is it so bad for me to go walking the Atlas Mountains or on boot camp holidays in Spain. Surely I must be on the pull according to some MNers.
I can assure you DH does not want these experiences so he is not missing out.

He gets his downtime when he is flying round the world watching his Grand Prix races!

How does our marriage surviveI wonder?

MummytobeDC2 · 02/05/2013 08:39

Ben5 - I'm sorry I don't want you to feel sorry for me but as I have said in previous posts this IS NOT ABOUT HIM GOING AWAY WITH FRIENDS AS HE GAS BEEN AWAY 1000000 TIMES BEFORE!!!!!

IT IS ABOUT MONEY AND THE FACT WE HAVE LO ON THE WAY. THE FACT IS HE WILL SPEND 1500 WILL I GET THAT??? NO CHANCEAngryAngryAngry

I'm actually frustrated at the dim people coming on here moaning at me for not letting him go on a lads holiday, god is not about the lads holiday it's about the freaking money and responsibilities he is leaving behind!

OP posts:
MummytobeDC2 · 02/05/2013 08:40

Iggi- I've never had the spa weekend either, but tbh would I want to pregnant and unable to do most things... Grin

OP posts:
StuntGirl · 02/05/2013 08:44

So have you spoken to him about it?

puds11isNAUGHTYnotNAICE · 02/05/2013 08:53

AnyFucker I'm gonna keep that quote for a rainy day Grin

Mummy as far as i'm concerned, if money is an issue he shouldn't be going. Babies are bloody expensive, so him wanting to go on holiday, putting the family under financial strain seems very selfish.

With regards to being pregnant, I can totally understand you wanting him there. When I was pregnant I felt very vulnerable and uncertain, and would definitely not been happy with me Ex being away incase something happened.

He will have plenty of opportunities to go on holiday in the future, so why does it have to be when money is tight and you're heavily pregnant?

Xmasbaby11 · 02/05/2013 08:55

That's a huge amount of money. For that reason alone, it is selfish of him. YANBU. But you need to talk about it in a , Do you think we can afford this holiday? Kind of way.

For me it wouldn't be about having 'equal' holidays every year but just being respectful of each other and not frittering money you don't have.

If this is his first child, possibly he doesn't realise a. how much children cost and b. how you will feel when you're 7months pg. This is thoughtless of him so you need to make it clear.

DontmindifIdo · 02/05/2013 09:09

thing is, if you can't afford it, you cna't afford it. He should see that.

Re the balanced time away, to be fair to my DH, he does encourage me to go away if I want to with friends, and makes sure there'd be money for it, but unfortunately, far too many of my friends are married to the sort of arse who'll have a bloke's golf trip or fishing trip but won't be happy for their DW's to do the same, and going ot a spa on your own isn't as much fun. (Am working on one friend for next year, she's just had a baby and I'm just due with one, but once we've got the breastfeeding so can't leave them stage out of the way, I'm pretty sure I can convince her to hear the call of chamneys)

However, DH is aware of our financial situation and time limitations. He wouldn't ask for a trip that would cause us problems.

OP - could you suggest the lads trip was moved to the October when your DS is away with his dad and you will be further away from the due date, and make it somehting far cheaper than a £1500 trip. Your DP could arrange a lads weekend away in the UK. That would be a reasonable compromise.

VitoCorleone · 02/05/2013 09:11

I wouldnt be happy about this either, the money being spent on this when you have a baby on the way is ridiculous.

Not only that though but i wouldnt want to be with somebody who went on these types of holidays, for the people saying they go on cycling holidays and their partners go on golf holidays well thats hardly the same as a group of lads in their 20's going to Shagaluf now is it?

wordfactory · 02/05/2013 09:19

How very odd that he wants to leave you at that time! And for a bit of deinking and messing? Methinks he needs to grow up.

BIWI · 02/05/2013 09:25

I'm going to quote your OP, so there is no doubt in your mind that I have read it:

"DP and I are in our twenties, and I am 13+5 pregnant, due in November. His friends have decided to book a weeks holiday end of August, start of Sept... DP asked if I would mind him going and I said yes as il be 7months gone I have DS to previous relationship so will need the help and money etc..."

Firstly, congratulations on your pregnancy. For you, though, this is second time around and you know what to expect. You are a committed (because you have to be!) parent. However, your DP isn't really. Although you say later on in the thread that he has taken responsibility for your DS (which is great, surely?), it isn't quite the same for him as having his own child. He also hasn't (I presume) lived through a pregnancy and will have very little idea of what it is or could be like. And even if he's read the pregnancy books, reading it in black and white is very different from experiencing the whole thing.

If you have been fit and healthy so far in your pregnancy - and we don't know because you haven't said - then he will be assuming that you will be fit and healthy by the time this holiday comes around. I would imagine that he also thinks that there is plenty of time from the end of his holiday until your baby is born.

I'm wondering why you think you will need him to be around so much to help you by the time this holiday is coming? Are you likely to be poorly in some way? Did you have issues in your previous pregnancy? I'm guessing not, as you haven't said you did. In which case I have to ask you why you want him to be around to help you? Surely you can cope with your DS (whose age we don't know) on your own for a week?

Re the money, you have gone on to say that you have separate finances, and that you earn more than he does. So is he spending 'his' money on this holiday? Do you have any joint finances? This to me sounds more an important issue for both of you to talk about. Presumably you will be taking a fair amount of time off for maternity leave, yet you are the main or higher earner? What plans have you both put in place for money to cover you over this period? Have you talked about it?

If you have discussed it, and there is sufficient money to cover your maternity leave, and allow him to spend his own money on whatever he wants to, then what's the problem with him going on holiday?

If you have discussed it, and there isn't sufficient money, then he is being very unreasonable to want to spend that amount of money on a holiday just for him.

If you haven't discussed it, then you are both being unreasonable.

"So me being me said he should go for a long weekend and come home before his friends, stay 3nights, that way we are both happy!"

Well, no. You won't both be happy. He will still have spent a considerable amount of money, so you won't be happy. He will be forced to leave his mates behind half way through the holiday, or will only be able to join them half way through, thus missing some of it, so he won't be happy. This really isn't a good compromise.

"His mother advised us "he should go as it will be his last" and he keeps repeating that now complaining after agreeing to the long weekend he wants to go for the week! "

I do have some sympathy for this point of view. Life will change for him, inevitably, when his child comes along. It also reflects the fact that this is a big test of your DP in terms of how he chooses to behave when he becomes a parent. Is he going to grow up and take full parental responsibility, or is he going to leave that to you and continue to behave like a single bloke?

Have you talked about this? Was your baby planned? Do you have any idea how he's likely to be with the baby and the responsibilities that will come his way? The fact that you seem happy with how he is with your DS implies that he should be a good parent and will 'step up to the plate' with his own child.

And you say that he did originally agree to the compromise, which suggests that he did understand your POV. Sounds like the issue you have here is more with his mother!

"First of all I will be 7months, I have DS I need help with and the money would benefit the baby, flights and accommodation are costing £300 and spending money, well, at least 2weeks wages! We are far from flush!"

If you are fit and healthy, and have had a previously fit and healthy pregnancy then there is no reason why you won't this time around. So this isn't really a reason to stop him. You haven't said where he's going, but if it's only for a week, presumably it's not that far away that he couldn't get back quickly. Have you looked at any contingency planning like flight times back, etc?

Why do you need help with your DS? If you can't cope with him now, how are you going to manage when DC2 comes along?

Obviously the money would benefit the baby, but what financial plans have you already made (as per points made earlier in this epic post)? When you say you are far from flush, how is he planning on paying for his holiday? Can he afford it or would he be using credit cards to pay for it? If the latter, then he is definitely being unreasonable, as well as foolish.

If he can afford it, and it's just depleting your funds somewhat, then you are being unreasonable.

Overall, it's impossible to say if YABU or YANBU because there are too many issues that you haven't actually disclosed here. Therefore, the only replies people can give you will be based on their own views and experiences. And, as you have seen, these vary enormously. Yet everyone who gives a view different from the one that you want - that YABU and your DP is BU, are rejected by you.

I, personally, would let him go - but only if you have sorted your finances out and know how you are going to manage the period of your maternity leave.

Swipe left for the next trending thread