To ask what you actually say when DH asks 'what do you do all day?'

[PoisonedApple]

Have a 3.5 year old, 1.5 dogs and an 8 week old baby and he seems genuinely confused as to my daily activities (as he chomps his way through the totally miraculous home made fish pie...)

My DH often works away for a week or 10 days at a time, he works hard and comes home knackered, he knows how hard it is with 3 DC's, I feel like a prisoner when he is away because there is no let up, and I can't even go out with the dog in the evenings, exercise class etc He knows how it is but when he's moaning that he hasn't finished work until 7pm I feel like shouting at him as often older DD is still asking questions about homework at 9pm and don't often sit down before 9.30/10!

H has often been left in charge of everything. I've been away on training courses for days at a time and he's held the fort. I come home to the house in a similar state to how I leave (maybe a bit worse) but he still doesn't let up in his criticism. He just thinks that because I am a woman it is my job and quote 'I am better at it' except he knows better . I work part time now and he is still the same asking what I have done all day.

Ha ha, Tidydancer, that's exactly the conversation that happens in my house on a bad day.

Blimey OP, you manage to cook home made food with an 8 week old and a toddler?? I told DH I'd take over the cooking while I was on mat leave. I think I ended up cooking about 3 times in 6 months! That was only with one easy baby to look after. Your DH really does have no idea does he!

My DH doesn't ask that.

"How was your day?" Yes, and I tell him how it takes me an age to hoover as the toddler LOVES the hoover and insists on sitting on the bit of floor I am trying to hoover. The. Entire. Time.

He got the idea when he did it one day on his days off. hahaha He does the hoovering now when I go to town with the toddler on his days off.

I remember DH asking in a bemused fashion when DS was 2 weeks old, feeding non stop and there was no discernible change in the state of the house because he'd gone back to work.

I burst into tears, said I'd had a shower, bought bread and spent the rest of the day feeding his son and if he was nice he wouldn't ask again. To his credit he never has.

But by the time you have a 2 DC, or even one who can walk/talk/cause chaos you'd think they'd know not to ask?!

Never been asked this, DH has respect for me

I always split home and work with DH, we work together, so what ever one of us doing the other has to do the rest, there has never been anyway anyone could do either side badly.

So he was under no illusions as to what doing the children and running the house entails, he has had to juggle a babies, toddlers ,teenager, cooking,cleaning,doctor appointments,play dates after school activities, dog walking, and running the home office, as many times as I have.

If anyone is asking, then you should leave them to do it a few days a week, nothing like experience to give you some answers.

I once overheard DH talking with a (male) neighbour about the jobs he did. It made him sound like Mary Poppins, when in actual fact, the jobs he does don't take very long at all. The neighbour asked him, if he does 'all that' what did I do? OH didn't really say very much so I thought, OK, he's feeling put upon, I shall prove to him that I do my share and more.
I went away for a week, on my own, and left him to it. With a list of what needed doing every day, which covered three sides of A4 paper. He got it, he really did, as it took him hours to get through what I do every day.

Wtf?? With a toddler and 8 wo baby!! Never mind the dog.

And you managed to make fish pie!! How??

I suggest you feign some sort of communicable disease and insist he stays home to look after children and dog. Lock bedroom or bathroom door. Reappear at 6pm and ask for your fish pie.

He will be begging for mercy by lunchtime. Don't give in. Or better sti have urgent all day hospital appointment and don't come home till dinner time.

I realise you have a new baby and probably BF or don't want to be parted from LO. But this would make him see the error of his ways.

If it comforts my DH was like that until my youngest was about 1 yo and I went down with a migraine so bad the GP visiting thought it was a stroke and I was blue lighted to hospital and stayed in for 24 hrs.

DH didn't even have to look after a dog or cook. Just look after a 3 yo and 1 yo.

He certainly doesn't ask. Sadly he doesn't actually help much more either but at least he doesn't ask!

Who are these husbands who leave lists for their wives? I'm dumbfounded.

DH asks this. Or he says, "you haven't done much today have you?"
He doesn't seem to include getting the kids ready, food prep, washing up or washing.
He has had the kids all day and he makes a point of doing the housework to show that it can be done. But, the DC sit in front of the tv or iPad most of the day.
I said yesterday that I was going to take it easy because I am 7 months pregnant and get bad pains in my bump if I walk a lot. His reply was, "you can still pick stuff up of the floor though".
It's a massive bone if contention between me and DH and always has been.
To answer your qu I try to justify my day, DH says what.i didn't do and then I tell him to fuck off and burst into tears.

He's never asked, but if he did raising one eyebrow at him would have him scurrying out of the room.

Mine has never asked. He sometimes asks me what my plans for the day are. I usually reply "Nothing" or "The usual".

He actually knows what I do as he works at home most days.

Interestingly I usually achieve more in the way of chores on days he is in the office as he's not there to distract me.

My DH isn't an arsehole. He wouldn't ask. Spend a couple if days not doing all you usually do and then he'll realise what you do.

My ex used to ask. My DP doesn't. Mainly because my ex was convinced that I (like him) saw relationships as some kind of game where you try to get as much as possible out of the other person while putting as little as possible in yourself. DP (and me) is more of the opinion that relationships are about everybody putting in what they can and taking what they need, and so trusts me to put in as much as I can and if I did happen to sit on my arse all day then perhaps I needed to!