To expect DH to put DC to bed?

[cheerfultrail]

I sometimes (rarely) work late. I mostly start the process of putting DD to bed - I suggest it; DH does her bath; I read the story. Usually at about 7.15-7.30.

DD has recently been ill (bad cold and temperature) but had been to nursery in the day. Therefore she was very tired and crotchety.

I got home at 7.30pm, fully expecting a bathed and pyjama-clad child.

No, DH was sitting on the sofa, unable to face the tantrum of telling DD to leave the ipad alone (I never let her on the ipad unless it is a special treat; on a long journey etc) and certainly not having done her bath etc.

Am I being unreasonable to expect him to do this? He does work hard and is normally knackered at the end of a working day, but even so ...!

My dad bathed me every night, working 6 day weeks, because he loved it. We often had baths together, with my sister too.

Men have bathed their children for generations.

I'd be cross at the OP's situation. I'm often miffed when I'm home at 6:30 and none of my three are anywhere near the bath (22 month old twins plus dd, 3.5) but actually, that happens to Dh too when I've dropped the ball regularly as bathtime and bedtime are exhausting. With the dts anyway. However, reading on, sounds like he's mostly great, and i also always forget he can't read my mind and know I want them in the bath even though i sometimes ring to say I'm leaving work, put them in and they still aren't

OP - I don't think you were BU at all to expect your DD to be ready for bed, especially as you got home right at her bedtime. However, he sounds really hands-on and pretty much an equal parent otherwise. So I would probably mention in passing that keeping DD in a routine of being ready for bed by 7:15-7:30 would be best for you all.

blah - you're tying yourself in knots. Why stop at old fashioned stereotypical roles?! Maybe we should remove the rights for women to vote. After all, traditionally women didn't have the right to vote...

DH works full-time and I am at full time university with a 30hr commute per week. To be honest it's all hands on deck when we get home and there are no defined roles within the house. Sometimes I cook and he bathes the kids, other times he cooks and I bathe the kids. It's called being partners!