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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

to have let dd speak her mind to dp?

738 replies

MrsHamsterCheeks · 13/03/2014 22:55

Dd is 7, dp has been around since she was one. Recently she's been really off with him - not wanting him to take her to school, hold her hand,read to her and so on. She'd rather miss out on doing something she enjoys than do it with him. He seems to just grate on her. For example, if her breakfast is ready I'd tell her so, if she didn't go to eat it within a minute I'd check she'd heard then leave her to it - her own fault if it goes cold, though 99% of the time she goes within a couple of minutes.

Dp on the other hand would tell her it's ready, then keeping saying 'come on, breakfast is ready' every twenty seconds until she gets annoyed or even try and lead her to the table. She is very headstrong and likes to do things on her own terms but he just doesn't seem to get her anymore. By his method she usually leaves her breakfast then he'll offer her something else, so it isn't that I'm pandering to her - quite the opposite.

Today dp took our dd (14 months) out for a few hours as I had some work to catch up on. He then collected dd from school and took her to the dentist. When they returned I had cooked tea, I washed up, tidied, sorted out school bags, bathed the kids, did homework with dd, read stories with them both etc. He watched football and/or sat on his phone.

When he heard me telling dd2 that it was the last story I heard him creep upstairs and go and sit on dd1s bed as she'd been playing in her room. When dd2 and I entered dd1 glared at dp and said: 'i don't know why you're pretending you've been playing with me, mummy knows you've been downstairs on your phone you know.' He mumbled something about tidying up and she started ranting about how he hadn't tidied up, or washed up, or anything else because I'd done it as well as everything else while he played on his phone Confused

She then proceeded to tell him that all he'd done that evening was upset dd2 by making her have tummy ache because all he'd fed her today was two lots of chips and a packet of crisps and by turning off the iPad quickly when he heard me coming downstairs so I wouldn't know he'd stuck dd2 in front of igglepiggle 'yet again.' I honestly never rant to or about dp so this tirade hasn't come from me.

Dp looked shocked and had a go at her for being a 'completely disrespectful little madame' and turned to me and said 'are you going to let her speak to me like this?' Dd2 was then sick so I had to sort her out but I could hear her and dp still bickering. I put dd1 to bed and said we'll talk in the morning as dd2 is still being sick and dp gone to work.

Aibu to have let her speak her mind? I feel it might do her good to get it off her chest as the resentment has obviously been building but then feel I'm undermining dp. However, everything she said was true so I can't tell her off for that. Maybe just speak to her about voicing her opinions more respectfully?? What do you think?

OP posts:
TheRealAmandaClarke · 18/03/2014 07:30

Maybe he's just struggling with it all.
It's hard to do the right thing. And it can be a bit stressful and boring entertaining dcs. Is it possible he feels a bit lacking in confidence?
You seem very capable and that you like things done your way (fair enough, it seems like you do a great job) and its possible he just needs a confidence boost.
I don't now.
I thi most relationships take a bit of. Allow when you have dcs. It takes time and patience to make it all work.
But I am now desperate to know what he's doing on his phone.

youarewinning · 18/03/2014 07:32

How about a timetable? Put it on fridge with chores slit up - including the 7yo and bedtime/ bath time etc split up. Your 7yo could do most of it independently so she can be given her time to get ready, pjs teeth etc and then DP will read to her. It gives her some responsibility and a chance for them to build a relationship based on the fun bits of the day.

I certainly empathise re the doing it all - I'm a LP with a DS who has SN - it's knackering!

hobnobsaremyfavourite · 18/03/2014 07:32

If he's such a shit WTAF are youbdoing having sex with him and not using contraception? You sem pretty chufed about the pregnancy from what I can see and yet you bemoan his sexually demanding behaviour.
Mixed messages ??

hickorychicken · 18/03/2014 07:48

Put the bloke out of his misery if you dislike him that much.
I can imagine its not easy to take on other peoples children and being undermined and under-appreciated must be a horrid feeling.

BeverleyMoss · 18/03/2014 07:48

I tend to agree with hobnobs, you resent him and your daughter knows it , sounds like she's as confused as to why you're with him too.

maggiemight · 18/03/2014 07:54

DD is doing your job and ticking off the DP for some of his bad habits (constantly on phone), if I was busy and DP was farting around at something else unimportant I would comment.

You seem to want to be the martyr (where you list all you did in the evening) - coping with everything yourself without asking for help. Why?

My prob is the lack of emotion between DD and DP, very sad that she talks to him like that, very sad that he doesn't laugh it off and make a joke of it. Very sad that she is just a duty to him, that he is an unpleasant nuisance to her.

Imv you need to take a big step back OP and let DP find fun with DD, where can they go - cinema? a show? tennis lesson? swimming? He is missing out on a rewarding relationship, even more she needs an interested Dad (as much as a doting mum). Perhaps make him solely responsible for helping with homework, projects for school, meeting the teacher with you out of the picture for a while.

Running a home and bringing up dCs is wearing and often boring but there should be great times too.

differentnameforthis · 18/03/2014 07:59

They are different if they suspect they might've missed out on some chips themselves!

Again, not totally sure of this. My youngest has been off school for 2 days, my oldest doesn't even think to ask her what she has eaten!

daffodildays · 18/03/2014 08:04

MrsHamster, you sound exhausted, angry and resentful. The communication in your household has broken down completely. You have an impossible workload and no support.

I am going to repeat the advice I gave several pages back. If you value your family, and both dc wellbeing, get a trained family therapist involved, who can help you peel back what is going on here.

This will have one of two outcomes. You will all be able to resolve the issus and move forward as a family. Or you will find that your differences are incommensurable and the therapist will help you both with the realities of separating. (Cheaper and less adversarial than lawyers)

But at the moment, you have a situation which is dysfunctional, and if you do not take steps to sort it, you are colluding in perpetuating it, to the detriment of dc.

TheBody · 18/03/2014 08:10

so after all these pages op what are you going to do.

your family set up is awful, no one sounds happy, your older dc sounds like she is struggling to cope and whatever you like to say her conversation and questions are definatly not normal for a happy 7 year old.

your younger dd will be taking all this misery and resentment in board.

however you still appear to have sex every day with this bloke you seem to despise.

you all need help. please sort out an action plan for the sake if your dds.

2rebecca · 18/03/2014 08:20

Does DD1 go to her fathers alternate weekends so that some weekends you just have 1 child? You sound unhappy and tired but he sounds as he's supporting a family of 4 including someone else's child (unless her father contributes) and is disliked by everyone. Share the workload out, get your youngest on a sleep routine, give him a shopping list of food to buy on the way home etc.

Sharaluck · 18/03/2014 10:23

If he doesn't work full time regular hours and he doesn't put in a fair effort around the house (although it does seem he does a share of childcare, sort out dds breakfasts etc-although not up to your standards) what does he do all day? Confused

And why haven't you discussed it with him, shared out the chores etc?

And you definitely shouldn't have sex with him if you don't want to!

MrsHamsterCheeks · 18/03/2014 11:12

This thread is just going round in circles now so really no point in continuing it. Thank you for any useful advice. Dp and I had a chat last night about things we do well, can do better, that annoy each other and the kids etc. Hopefully it'll help us move forward. The two of us are happy as a couple, it's as a family that we struggle when cooped up.

OP posts:
Nicola19 · 18/03/2014 12:18

Good to end on a positive note, OP, good luck

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