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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To not be able to get into a routine? Please help me!

169 replies

strugglingtodoitall · 01/05/2014 16:00

Since September DS has started school, and husband got a new job in the city centre with no available parking so I now have to drop him and collect him from work (we also have a 6 month old). Mornings are not a problem as DH starts at 9.15am so I can drop DS at school then DH at work and am back home with baby by 9.30am. But I am finding evenings hard, 3.30pm pick DS up, back home by 3.45pm, leave at 5.15pm to pick DH up and back home by 6.15 pm. DS needs 12 hours sleep on average, but takes about an hour to actually fall asleep, and I am struggling to fit in dinner, bath (every other night) and bed. I know everyone who works full time must do this every day, but what ever routine I try it does not work. I have tried 4pm dinner but baby sleeps through it most days and he is weaning so needs to eat too, and 6.15 bath, DS gets to bed on time but me and DH still need to eat. I have tried bath after school (does not matter if baby sleeps through this) and 6.45pm dinner but DS is so tired does not eat much and takes ages to get to bed as baby takes ages mushing food into his highchair and dinner seems to last for ever. Is there any way to get DS in bed by 7?? Help!!

OP posts:
strugglingtodoitall · 01/05/2014 16:40

He works weekends so does not do anything with the kids then either. Sounds like I don't have a very good catch then?? Oh dear.

I am looking forward to the summer holidays so I not have to do this stupid evening pick up right in the middle of when I used to do dinner and bath.

Lazy husband aside, there must be some way I can make this less awful for myself? Also kids sometimes fall asleep in car which is a nightmare too :(

OP posts:
iwantsun · 01/05/2014 16:41

You have been offered plenty of solutions, up to you now

No point keep asking again and again Hmm

ThinkIveBeenHacked · 01/05/2014 16:42

Honestly I would text your DH a porky pie and see what he does.

Baby has just woke and vomitted everywhere, needs bath, house cleaned etc and can he just get himself home tonight.

See what his response is.

How old is the baby?

Btw dh and I both work FT, however we have childcare for dd. Expensive professional childcare, because looking aftetlr children all day every day is a challenging and important job. I know that. He needs to appreciate you more.

ThinkIveBeenHacked · 01/05/2014 16:42

So does he work seven days a week?

strugglingtodoitall · 01/05/2014 16:43

Just read some more replies, I guess I am not being unreasonable after all then....

OP posts:
strugglingtodoitall · 01/05/2014 16:45

He works 6 days a week.

iwantsun do you mean the solution is for him to get the bus??

I don't think that will go down well.....

OP posts:
iwantsun · 01/05/2014 16:46

The solution is he gets the bus, you have 2 young children to look after, one of them a baby

He is an adult, he needs to start acting like one

Are you scared of him? You sound like you are

Preciousbane · 01/05/2014 16:47

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Pobblewhohasnotoes · 01/05/2014 16:47

OP, my DH works full time and comes home and baths DS because he hasn't seen him all day.

Your DH seems to use the excuse of working to do sod all else where. When is your day off?

ThinkIveBeenHacked · 01/05/2014 16:49

Yes. The bus.

My DH takes the metro (local underground) home from work. Its a ten min walk from work to the station, 30 min train, and he pops to the supermarket at this end to pickup any shopping we need, then a ten min walk home. It costs £60pm for his pass, Evenif he could drive, the journey wouldnt be that much shorter and would be more than £60pm to keep a second car.

somedizzywhore1804 · 01/05/2014 16:49

Agree he needs to get the bus. My DH would, I know he would, rather than cause me the huge amounts of stress that this is causing you.

ThinkIveBeenHacked · 01/05/2014 16:49

Oh and when he gets home he goes via the cms to get dd, takes her home (2min walk), and does bath and bed (I am usually at work til 11pm).

BubbleButt79 · 01/05/2014 16:51

As an asthmatic myself, that is a feeble excuse. Take his preventative inhaler, have his blue inhaler with him, absolutely fine - there is no need for a grown adult to summer an "attack" these days, as you should know what your triggers are, and be able to avoid easily.

As pointed out above - excercise is excellent for helping with Asthma - I manage the gym three times a week, and that has greatly helped.

As well - tell him to sod off and either bike/walk to work, get a lift, or get the bus. If it takes approx. 5 mins to get there (drop off at 9.15am, back home by 9.30), that can, at most, be a 20 to 30 minute walk.

strugglingtodoitall · 01/05/2014 16:51

Oh dear I wasn't looking to start a leave the bastard thread, just ideas to fit everything in. Maybe he is being more unreasonable than I realised.....

OP posts:
PumpkinPie2013 · 01/05/2014 16:52

Sorry but your dh needs to get the bus - it's ridiculous dragging two young children out at dinner/bedtime every evening to collect your dh from work.

He can get a weekly saver to make the cost of the bus better but loads of people get buses/trains to work.

iwantsun · 01/05/2014 16:53

I hope you can see more clearly now that it is not your routine

BubbleButt79 · 01/05/2014 16:53

Also - as for working from home, after hours? Why? He has either bitten off more than he can chew in terms of the role, or his time management is appalling.

Unless he gets paid for it, then I can kind of understand it - however if I was in his situation, I'd have been doing the work later in the evening, rather than in "peak family time" hours.

ThinkIveBeenHacked · 01/05/2014 16:54

No one will tell you to leave him yet just tell him things need to change and insist he does it.

In fact, id suggest a ome day swap. Get him to see. On his one day off, have him drop you somewhere for 9.30, and come and collect you at 5.15, then when you get home, take yourself off for an hour while he does what you do, then present yourself for dinner at whatever time he expects it.

If he thinks you have it easy, he should be willing to sacrifice one day to prove you wrong.

PiratePanda · 01/05/2014 16:57

He is an absolute arse. Plenty of people take public transport to work.

Bus. Or bike. Or scooter. Or even get a lift with a colleague. Just say no to picking him up any more. What's he going to do? Divorce you?

iwantsun · 01/05/2014 16:57

Perhaps he uses his work to get out of childcare?

IamInvisible · 01/05/2014 17:00

Does the city centre not have an public carparks? Could he not buy a season ticket for one of those?

He sounds a right selfish arse to me! Genuine question, if one of the kids were puking violently, would he still expect to be chauffeured to and from work?

Lovestosing · 01/05/2014 17:06

I never comment on threads but this is ridiculous OP. There is no way any reasonable person would expect a lift to and from work every day when you have to drag two young kids out on an hour long trip either hungry, tired or both. I am astounded that you don't see how unreasonable and selfish your DH is being. I suspect this is the tip of the iceberg. I'm not necessarily saying LTB, but I am saying the lifts have to stop, for the sake of you and your poor DC.

TheScience · 01/05/2014 17:09

Stop picking him up

That's your solution. Sort your baby and child out.

Assume your DH is a grown up?

Then let him work out his own solution. He can get himself home from work - every other grown up in the world manages it.

divorceisthatmyonlyoption · 01/05/2014 17:13

I have hideous asthama - as in ICU admission asthama, and nubulisers at home etc. I have kids, and work full time and I would never under any circumstance expect ANYONE to drag kids out in the evening to pick me up everyday. As an emergency or if I was ill or there was a problem great rest of the time I am a big girl and can get my butt home on my own thanks.

Ok, lets be proactive and see if we can help you out.

The routine thing, is difficult you have two (three Wink) kids and a tight schedual.

What about preping a snack for your eldest before you go and pick him up. Then bath whilst baby is asleep. Then BUY a slow cooker (from all the money you are saving on bus fares) and cook a one pot dish that is ready for when you get home with DH? Something you like preferably as a treat for all the running around. Feed everyone then put the oldest to bed. Then give DH the baby and go and have a bath or something.

Alternatively, how much does the bus cost and how much does fuel cost?

YOur DH is being a twit - honestly a big twit.

A man came home from work and found his three children outside, still in their pajamas, playing in the mud, with empty food boxes and wrappers strewn all around the front yard.

The door of his wifes car was open, as was the front door to the house and there was no sign of the dog.

Proceeding into the entry, he found an even bigger mess. A lamp had been knocked over, and the throw rug was wadded against one wall.

In the front room the TV was loudly blaring a cartoon channel, and the family room was strewn with toys and various items of clothing.

In the kitchen, dishes filled the sink, breakfast food was spilled on the counter, the fridge door was open wide, dog food was spilled on the floor, a broken glass lay under the table, and a small pile of sand was spread by the back door.

He quickly headed up the stairs, stepping over toys and more piles of clothes, looking for his wife. He was worried she might be ill, or that something serious had happened.

He was met with a small trickle of water as it made its way out the bathroom door.

As he peered inside he found wet towels, scummy soap, and more toys strewn over the floor. Miles of toilet paper lay in a heap and toothpaste had been smeared over the mirror and walls.

As he rushed to the bedroom, he found his wife still curled up in the bed in her pajamas, reading a novel.

She looked up at him, smiled, and asked how his day went. He looked at her bewildered and asked:

What happened here today?

She again smiled and answered, You know every day when you come home from work and you ask me what in the world I do all day?

Yes, was his incredulous reply.

She answered, Well, today I didnt do it.

WeeClype · 01/05/2014 17:14

If I were in your shoes I'd put DS in the shower in the morning before school, baby after school (I have bedwetters so I've always done this), I would also feed everyone at the same time and DH should be staying with the baby in the kitchen/tidying up while you put DS to bed or vice versa!

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