Other half glued to phone from 4pm-11pm.....most nights !

[jjburnel]

Is it unreasonable for me to pass a comment about the time spent on his phone, completely ignoring his children and not being allowed to be in same room (living room) and us all having to creep about and not make a sound ? ...ok...it was a brand new smartphone but come on ?!?!?

What is he doing on it?

Sad

Don't tolerate it.

Ignore his silliness and get on with life. You can't spend all afternoon and evening tiptoeing round him.

Not allowed in the same room, what the fuck? Get on with your lives and if he moans about the noise ignore him. He sounds a joy to live with.

What is he doing? Talking? Watching something? Playing on apps?

Or is he working?

Ask

Lol....Yes...he is an absolute joy to live (not)....he has OCD, although not officially diagnosed. Yes it is sad. Thank you ladies. You have all confirmed exactly the thoughts that were swirling round my head. I AM NOT MAD afterall !! Aaah, feel slight relief !

...ask him to consider how much time he actually interacts with you and the kids because at the moment it seems like he's slipped into a habit where there's no balance.

He is trying to set the damn thing up coz it's all new and shiny...moving stuff from old one to new...gonni feckin leave him to it....plus side is, i don't have listen to him talking. If the phone is not there, then his mouth is....and no, not that way... just a constant stream of shite...you can tell we have been together for 200 years !

I bet he breathes too doesn't he?

Yes, he breathes. Very disturbing...

I'd forgotten people still make phone calls? (other than to parents & customer service etc...) I can't remember the last time I spoke to a friend on the phone, I only get texts these days. Which I prefer now I think about it.

This isn't about the phone is it??

'not being allowed in the same room' WTAF? WHo is he to say where you can go in your own home?

No, this is not about a phone.

If this is a one off to set up a new phone then yes YABU. But if its every night then YANBU.

Maybe he's browsing mumsnet.

I haven't got any advice but can relate... My DH works long hours with a log commute. He works in an IT role and uses his 'phone as entertainment on the way home. However, from the second he walks in he is on the smart 'phone playing games, reading news/FB/Twitter or chatting to his friends on Whatsapp (some of them text good morning to each other every single morning). We are not banned from the room but as he tends to get very absorbed in whatever he is doing, be it the 'phone, TV, a book, etc., it is nigh on impossible to have any decent conversation and on the rare occasions the children are up when he gets in, there is little communication with them. Hours of the weekend are spent the same way.
He sees it as wind-down time and all I can do is agree, really. If it's not the 'phone it's the PS3. It's just the way he is and while I don't like it, I feel like 'changing him' is not worth the fights, hassle, etc. I have tried it before.

I would insist on a half a day at the weekend when the router is banned. I lock mine in the car and hide the car keys.

Ok most of us men are simple creatures often lured by a shiny new gadget, and can easily get engrossed by them, sad i know. Here is an unorthodox solution to your problem. If it doesn't make things better it will certainly annoy him.

If you can afford it, go out and buy the best most up to date smart phone there is. Just make sure it is way better than his smart phone. Don't tell him you’ve bought it, and don't make a big thing of it. Let him find it on his own one day buy leaving it out on a table or something. Then see the look on his face. Oh he will be jealous! Don't customize it, don't get new apps, just leave it as it is. This will infuriate him because he obviously is a tech geek, and because there is a shiny new gadget that hasn't been tinkered with and customized it will eat at his soul. He'll probably want to spend time with you and your new phone, helping you set it up. But don't

Then one day tell him he has to have the kids ALL DAY because you need to download stuff for your phone etc. He will have no come back as this is what he does. Even ask to borrow his phone so you can copy what apps he is downloaded. Insist on it.

This will make him think about what he is doing!

P.S if i spent that much time ignoring my wife (as he does does to you) my wife would not stand for that. Especially with the kids thing.

because there is a shiny new gadget that hasn't been tinkered with and customized it will eat at his soul

great insight.