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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

I've moved the 'goal posts' and DH is struggling.

109 replies

MyballsareSandy · 22/01/2015 08:51

Quick background - we've been together nearly 30 years, married for 20, two DCs in early teens. My job since having kids has been very part time and flexible, and I have been very happy to get on with most things at home, as I have had the time, whereas DH hasn't.

I did all the financial stuff, food shopping, most of the housework, some of the gardening, most of the kids school stuff, helping with homework, running them around, our social diary, holidays, helping elderly parents ..... etc etc.

DH cooked a couple of times a week, did the dishwasher occasionally, did a bit of gardening occasionally. His massive contribution to our household has been DIY - that's his thing and we've gradually extended and completely redone our home, mainly done by him.

Anyway, we get to now. An opportunity came up at work for longer hours, meaning more time in the office (London commute, approx 3 hours round trip, sometimes more depending on shite trains), more money, more responsibility. I jumped at the chance as the kids are more independent, at secondary school, quite able to come home alone and sort themselves out until one of us gets home. DH agreed it was a good opportunity and said he would 'step up' at home more.

Unfortunately it also concided with him going self employed, setting up his own business, which has taken up a lot of his time, understandably.

But I've become resentful and frustrated that still most of the stuff at home is down to me. Admittedly the kids are lazy and that needs addressing, one of DH's bugbears, but he doesn't do enough, he really doens't get it. He tries, but its crap, and I'm finding it hard to live with the chaos.

We're snippy with each other and tetchy, neither of us seeing each others side. He said this morning that I've changed and I'm not as laid back as I was, and the house is always full of tension these days, while he's doing his best to build up his business for the family. WTF!

I text him earlier saying let's have a 'family meeting' later and discuss how things can be improved, with all of us mucking in and doing our bit. He replied 'not much point, as my view is rarely listened to, I try to get the kids to do more, but you get upset if I raise my voice ... all this softly softly shit isn't working with them'.

We do have very different ways of parenting, and becuase I have always been here much more than DH, that is what the kids are used to. I do get results, I try not to yell and scream. DH's preferred method is to begin softly softly over nicely, then rage.

Jesus. long post, thanks for reading, we've always had a good relationship but I can see it going tits up as I'm losing respect for him Sad.

OP posts:
cricketballs · 22/01/2015 21:51

Whenever I read one of these threads I have to wonder how filthy mner's homes are that they need cleaners!

Bakeoffcakes · 23/01/2015 00:02

Your children should be doing a lot more. Sine being early teenagers my dds have always set the table and cleared everything away after dinner, filling the dishwasher, wiping down etc. theyve also been in charge of their own washing and ironing - mainly because I hate doing it, changing own beds and tidying bedrooms. And at the time I didn't work! It's good for them to help around the house, they need to learn this stuff.
My sister has never made her dec do anything, they are now 18 and 16 and she complains constantly about his much she has to do for everyone!

areyoubeingserviced · 23/01/2015 00:11

Totally agree that your dcs should do more.

ChippingInLatteLover · 23/01/2015 00:26

cricketballs. Does the cleaning fairy clean your house?

your poor wife

steppeinginto2015 · 23/01/2015 09:45

criketballs, cleaning my house takes 3 hours ish per week (and i am not very houseproud, that is bathrooms, hoover and kitchen floor)
which of course doesn't allow for al the other jobs - laundry, beds, wshing up cooking etc.

If I worked 12 hour days and so did dh, which 3 hours do I want to spend cleaning or even have free to spend cleaning? Sat morning? 9-12pm one evening?
If money is tight, then obviously you suck it up and get on with it, but if there is enough money, getting a cleaner to do those 3 hours is a great way of removing one fairly major task from the mix and freeing some time.

StepAwayFromTheEcclesCakes · 23/01/2015 13:11

when I took on full time job instead of part time the first thing I said to DH was that I would not be able to do everything that I had been doing and how could we ensure standards were kept up. He agreed that he should help more and assigned himself and kids tasks to be done every Thursday. so he comes home from work on Thursday and cleans the downstairs loo, does all the ironing, sorts bins and recycling, its good BUT there is still loads more that needs doing... I do nearly all the shopping, all the washing, most of the cooking and hoover two or three times a week as opposed to his once in a while. kids bit is a moot point as one has gone to Uni and the other is a lazy git but get him on a good day and ask him to hoover or clean windows then he will in his own time I do sometimes get a bit resentful but find its less now as I really have become less of a control freak and have lowered my standards a lot. I don't actually get stressed by a fluff laden carpet the way I used to and as DH once said.... the kids will remember you as a nice mum who cared about them and spent time being there for them they won't remember you for keeping their house spotless Grin

cricketballs · 23/01/2015 19:13

ChippingInLatteLover I am the wife!

steppeinginto2015 I often work 12 hours+, so does my DH (and he works away a lot) and I have never felt the need to get a cleaner despite having two DS who both love their sport

polish once a week, hoover as and when it needs it (delegate this role) decide who cooks, then someone else cleans, put a load of washing in as and when a load builds up (usually at least once a day in my house) train them all in how to use the washer, mop when needed, shop when it needs doing or create a rota and stick to it

If something doesn't get done, it doesn't get done simple as that and I do not live in a mess; stuff is picked up when finished with it, places for everything and everyone knows that I will not be happy if anything is left out! I do not live in a dirty house as things get done by us all as and when it is needed and if that means we don't do something in order to sort out the house, then so be it - this is life after all

JenniferGovernment · 24/01/2015 20:05

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Carrie5608 · 24/01/2015 21:42

If going self employed has been a long term plan of Dh then I would suggest you get a cleaner / home help / gardener whatever uou need as You are earning more money so presumably you can afford it. It will reduce tension and you will be happier.

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