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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Aibu for asking dp to help once in a while?

198 replies

Monkeyonmyback · 27/03/2016 02:02

Basically I have 2 boys, one a preschooler who goes to cm 2 days a week and a young baby who is starting to wean onto solids.

I'm on mat leave but due to return to work later this year. Dp is self employed but contracted so doesn't get to pick his days to work. He works a very physically demanding job and is generally out of the house by 7am often working miles away and doesn't come home til about 7pm. He is exhausted. He only works about 4 days a week tho.

I do the majority of the housework and everything child-related, take charge of the household bills and basically any other 'life-admin' that gets thrown in our general direction.

I never have 'me time', oldest son in the throes of potty training so all is fun in our house Hmm

I am constantly run ragged from the minute I get up with the kids to the moment I get to bed at night. Always mountains of laundry to do and bottles to sterilise and general drudgery that comes with running a house.

Dp got home early last night, just before I'd started making tea. He came home to a howling hungry baby who I had just made a bottle for, a preschooler whose pants I had just changed (for the umpteenth time that day) and me who couldn't even get tea started because of the afore-mentioned things. I asked dp if he would give baby his bottle. He did, so I could make tea. Afterwards it was near enough bedtime for kids, I asked dp if he wouldn't mind getting kids ready for bed whilst I tidied kitchen and put laundry away. He did this begrudgingly as he was tired from work. I understand this.

Now the thing that gets my goat is even on his days off I do majority of housework, sorting kids etc, packing bags when we have to go out the house, sorting everything from birthday presents, buying groceries, taking kids to docs/dental appointments, that sort of thing. Dp will quite happily sit in the same room with the kids but he will be on his iPad or phone doing 'research' - just generally ignoring his spawn. He will 'help' when asked but other than that not really. The phrase that comes out of my mouth most often but not massively is 'can you just do me a favour and do x?'.

He was on his phone this morning doing 'research' in bed whilst I was downstairs giving kids their breakfast, washing up pots afterwards, and taking clothes which had been sat in the washing machine all night and put them in the dryer. I came upstairs and asked dp if he could get them dressed whilst I showered. He was on his phone on the Internet, and kicked up a shit-storm about how he never has any time to himself and how I'm always asking him to do stuff. Lets just say a row followed.

When he comes home late from work which is often, I, generally speaking have bathed kids and put them to bed, sorted out bottles for baby's night feeds which I do and cleared the kitchen. All dp has to do when he gets home from work is heat his tea up, eat it, wash his plate, have a beer and go to bed ready for the next day. I never ask him to do stuff around the home when he comes home late at night.

Today I have pretty much done everything even tho he has had a day off. We've argued about his lack of help around the home and how I nag him. We've attended my friend's child's birthday party, done the food shop and he has gone to his parents house for the night who live about 25 miles away as his family are visiting over Easter so he can go for a drink/get pissed with them. He moaned because I asked if wouldn't mind returning home at a reasonable hour the next day. 'Oh look, I can have a night out for once but with conditions attached. You just don't want me to see my family!' Errmmm.... Nope I've been suggesting you go out for a drink with them all week, you arse! Angry

Before he left the house tonight I was still pretty upset at the events of today and had been crying. After I bathed and put kids to bed (whilst he was on the phone to someone) I took clean clothes (mainly his work clothes) out of the dryer and was putting them away upstairs. He came up, saw me sorting the laundry, didn't bother to offer a hand even tho it was his stuff and asked 'did you empty my work pants pockets before they went in the wash?' I said yes. He asks me did I come across any lottery tickets in the pockets. I said no. He rifled thru the laundry basket despite the fact I was obviously upset, pulled out his work pants, checked the pockets and found some bits of paper which had been washed by accident. I an only assume they were the lotto tickets.

He then left the house in a huff! Not even an apology for being an arse.

I will be up tonite with baby. And up early the morning with oldest son. I have a back log of phone calls I need to make at some point which I can never get round to doing - dp knows this. And yet I seem to get sweet fa 'help' towards our responsibilities. His favourite lines are 'I don't understand why it takes you all day to do what you need to do. You shouldn't have washing to be putting away at night time' or another one is 'how do other mums manage?' Or the killer line which gets pulled out the bag as a last resort 'my mum had 7 kids and ran a business, why can't you cope?'. I can cope just fine ta very much, that's not the issue!!!

Sorry for long post. Aibu to feel absolutely fed up?!? I don't want pity, I just feel like I'm going out of my mind. Can't reason with him, he is irrational. Oh and has never looked after both kids for more than a couple of hours on his own.

OP posts:
TheCrumpettyTree · 27/03/2016 14:29

He doesn't care. He has no interest in your feelings. He isn't going to magically realise.

Monkeyonmyback · 27/03/2016 14:34

Crumpetty - you nailed it

OP posts:
jeavcike · 27/03/2016 14:48

He doesn't work harder than you though; you just have a different job to him (yours being childminder, cook, cleaner and general skivvy at the moment). He might realise that when you leave him to it for an afternoon although I suspect that he already does realise and is just refusing to accept, acknowledge or admit it

By the way, I don't think that it's quite true that one sentence from me and his overall tone changes because that seems to imply that you have made him change his tone or made him angry; I think it's more a case of him purposefully changing tac because the nicey-nicey act didn't work. Call him on it: he was being all nice and loving when he wanted or expected his dinner on the table but when he realised that that wasn't going to get him what he wanted, he reverted to sarcasm and nastiness. Underneath, that's what he is and I don't think he'll change. You will either have to get a lot more assertive and refuse to be his skivvy, leave him and live a quieter and less miserable life on your own with your dc or stay as you are and keep putting up with his crap. It's a shit decision to make but remember that it's not you that's failing - it's him. He's failing in his duty as a father and a partner by refusing to step up and do his hair share.

Monkeyonmyback · 27/03/2016 14:58

The only thing I feel guilty of is trying to look after the needs of each and every member of my family and near enough always putting myself last in the pecking order. I realised this today when it occurred to me that I hadn't actually eaten a thing til I made lunch for ds1 (and myself). Mornings are always a bit hectic so I don't really eat breakfast. Usually a packet of crisps satisfies me til dinner time. All I ask is a little bit of respect in return and it would have been nice if do had come home after his night out today and said hmm you've probably been busy, I'll make lunch.

Woe betide if I have to ask him to do it though. The thing that gets me is his dad always helps his mum when cooking meals, in fact I think he does the majority of the cooking so it's not something he's alien to

OP posts:
ILoveTFIFriday · 27/03/2016 14:59

I got fed up with doing everything so I stopped cooking for him and doing his washing. He's now grateful and appreciative when I wash just one pair of pants for him Easter Grin . I now work 30 hours a week and still do 90% of all the household stuff, childcare, admin etc. Just make sure you get some time off for yourself when your youngest is at preschool. I have every Monday off now to do what I like, guilt free.

Monkeyonmyback · 27/03/2016 15:01

Anyway I'm out of the house for the day and the film I want to watch isn't on til 9:30 pm. Told the selfish one I won't be home til late when he asks. Oh and I've asked him if he wouldn't mind doing the night feed (which is usually about half 4 in the morning) as I'm tired and need a break. We shall see how that goes

OP posts:
Monkeyonmyback · 27/03/2016 15:03

I've felt guilty for having an afternoon nap when ds1 is at child minders and dp is at work. What is THAT about???

OP posts:
ILoveTFIFriday · 27/03/2016 15:06

I also started dropping in hints that was thinking of going it alone which took the wind out of his sails. Stuff like if he says he's too tired to help because he's been busy working then say 'well if we split up then you'd have to work AND run a home AND have the kids for 2-4 days a week all by yourself'.

expatinscotland · 27/03/2016 15:07

He's an utter cock. Don't do anything for him anymore. He doesn't give a shit about you. You're right, you're not working. As for your parents, I'd tell them they have no idea. Because they don't.

Everything's a pissing contest with him.

DollyTwat · 27/03/2016 15:07

Op the resentment will eat you up. It's much easier being on your own because you're not waiting for the other one to help, you aren't critisized for not being perfect

Whilst you are driving yourself into the ground trying to do it all you lose your own sense of being important too. Aren't YOU important enough to eat properly?

If you are determined to try to get him to do his share, then tell him you need to talk about the situation. That you physically just can't do it all. You appreciate he needs his down time - and you need yours too. Then work out when you each get that

Don't get manoeuvred into making your downtime dependant on you having done everything for him either

Give it one last shot if you feel you must, but you can't carry on like this. You'll have to prioritise in your head what you can do without getting exhausted. Then leave the rest. Don't even make excuses as to why it's not done. Because then you'd be admitting it was YOUR job to do it

ILoveTFIFriday · 27/03/2016 15:11

Then list what running a home means:
Washing up
All meals
All cleaning
Hoovering
Tidying up
Docs appts
Dentist appoints
All clothes washing
All ironing
All nappy changes
All night wakings
School runs
Toddler groups
Birthday presents
Sorting all the bills
Sorting car stuff
School admin
Kids clubs
Have the kids 3 weeks in a row of the 6 week summer hols.
That should scare the pants out of him I he's thinking you're thinking about leaving him and he'll be left to do it all by himself when he has his contact with the kids.

ILoveTFIFriday · 27/03/2016 15:14

Forgot the food shopping too. And all the meal planning to make sure the dcs get a good balanced diet.
You don't have to leave him, just drop hints to remind him of your worth to him Smile

Monkeyonmyback · 27/03/2016 15:17

When his choice phrases are 'I don't understand why YOU can't do all YOU need to do in a day' (i.e. if laundry is still in the dryer waiting to be taken up - never mind the bloody fact I've hoovered lounge, stairs, landing and bedrooms, washed and changed the bedding, cleared up multiple pre-schooler inflicted mess, done numerous bottle feeds and nappy changes, swept the floors, washed up, sorted baby bottles and barely sat down for a brew let alone eaten properly) it kind of does feel like the onus is on ME to sort that pile of laundry that's been sat in the dryer all day waiting patiently for someone to take it upstairs, fold it and put away. I usually do this as one the last jobs at night but I get it in the neck if I ask him to do it when he's just come in from work, hence I've stopped asking.

Oh he also like to comment 'well you know where you're up to with the laundry and stuff so i just let you get on with it!'

Yes I bloody know where I'm up to with it. Up to my fucking neck you ungrateful shite!! Sorry for profanities, I need to blow off some steam.

OP posts:
Monkeyonmyback · 27/03/2016 15:22

He has said to me also 'I need you, I would be stuck without you if I had to do my job and look after the kids too'. You think him at least acknowledging that would give the goon some gumption. But no. He needs someone to wipe his arse.

If we split he would move back to his parents and live there rent-free (as has happened in the past even tho he has a ft job) and make oodles of money (How he LOVESSSSSS money - more than me at times) and have the life of riley. He'd complains it's not what he wants but at the same time I think he'd be quite content. 40-odd year old man-child!

OP posts:
ILoveTFIFriday · 27/03/2016 15:26

Yes, I used to feel exactly like you. I was at home with 2 babies running myself ragged. He'd come home and say 'look at that shit pile over there, what have you been doing all day?' So I stopped bothering doing stuff for him and just sorted me and the kids out. At least now they're school age I get a bit of time off for me and he pays for a cleaner and I still don't do his washing but at least we're getting on better than before. It won't always be like this for you, it's tough when you've got very young children.

TendonQueen · 27/03/2016 15:27

Ok, so say 'I decide what it is I need to do in a day, not you. I'm not working for you. We're supposed to be a team, not that it feels like it. You seem to think you get to decide exactly what I should do, but I get grief if I do the same, however nicely I ask. So from now on I will decide exactly what I do and don't do, the same as you do. Anything else you want doing, go right ahead and do it yourself! And if you're not happy with that arrangement, it's time for us to go our separate ways and you can move out'.

Monkeyonmyback · 27/03/2016 15:30

TFI - thanks. I think stopping doing his teas and laundry is the way to go.The other stuff I kind of need to do mainly for the kids and my own sanity. He will be well miffed if he comes home between 7-8ish at night and has to start again cooking tea and clearing up after himself but thems the brakes I suppose. I may well get a rollocking for that too. I'm willing to bet I will. Or He'll take his 'revenge' on me in some other way. That's the kind of bloke I'm shackled to

OP posts:
Monkeyonmyback · 27/03/2016 15:31

Tendon - I adore your response Grin

OP posts:
jeavcike · 27/03/2016 15:48

Tell him to fuck off with his rollocking. Who is he to tell you off as though you are a wayward teenager not doing her chores?! Tendon's response, or something similar, is perfect.

Monkeyonmyback · 27/03/2016 15:57

Well it's either a ticking off or he will resort to some other measures to try and keep me in check as in if I ask for something in future he will just say no.

To be fair it was a couple of weeks ago he critcised my 'shit teas' usually cos when I'm in the middle of making tea, youngest starts crying for a bottle and oldest is wanting attention for something else. So tea ends up slightly burnt or caught depending on what I'm making.

Felt like a fucking failure for that comment. But when he came home before I asked could he give baby a bottle. Oldest son asked for something else to eat and he replied with 'I can't I'm feeding baby'. When that happens with me in the midst of cooking as well, I find it far easier to stop the feeding, pacify the oldest one with what he is asking for so his is occupied, keep loose 'tabs' on tea and go back to feeding baby inbetween. He can't even manage 2 tasks at a time let alone 3. Cheeky fuck

OP posts:
TheCrumpettyTree · 27/03/2016 17:03

How dare he criticise you and not get up off his backside and help instead. What a fucking tool.

NeedACleverNN · 27/03/2016 17:10

Not excuse your partner here but when my oldest wants something when I'm feeding youngest, I tell her she has to wait as I'm busy. And wait she does.

expatinscotland · 27/03/2016 17:25

Jesus wept! 'Shit teas'. Fuck him off. This is no way to live. Let him go to his mum's then. Seriously. I would now do utter FA for him. 'Where's dinner?' 'Your mum was able to raise 7 kids and run a business, I figure you can manage to work and feed yourself, so you will from now on.' He rollicks you or anything you just freeze him out. 'Tell it to the hand, face ain't listening anymore.' He turns things round to make out you are the problem just repeat, 'Well, you know where the door is if you don't like me anymore.'

Disengage.

And make plans to move on.

His mummy wants to wash his skiddy pants that's her lookout.

Learn to make it feel water on a duck's back to you.

expatinscotland · 27/03/2016 17:27

'Not excuse your partner here but when my oldest wants something when I'm feeding youngest, I tell her she has to wait as I'm busy. And wait she does.'

Good for you, Need. That's how you parent, that's fine. Others do things differently and that's fine, too. Hmm

Atenco · 27/03/2016 17:37

Really, OP, it sounds like you no longer love or respect your dp. That would be the only reason to stay with him, IMHO, but maybe I say that because I am a romantic at heart.

You would have a lot more free time if you weren't cleaning up after him and a lot more headspace to enjoy being a mother if you weren't so full of resentment.

OK, so he paid the deposit on the house. You could reach an agreement that when your younger child reaches eighteen you will sell the house and give him back his deposit.

At the moment your life sounds quite draining.