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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To not want dh to go to church every Sunday

602 replies

FritzDonovan · 04/02/2017 22:56

Bit of background - he's not intensely religious from what I have experienced over a decade or so of being together. He has an interest in other religions, but likes to go to church regularly as he says he feels a better person having done so. Used to take the kids and put them in Sunday school (so not with him) until they said they didn't like it (they don't believe in God afaik) and I said they didn't have to go.
Ok so far, my issue is that he often works away for both long and short periods of time during which we don't see him at all. He also has a commute to work which means he doesn't see kids in the morning and is back at 6pm each night. So I feel we should be making the most of the family time at weekends when he is here.
I have no problem with him going every other Sunday and when we have nothing on, but when I said I hoped he wasn't going to want to go every Sunday he told me I was trying to make him feel guilty for going (which I wasn't). I'm not saying he doesn't have a right to personal time (I don't regularly go out to anything as it couldn't continue while he's away). Besides anything else, if he went every week it would mean that any necessary boring stuff like top up food shopping would either cut into the remaining family time or I'd have to do it while dragging two complaining kids around.
I gave up my job because it couldn't work around his, and I get all the other household/organisation/kid stuff done during the week. (Although I do some occasional contract work when I can.) AIBU to want to keep the majority of the family time we have for family activities?

OP posts:
AwaywiththePixies27 · 06/02/2017 20:28

The OP isn't asking DH to put the Tesco run before God. She's asking that he considers he has other commitments along with his faith.

My DCs are of school age. Anyone seeing me today probably thinks I had the whole day to myself and oh how blissful. I spent the day down the hospital with my poorly father.

Always bemused at the idea if the kids are in school you've got free time. The OP does have a life herself you know.

It has been said several times its not 'just an hour'. RTFT!

Notquitewhatiexpected · 06/02/2017 20:34

Drama123, it's not god you prioritise over Tesco, it's going to church. There is a fundamental difference. Incidentally, you don't need to prioritise god over your family but you are choosing to prioritise church over them.

Willow2016 · 06/02/2017 20:34

Flatscissors Mon 06-Feb-17 20:07:59

So to summarise, you are not prepared to do what he wants to do for one hour per week* but you do expect him to do what you want to him do.

There is a serious case of not reading the thread these days.

Its NOT 1 hour a week its a whole morning, a whole morning = 12 mornings out of 12 sundays he has with his family A YEAR!!

OP has given up her career to accomodate his.
Is alone for 9 months of the year raising their kids.
Would like some time with her husband and the kids.

He can go to church just not all morning every week, he gets plenty of time to go to church when away for 9 months, missing a few a year wont send him to 'hell'.

onlyMeeeee · 06/02/2017 20:35

It's funny isn't it, how going to church used to be the social norm and one could become a pariah, and the subject of village gossip and disdain for not going. Nowadays many people think it's an "inconvenience" and a "hobby"!

Gromit78 · 06/02/2017 20:35

I must admit I am on the side of the DH on this one. I don't force my DH to go nor my daughter, but as we have just one car it means if I go he is left behind and then I feel guilty which I shouldn't do as I should be free to follow my faith. But then the family service is at 10:00 and there is tea and biscuits afterwards and my daughter gets to play with her friends so we don't get home until c. 11:30. So I do understand it from your point of view, but please don't make him feel guilty for following his faith. The tensions that can rise in a relationship over matters of religion can deeply affect family life. Try some of the other suggestions that have been given by others on this site. Atm I have been doing the weekly shop after mass so my DH doesn't have to worry about that.
Btw what time is the service? If he is Catholic there may be a vigil mass he can go to the night before? or can he go to an earlier service?

FritzDonovan · 06/02/2017 20:36

Idle saw your post after I had posted. Seems you get the situation, as you also live the life. I don't think many ppl get it unless they experience it. I hope you manage some time for yourself (after everyone else is taken care of, of course!) Smile

OP posts:
WankersHacksandThieves · 06/02/2017 20:37

It's funny isn't it, how going to church used to be the social norm and one could become a pariah, and the subject of village gossip and disdain for not going. Nowadays many people think it's an "inconvenience" and a "hobby"!

Yes, that's because we are no longer cavemen trying to find an explanation for thunder.

shrimpsmum · 06/02/2017 20:39

Different thing but my husband goes cycling 4 odd hours every Saturday morning. Leaves house at 7.30am and back around 1pm. I have no issue with him doing this as long as he pulls his weight when he gets home, which he does, and he will always want to do something family orientated in the afternoon or ask me if I want to go out for a few hours on my own. I rarely do but nice to be asked. It actually works well for us and we have the whole of another weekend day all together.

Agree that food shopping on the weekend is a pain in the backside so we do try and get that online for a Friday night delivery.

Is it really the going to church or the fact that you feel he isn't pulling his weight at weekends in terms of helping you out. That is a different conversation x

WankersHacksandThieves · 06/02/2017 20:44

shrimp, I have a DH that likes hillwalking and he'll do a half day walk one day most weekends and longer walks with an overnight sometimes - I also don't have an issue with it as, as you say, he does his fair share otherwise and also our DC are teenagers.

However in the OPs situation where it's a half day every weekend of the only 12 weekends he is home per year, it's a different situation, so yes, it is the church.

In other words, you need to read the thread!

deliverdaniel · 06/02/2017 20:45

OP- I feel for you, I really do. The way you have been treated on this thread is awful.

YADNBU (I didn't think you were before reading the thread, and now DEFINITELY don't think you are.)

Why are you still with this man? He sounds absolutely awful. Although there are probably many good qualities that aren't coming through from this. Hang in there.

Blistory · 06/02/2017 20:45

Another who thinks you get the raw end of the deal, OP.

Is it worth it ?

life07 · 06/02/2017 20:48

op what do you get from this relationship? you are expected to give and give but don't seem to be getting anything back.It all seems to be about makes him happy, what suits him while you and kids have to fit your life's around him.

Blueink · 06/02/2017 20:49

Regarding church - yes yabu, however the thread itself is a red herring. Attending church every week (he is home) is a focus for your frustration. It's just 'the straw that broke the camel's back'. If he went every other week as you suggest would you be happy with how things are? Really? There are bigger issues (for both of you) of communication and satisfaction in the relationship and with family life. Getting your way over the church issue will do little to help and could make things worse.

Oswin · 06/02/2017 20:49

What I take from this thread is the "poor man" needs his Sunday morning away for time off.

Even though he only has twelve sundays a bloody year with his family.

Op honestly the man sounds like a prick I would be looking to get myself out the marriage and finding somewhere for you to live where you can actually stay and make friends.

You sacrifice so much for him, start putting yourself first.

tinydon · 06/02/2017 20:53

YABU his faith is important to him. Don't make him choose. It's two hours max on a Sunday morning. How would you feel if the positions were reversed? Marriage is give and take.

AcaciaYou · 06/02/2017 20:54

YANBU. I could not remain married to someone who chose to spend so much of their already severely limited free time going to church, instead of being with their kids and doing their bit in the home. It would be an absolute deal breaker for me.

BroomstickOfLove · 06/02/2017 20:56

It's all gone a bit 'cancel the cheque' round here.

lottiegarbanzo · 06/02/2017 20:56

Good luck OP Flowers I think you've demonstrated enormous generosity of spirit here - far more than anyone else on this thread.

You care for your children alone for nine months of the year. Yet when your DH comes home, neither your first, nor second thought is 'I desperately need some time to replenish myself. DH, DCs, here's your time together, while I go and decompress' (as I think mine would be). Rather, all your thoughts are about trying to facilitate time spent all together, as a family. (More facilitation of others' needs, in a life of the same, it appears to me).

As I said way upthread, I am truly fascinated by the way that not a single Christian on the thread has shown any concern for your spiritual needs, or the time, or support from DH you might need, in order to fulfill them.

People have even taken it upon themselves to lecture you on the value of church as providing a support network, community, social life, informing you that 'spirituality is good for mental health'... without once inquiring about your spirituality and how it might be fulfilled. Or your moral and personal support network, community or social life.

This conveys to me two things. The first, the discovery of a void where spiritual empathy might be expected to be found, I find quite disquieting.

The second, less shocking, is the demonstration of organised religions as clubs, that look after their own. Name your spirituality in the terms of one of the big teams and (even if you do so before fully thinking things through), you have a world of team-mates happy to stick up for you. Name it in other, or personal terms, or prefer to do your thinking before arriving at a point of naming and formalising, and you really are not just on your own.

life07 · 06/02/2017 20:57

He gets 9 months of the year to do what he wants, while she is doing all the hard work of raising the kids . All that is asked if sometimes he's doesn't go to church to be with he family he chose to have.and if some of that is spent doing shopping so what , its boring but its part of family life .why does he get to opt of everything .

Willow2016 · 06/02/2017 21:01

Tinydon
RTFT
Its more than 2 hours. Its all bloody morning every sunday and he refuses to compromise at all and says she is being a bitch to ask!

'Marriage is give and take' really? again RTFT - where exactly does he do any giving?

OP has given up her career so he can advance his, he is away for 9 months a year (and yes socialising at work with added opportunities to go to bleeding church) leaving her to raise the kids, care of the house etc, spends 12 whole weekends at home per year with his family but he cannot spare them the time?

Where the hell is OP being unreasonable?

Willow2016 · 06/02/2017 21:03

lottiegarbanzo

Brilliant post. Wine

ForalltheSaints · 06/02/2017 21:07

Have you ever thought about discussing an alternative job for him that does not involve the long hours away?

shrimpsmum · 06/02/2017 21:09

Hmm, I didn't see the 12 Sundays comment and didn't pore through the whole thread. But yes, a different situation. The church however sounds like the straw to break the camels back.

My DH used to work away a lot abroad when our son was tiny and I was a SAHM to work around his job. He could be away for a month and would still go cycling on the weekend he came back but he maintained family time and was appreciative of me, so I guess it is also how you feel you are being treated/respected. In this case DH sounds like he is - indeed - the one being unreasonable.

ollieplimsoles · 06/02/2017 21:09

lottie
Dropping red pills all over this thread Wine

JollyRodger · 06/02/2017 21:18

Yabu