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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Sharing housework

14 replies

hotdogandpasta · 25/06/2017 12:49

Hi all,
Am a regular but nc.

I'm getting fed up of the housework situation at home and I'm not sure if I'm being unreasonable?

Currently at home the housework is split so dp sorts out all cat stuff (one cat, food, water, litter tray) this is only because I'm pregnant and usually would be my responsibility. Dp also does most washing up, takes the bins out and puts his clothes away. We have a DD and he takes her to school in the mornings. Aside from this I do the rest so, meal planning, write the shopping list, grocery shopping, budgeting, washing clothes, I do some washing up as he tends to not do any (bleh) mon-weds and I end up needing something that hasn't been washed yet (otherwise leaving it to show he still has to do it even if he lets it pile up!), I do the cooking, make our bed and vacuum (at the moment due to being 7m pregnant I've only done this once a fortnight because I can't lug the vacuum up and down the stairs too often) and I collect DD from school.

It's also fallen to me to write out a list of everything we need for when baby is here, sort out DD school uniform, and organise the house (we constantly get clutter building up which we all contribute to, but only I sort out and put away)

Now that in itself I personally find unfair, we both work the same amount of hours each week, exact same commute. But here is my current issue:

I have to remind him constantly to do these things. He will happily leave the litter tray for a whole week and not scoop it at all in between, he generally leaves the washing up, does some on a thurs/fri, clears it Sunday and then repeats the cycle. When I write the shopping list he genuinely expects me to go around the house and figure out what's running out of mine and his things. For example I don't drink coffee but I should check if we need it and 'not just expect him to remember'.

He also was constantly leaves a mixture of dirty clothes and clean clothes on the floor and just rifles through it to get what he needs. I started putting the lot through the wash every time he did this so he couldn't wear any of it until it was dried (no tumble drier) he's reluctantly started outing dirty washing in the basket and clean clothes away ready to be worn.

If I'm first out of bed, he won't make the bed when he gets up. He just leaves it unmade. Even if I've gone out so he knows it won't get done. He never hangs the bathmat out to dry, never wipes the shower down after use, never cleans the toilet. And then if I ask he says no because I'm nagging Hmm

I'm just so fed up, so today I told him (have told him in the past it's not okay but it goes in one ear out the other) that I'm not his mother and refuse to baby him. That if he's going to be like this we can swap chores (he thinks he does more than me somehow) and see if he prefers that!

We've had a massive argument about it (not that he looked up from his tablet, mind) and he said that he does more because he has to put up with me as well.

Now, I'm not easy to live with, I was diagnosed last year with social anxiety, and I'm going to various counselling sessions and doing mindfulness to try and help this. But I do tend to ask why things happen a lot and I can get quite agitated and panicky if plans change last minute. But I'm trying so hard to not let this impact on our lives. He's never sat with me through a panic attack (he usually leaves the room or leaves the house) he just has to answer questions/talk to me sometimes when he'd rather I would just not worry about it and leave it.

AIBU? Is he right that he should do less because he also has to deal with my emotions? I just don't know anymore Sad

OP posts:
hotdogandpasta · 25/06/2017 12:50

Holy crap that's long. Sorry Blush

OP posts:
NoSquirrels · 25/06/2017 13:02

He's a shit on the panic attack issue alone - what a horrible comment that he "does more because he has to put up with you".

He also sounds lazy and entitled and disengaged if he's in his tablet instead of communicating properly. So I'd say it's more than the housework.

However, do you both work the same amount outside the house? Had he always been like this, or is it heightened due to pregnancy? Does he have redeeming qualities at all?

hotdogandpasta · 25/06/2017 13:05

Yeah I know we work exactly the same outside the house, don't want to go into it too much as identifying but I can guarantee 100% we work the same physical and mental effort, same amount of breaks, same work perks, etc.

He's always been like this unfortunately. He does have redeeming qualities. I'm not thinking straight right now so honestly can't name any but he does I promise.

OP posts:
WarwickAlice · 25/06/2017 13:10

I have the same issues. It drives me up the wall. YANBU.

hotdogandpasta · 25/06/2017 14:14

Nosquirrels so I read it, and it captures the housework/lack of respect thing exactly.
He read it, he disagrees. That's that. He said he's not talking about this any more and it's difficult to respect someone who 'can't control their emotions'

I may have been in the wrong here I don't know, but I have told him if he doesn't respect me, and he can't look up from his tablet to talk to me, I'd like him to leave.

He ignored me. I don't really know what's happening. I just want to be loved and respected by the man I'm choosing to spend my life with and I can't even have that.

OP posts:
NoSquirrels · 25/06/2017 15:16

Ah, I'm sorry OP. How awful for you.

Is he the sort who will reflect on it and maybe come to a reasonable discussion later?

You're not wrong for wanting to be treated with respect.

NoSquirrels · 25/06/2017 15:20

I mean, my DH can be shit at this too, and is very much of the "if someone else will pick up the slack why should I bother" type, but he'd never refuse to discuss it at all like that or say it was my fault for being emotional.

Chloe84 · 25/06/2017 15:26

I think you have the right idea to leave him. He doesn't even respect you enough to look up from his iPad and talk to you.

Are you renting? Is it your place?

MadeForThis · 25/06/2017 15:31

He sounds quite manipulative. He knows he does less but makes you sound emotionally unstable to question it.

hotdogandpasta · 25/06/2017 15:37

Don't know if he'll calm down and talk reasonably. He said he'll sleep on the sofa. Neither of us can afford this place or any place around here alone (we can barely afford it together)

OP posts:
SafeToCross · 25/06/2017 16:33

You are describing wifework and the mental load I have seen talked about so often on here. And then having it blamed on your emotions and the old chestnut nagging. I have a few red lines as regards splitting of chores, one is I refuse to be the only person in this house who cleans a toilet.

As frustrating as it is, I wonder if addressing it adult to adult by saying 'look, we probably both feel we do more than out fair share, running a household is hard - please can we talk about how we share it and the things that are not working currently?' and try to come to a new arrangement, including 'if you forget something i need while shopping, I will pick it up seperately and not criticise you' and making sure there is a fair share of time critical and drudge jobs, like the cat litter tray. Think about things either of you don't mind doing more of, or ways to make life easier for each other. Or ways to lighten the load like hiring a cleaner. Alternatively, LTB.

nutbrownhare15 · 25/06/2017 16:40

Google the mental load cartoon as well and show him that. It sounds like it was a bad moment and he didn't want to hear what you said at that point. However if he maintains that attitude and continues to be vile to you re your mental health I think you will have to ltb. And no, his behaviour re the housework isn't acceptable either

mollyblack · 25/06/2017 16:48

He's a lazy bastard. He still does more than my dh. Mine just doesnt see any urgency in housework, whereas i see that it mounts up
If you leave it. I see no solution apart from ltb.

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