Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Was I out of order, or does DP owe me an explanation/apology? A bit of a ramble I'm afraid!

25 replies

feedmenow · 17/04/2007 13:39

As a little background, my DP likes to go down the pub. He likes to pop in after work, or go down to watch the footie or spend a weekend afternoon/evening there. And he likes to do this a good few times a week.
I object to this cos it always means he drinks beer, (and he ALWAYS acts like a bit of a prat when he's had even one which often leads to argusments), it means that he spends less time with the children, it often means I get home (I work p-t while kids at school so rush to school, rush to work, work like crazy, rush to school, rush back home) and do loads of stuff round the house, then do dinner, bath, story, bed etc, and he just comes in , eats, watches TV and goes to bed. I also think its unfair cos I don't have the opportunity to do this sort of thing cos my "job" involves looking after my children!
Anyway, cos it causes arguements I quite frequently suspect that he's been down the pub but lies to me about it when he gets home.
On Friday, I drove the kids and their friends round to the chippy to get dinner. The chippy is opposite the pub, and DP's car was there. He came straight out and I gave it a bit of the moody stuff, but didn't cause a fuss. Then yesterday, I tried to ring him at about 6.15 to see what he fancied for dinner...no answer so left v/mail. Then got in car to go and pick son up from friends. Drove past pub, DP's car there again When I got home I asked why he hadn't answered his phone, gave him a hug and said he smelt of smoke (he's recently given up smoking, apparently!) He came out with some crap about how he'd been working with a couple of smokers. I said "Blimey, were you cuddling them? Normally working alongside a smoker out of doors doesn't make your clothes stick like that!" He said he had no idea why, etc. I then gave hime a coupleo f other subtle opportunites to fess-up but he didn't. In the end I told him I'd seen his car and asked why he had lied to me, how many other times he's lied to me and how I was meant to know if I could trust him in the future, etc, etc. He then somehow turned it round on me and said I was out of order checking up on him (all I did was drive past!) how it "would be different if we were married" cos then I'd have more of a right to check up on him and how he couldn't believe that he had to ask my permission, etc.
Now, I didn't cause a fuss when I first raised it cos I just wanted a sensible discussion about how it all makes me feel. But he has made the whole thing explode and is being grumpy with me! Was I really out of order? I know it's not nice being checked up on, but it's not nice being lied to either.....

OP posts:
mears · 17/04/2007 13:42

No you are not out of order - he most definitely is. I think you need to sit down and talk about evening up the childcare in the house.

An aside to me is ti sounds as though he drinking and driving - another concern.

LoveMyGirls · 17/04/2007 13:42

This would piss me off tbh

Are they his children too?
Is it your joint money he is spending?
Are you not meant to be in this together hence living together and being a couple?

Bollocks to his if we were married bullshit he has made a commitment to have kids and live with you which is a damn sight more than a piece of paper should mean imo.

He is living like a single bloke and getting all the good bits of being part of a couple.

Cheeky fecker.

mumto3girls · 17/04/2007 13:43

Obvioulsy I can't tell the tone of voic etc you used...I guess it may irk him to think you were enjoying trapping him, but no I don't think you're unreasonable.
What i do think is unreasonable is you being given all the chilcare as 'your job' despite working p/t as well and him referring to your relationshipas somehow less valid than a marriage..he seems to be disputing your rights to expect him to take his fair share in parenting.

But - you are letting him get away with this so maybe that's not the main issue here?

LoveMyGirls · 17/04/2007 13:43

Oh and the lying to me would cause him to be in the dog house for a very long time.

chipkid · 17/04/2007 13:47

This would raelly hack me off. His response-ie to turn everything around and attack you is typical of someone who knows they don't have a leg to stand on.

You need to write down a full list of your responsibilities on a daily basis-so that he can see what your life entails.

I think you should also claim at leats one night a week for you-when you can go out, not cook dinner etc!

dingolimpet · 17/04/2007 13:48

He is out of order, no question. Living with someone who drinks, and I don't mean an drinking all the time, is awful. My dp only has to have 1 pint and he acts like a complete arse. He spent the first two years of our relationship behaving like this, and it made me a complete wreck.
I think I was just angry at the unfairness of it all, spare time should be spent together, or equally shared out so that you both get to do stuff you want to do.
I know how you feel, some blokes seem to think they can behave like single men, having all the freedom to do as they like, then come home and have their dinner cooked etc.
It makes me sooooo mad!
I know how you feel anyway, can't offer a solution though

foxymagoo · 17/04/2007 13:49

feedbenow - you are absolutely right to be pissed off.

Attack is the best form of defence and it seems like your dp is feeling guilty about the sneaky pub sessions so as you say is turning round to be your fault.

Is he good with the children when he is there? does he help our with bathtime/playing etc. Pre-children was he a frequent pub goer?

I personally would have it out with him in a calm manner to say that you are in this 50/50 and he has to take responsiblity for raising the children AND must give you some 'me' time. We are all entitled to 'me' time and partners have to respect and support each other - that's what being together is all about IMO.

mytwopenceworth · 17/04/2007 13:49

attack is the best form of defence, tis said!

in answer to the 'when we're married thing', the natural reply would be "well, i don't see us getting married unless we agree on such basic things"

he lies to you. it doesn't matter whether he is lying about being in the pub, a spending spree, or whether he used the last of the milk! it's about lying.

this is an issue. it can't be swept under the carpet, it is not going to go away. it's very childish to tell lies like this - he's acting like he's scared he'll get into trouble, do you send him to his room or something?!

oh and don't do anything for him that he couldn't do cos he was in the pub - meal, ironing, tidying etc!

Carmenere · 17/04/2007 13:52

Can I ask you a question? Did his mum do everything in the house whilst his dad did what he liked more or less? It sounds to me like he thinks that he is entitled to do what he wants whether you like it or not and ime that is learned attitude from parents. Either that or he has an alcohol dependancy.

RedFraggle · 17/04/2007 15:51

I agree with Mytwopenceworth, stop doing things that are his responsibilty. If he doesn't help out with the children ie bath / bed time etc as he is down the pub. Then don't you do his washing, cooking, ironing or shopping for him. Why should you be working non-stop both at work and at home if he won't support you?!
As for the marriage statement - grrr! If you are living together and have produced children together then that is practically a marriage already!
you are not being unreasonable to be annoyed - but only you can take steps to try to get him to change...

feedmenow · 18/04/2007 12:09

Thank you all for the reassurance! So many have said things that are soo true! His mum was a SAHM who spoilt her boys rotten and had their dads dinner on the table when he got in, and who rarely did anything for herself.
He always has been sa pub-goer and I've fought the frequency of it the whole time. The stupidest thing is that we go round like a broken record.....he increases the time he spends in the pub, I tell him I don't like it in various ways for a length of time til it blows up, I stop doing his stuff (like someone said, his washing, cooking, etc, and I start going out more)we have a massive row then he stops going to the pub as much. But then it gradually all starts over again. I don't like this pattern but I'm almost used to it. However, the thing that REALLY, REALLY pisses me off is the lying! He just doesn't grasp how it is that I feel in that if he can lie about something so little, what else does he lie about? And I feel so frustrated that he doesn't see how much his pub visits hurt and effect me, and how this has a knock-on effect on the children (one is his step-daughter, one is his son. I am really tempted to show him this thread so that he sees how other people view this sort of thing, and not just "my mates" who are more likely to side with me.
I should say, he isn't a complete arse...every few weeks I go out on a big night out and usually stay at whichever friend is hostings house. So he has the kids from early evening one day til lunchtime the next day, give or take. And he doesn't complain about this, however he DOES then think it is fair for him to go to the pub numerous times a week. I just wish I could make him see how I feel.....

OP posts:
kimi · 18/04/2007 12:18

Does he had a problem with drink??

custy · 18/04/2007 12:28

i dont think it's acceptable.

i think it sends a message that he values his time more than he values your time

he values time at the pub over time with the family

he sees all family responsability as your job

he doesn't help around the house

he is deinking and driving

he is flat out saying you are as thick as a donkeys donger. spinning little lies becuase hey sh'ell believe it becuase shes stupid

he is valuing his work over yours.

in this light i would have a discussion with my husband and i would expect my husband to understand my POV and for us to reach a comprimise.

this may mean pub for him 5.30 - 7pm mon

gym/pub/bookclub for you 5.30 - 7pm tues

equality of leisure time and household responsability.

custy · 18/04/2007 12:29

oh and BTW being married isn't a license to check up on him - he's full of shit - he is either in a relationship or he isn't

if he can't be a decent human being not married - he sure to fuck isn't going to be one if he is.

so dont marry the lying lazy fucker for gods sake

feedmenow · 18/04/2007 12:41

Don't fret, I'm not going to marry him! I know exactly why he brought that into the "conversation"....it's cos he wants to get mariied and I'm just not fussed. I've told him before that if he wants to start planning a wedding then I'll go along with it but, seeing as I don't feel the need to marry, then I'm not going to bust a gut arranging the whole thing! And he obviously doesn't have any spare time to organise a wedding cos that would eat into valuable pub time!!!
As for the potential drink drive issue, I have told hime so many times that he musn't have any more than one pint if he's driving (I think even that is too much personally) but I really don't think he listens to me. I know he certainly doesn't get wasted and drive but I'm still not really comfortable with it...

OP posts:
mumfor1standfinaltime · 18/04/2007 12:46

'go along with it' - hmm, not good basis for a marriage imo!!

Sounds to me like you need to kick him or yourself up the ass!
Stop doing his cleaning, don't ring him and ask 'what he wants for dinner'. If he wants to live like a single man - let him.

thisisdavina · 18/04/2007 13:00

I would object to his behaviour on 4 grounds..

  1. He isn't pulling his weight around the house and offering yourself or your children much in the way of comitment.

  2. He is drinking too much

  3. He is lying to you

  4. He is drinking and driving which he shpouldn't do full stop. There is NO safe limit!

I think you really need to have a longhard chat with him and perhaps consider reprting him to the police for his drink driving.

LoveMyGirls · 18/04/2007 13:05

Personally i would get rid - he would drive me demented. I hate the pub, i hate the fact you pay more to have a drink in there than you do at home - he can have a couple of cans at night with you and not drive and see his kids and not spend so much money and not be an arse!

mumto3girls · 18/04/2007 13:10

Just tell him next time he's at the pub instead of coming home you will call the police and have him checked for drink driving...

That is what I would do without hesitation if i thought someone was drinking and driving..

ginnedupmummy · 18/04/2007 13:25

Message withdrawn

feedmenow · 18/04/2007 20:36

Well I actually told dp that I'd started this thread and some of the responses I'd got, and I asked him if he wanted to see it himself. He said no.
But he did adamently tell me that he DOES NOT drink drive, that if he pops in the pub after work he only has one and the rest of the time he walks.
However this evening he picked the kids up, did their dinner, read books and put one to bed with the other on her way. (I had a meeting straight after work and had then promised a friend I would help her move, so only got back half hour ago). And now dp has gone down the pub! I don't mind so much in the evening as he's seen the kids and done a few constructive things, but I do still mind that his "relationship" with the pub is seemingly more important than his relationship with me.
So I've decided to keep a diary for a few weeks of when he goes down the pub and for what sort of reason, which I will then show him to try and make him realise how much time he spends there. No doubt he'll think of that as me spying on him, but I don't really see how else I can make him see the impact and intrusion on our lives.

OP posts:
LoveMyGirls · 18/04/2007 20:38

Sounds like a calm grown up way to handle it, if he accuses you of spying tell him if he wasn't causing problems in your relationship then you wouldn't have had to.

LoveMyGirls · 18/04/2007 20:39

And it's not spying anyway it's keeping a note so you can see if you are being unreasonable (which you def are not but it may help him see your side)

mumto3girls · 20/04/2007 15:17

I think you're being grown up about it..I would just tell him to pack and leave if he didn't want to be a family man.

I'd be tempted to get a massive calendar and piut a big black cross on every day that he goes to the pub and then wait form him tom ask what it signifies...

But then subtlety ain't my thing...

pollydoodle · 25/04/2007 17:07

Don't think you are being unreasonable fmn - and that he is. However, if you're going to keep a diary of his pub habits, I'd keep a diary of what you've been doing at the same time, so that it doesn't look as if you are picking on him quite some much and so that you can illustrate how much more you are contributing to the family than he is... Not that I think you are picking on him, but I can see that he might construe it as that as a way to avoid dealing with the issue.

New posts on this thread. Refresh page