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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

AIBU? DP thinks I'm a bad person for doing this

503 replies

youmustneverbreakthechain · 22/07/2018 09:50

Long time lurker, first time poster.

This is long, but please bear with me!

I’m willing to be told IABU but I don’t think I have been. I’d really would like some opinions as my partner is currently not really talking to me, apart from responding to my questions arsely, and thinks I have ‘attitude problems’ with regards to this issue. I wrote this yesterday and he’s still not speaking to me properly:

Background: DP has a lovely grown up daughter from previous relationship (ended over 15 years ago). She has a daughter (6yrs), and is in a relationship with a guy (perhaps for two years now although we’ve known him for around 18 months) who also has a young daughter. My DP and I have a DS, (5yrs). We see my DP’s grown up daughter maybe once every month/6 weeks, either just her with her own daughter, or with her partner and his daughter too (but she has often been at her mums when we meet). We all have a very nice relationship together, we all get on well etc.

My DP’s DD invited our son and us to her partner’s daughter’s fourth birthday party, which is, of course, really lovely. I already had booked and paid for a class/event thing before the invite so said I couldn’t, but no problem, my DP was going to take our DS. I had my plans, he and DS had theirs. All good.

Last night DS is sick. Vomiting etc, and this morning still pretty much high temp, sleepy, unhappy. So he sadly can’t go to the birthday party this afternoon.

However, my DP said ‘you know if he’s not better by this afternoon, I’ll have to still go’ meaning that although he was originally taking DS this afternoon, he now wants me to miss my class (that is non refundable and a one off thing - it’s not something that is planned to be repeated) to look after sick DS, so he could go to his daughter’s partner’s DD’s 4th birthday party.

I said that I already had plans that couldn’t be changed, my class/event was not refundable (materials had to be bought) and was a one off. And that I’d still be going. DP was pissed off and thinks I’m out of order. He thinks it is more important that he go to the party and see his daughter, so I said why didn’t he go up earlier to see them, and come back in time, or go and see them for breakfast tomorrow morning (to which he replied ‘don’t be so ridiculous’ although it’s something absolutely viable).

Anyway, he is pissed off, and leaves the house and says he’ll be home in time for when I have to leave for my event. Transpires he’s going to go up there to see them before the party (which I had suggested anyway).

He gets home, still pissed off with me. I go to my class, come back and he’s still pissed off with me. Not engaging properly when I try and talk to him. I ask him if he’s going to be arsey to me all evening. He thinks my attitude is out of order as I should have cancelled my event (losing my money) as him going to the 4th birthday party trumped my class/event and I should have forgone it and stayed at home to look after DS. Later when he’s had a few beers he says he’s started to hate me (because I’m so out of order).

AIBU to have gone to my class/event? I don’t think I am because my event was 1) booked and paid for before the birthday party invite 2) my son (who was the main reason to go, it being a kids party) was ill and he was meant to be caring for him this afternoon originally and 3) that there were alternatives for him to see his daughter and her family (whilst there weren’t alternatives for re-doing my event and it was not refundable).

I am willing to be told IABU (just be gentle with me!) OR is he BU for saying I’m wrong and thinking I’ve got a bad attitude/I’m out of order (and continuing to be being angry with me)? He's starting to make me question myself, am I a bad person?

The ironic thing being his daughter is lovely and would have completely understood the situation.

OP posts:
Gardenpicnic · 22/07/2018 09:52

YAB totally U and selfish.

Waitingonasmiley42 · 22/07/2018 09:54

He’s in the wrong completely. Flowers

Shylo · 22/07/2018 09:54

YANBU!!

.... and he’s ‘starting to hate you’ now he’s had a drink.

If it were me, fucked if I’d be engaging with him again until he apologised for being a vile man child

LavenderDoll · 22/07/2018 09:55

YABU and selfish

noeyedeer · 22/07/2018 09:55

He is BU. You were never going, DP was always going to be looking after DS. DS sick, both stay home. It's a 4yr olds party. I doubt very much that she cared if he was there or not, providing there was cake!

glenthebattleostrich · 22/07/2018 09:55

Of course YANBU.

He is being rediculous. I'm sure you stills sent a gift for the birthday child.

Shumpalumpa · 22/07/2018 09:56

YANBU, all plans were agreed. He was going to have DS that afternoon so he is responsible for staying with DS when he is sick.

The fact that he couldn't see this and got arsey with you, told you he is starting to hate you and complaining about your attitude sounds like the start of emotional abuse/gaslighting.

How does he behave to you generally?

treaclesoda · 22/07/2018 09:56

I don't think you're unreasonable at all.

lanbro · 22/07/2018 09:56

YADNBU

NoSquirrels · 22/07/2018 09:56

YANBU. The End.

Bairnsmum05 · 22/07/2018 09:57

I don’t think you are unreasonable. You made plans originally I’m not sure what changed-he was already going to be looking after his son so that should have remained. It wasn’t his grandchild’s birthday it was a child unrelated to him. He saw child before party therefore all sorted and no need for the drama? Not sure what his issue is, maybe there is something underlying?

Shumpalumpa · 22/07/2018 09:57

This reply has been deleted

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TeaAndNoSympathy · 22/07/2018 09:57

I think him wanting to go to his granddaughter’s party is absolutely reasonable and trumps your class TBH. It’s unfortunate your child is ill but it’s one of those things and parents do occasionally have to cancel things they were looking forward to in order to look after them. YABU.

Sisgal · 22/07/2018 09:58

I understand your annoyance but yep it's you who has been U.

pleasegotowork · 22/07/2018 09:58

Gardenpicnic, are you for real??
OP YADNBU. It was a 4 year old's birthday party ffs. And your DP got to see his daughter anyway. Your DP is being a complete arse.

NLBM · 22/07/2018 09:58

YADNBU. And it's not his granddaughter's birthday ^

Plural · 22/07/2018 09:58

@LavenderDoll and @Gardenpicnic why do you think she's being unreasonable?!

Loveluella · 22/07/2018 09:58

He’s being ridiculous! Children aren’t fussed whether their family are there, they’ll be too busy running around with their friends!

NoSquirrels · 22/07/2018 09:59

I think him wanting to go to his granddaughter’s party is absolutely reasonable and trumps your class TBH.

It wasn’t his granddaughter. Might be debatable then, but you’ve misread, Tea.

InConstantNeedOfAGin · 22/07/2018 09:59

It's not his granddaughters party. It's his daughters partners childs party. No blood relation.

DoinItForTheKids · 22/07/2018 09:59

The way I see it, you each had something on, his was the thing that included responsibility for your DS (in whatever form that took). When DS was too ill to go to the party his responsibility changed from taking him to the party, to staying at home with him (which coincidentally allowed you to still go to the thing you had already planned and paid for).

In the end common sense prevailed and he did what you'd already suggested.

He's being an arse, why should you be the one to have to stay at home?!? Yes I know it was to do with his DD but that's life with children isn't it, they get sick at the most inopportune moments. The default should not be that the woman stays behind whilst the man goes off - how presumptuous of him to assume it would be that way in the first place.

JustGiveMeTwoMinutes · 22/07/2018 09:59

He is being totally unreasonable

Plural · 22/07/2018 09:59

@Sisgal why would a paid class which was the first thing to be arranged not take precedence over a party?

noselimit · 22/07/2018 09:59

think him wanting to go to his granddaughter’s party is absolutely reasonable and trumps your class TBH

But it wasn't his granddaughter, it was his DD's partners kid.

Tbh I would have stayed home with my sick child regardless, but that just me. Nothing to do with what anyone else is doing, my child is ill, I stay home.

CanaryFish · 22/07/2018 10:00

I don’t think you’re a bad person at all,
At age 4-5 i find it’s better if visitors are staggered at parties. The kid is less overwhelmed Like you say he could see his daughter before or after.
Does he normally care for your DS when he’s sick?
Maybe he thought he had an “easy afternoon” of chatting with relatives while his DS was entertained by the party and caring for a sick child at home instead changed that dynamic.
If he expected you to both stay home with the sick child then again maybe I could see his point but him wanting to go socializing doesn’t trump your class imo.
That’s just me though.

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