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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:
Bibesia · 22/07/2018 11:56

I’ve got little girls. I’ve got a useless MIL. I know how upset they are that she never comes to their parties. Because there’s always something more important happening.

Slanety, would they be upset if your MiL had taken the trouble to visit earlier in the day and bring a present? Or if your MiL wasn't their grandmother but was someone who had only been in their lives for 18 months and only visited around nine times a year anyway?

Sallystyle · 22/07/2018 11:56

YANBU.

Shit happens, but it is just a birthday party. I am not one who views step grandchildren as less than bio grandchildren so that doesn't make the slightest bit of difference to me. If it was his bio grandchild I would still think he is being an idiot.

As long as he got to spend some time with the child that is all that matters. I would be really angry at him OP.

MorbidMuch · 22/07/2018 11:57

YADNBU

As someone else mentioned, if he really wanted to go to the party, he should have tried to sort childcare that didn't involve you missing your course.

RoadToRivendell · 22/07/2018 11:57

It's hard to know who was originally being unreasonable without knowing the people involved.

Putting myself in your husband's shoes, I'd want very much to go to my step-granchild's birthday party regardless of how close I was with this child as a show of motherly support to my daughter. I would definitely ask my husband to look after the sick child, particularly if he weren't my daughter's father.

Similarly, I can see how the course is very important, but without knowing any further details who knows which of your positions is stronger.

The aftermath is the most worrying part, you two obviously don't fight well and he sounds a bit sulky/scary.

Iwantaunicorn · 22/07/2018 11:58

YANBU. He was sole parent for the day, whether they do the thing they’ve arranged or not, you’re out the house and busy. It’s a 4 year olds birthday, can’t imagine they’ll give a flying monkey either way!

RabbitsAreTasty · 22/07/2018 11:58

Has he apologised for his sulkiness yet?

Mouseville65 · 22/07/2018 11:58

Op is he still sulking?

Botanicbaby · 22/07/2018 11:58

It’s not that the OPs class was ‘more important’ than looking after her sick child. There was already a parent there who was supposed to be looking after him that day.

Sounds like OP is the one usually changing plans or missing work if their son gets sick but on this occasion she didn’t and stood her ground by going to a one-off thing that cost money when funds are tight.

His petulant behaviour is in response to the fact the OP is not doing what she usually would. Of course her child being looked after whilst sick matters to her, insinuating that it doesn’t is quite unkind.

Bibesia · 22/07/2018 11:59

Slanety, OP's stepdaughter has been with her partner for around two years. Why do you assume this is the first party she's organising for her partner's daughter?

WowLookAtYou · 22/07/2018 12:01

I can't believe the number of people on here who seriously believe that the husband here wanted to attend the party to "support" his adult daughter.
How naive.
He wanted to go because it was a better option to hang around with the other adults, drinking beer and chatting and probably doing little to help, than to stay home alone, tending to a sick and possibly grumpy child.

Shumpalumpa · 22/07/2018 12:02

I should have also added that in the scheme of things OP described, I don’t understand why her partner was so hell bent on attending the party...a kids party. Without his kid...Sounds like there are a number of underlying issues here.

I suspect he saw another opportunity to cut OP down to size into 'woman as default parent' role.

OP, I hope this is the beginning of a new you that expects him to shoulder half of the emergency sick days, etc?

MorbidMuch · 22/07/2018 12:02

Also, I hope your DP didn't show his irritation / frustration / anger at the situation to your DS.

ciderhouserules · 22/07/2018 12:02

Personally, I'd be more concerned about him saying 'I'm beginning to HATE you' (My capitals) when he'd had a few. In Vino Veritas, and all that.

He is beginning to hate you? For doing something that inconvenienced him? Even though you'd come up with a perfect compromise (which he ridiculed and then did anyway?

That is what leapt out at me. Not you perfectly reasonable response
-which was to put him in Parent mode, which he should have been doing anyway. He was already supposed to be looking after DS, and he still was. Just not with his daughter's partner's child as company/playmate/

Bibesia · 22/07/2018 12:02

My partners hobby is important to him but not to anyone else. I’ve made it clear that family trumps his hobby if an event comes up. I don’t make it clear before he books something what the exact terms and conditions of canceling are.

But you're projecting your circumstances onto OP's, Slanety, and they simply aren't the same. This is not your partner missing his daughter's birthday party, this is a man missing the birthday party of a child who is not related to him, and which he was only due to attend in the first place because his son was going to go. And he's not missing it purely because of OP's hobby, he's missing it because his son is ill. The fact that OP was already planning to be out is incidental. It's just not comparable.

RockYourSocksOff · 22/07/2018 12:03

YADNBU

Your dh IBU.

Your Ds was the one who couldn’t attend. You were out of the equation. Your dh was looking after him while you went to your paid for and booked event.

He is being an arse!

WowLookAtYou · 22/07/2018 12:04

And as others, including the OP, have said, by going up early, he got to spend more "quality, supportive" time with his dd and her partner's child than he would have done competing with a bunch of 4 year olds at the actual party.

TheDowagerCuntess · 22/07/2018 12:05

These sorts of threads are painful to read.

A significant minority of people with a serious lack of basic reading comprehension skills, come on and derail it.

OP - of course YANBU.

rainbowstardrops · 22/07/2018 12:10

Slanetylor you are just being totally ridiculous now. You are also making lots of assumptions regarding the OP and the situation.

The bottom line is that (D)P, the OP and their child were invited to the DD's partner's daughters party. After OP had booked a one off event that cost her money. (I actually think this bit is less relevant than Slanetylor is harping on about).

OP explained that she couldn't attend but partner and son could THEREFORE, the OP's partner had parental responsibility for that time.

Unfortunately poor little DS became sick so said partner had to change his plans to look after his child that he'd already agreed to do!!!!!

This meant that he could still see his DD. He could still see the birthday child. He could still look after his child and OP could still go to her event.

Where's the fudging problem Slanetylor??????

Slanetylor · 22/07/2018 12:10

So a man REALLY wants to attend his daughters child’s party. Not a real blood child, nothing as important as that. It’s not a weekend away drinking or anything. He wants to attend a family birthday party. Why? Maybe it’s free food Hmm maybe we wants to be a good dad, granddad, step grandad.
He can’t go and is very upset. His partner has a hobby that’s more important. He says he’s beginning to hate her.
Is this a total over reaction or is there back story other things going on. Only the OP can say. We can all jump in and tell her he’s being an arse, and he can continue on starting to hate her. None of this is good for the OP in the long run.

Slanetylor · 22/07/2018 12:12

The problem is her partner is starting to hate her but the OP only cares about being right. His massive crime, wanting to go to a family birthday party.

ciderhouserules · 22/07/2018 12:13

It's not his daughter's child. It's not his grandchild. It's just a party for a 4yo. WHy is he sulking and stropping because he couldn't go? Why is he all upset? He's an adult (supposedly)

DistanceCall · 22/07/2018 12:13

He's being ridiculous. I imagine he did't want to let his daughter down, but this is his step-granddaughter we are talking about - the little girl will not have cared at all whether he came to her party or not. And in any case, he could have dropped by earlier or later with a present.

If he's saying you have "attitude problems" and behaving like an arsehole, I'd be extremely wary, OP. Does he have form for this sort of thing?

Shumpalumpa · 22/07/2018 12:14

No the issue is that the daughter for the first time is having a part for her maybe step daughter. Is inviting her father to attend and is trying to show the little girls that she’s important. It’s not an event that will ever happen again. ( there’s loads of threads here about baby’s first party that baby won’t remember ). This 4th party was a huge milestone in their life together.

It was a big deal to his daughter who is obviously working to bring her new family together.

OP says the daughter is fine with it and understands. But you go right ahead with your own narrative, slanety.

There must be a word for people who have little sympathy for the aggrieved person (OP) but plenty for the person in the wrong.

Bibesia · 22/07/2018 12:15

Where does OP say she only cares about being right, Slanetylor? She started off by saying she was willing to be told she was being unreasonable.

OTOH, you give the distinct impression that that is all that you care about. You haven't even conceded the point that your elaborate scenario around this being the first party OT's stepdaughter had organised for this child was a fantasy on your part.

ciderhouserules · 22/07/2018 12:15

And her 'massive crime' is to want the time that she had set aside for herself, paid for, and looked forward to, and ARRRANGED FOR THEIR CHILD TO BE CARED FOR IN THAT TIME!

All OP wants is that time. Her time.