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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To feel about 2cms tall?

142 replies

Stuckinsilence · 29/08/2018 15:30

Last week was a special anniversary for DH and I. We had gone away for a few days and had a nice time. I had bought DH a special present (nothing expensive but special nonetheless and something he liked). He hadn't bought me anything, not even a card, but we had been away for a couple of nights so I was happy even so. On the way home, he appeared agitated and asked where I had bought his present from, and then said 'so I paid for it then'. I said no, I paid for it and would transfer the money later. I told him to stop being so spiteful and he apologised.

A few months ago for father's day i surprised him with a day out and took all his family out for dinner. It took so much effort to organise and keep it a surprise. All he could say on the way home was, when asked if he had enjoyed himself, 'yeah but I paid for it'. I told him no, I had worked a couple of days in my parents family business to pay for it. Again he apologised.

Last month i bought car insurance on our joint credit card. He was furious and said how dare I buy it without asking him. I told him i buy it every year and there's not a problem, how else did he think i was going to pay for it? He carried on and on until i said i was phoning my mum to loan me the money to give back to him. He all of sudden changed his tune and said to forget about it.

AIBU to feel about 2cm tall? I feel small and silly when he makes these comments. I feel like nothing and so embarrassed.

FWIW, I am a sahm to our three children (two with sn), do everything around the house and 99% of childcare. He would never make these comments in front of anyone else because he knows that they'd be appalled - it's only in private.

OP posts:
ellav · 29/08/2018 16:27

I'd work out how much child care and a cleaner and cook etc would cost, then how much you'd expect to earn if you worked a 40hr week, split those costs fairly in proportionate of a salary you'd expect to take home, and present him with it.
He'll soon stop his 'funny' comments I'm sure!
Just the sort of thing my partner would say - 'well it all comes out the same pot' is his favourite line (meaning his salary). I've suggested he goes on paternity leave instead of me, and oddly he declined.

Men!

endofthelinefinally · 29/08/2018 16:28

Pp saying OP should go back to work. Who is going to look after 2 dc with SN?

Motherhood101Fail · 29/08/2018 16:30

This reply has been withdrawn

Message from MNHQ: This post has been withdrawn

colditz · 29/08/2018 16:30

You would be better off alone
Finanacially and emotionally

AnEPleaseBob · 29/08/2018 16:30

Pp saying OP should go back to work. Who is going to look after 2 dc with SN?

let him do it. or pay for childcare.

Aridane · 29/08/2018 16:31

Is this a new thing or has he always been like this?

HolyMountain · 29/08/2018 16:31

Does he ever buy or do anything nice for you?

Reading what you've written is appalling, he's questioning everything you've spent money on and is a twat to you.

Is he perfectly charming in front of other people?

Gersemi · 29/08/2018 16:32

You need to ask him why he's started being like this. Before you start the discussion, prepare a list showing what it would cost him to pay for a cook, cleaner, launderer, dishwasher, children's chauffeur, PA and nanny.

GreatWesternValkyrie · 29/08/2018 16:34

I’d put him in charge of all purchases then, if he needs to control spending so closely. The kids need shoes? “You need to buy new shoes for the children, in black, for school”, the home insurance is due for renewal? “home insurance will be due for renewal on 20th September, you’ll need to start getting some quotes to shop around for the best deal and arrange the payments” etc etc etc

If he wants to control everything, I’d let him fill his boots and take the mental load of sorting all of these things out, not just the ‘approval’ of purchases. Would be very interesting to hear his reasons why he will object to this!

He sounds very resentful of you being a SAHM and places no value on this at all. You need to discuss that or it will never change.

longwayoff · 29/08/2018 16:38

Yes dearest. You did pay for it. That's the deal remember? I sahm you earn. I go back to work and we can spend my pay on childcare. Idiot man.

sprinklesandsauce · 29/08/2018 16:39

Firstly, I would stop buying him gifts of any kind for any anniversary, so that "he" is not paying for it.

Secondly, as PP suggested, write him a list of what the DC need when they need it and let him go get it, with them.

Thirdly, tell him that you are sick of the situation so you are going to find a job and ask him to work out how you are going to sort out the childcare costs/arrangements.

He either needs to accept that your fill time "job" is looking after your joint 3 DC (inc 2 SN), or you find another job and you have joint responsibility for the DC.

AnnieAnoniMoose · 29/08/2018 16:41

Put a stop to this, one way or another, NOW.

Tell him he has 3 choices right now...

1: ALL the money goes into a joint account where you will buy what the house, the children and you need, without any questioning. A equal, set amount each week transferred into your separate personal accounts for luxuries & presents to each other.

2: YOU will go out to work and he can take care of the children, the house & everything else.

3: Divorce.

Frankly, with an attitude like his, I’d only be giving him option 3. How dare he, the absolute cuntbadger, treat you like that. It’s nasty, it’s rude and it’s completely dismissive and disrespectful of all you do. You’re looking after his children, not dossing around having ladies lunches.

If I were you, I’d be doing everything I possibly could to make myself employable in as good a job as possible and find suitable childcare (not easy I know, especially with children who have sen) because twats like this rarely stop being twats not eventualky you’ll decide the good no longer outweights the bad and you’ll need a good job.

STOP taking this lying down and apologising for existing! Get ANGRY 😡

NotTheWayISeeIt · 29/08/2018 16:42

He sounds really nasty. Maybe if it was a one off and he was stressed about money or maybe if you were frivolous with money it might be possible to get over his comments but it seems like this is the real him.

I’d be worried about the future.

Personally I’d rather be single.

Tawdrylocalbrouhaha · 29/08/2018 16:45

I'm wondering what has changed to make him start thinking like this. Have there been any changes at work, or socially? Have you looked through the accounts to see exactly where you stand as a family, and where the money goes (both your spending)?

Clearly he is being a dick, but the possibilities are a) he is just a dick, or b) something is making him be dickish.

YearOfYouRemember · 29/08/2018 16:46

OP, are you okay? I suspect you didn't expect all the above comments.

Vandree · 29/08/2018 16:47

If my dh spoke to me like yours I would unleash holy hell on him. I have been a sahm for 10 years to 3 children. When we both agreed that I would be a sahm we agreed that we were a team and equals in all ways. He might earn the money but I facilitate his long working hours and working abroad with picking up his slack at home. If I am ill he picks up the slack when I am unable. Money is jointly accessed and he has never once questioned my spending even when we were on the bones of our arse for a few years.

You are either a team or you are not. If he doesn't appreciate you and all you do and see you as an equal you can either leave the fecker and take half of everything and receive maintenance or he can show you the appreciation you deserve. You should appreciate yourself as well, spend money and time on yourself, you work hard and shouldn't have to ask for money. Its not on at all

wafflyversatile · 29/08/2018 16:47

Is this new behaviour? When did it start?

Sugarpiehoneyeye · 29/08/2018 16:48

Is he abusive in general OP ?
You don't have to live like this you know.

bringincrazyback · 29/08/2018 16:48

He's treating you like shit, don't let him get away with it.

HollowTalk · 29/08/2018 16:49

This really makes me think, "Thank god you are married to him, because now you can divorce him."

He has shown you what kind of a man he is and he's absolutely fucking horrible. What kind of father begrudges his children new things? What kind of husband financially abuses his wife like that?

What I would do is to think, "OK, what would life be like if we separated? What would my financial situation be like?" Really think hard about it - go onto Entitled To website and figure it all out. You might be pleasantly surprised.

EvaGraceMummy2015 · 29/08/2018 16:53

This is disgusting op! I left my daughter's dad for this reason, would happily justify buying himself all the latest gadgets/games consoles etc and I would go without constantly so we could afford them.. think the penny finally dropped in my head one day when I bought our DD some new clothes (only primark) and felt the need to hide them from him to avoid all the questions and interrogation! 😡 it is no fun being in your position at all, he sounds like he has his priorities all wrong!

CaMePlaitPas · 29/08/2018 16:53

What a wanker - that's all I have to say OP.

Maelstrop · 29/08/2018 16:56

I'd work out how much child care and a cleaner and cook etc would cost, then how much you'd expect to earn if you worked a 40hr week, split those costs fairly in proportionate of a salary you'd expect to take home, and present him with it.

Exactly. Does he have no concept of how much you’re saving him by being a sahm? Idiot.

Fancy going mad saying he’d paid for his present. What a cuntish thing to do, particularly when he didn’t arse himself to get you one. Does he ever thank you for how hard you work running the home and bringing up HIS children?

cantkeepawayforever · 29/08/2018 16:59

Do you have access to all information about the family finances - so all the bills, the bank account, payslips, all credit cards?

(If not, why not?)

How are they looking? Are there any entries you don't understand? (Gambling debts, large sums being withdrawn in cash or transferred elsewhere or to pay unknown credit cards etc etc). Can you date when this behaviour startedand note any changes in bank accounts before and after?

Is your OH's job secure? Any whispers in the wind about his employer, any comments from friends who work there, any links to areas in some crisis (retail springs to mind, as does anything likely to be affected by Brexit)?

If you are not in financial difficulty, and his work seems secure then I agree he's just being financially controlling for the sake of it.

You say he would hate other people to hear. Do you meet up with others socially - friends or family - as couple or family? Could you introduce it in some way [nice tinkly laugh] 'Oh, you''ll NEVER guess what OH did the other day. We'd just had a lovely weekend away, and I gave him a gift, and he said ...... Have you ever heard of anyone doing that? And now he's even got me asking every time I need to buy anything for the children, and gets cross with me buying car insurance without asking. Does anyone you know do anything like that? It just seems SO silly to me, I'm beginning to wonder whether he's spent ALL our money on betting and doesn't want me to find out!' Most kinds of abuse like lurking in the dark, unspoken - making them public / ridiculous may help.

LyingWitchInTheWardrobe2726 · 29/08/2018 17:02

Get a job, OP, get established then get the hell away from him. He's not a 'D'h at all. It's not going to get better, it's going to get worse and eventually you'll split up anyway with his attitude.

Get financial security and get your skills ready to go back to work - or make arrangements to work in your family's business, anything but think of him as any kind of partner. He's not.

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