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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

If you have a day off a week and your partner doesn't, you should do something productive

137 replies

TheChickenOfTruth · 13/12/2018 13:01

Briefly:

Partner 1 works full time with some overtime and on-call work. Loves the job but it's stressful and has a lot of responsibility so hard work. Does morning routine for toddler (breakfast, bath, getting dressed) then goes to work, 5 days a week. Is often on call or working late, but is sole earner for family.

Partner 2: wanted to be SAHP. Has lie in /personal space/chill time while P1 does morning routine, then P2 looks after toddler for rest of the day, 4 days a week. Often has to do bedtime routine alone if P1 is held up at work. Very occasionally (maybe once or twice a month) has to do morning if P1 is called in to work but then P1 will be home to do bedtime - so alternating before/after work care of toddler. Child sleeps through from 8pm until woken by P1 so no night waking to manage. Child goes to childcare one full day a week. P2 does child-related "mental load", P1 manages finances (mortgage, bills, cars, etc).

My gut tells me that if P1 is at work all day every day, that P2 should use the day the child is in childcare to do the majority of the housework (or at least what can be fit into one 7.5 hour working day (minus lunch break). P2 says that P1 is not doing their share of the housework and needs to do 50%.

Who is being unreasonable?

OP posts:
Dimsumlosesum · 13/12/2018 14:16

I think it's hard sometimes to see the woods for the trees in some couples. P2 may not realise justhow good they have it. It takes having to shoulder everything to gain that perspective.

Trinity66 · 13/12/2018 14:17

If you aren't either than you're obviously closer to P1 as you seem very much on their side. I would be careful if I were you that you're getting an accurate version of events

OhTheRoses · 13/12/2018 14:18

When I was a SAHP it was a breeze compared to a full time professional job. I organised everything at home. DH brought home the bacon. And no I didn't expect him to do mornings or bed times. He'd been at work all day.

The SAHP here needs to count blessings and be glad not doing a full time job AND managing the mental load and doing some housework.

Sexnotgender · 13/12/2018 14:19

P2 sounds weird and lazy.

tryinganewname · 13/12/2018 14:21

I'm guessing you're P1's sister or mother and don't like your DIL or SIL very much.

I agree that P2 needs to do more on their day off BUT to suggest they work 7.5 hours with an hour lunch is a bit batty. They need to do enough so that the house is tidy and ticking over, so that other chores can be easily completed when both people are home and have time.

The washing thing is just plain weird though.

SassitudeandSparkle · 13/12/2018 14:30

Like trying, I also thought you were the parent or sibling of P1 and that you really don't like P2!

I suspect P2 knows it too.

TheOrigBrave · 13/12/2018 14:33

You did a very poor job of trying to hide that you are P1!

Crimbobimbo · 13/12/2018 14:38

Im more on the side of P1, but I don't agree being a SAHP is a 'breeze'.

diddl · 13/12/2018 14:39

" Often P1 can be found wandering the local parks for hours at a time to get the toddler out of the house and give P2 space as instructed by P2."

Well then more fool them tbh.

Are they frightened of their partner?

Mookatron · 13/12/2018 14:41

Or you could reframe this as 'gets to spend lots of one to one time in the park with toddler at the weekend' in this universe of hanging out with toddlers being a piece of piss.

scarbados · 13/12/2018 14:41

P1 has contact with other adults at work while P2 is at home with a toddler and seems to be expected to spend all week doing housework. Some hobby/socialising time when the child is in day care seems a reasonable expectation.

TheChickenOfTruth · 13/12/2018 14:48

I am close to them both. Don't want to go into too much detail. I have babysat their child, spent time at their house, heard about their woes from both of them. I believe I have a reasonably fair view of the physical work split, though obviously can't know the true impact it is having on each of them. There might be a whole bunch of stuff I'm missing, obviously, but this is the picture I've got.

I don't dislike P2, but P1 is a more sensitive person who I've seen looking very stressed recently. Is there any way I can help the situation? I've been trying not to get involved because it's obviously not my business, but I feel like I'm watching people I care about spiral out of control some days and I find it upsetting.

I just wanted some perspective because I know everyone only ever sees part of the picture and that's why I tried to keep it simple and reasonably unemotional. I'm not a SAHP so don't know whether it is genuinely more stressful than working in which case the day off would be completely justified. I asked here because there are a wide range of experiences and perspectives.

I have no personal stake in this and don't intend on using what people have told me here as "ammunition" in a fight, but I would like to approach P1 and ask if I can do anything to help, so wanted to get my irritation settled by being publicly brought down a peg, as often happens on AIBU.

OP posts:
Queenofthedrivensnow · 13/12/2018 14:48

Cocklodger!!!

Mookatron · 13/12/2018 14:51

Um, do you fancy p1 op?

Queenofthedrivensnow · 13/12/2018 14:53

The sahp needs to buck their ideas up. If I'm going to pay for another adult to live then they can sort the house out!

GreenEggsHamandChips · 13/12/2018 14:54

My guess is your Parent to P1. Your never going to see the situation unbiased.

And neither is easier than the other. Working (almost) full time was great as you had a good excuse not to do stuff you didnt want to. Being a stay at home enables to do fab stuff, but it's full on and you can forget what its like to be you and to have an "empty head". Life is tough...

PurpleDaisies · 13/12/2018 14:54

The sahp needs to buck their ideas up. If I'm going to pay for another adult to live then they can sort the house out!

The SAHP is presumably saving the couple thousands in childcare.

What an outdated attitude.

Trinity66 · 13/12/2018 14:55

Why do you feel like you need to get involved in someone elses relationship?

Queenofthedrivensnow · 13/12/2018 14:56

@PurpleDaisies really?? Depends on the age of the child and if it's under 3 it will be 3 soon enough!

53rdWay · 13/12/2018 14:56

To start with tell both of them to stop complaining to you about the other one. They’re only going to sort it out at all by hashing it out with each other, both of them grumbling about it to mutual friends and social media isn’t going to fix a thing. Plus it puts you in the middle when you’re close to both of them which isn’t fair on you either.

Queenofthedrivensnow · 13/12/2018 14:57

@PurpleDaisies and the op says the child is in childcare!!!

53rdWay · 13/12/2018 14:57

Queenofthedrivensnow yes really, childcare costs a bloody fortune.

FilledSoda · 13/12/2018 14:58

Once you start slagging your partner off on Facebook I'd say the relationship is dead and buried anyway.

PurpleDaisies · 13/12/2018 14:58

@PurpleDaisies and the op says the child is in childcare!!!

For one day a week. That leaves four.

Chloe84 · 13/12/2018 14:58

If I was P1, I'd suggest P2 gets a full time job and they put DC in nursery.

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