Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Think I’ve had enough.

129 replies

Boobiliboobiliboo · 09/02/2019 18:41

DH works from home most of the time for his own business. Sometimes needs to work away. I work full time out of the home in a mentally and emotionally demanding job. We have one 8 year old DD.

I tend to do school drop offs, DH does pick up and after school activities, unless he is away, in which case I manage my diary around pick ups as well. DH will usually get DD ready in the morning, but goes back to bed between stages (eg while DD is eating breakfast, getting dressed etc) so everything takes far longer than it should and we’re usually in a rush.

I cook 99% of meals, sort out food deliveries, washing, ironing, finances, do the books for his company, VAT and tax returns. I make 95% of DD’s packed lunches and deal with all the school stuff like PE kit, reading books, non-uniform days etc.

DH has for several years been a bit of a workaholic. For the past several months he’s barely managed to work 6hours on average per day, despite needing to work late regularly. Turns out he’s been going back to bed once DD and I have left, then getting up around lunchtime and starting work somewhere around 1pm. He says he can’t get going in the mornings, but it has absolutely nothing to do with him staying up online gaming until 3 or 4am. Hmm

On Saturdays DD has either one or 2 activities (one thing is every week, the other is fortnightly). Today it was both things. I was up before 8am to get ready. DD was up at about 8:15am. I had to wake him up at 9:15am and ask him to get DD some breakfast. I had to remind him of what she needed in her bag. He was such a mess that we ended up leaving late, and she was late to her activity. I spent the time she was there going to get things she needs for a show next week. I picked her up, took her to get lunch and then off to her other activity. She usually has a sleepover with grandparents once a fortnight and i meet them with her at a retail park between our homes. (Around 20mile drive.)

DH needs some new shoes, so asked if after DD’s 2nd activity could I detour to pick him up and he could get some shoes at the retail park. I told him what time we’d be there. He wasn’t ready. In the car he tells me that he’s emptied the dishwasher and put out the washing. I am not impressed. He said he has spent the day on his PS4. I say nothing.

When we get to the retail park I get DD’s overnight bag (which I packed with her) out and go to get her activity bag as she has an extra session tomorrow which my way parents are taking her to. It’s not there. He took it out of the car when we went to pick him up. He said he didn’t know about the session tomorrow, but I reminded him that it was him who told me about it last weekend as he found the letter in her bag. I said that I had told him my parents would be taking her to the activity and now he would have to make arrangements to get the stuff to her as he didn’t bother asking before deciding to take the stuff out of the car. He stormed off. I have moved the car and am sitting in the car park. We are meant to be going for food and to the cinema as he complains that I am usually too busy/tired to spend time with him.

I really don’t want to spend another 10 years putting up with this shit. I am so utterly fucked off that everything is down to me whilst he spends hours and hours playing games online, shirking his responsibilities and not even working full days. Any hint of criticism and the blame gets put onto me.

WIBU to go home and take a hammer to the PS4 and pack up his stuff? I feel I’ve lost all rational thought.

OP posts:
Wherearemycrayons · 09/02/2019 18:47

Why haven’t you taken the PS4 away? I would have smashed it up by now.
You deserve so much better

kitkatsky · 09/02/2019 18:48

I don't blame you, but maybe try some solution focused stuff first. We have the timetree app on both our phones and colour code appointments to me, him, DD and all. It works pretty well as he can't pretend he doesn't know about stuff anymore and if he asks stupid questions I ask him to check timetree. It won't solve everything you raised, but might stop you murdering him

cabsav · 09/02/2019 18:51

Sorry he's being an arse , but honestly, from what you have said it sounds like he is maybe going through depression 😢

Aquamarine1029 · 09/02/2019 18:53

Personally, I would be making an ultimatum. He either gets his shit together now or he leaves. I suggest you do as well, but ONLY if you have the fortitude to stick to it

Boobiliboobiliboo · 09/02/2019 18:54

I’ve suggested that to him. The mountains of crisp and biscuit packets in the bin of the morning is another sign. He says if he is depressed it’s because of me. And he won’t do anything about it. I suggested he phone the employee assistance counselling that my work provides and he said he thinks I need to do that more than him.

My barriers are right up. He’s had weeks and weekends away and nights out and I haven’t said anything (I haven’t) because I thought it might be good for him giving working from home can be isolating, but also because life is just easier when he isn’t around. Even with trying to fit a 40 hour week into school hours.

OP posts:
Solstice888 · 09/02/2019 18:55

I'd ditch him. You steady have one child you don't need another. Your kid should be told enough that you two separating shouldn't be a big deal. Probably wise to free yourself now or you'll feel nothing but resentment down the line. Or at the very least, a trial separation might make him realise he needed to buck up his ideas.

Santaclarita · 09/02/2019 18:55

Take the PlayStation and leave it at your work. Stop doing his business stuff for him as well. It's his business, if he doesn't do the books on time that's his problem. Give him set chores to do as well. He can have his PlayStation back once he learns how to be an adult.

Solstice888 · 09/02/2019 18:55

*already.

Boobiliboobiliboo · 09/02/2019 18:56

You steady have one child you don't need another.

There absolutely won’t be any more. An injury I sustained giving birth means I can’t have PIV sex.

OP posts:
Solstice888 · 09/02/2019 18:57

I meant your husband is acting like child number 2.

Boobiliboobiliboo · 09/02/2019 18:59

Stop doing his business stuff for him as well. It's his business, if he doesn't do the books on time that's his problem.

I’m a director.

OP posts:
Frouby · 09/02/2019 19:00

Fuck managing a grown man with a child like a fucking child. Take the games console away, take it to work etc.

Tell him to grow the fuck up and adult or pack his shit and fuck off. No way would I be dealing with that shit.

Kittykat93 · 09/02/2019 19:00

He sounds shit. My husband can be a bit useless but absolutely nothing of this level. Your stress levels must be thorough the roof.

Chuck the PlayStation away. Right now. He needs to pull himself together and step up before he ruins the whole relationship.

bridgetreilly · 09/02/2019 19:01

If he's depressed, he needs to (a) see a doctor and (b) stop gaming.

If he's not depressed, he needs to (a) stop gaming.

Decormad38 · 09/02/2019 19:02

Your life sounds frantic tbh. Can you rescue your marriage? Does your dd need to be here there and everywhere?

Solstice888 · 09/02/2019 19:02

Agree with frouby, you are his partner not his mother. Leave his property alone (you dont't punish partners, you punish kids) But leave him while you are at it xD

Dontcarewhatimdoing · 09/02/2019 19:04

He does sound like he is depressed, but given that he is blaming it on you, and refusing to take any action to improve things I'd be making plans to go it alone. It doesn't sound like he contributes much to your life, in any way.

Boobiliboobiliboo · 09/02/2019 19:06

Your life sounds frantic tbh

I feel like I don’t stop.

Can you rescue your marriage?

Dont know if I want to.

Does your dd need to be here there and everywhere?
She’s not here there and everywhere. Some days she has after school club, some days a shorter activity after school at school and one day per week she finishes school at 3:30pm and needs to be at an activity off site at 4pm.

OP posts:
BrilliantDarling · 09/02/2019 19:08

There absolutely won’t be any more. An injury I sustained giving birth means I can’t have PIV sex

Has this caused any issues / resentment?

AnotherEmma · 09/02/2019 19:11

"He says if he is depressed it’s because of me. And he won’t do anything about it. I suggested he phone the employee assistance counselling that my work provides and he said he thinks I need to do that more than him."

Extricate yourself from his business and end the relationship.

He is gaming, he is not pulling his weight in any shape or form, he may have a problem but he's refusing to get help and blaming it on you.

That's an unequivocal LTB.

LtGreggs · 09/02/2019 19:11

You can resign as a director. He can hire a bookkeeper / accountant if he needs one.

Boobiliboobiliboo · 09/02/2019 19:12

I’ve generally tried hard for it not to. Done all of the suggested treatment, had PTSD counselling followed by relationship counselling. But I do feel that something was stolen from me. And I try not to blame him, but he was the one who really wanted a child when I wasn’t at all sure. (Wouldn’t be without her now.)

OP posts:
Fairylea · 09/02/2019 19:13

I am wondering about the birth injury too. That sounds awful, do you think you and your dh have drifted apart as a part of this? (I had a traumatic birth too, lots of injuries etc so I do know where you’re coming from).

He does sound like one massive child. My dh is a gamer and loves to stay up late and play but he would never not get up on time for the kids or behave in the way your dh does. It sounds like your dh has given up.

AnotherEmma · 09/02/2019 19:15

Was he always like this? Was there ever a time when he took responsibility for his fair share of parenting and housework? When did he start gaming?

Not that it matters, of course - the important thing is the current situation and the fact that he won't even acknowledge the problem, let alone change.

StreetwiseHercules · 09/02/2019 19:16

“Wherearemycrayons

Why haven’t you taken the PS4 away? I would have smashed it up by now.
You deserve so much better”

A fitting username. Seek help.