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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

DH at weekends

247 replies

Hoopaloop · 15/03/2019 19:54

DH works full time, getting home from work at half 6 most nights. We have a 3yr old. He is also doing a college course which he has been doing for 3 years. I'm sick of his studying, he expects a day at the weekend to do it and whinges about not having any time in the evenings to do it. He's just asked me if he can go for a long run with his friend on Sunday morning. Clearly, he can't do both and I've told him this. He thinks I'm being unreasonable to expect to have the whole weekend as a family. I think he has quite enough hobbytime and that he shouldn't expect to be able to run and study. AIBU to expect him to spend time with me and our child?

OP posts:
lottiegarbanzo · 16/03/2019 11:01

I've done studying, clubbing and looking after small children. I know which I find easier. I am genuinely delighted and relieved that OP does get some time off.

The challenge for both of them is to find time together, as a couple and a family. Feeling the other person doesn't want to spend time with you, or together as a family, is hard.

IHateUncleJamie · 16/03/2019 11:11

From the OP’s other thread:

DH doesnt seem to want to go out but I wouldn't have a problem with him if he wanted to.

Until he does and now you do. 🤔🙄

TheShuttle · 16/03/2019 11:16

Taco

Posters can only go on the info they have.

The OP was utterly unreasonable to disappear for a day and a night to go clubbing.

My general point stands though. A good number of posters rushed to the DH's defence. Some said the op should be grateful/happy the DH does nursery drop off 3 X week and bedtime while the op cooks. (Should she do bedtime & then cook in some people's minds??)

What I want to put across is that many many fathers put themselves FIRST, their jobs, their hobbys, their own needs, everything, and their family get only what they are prepared to give.

Mothers tend to put themselves last. Almost always. And suffer for it as a result. That is why women underachieve at work, earn less and fall into poverty more easily. Why they have tiny pensions etc. Why mental health suffers under the strain of relentless fatigue and childcare.

Children almost always go directly to their mother, not their father for help or advice. It's wearing to be the go-to for everything and exasperating that fathers input is expected to be small, both by children themselves and wider society as a whole.

The DH might be an exception to the rule. But worth considering that even in households with "equal" partners, statistics show that mothers do far far more of the work than fathers.

Mumsnet is FULL of mothers saying how exhausted they are with childcare & domestic responsibilities often combined with work and lazy fucker husbands/partners.

I've never met a man yet who has said the same. They might be worn out with work/studies but that is not the same as being worn down constantly doing low level tasks for others.

TacoLover · 16/03/2019 11:19

Shuttle none of what is in your post actually relates to the situation in this thread. So what is your point? That the general sexism against mothers means that the husband should not go for a run, even though it has since been proven that the mother has downtime for 24 hours in a row clubbing and the DH rarely goes out?

LagunaBubbles · 16/03/2019 11:20

Where is her 'downtime'?

Why don't you ask her, she has conveniently ignored posters wondering?

TheShuttle · 16/03/2019 11:24

I've done studying, clubbing and looking after small children. I know which I find easier.

You have reminded me with a conversation with a colleague, a new father, when I was young. He said how pleased he was to be back in the office after a week's paternity leave. Easier than being home taking care of a new baby.

Damntheman · 16/03/2019 11:35

Running IS downtime Snotter. No it isn't going to a casino but it is still hobby time. Where is the OP's free daytime moment? So she has to never ever have a break ever because diddums would rather run than actually take on any of his family responsibilities? Special.

drinkygin · 16/03/2019 11:45

@damntheman did you miss the part where the OP agora on a monthly 2 day bender Grin

drinkygin · 16/03/2019 11:45

Goes Confused obviously

Stompythedinosaur · 16/03/2019 11:46

I think yabu. I don't think that studying is leisure time if it is to improve work prospects. I had to study for a couple of courses to get my current (much better paid) job. Dp recognised my study was like me doing overtime for work and had the dc, then we split time remaining. I really think you should be trying to support him with study.

That said, if he wants to run in the morning of the only family day, I'd expect him to have the dc in the afternoon so you can do something.

TheShuttle · 16/03/2019 11:51

In a nutshell Taco, people do not have to fear that fathers are badly done to and put upon as they tend to be very skilled in putting their own interests first.

Mothers love for their family is likely to be exploited. And some people will say they should suck it up quietly and count their blessings.

For this reason, and in the absence of full info, my instinct is not to defend a father over a clearly exasperated mother.

TacoLover · 16/03/2019 12:08

For this reason, and in the absence of full info, my instinct is not to defend a father over a clearly exasperated mother.

Yes, so exasperating that she feels the need to go on a 2 day bender once a month, yet her husband is not allowed on a morning run. So exasperating even though they share all housework.

Damntheman · 16/03/2019 12:13

Yes I did drinkygin. Was that in this thread?

CostanzaG · 16/03/2019 12:40

I think your gender stereotypes might be clouding your judgement somewhat theshuttle

givemesteel · 16/03/2019 13:13

I actually agree with you OP, it's the fact that this is obviously going for a long sociable run which sounds like it will take up the whole morning.

I don't think he should be stopped from going fir a run but an early Sat am run before studying or weeks day before / after work would be a lot more reasonable.

I say this as someone who's studying. If I were your dh I'd know I was taking the piss unless it's a real one off, or a special reason.

TheShuttle · 16/03/2019 13:41

What gender stereotypes CostanzaG?

I haven't said anything particularly controversial. Much is backed up by studies.

I wouldn't rush to condemn the OP after her first post because on balance she seems to be at the end of her tether. Other posters quickly defended the DH, called her controlling and said she should be grateful for what he does do for his child.

Even if the OP is feckless and immature that does not change the fact that this would put her in a small minority of mothers.

Mysogyny is alive and kicking.

Whereas in the UK what proportion of fathers have lost all contact with their own children 5 years possible divorce? (Most)

What proportion of single parents in the uk are women? Is the mother feckless when a child's father refuses to financially support their child? That's how the mother is generally treated isn't it?

Whereas women do normally take on the bigger share of childcare.

I do agree though that some men are stepping up. My own DH has never shirked his responsibilities.i live in a country with far greater equality for women, possibly because a very high proportion work full time. At the same time, it is the mothers who take their kids to the doctor's, who drive to activities etc. Fathers are still the less visible parent and women still do most of the unseen work.

TacoLover · 16/03/2019 13:51

I think the PP is saying that you are letting your belief that all mothers are exasperated and overworked and victims of their husband's selfishness cloud your view of the husband in this situation, where you insist that he is being selfish and can't go on a run despite him doing his fair share and the OP going on monthly benders and getting her own free time too.

HarrySnotter · 16/03/2019 14:05

You have reminded me with a conversation with a colleague, a new father, when I was young. He said how pleased he was to be back in the office after a week's paternity leave. Easier than being home taking care of a new baby.

Yes, absolutely. This conversation with a colleague of yours means that the OP's situation is exactly the same.

For this reason, and in the absence of full info, my instinct is not to defend a father over a clearly exasperated mother.

We must always ensure that we support only women, even if we don't have much information. As we all know, mean are always bastards and women are never unreasonable, particularly when it comes to children/family/anything. Best to just assume really ...

GabsAlot · 16/03/2019 14:31

24 hours benders? i cant even do that anymore and i dont have kids

its a run op-not a rave

TheShuttle · 16/03/2019 14:51

You are being disengenuous HarrySnotter. And just to be clear, that second quote of mine is taken from a completely different post. It does not follow on from my first point.

To reiterate, in the absence of information, my instinct is not to rush to the defence of what must be a poor wronged man. My instinct is to side with the mother because on balance of probability she is the one who is likely to be shafted personally and professionally.

Other people's immediate response to the OP was to side with the DH. Nobody had much information to go on.

This does not mean I think all men are bastards and all women paragons of virtue. I have lost some sympathy for the OP. eg. at 11.16 I said the OP was utterly unreasonable to disappear for a day and a night to go clubbing.

At the same time, if a similar thread comes up in the future, I know the probability of the OP being unreasonable is still relatively small.

Thanks for your clarification Taco. I didn't get that at all.

WhiteDust · 16/03/2019 16:31

Wow. No wonder OP hasn't been back! Her other thread tells us a bit more than she wanted to reveal here I think.

CostanzaG · 16/03/2019 16:51

theshuttle well you've drawn upon the age old stereotype of the feckless father who can't wait to get away from his wife and kids and the hard done to wife who is a slave to her maternal instincts. I'm not aware of any credible, recent studies that can prove those roles to be universal.... anecdotal evidence doesn't count. I am, however, well aware of the impact of stereotypes and unconscious bias and how that can impact on judgement.

Blondeshavemorefun · 16/03/2019 17:09

I’ve read the other thread

So once a month she leaves dc and dh 7pm sat to go out

Then arrives home 4/5pm Sunday after chilling all day at a friends

Yet moans when dh wants to go for a run after studying hard to help his family

HarrySnotter · 16/03/2019 17:33

Yes, two different quotes from different posts, yes @TheShuttle, hence two different responses from me. I'm not sure what your point is.

And no, I wasn't being disingenuous, I was being a sarky bastard as I believe you are talking nonsense.

TheShuttle · 16/03/2019 17:57

CostanzaG

I'm not thinking of anecdotal data.

I'm sure there are many studies in the UK that illustrate things like:

  • how little time fathers spend with their children in relation to mothers
  • how much less contribution fathers make to domestic duties than mothers
  • how men 's perception of their contribution is greater than reality
  • the extent to which all contact with children is quickly lost a few years post divorce...

Nothing to do with stereotypes.

I could go on but I'm off out with my DH. The most decent man and father i have ever met.

Are you aware of how misogyny is internalised - exhibited by women themselves who will go to extraordinary lengths to defend a man's poor behaviour? Or even blame a woman for that behaviour?