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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Would your DH behave in this way? AIBU (I don’t think so).

296 replies

alarmbell · 16/03/2019 15:14

I really don’t mind people being honest about this scenario as sometimes I feel like I’m going mad. So yesterday, the plan was we were flying out at 6.30 (short haul flight) just for the weekend to attend an event held by one of DH’s friends. This meant picking up all 4 DC from their various schools at 3.40 / 4pm and just going straight to the airport. So we needed to be packed by 3pm.

In the morning, DH seemed to be working from home so he shut himself away in his office. I was packing, etc. He Whatsapped me to ask for coffee and something to eat at about 9.30 and and when I went in I asked him what did he want packing. He said he was too busy to think, so I asked him to put his stuff out in the bed because I had no idea whether to pack more formal stuff or if we needed outward bound gear etc. He was basically on the phone so I just left him to it because I could see he wasn’t going to answer. Then I had to go out for a blood test and pick up a few things.

I was feeling stressed while out because we had a pet sitter coming and I was aware I needed to get her bed ready and clean the house because the cleaner has been ill this last week. Also I was feeling a bit dizzy after the blood test and am generally shattered these days as it is. I hoped DH might have a least done something towards getting ready by the time so got back at 12.

What he was doing was ruining the garden. I have no idea why he felt the need to go out there when there was obviously stuff to do to get ready for a trip he had organised. He was hacking down trees with a chainsaw and then sawing all the wood into smaller pieces to fit them in the bins and then wheeling the bins through the house with all associated mud and mess. For what reason I don’t know.

At these times I feel like I can’t say anything to him because tbh, worlds fail me. Also he will say I’m being argumentative. So I got everyone packed, cleaned the house inc extra mud traipsed everywhere. Then he got in a mood because I told him not to come in the house with shoes on. So eventually we left to get the kids from various schools and he didn’t even ask what I’d packed for him. En route it was high stress again because of some business deal and he was talking on speaker phone most of the way so nobody else could talk, as well as driving very aggressively.

So here we are and I feel shattered today, although he in a great mood and the life and soul of proceedings. AIBU to think most DH’s wouid see what obviously needs to be done when you’re going away, even for just a weekend, and naturally get involved without being asked - rather than creating unnecessary mess and chaos instead?

OP posts:
PositiveVibez · 16/03/2019 15:38

Infuriating, but you're a mug.

Messaging you when you are in the same house to fetch him some coffee and food. Cheeky fucker.

I wouldn't do anything to help.

You do sound a bit dramatic that you were feeling dizzy from getting a small syringe of blood taken.

alarmbell · 16/03/2019 15:38

“faffing” with bikes, not “gagging” sorry!

OP posts:
Sandsnake · 16/03/2019 15:39

Sounds like he’s practically drowning in his own testosterone.

If I wasn’t working then I’d actually have no problem at all making a coffee / packing for my partner if they were really busy working. That’s just sensible team work. I would, however, be raging at the gardening instead. To me, that sends a pretty clear message about how much he respects you and the role that you’re playing in the family.

Also, the driving was completely out of order. If he had to secure a deal (fine) why on earth was he driving? Would his penis not fit in the passenger seat? Again, smacks of alpha male dick waving behaviour, with the result of causing an unpleasant atmosphere in the car / potentially endangering you and your children. Really not great behaviour for them to be learning either.

I wouldn’t stand for it.

thatmustbenigelwiththebrie · 16/03/2019 15:40

Sorry, I couldn't get passed the fact that he whatsapped you for a coffee. Are you his maid?

JaneEyre07 · 16/03/2019 15:41

He'll keep behaving like that as long as you are enabling him to is the honest answer.

DH would be the same by choice..... but he doesn't get away with it. If he doesn't pack, he takes nothing on holiday. I've stopped reminding him about razor, toothbrush, contact lenses etc because he's an adult and just as capable as I am. We went abroad and he hadn't taken half of what he needed, and had to spend a fortune buying it. He's not done it again.

In the kindest possible way, you're being a mug. And he knows it.

AnyFucker · 16/03/2019 15:41

He sounds like my father. He was emotionally abusive

He would do things deliberately like tracking mud in the house because it would keep my mum on edge. I think he enjoyed watching her tightlipped reaction, knowing that if she dared to pull him up it would be an excuse for him to spoil an occasion

He was the life and soul of a party too. He expected my mum, and his dc, to join in with the charade that he was a Good Guy.

They did. I refused to even from a very young age.

Hence why me and my dc have virtually no relationship with both my parents even though they live only a couple of miles away.

Slowcookervegan · 16/03/2019 15:43

Pack yours and kids stuff to come home and tell him bye.
Youre not a slave, this is not love or equality, why let him treat you this way.
No. He wouldn't be coming home with me.

thedisorganisedmum · 16/03/2019 15:44

You know you are 50% of a couple with equal value and equal importance don't you?

Nothing wrong with packing for a partner who is busy,
wrong - but acceptable - to start murdering trees and have priorities wrong, some people are like that

the problem is that you clearly don't dare talking to him, (he got in a mood because I told him not to come in the house with shoes on he is 6 years old?) he 's playing a "high crisis" mode (WTF is that).

If he doesn't help 50%, get a cleaner, pack your own things and leave him to it.

To be honest, it's much more efficient if one is packing and sorting things and the other one ASKS what needs to be done , or you just talk about it like grown up
as in: we need w, x, y and z done, can you do w and x, I do y and z.

alarmbell · 16/03/2019 15:46

He will never let me drive, even when he has calls to make and yes, it’s extremely stressful and I feel on edge the whole time. It stops everyone communicating and it’s absolutely ridiculous, but he does this all the time and he won’t listen if I say I’ll drive.

He believes everything he’s doing is the Very Important Thing at that moment and that’s it. If you query why, he accuses you of being difficult or disrespectful. It’s like he’s on his own agenda basically.

OP posts:
burritofan · 16/03/2019 15:47

Oh god I text DP for coffee but only when I can already hear him clanging around making it. Worse, I just text a coffee emoji and a thumbs up...

OP, stop enabling him! He can faff and sabotage and chainsaw trees because he knows you'll do the "wifework" of sorting not only your bag, but his, and the children's, and clean the house and prep for the sitter, and get you all to the airport on time. Next time just get ready and honk the horn for him to get in the car. First night away with no toothbrush or phone charger will learn him.

HarrysOwl · 16/03/2019 15:48

AIBU to think most DH’s wouid see what obviously needs to be done when you’re going away

YABU if you keep doing things that he should be doing himself!

Jeeze, I couldn't cope with a DH that high maintainence. And the walking on eggshells is a red flag. You shouldn't feel like you can't say anything to him when he's not pulling his weight.

And stop taking WhatsApp orders. You are NOT his maid.

NancyPickford · 16/03/2019 15:48

He was in the house and yet he Whatsapped you for coffee and food????
I can't get over that bit.
The timing of the tree hacking seems a bit weird. In fact everything you say he does would have had me running for the hills.
You must live your life on edge the whole time.

LannieDuck · 16/03/2019 15:48

I would have told him I'd already cleaned, and he needed to sort out the mud he'd just traipsed through because you weren't doing it again.

And I'd have taken the opportunity to remind him he still needed to pack.... because there's no way I'd be doing it for him in those circumstances.

YouTheCat · 16/03/2019 15:48

Stop doing his jobs. Stop packing for him. Stop making coffee and snacks on demand.

He's hugely disrespectful towards you.

NabooThatsWho · 16/03/2019 15:49

Are you ok OP?

He sounds like an aggressive, controlling twat. Bit of an emotional abuser too.

How is he with the DCs?

NancyPickford · 16/03/2019 15:50

My husband always does his own packing, only because he likes to choose his clothes and because he doesn't see it as my job.

FriarTuck · 16/03/2019 15:50

Who goes chopping up wood when they are going away and have things to do?
Some people (women too) seem to do this - I think it's an avoidance measure: they can't decide what to do first so they do something completely different and usually fairly straightforward and physical/manual.
The whatsapping thing though.....!

HarrysOwl · 16/03/2019 15:50

It’s like he’s on his own agenda basically.

He is. He wants everything his way, or else, by the sound of it.

OP, what are his good points? Are you happy? Do you feel respected and supported?

burritofan · 16/03/2019 15:51

He believes everything he’s doing is the Very Important Thing at that moment and that’s it. If you query why, he accuses you of being difficult or disrespectful.
Ah, OK. He's a twat. With the updates, sounds like he's abusive and controlling. "Let" you drive. Next time go on holiday without him... forever, tbh.

Hubblebubbletripletrouble · 16/03/2019 15:51

To be honest, he sounds like a massive prick. He does what he wants and acts like he’s lord of the manor because you put up with it. What a shit

SilverySurfer · 16/03/2019 15:55

I'm still trying to get over the fact that he Whatsapped with an order for a drink and something to eat whilst working in another room in the house. My mind is even more boggled that you didn't think that was absolutely ludicrous and complied.

So what exactly do you contribute to this relationship? Servant, housekeeper, cook, washer of clothes, packer, presumably all house admin, anything else to add to list? And what about him? He has a job and hacks at trees at inappropriate times.

Hardly an equitable share of the load is it?

As for not talking to him because he's 'in high crisis mode' - fuck that. Stop being a mouse and tell him exactly what you think. So what if he's in high crisis mode. What do you think will happen? He's not going to spontaneously combust ... well only if you're very lucky.

I will never understand why some women put up with and thus enable this sort of behaviour from their partner.

BorsetshireBlew · 16/03/2019 15:56

Just reading your posts made me feel incredibly stressed. Why do you put up with this?

ChristianGreysAnatomy · 16/03/2019 15:56

He is a knob of truly gigantic proportions.

Next time tell him 48 hours in advance that you will not be packing for him. And stick to it.

Other than the appalling whatsapping shit, the bit that really bothers me is all this “backing off” you keep doing. What are you afraid will happen if you don’t?

alarmbell · 16/03/2019 15:57

He would rather WhatsApp me if he wants lunch or coffee when he’s working from home. Or sometimes he just opens the door and calls me. I know that sounds terrible, but he’s always on the phone and in some debate or other. This is why I tend to stay out if I know he’s at home in the week. Plus he also sends messages from work or abroad all the time. I usually get about 5-6 per day. “Can you book x,y,z?” “Don’t buy chicken, I’m off it,” etc etc. All sorts of random things. Even the gifts for his friend this weekend (which are very specific sport items) I had to get and the gifts for this man’s 3 DC. I have told him many times Im not his PA but he always gives off a kind of emergency vibe, like he’s close to the edge, and with 4 kids I just can’t challenge him in everything or it would be non stop.

OP posts:
Dvg · 16/03/2019 15:58

:S he sounds really stupid, also ordering you to do everything is horrid. i would LTB because i could never date someone that thoughtless/dumb.