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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

WIBU? Me or DH?

4 replies

ILoveEurovision · 07/06/2019 20:32

I think DH thinks I'm dismissive of his ideas. I feel like I wouldn't be dismissive if any of his ideas were sensible!

So today we had a bit of an argument. Neither of us are working right now, apart from an occasional bit of freelancing he gets. He is going to give up the occasional freelancing and be a SAHD when I go back to work in a few months. He is getting a bit more involved with the baby, but I feel he still sees it as something that I know about having read various books etc. and he is assisting me at the moment. He looks to me to make all the decisions and research everything.

Basically, we're both vegan and would like to raise our DS vegan. I, having done a fair amount of research, know how complicated this is and that baby nutrition is very different from adult nutrition. DH has done pretty much no research so doesn't see what the problem is or why I'm stressed about the fact that we haven't worked out yet whether we need an iodine supplement and where to get one etc. I want DH to get involved since he'll be the one who has to feed DS and I don't want to be having to come up with meal plans for him on top of working.

I complained to DH that he is supposed to be being the SAHD but has taken very little interest in finding out how to raise children and that when he does try to find out about something (normally because I beg him to share the mental load) he does it in a stupid way. For example, when I was trying to sort out baby-proofing I spent lots of time looking online. He posted a query on Facebook to ask what others had done and because a couple of the people (not all) said they hadn't done much he decided that we needn't bother and could just keep an eye on DS. He didn't really think about it beyond that - eg some had said that they didn't put up stairgates, but he didn't think about the fact that we live in a townhouse with the living room on the first floor so we might need them even if some random people on Facebook didn't. More generally, he hasn't read any parenting books or websites and spends his free time mainly playing games in his phone.

Later, he came back from the hairdressers and said the hairdresser said that her nephew has problems sleeping when they've had visitors who've spent lots of time hugging him, so we should try not touching DS as much as possible and maybe he'd sleep better. For a start, we don't even touch DS that much (he's too busy crawling and exploring) but mainly my understanding is that this "spoiling a child through too many hugs" stuff had been debunked years ago. I don't want us taking advice off some random person that DH has met that might be detrimental to DS - I don't want to deny DS a cuddle if he wants one!

DH has spent the rest of the afternoon looking upset and I don't know what to do. I just wish he would be a bit more sensible. He's asked if I'd rather send DS to daycare and maybe I genuinely don't know but it's too late now anyway and I just want DH to up his game. AIBU?

OP posts:
janetforpresident · 07/06/2019 20:36

The examples you have do seem to demonstrate that he is a bit of a sheep. I don't think that means he can't be a sahd though. I do think I wouldn't trust him to do any decision making but presumably he can play with your DS, read to him and take him to playgroup etc.

The big decisions you can decide together but it sounds like you are more into your research than him so I imagine you will just do it anyway

TheTrollFairy · 07/06/2019 20:41

Wait, we need to research and read books on how to raise kids?
Amazingly (with the help of 1 stairgate) I have so far managed to get dd to 3. I’m sure your DH will be fine with winging it.... it’s what most people do.

I would probably research the vegan thing though

Crabbitstick · 07/06/2019 20:54

So you’ve asked him to find out more about parenting - so he’s done that in his way (chatting, social media) but you’re not happy with what he found. There’s no rule that says you need to read books on parenting - there are soooo many with such varying opinions that I can understand that some people are put off by that. Do you listen to what he has to say? You sound a little dismissive of him which might be putting him off coming forward more.
FWIW I agree with him on baby proofing - I think there is excessive marketing at play convincing us we need X amount of gadgets to make our homes safe. Fir example those plug cover things are completely unnecessary- British plugs are safe as they are!
So do you want him to be more pro-active or do you want him to do things your way? Sounds like he may have taken a back seat because he’s lacking confidence. Maybe give him more time with baby and let him find his way. Chat with GP or HV might be good call about veganism too.

IfOnlyIKnewThen · 07/06/2019 20:57

You're not wrong to be frustrated especially if your DH is planning on being a SAHD. Winging it is fine for some things but more worrying is how influenced he is by others. That's not winging it. That's completely ignoring your own instincts and intuition. To be happy to reduce hugs to your baby because some random suggested it would have made my blood boil if my DH came out with that.

Not sure what to suggest as I have done badly in this area and carry the mental load in our house.

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