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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To want my DH to give a shit?

49 replies

Psynonym · 22/07/2019 09:25

Yesterday was our only full day as a family this week as DH was working saturday am. We were supposed to go out for the day (to a garden centre as DHs client wants him to buy plants for a landscaping job).
We got 10 mins down the road and DH announced he didn't feel well and had a bad back so didn't think it's a good idea to go. We trundle around a local park with DS (3) instead for a bit and head home. I was a bit hacked off but said, let's salvage something from the day: you potter around with DS in the garden, I'll get some jobs done and cook a nice meal, then we can all have some free time together, eat as a family, put DS to bed and have an evening to ourselves with a glass of wine. I'm told we can't afford to buy wine (see below) but ok to the rest. 20mins later DH gets annoyed with something DS has done in the garden and sends him inside. I then do housework and cook a meal while entertaining DS, like I do every other day, while DH spends his whole afternoon pottering in the garden. We eat, I put DS to bed and DH goes in the bath for the rest of the evening.

Today DH has unexpectedly taken a day off work (he's self employed) to go walking up a mountain with his mates. This is the secod time in a month. I am at home, as usual, with DS.

This has irked me. Not only is it a bit rich after yesterday: on top of that we are broke until Sept when DS goes to school and I start work. So much so that I have to scrimp and save on food shopping (£30 pw for three ppl +2 pets inc EVERYTHING), can't afford to take DS out anywhere that charges, have very few clothes that aren't full of holes, crap furniture we can't afford to replace etc. I generally ask before I spend anything because I have no money of my own and DH gets all moral high ground if he deems anything I spend from the joint account frivolous (soft play for example) yet he decides without consultation that he can piss a days wages up the wall to go on a hike.

One of DHs walking mates is a teacher. Came to our wedding, knows me a bit but we're not close friends. I need "a professional" to counter sign an ID form for a uni application. After 3 yrs as a SAHM doing shit part time jobs I'm trying to up my professional game a get a post grad qualification that will mean I can earn much more for the rest of my working life. Think PGCE/Reg nurse/Social worker type certification. I don't really know anyone who can sign this form myself as only lived in this part of the Uk for 3yrs, all while having a small child, so networks aren't great. I asked DH if he could take the form on his walk for his mate to sign and he said no. Apparently it's a weird thing to ask and too much of a faff.

It's my birthday next week and we have no plans. Our only sitters are PIL who have said they will have DS if we let them know when etc. I haven't organised anything because I have no money and DH says we can't really afford to go out in the eve, and he can't afford to take a day off work (see above!).

AIBU to think my DH just doesn't actually care about me and my life at all as long as I'm here to look after DS, cook, clean and do household admin? I'm so fed up with it. We were best mates and had a great relationship before DS. Now I just feel like a drudge.

I am determined that, once DS is in ft school I will have my own money and have even thought lf stashing some away for myself so that, if thi gs don't change, I'm not trapped in this shitty existance forever. An I being melodramatic?

Yikes, sorry that's so long. I'm rambling with rage.

OP posts:
womaninthedark · 22/07/2019 09:28

Not melodramatic, no. Sounds like your dh is a bit of a problem.
Are you sure he's taking days off to be with a male teacher friend?
Definitely start working through the planning needed for a life without him, just in case.

Goodnightjude1 · 22/07/2019 09:35

You are not BU at all. He sounds like he is majorly taking the piss.

Fizzypoo · 22/07/2019 09:42

I think making an escape plan with funds you'll get from September is an excellent idea.

He sounds like a twat, it's actually classed as abuse to restrict you from money.

GreenFingersWouldBeHandy · 22/07/2019 09:45

If his back was too sore to collect some plants from a garden centre, how the hell can he be OK to go up a mountain the next day?

And as for taking the hit on a day's wages that affects you all, that really is just plain selfish.

Speak to his friend yourself about countersigning your ID. I wouldn't rely on him to do anything, he sounds very self-absorbed and totally flakey.

LettuceP · 22/07/2019 09:57

He doesn't sound very interested in you or ds tbh. He should have dealt with whatever ds did in the garden and continued playing with him not just sent him inside and ignored him for the rest of the day. If he works a lot then you'd think he'd want to spend as much time with ds as he can.

If money is very tight then it does make sense to be accountable to each other for frivolous spends but it works both ways. If you have to check with him before taking ds to soft play then he most definitely has to check with you before spending money on a day out for himself. He seems to think that it's all his money and he "allows" you to spend some of it, which is fucking awful.

He sounds like a knob tbh, wrapped up in himself and what HE wants to do and what HE wants to spend HIS money on. Sounds like he thinks you and ds are just an inconvenience to him.

Do you want to leave him? Are you in a position to leave him?

pinkyredrose · 22/07/2019 10:01

He's a selfish arsehole. Why don't you have equal access to family funds?

HisBetterHalf · 22/07/2019 10:01

He sounds majorly selfish

Psynonym · 22/07/2019 10:03

Definately walking up mountains. He would honestly rather do that than anything in the world. Including having some hotty on the side. I doubt he could be arsed to organise an affair tbh.

OP posts:
Marmozet · 22/07/2019 10:12

Honestly the amount of stories I read on here. Why do women put up with it?

Tell him to forget this mountain hiking and sort something out for your birthday! Have you raised this point about how he'd happily have the day off and spend money walking up a bloody mountain than your own birthday!?

Biscusting · 22/07/2019 10:14

How aware are you of his finances? Do you think he’s in any personal debt? Wondering what the reason was to suddenly abandon the garden centre trip. Could be not afford the plants he was planning to buy? Would be not still have to buy them if the client is expected it.
Disappearing up mountains, is he sticking his head in the sand about something?

Singlenotsingle · 22/07/2019 10:19

Shock so selfish! You need to be tougher with him. You're too soft and he's taking the piss. He doesn't care about you and ds at all.

queenMab99 · 22/07/2019 10:21

Like a pp I would wonder, if he is really going up a mountain with a male friend? From my own experience, loss of interest in activities with me and children, coupled with outings/ meetings/ mountain walks with friends to which I was not invited, were explained by a 4 year relationship with another woman. I suspected for the last 3 years but couldn't prove anything and was repeatedly told I was neurotic, jealous, mentally ill etc.
We had been married, happily as I thought, for 20 years before this.
The lies and manipulation for so long were worse than the actual affair in my opinion, I had really started to doubt my own sanity, it would have been kinder to leave me, but he thought he could have his cake and eat it!I

Meangirls36 · 22/07/2019 10:23

£30 a week for food with a child? Leave him now. RUN AWAY immediately !!!

sweeneytoddsrazor · 22/07/2019 10:24

Has he taken today off because he couldn't get the plants yesterday. Did he have any work planned for today. If he had no jobs planned for today then it's shitty he has gone off without you but it doesn't mean he is turning down money either. Having very little money is a struggle both for the person stuck at home and the person trying to earn it. You feel trapped and life is a drudge he feels like a failure because he is not providing his family with what they want.

timeisnotaline · 22/07/2019 10:29

When you start work keep it all. He treats his money as his - you can’t go anywhere or buy anything and he can do cancel a days pay anytime he likes. Which is never to spend time with you including your birthday. So it’s your money and I’d use it for some small treats, basics like food, and save most of it for you and your ds.

queenMab99 · 22/07/2019 10:34

My ex was definitely walking up mountains, which I also loved, but was having a shag when he got to the top, with his lady friend Grin I can laugh about it now as this was 25 years ago. His ow was the mother of one of my younger son's friends, who's 2 children played at our house to give her a break, when she was heavily pregnant, little did I know, she was out with my then husband, her youngest child is now in her 20's and looks very much like my exmil!

INeedAFlerken · 22/07/2019 10:38

I would have been raging at him: back to sore to walk around a garden centre for a couple of hours and look after your own child, but can hike up a hill the next day?!?! Fuck that!

Not to mention no money for you to have a bottle of wine with a rare dinner with your DH, but he can piss off the next day from working/income and go play with his mate?

I'd be making serious plans to leave such a selfish arsehole.

Isatis · 22/07/2019 10:54

He was too ill and crippled with his bad back yesterday to stagger round a garden centre, but today he can walk up a mountain? What a raving hypocrite.

Psynonym · 22/07/2019 11:42

Ok so I'm not being stupid, he is just being an arsehole.

That's quite a sad and frightening realisation tbh. What do I do now? He won't see it. He never does. I'm not perfect but I deserve a bit more than this. I feel like having a cry but don't want DS to see me sad.

OP posts:
Nanny0gg · 22/07/2019 11:47

You hold on till you start work.

But make a plan. What do you want? How can you get there?

What would his reaction be if you threatened to leave?

Psynonym · 22/07/2019 11:54

He would assume ot was a holllw threat. Probably feel injured, try harder for a while. It would probably hurt his pride more than anything else.

I don't know what I want. I'm hoping that when the years of a tiny one at home are over and we're on a more equal footing things will be better. As much as I hate to sound tragic I think I really just want him to love me and be happy to put DS and I first.

OP posts:
Amibeingdaft81 · 22/07/2019 12:01

In the evening - he took himself off for a long bath so as to avoid spending time with you. The next day, he takes himself up a mountain for the day with a friend

He sound selfish.
At the same time, he doesn’t sound that keen on you either.
So I don’t think he’s going to kick up much of a fuss if you leave him.
So start getting your ducks in order

Pinktinker · 22/07/2019 12:07

He’s selfish and sounds like he isn’t invested in you or DS at all. He took the long bath, sent DS inside for something minor while he remained in the garden and today has pissed off hiking to avoid you both.

When you start work I would start saving and make an escape plan.

SagAloojah · 22/07/2019 12:14

He just doesn’t care does he?

  • Complaining of back pain within 10 mins of setting off out
  • Sending his 3yo inside instead of spending time with him in garden
  • Back ache has miraculously disappeared the next day to allow for a day of mountain waking
  • Can’t take a day off for your birthday but can you spontaneously take a day off to spend with his friends

Actually do you think the day off was that spontaneous? Maybe he planned? How convenient that friends are available on a Monday.

And yes to having savings he knows nothing about. You should do this in any relationship, but particularly as he sounds financially abusive.

mussolini9 · 22/07/2019 12:19

AIBU to think my DH just doesn't actually care about me and my life at all as long as I'm here to look after DS, cook, clean and do household admin?

YANBU, & big red flag about DH refusing to "bother" the friend about the paperwork you need signing. That is controlling & undermining. Like he doesn't WANT you to improve your own prospects ... it might impinge on his household comfort.

The incident in the garden with DS is also a worry - how "convenient" to get annoyed with a child you don't wish to parent - just send them inside for your wife to look after.

To be very cold about it - you already do all the childcare & housework, your DH is a twat about spending any quality time with you, nags you about wanting to provide nice things for DC (moaning about cost of softplay) but feels entitled to take a day off while simultaneously denying you ONE bottle of wine for a mini-celebration - you'd genuinely be no worse off emotionally without him, would you?

And at least YOU would be in charge of how you budget & manage your money (child maintenance) once you are shot of this selfish man. Imagine putting all the energy you have wasted on him into your professional studies. You have it within you to create a better life that you are tolerating now. Your DH is an arse. Look after you & the DC!

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