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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Is it me or him?

189 replies

Firstedition · 30/08/2019 09:17

DH have a very loving relationship we only have two ongoing disagreements/arguments.
We both FW, I'm 32 weeks pregnant and we have a dog (which was my idea). I've never liked cleaning and have been always fortunate enough to have a cleaner until not that long ago, so cleaning is definitely something I don't excel at.
The house stinks of dog there's no denying that. Yes, I could do more but I'm either tired or don't feel like it. It doesn't help that I don't like where we live and have no love/pride towards it. I however do things here and there. He usually goes on about how the house isn't clean and it smells. We have opposite working schedules, this only lasts for 6 months, but while it does we only see each other after 6 every day. I feel like he puts me down about it and always end up in tears. Just yesterday for example I said that I hoovered the day before but he just dismissed by saying I used the shitty one rather than the one that works. I also cleaned the kitchen floors, empty the dish washer do the dishes (not always but when I can I do), the laundry (most of the times) and always take out the rubbish/recycling. I just don't think he's being fair on me, but maybe it's the hormones.

OP posts:
Firstedition · 30/08/2019 14:29

When did I said he was an alcoholic? I said he left cans everywhere (which actually were pepsi max ) and lollipop sticks. He would have no desire to interact with me.nor our DD. Things changed after 6 years but I was tired by then.

The house again, is not unclear nor untidy. Yes the carpet has some stains but overall it isn't a mess. It's all outside.

OP posts:
Firstedition · 30/08/2019 14:31

I will go away from this thread. Thank you for those who posted . I need to get a dog walker that's for sure. But having to get out of work to be able to cry at a Tesco car park feeling despair again and not knowing what to do with my life isn't a great place to be. Thank you for your time.

OP posts:
angieloumc · 30/08/2019 14:35

I know it's done now but I can't understand why you're bringing (another) child into this chaos.
I also feel really sorry for your landlord, when you do move it's going to be on him to try and get rid of the smell in the corridor. If you have a buy to let how come you're renting yourself?

Doyoureallyneedtoask · 30/08/2019 14:35

OP I know it is easy to say rehome the dog but tbh it sounds like you have too much on your plate.

I'm all for making life as easiest as possible esp with a new baby on the way.

In this case, I would look into rehoming the pets.

A clean home is your priority when you have a new baby and when the baby starts crawling, dropping items on the floor and automatically putting them into his/her mouth.

There is a website called FlyLady who has lots of schedules to help set up cleaning routines and makes it more manageable if you are feeling overwhelmed by it.

I know what it is like to live somewhere you dislike. I live in an area I really dislike and can't afford to move out of but for my children it is home and regardless of what I think of the area, I have to create a nice environment for my children to grow up in.

Deadringer · 30/08/2019 14:36

Op you are pregnant and tired and emotional, I am not going to have a go at you. You have a dp problem, he doesn't contribute enough financially, he doesn't do his fair share of housework, and he criticizes you unfairly. He needs to shape up or ship out imo.

NeatFreakMama · 30/08/2019 14:36

@FirsteditionFirstedition do you have some support in real life? A lot of these tasks that are becoming overwhelming for you probably should be manageable so you need to talk to your GP, and definitely your partner, if you can? It's also a very difficult time because you are pregnant so your hormones won't be helping you cope.

Dollyparton3 · 30/08/2019 14:53

I'm confused.

The husband won't take the dog to work because of bad recall but if the dog did go to work or have a dog walker then the utility problem wouldn't be a problem.

It's pretty obvious OP, get the husband to train the dog. Or pay for a trainer to come round and assess him and what needs to happen next.

As for the cleaning, I work full time and I'm out of the house for 12 hours 3 days a week. The other two days I work from home. I still find time to clean for say 30 mins every evening and so does my partner. At weekends it's a joint effort to get on top of the big stuff. AND we take the dog for daily walks AND we manage to spend quality time together.

It really does sound to me as though the dog is at the back of the queue in your house for any effort made towards it. Desperately unfair on the poor animal

SavingSpaces2019 · 30/08/2019 15:00

Seems to me like you both just 'coast along' in your relationship and it's not much of a partnership.

Our expenses are as shared as they can be. Because of CM/ commuting/ past debts with tax credits he only contributes to 1/3 of our joint expenses. The rest is covered by me
You work two jobs and are able to manage your home/dc to the best of your ability.
Yea, we can all do better....but you're already doing a pretty good job by yourself.
He works one job, which doesn't even cover his and his dc's expenses, isn't pro-active around the house or with dc.....what exactly is he bringing to the table?
Or your life?
What's he doing about his job situation to help the 'family' finances?

You know you need to get a routine in place to manage the responsibilities you have - your dc/dog/home.
He is happy coasting along - at the expense of your finances and emotional energy.
I wouldn't be saving money to buy a house with him of this is all he has to offer.
I'd be getting myself a decent house for my dc and dog - and me.
Life's too short - and precious - to waste my already depleted energy levels on pleading/begging/teaching a grown ass man, and father, to behave like a mature adult.

Let him manage his own house and dc on his own wage.
He needs the learning experience.

HollowTalk · 30/08/2019 15:18

I would be very tempted to live alone and only have my own child there whenever she can be. I'd get a dog walker and get the dog trained. I think you'd find that a lot less stressful (not to mention cheaper) than supporting that complete waste of space.

adaline · 30/08/2019 16:12

And it's pretty normal not to see your partner until the evening.

DH and I see each other for maybe half an hour maximum in the morning while we're sorting the pets and getting ready - and I don't get in from work until gone 7pm. Like you we also work opposite shifts so I don't get a full day with him unless one of us is on holiday.

We also have a dog that needs walking - his needs and the house don't get neglected just because we work full time. The dog gets at least 90 minutes exercise per day and spends three days a week with my in-laws getting spoilt rotten!

ThirstyGhost · 30/08/2019 16:13

If I was the OP I would feel overwhelmed by a lot of the responses on this thread. It feels a bit like standing in a room with 30 people shouting, "rehome the dog!" at you, when you know you don't want that, you love the dog to pieces (things really aren't that bad at home actually), and that's not even what your thread was about! You just have some MH issues which mean that you can feel overwhelmed by what must seem to a lot of folk like straight forward organisational stuff and need some guidance. In one of her updates OP listed the things she was going to do to start to change things.

OP talks about her insomnia. As a chronic insomniac I find it's like swimming through treacle trying to get even the most basic stuff done sometimes. Your mind is a fog and making clear decisions is difficult, let alone following through on them. So I imagine this is how the OP feels sometimes, plus she is heavily pregnant which often exacerbates insomnia and MH symptoms of every sort.

OP, there is good advice on this thread (in between the "grow up! You're lazy! Dog ruiner!" rantings, and the, "I am CEO at a giant bank, have 7 kids, my leg is hanging off but I manage to hoover the entire house and whack on three loads of laundry by 5am" posts superwoman posts are always so helpful. I really hope you don't feel overwhelmed. Like you were saying in your update, start with the chore list/rota and start researching dog walkers and all the other options in your area. Have a look at Borrow My Doggy. Most working folk I know do a combination of things with their dog when circumstances change. Dog sitters can also be great (come in, spend time with the dog, let him outside, etc...). It's really not as bad as reading some responses on this thread would make you think though! If you hired a dog walker tomorrow for example, that's the peeing problem likely solved already. DH has been a bit of a twat and needs to step up - especially with the baby coming - but you can talk, change things and work through that.

Spidey66 · 30/08/2019 16:15

I know you've gone, OP, but when you say things like this

I was able to raise my DD pretty much on my own as his dad genuinely didn't move a finger and had to collect beer cans a lolli sticks all the time.

it's not a big jump to think your ex/DDs dad has an alcohol problem, not a PepsiMax problem, which again makes people wonder why he's got custody.

I also thin as the thread is going on you#re minimising the issue to stop people suggesting the dog needs rehoming.

whattodowith · 30/08/2019 17:13

Terriers are quite energetic dogs and need a fair amount of exercise and stimulation. Most dogs are tbf but terriers slightly more. I feel a bit sorry for your landlord, I’m sure they won’t be thrilled to discover the dog piss soaked concrete...

If you’re not willing to rehome the dog, you do need to hire a daily dog walker and work harder at training it before the baby comes along. I just don’t think you’ll have much time or energy to stick to the training and dog walks once the baby comes along. Rehoming seems like the most sensible option.

Cleaning wise I recommend drawing up a chore chart and splitting the jobs with your OH. Do you have any friends or family you could ask to come help you blitz it one weekend? Once you finish a deep clean the day to day tasks won’t feel as overwhelming.

NaviSprite · 30/08/2019 22:41

OP I'm sorry I missed you and I hope (selfishly I grant you) that this reaches you.

It can be so hard with a partner who you love very much, but they have form for calling out your faults whilst refusing to see or address their own. Adding to that his recent habit of belittling your 'usefulness' at cleaning and tidying whilst you're pregnant and you're pretty much describing my situation when I was pregnant with my twins.

I had (and still have) four cats also two are old ladies who I've had since before I met DH - (he lost the 'D'H for a while during my pregnancy) one was his from before he met me, the fourth wasn't planned for but I found him as a kitten abandoned and took him in. At the same time I was struggling with long term ill health and depression. Things spiralled out of control at home and it became messier and messier, DH lifted a finger every blue moon but would berate me for the state of our home and continuously said "if you can't manage now you'll never manage when the twins arrive" - but did he help? Not much, not really, he required a pat on the head for washing some pots (whenever he deigned to do them).

Of course what he was saying about my messy habits was correct, I had gotten lazy with it, I felt overwhelmed to the point where I would see how much needed doing but just felt lost on where to start. Our oldest cat is a bit of a nervous one and wees when startled, so she would sometimes go before reaching the litter tray. Absolutely not the right environment to bring one child into - let alone two. But as you describe, I focused so much on how hypocritical my DH was being that I became childish and stubborn (not saying you're being either but I did) until one day I just decided "get on with it" - sounds so simple but that's what I did. Set myself a manageable list of tasks each day and did them. If DH felt it wasn't enough - Grey Rocked him and when he was calm - would say, well you know where the mop/bucket, hoover etc. is.

Then when the house was becoming more presentable I sat down with DH and told him straight - I will pick up my end - but he has to do the same if this was going to work. So we started off saying which jobs we loathed. For me it's washing pots, I have really bad atopical dermatitis and my hands get really bad when using any type of washing up liquid and I'm allergic to most types of plastic/rubber gloves. So he took that one, he hates hoovering - so I do that.

From there we split the tasks and made a checklist to keep on the fridge, eventually that turned into a rota, now we don't need it at all because it's become a natural part of our day to day.

As for the Dog, it does need walking more, but I'm not going to tell you to rehome as I think that with the right shift in your mental state and your partners, you can manage with dog and soon to arrive DC. If he would pull his weight, you wouldn't feel pressured into sacrificing the time with your Dog for cleaning, which you then feel resentful for because it (and I'm guessing here) is never enough in his eyes?

If he's not willing to do more, then stop doing his housework. Sounds petty but it might get through the fairness (or unfairness in this case). Such as, do your laundry, leave his. Wash your pots, leave his. Tidy up after yourself, not him. If he leaves unsightly messes in areas where you have guests, shunt them into his personal space. If he get's angry, then repeat "well if you tidied up after yourself it wouldn't be an issue!"

Then use whatever time you'd usually spend sorting his mess walking the dog! Grin If he goes on a tirade, walk the dog.

Also, crate training is useful, my MIL works with training, walking, grooming dogs etc. she told me (when we had to rid our home of the cat wee smell from our eldest cat) that mixing one standard cup of wash powder (preferably bio washing powder) with half a cup of disinfectant with hot water would help rid the area of the smell - but you really have to scrub!

After you have removed the smell pads or plastic flooring in the outdoor hallway (if I've understood that correctly?) will help keep the area clear of smell if dog has an accident whilst retraining.

Positive reinforcement when she makes it outside is also a good motivator.

I was told by many people I would absolutely have to rehome all my cats when my twins came along, even the HV was certain I wouldn't manage. But I did, and still do, because I love my cats, they helped me through some really dark and horrible times. My eldest female cats were the reason I left my very abusive ex. So I get the reasons you want to hold your dog close.

Persevere, you can do this, tell your partner he needs to buck up pronto and remain firm. If he starts to pile on you again about what he deems useful then bite back. I wish you strength and luck.

Last tidbit of advice - though this isn't really healthy I'll admit, when DH and I were going through the early stages of this I would direct all my anger at his total hypocrisy into vigorous cleaning :')

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