to lose it with DH after he tells me he doesnt see what the fuss is?

[LowFat]

I have actually just told my DH to F**k off - for the first time in my life and I am so ashamed of myself as we are a non-swearing house normally - but I was severly provoked!

We are off on holiday tomorrow. We have an 8mnth DS and a 4yr DD. I have been putting out clothes all week for all of us except DH who kept saying he did;nt know what he was 'tkaing. Tonight as I am puting the bag together he waltzes in and chucks a loads of tops and trousers at me - fine I fit them in.

Then he comes down stairs, looks at his routes for the dive then makes a coffee and sits down. I was flabbergasted. I have been making lists for weeks. I still hve lists about stuff I cant pack till morning as well as still having to sort out bottles, formula, food for DS, toys and things for him to feel some nomarlity at bedtime, shoes and sun hats, blankets for the pushchair, toilet roll etc. And I might add I still havent had my dinner. I got in from work at 6.15, bathed DC's out them to bed and got stuck in!

Last weekend we had DS Baptism, and a week after we get back it's his brothers DC's b'day so I have also made sure we have presents ready for that, the last few weeks have been non-stop and tonight it was the last straw.

So when he asked me what I was getting in such a state about I just exploded - he got the hump with me and I told him to F-off!

Men Grrrr

A List is good

I actually have two on the computer, one for camping, one for not.

"Lists", however, is surely excessive

I'm a list fan. I have a "Packing List" on excel with a list for DH, myself and DS. Maybe not planning and having to buy things/do washing etc on holiday is some people's idea of fun but I actually quite enjoy ticking off my list, knowing I have everything (which lets face it for a baby is quite important for a stress free time), and knowing I don't have to do washing for a week, or think about meals (do that in advance) etc etc. Means I go on holiday and CAN switch off from the normal humdrum of life. I have no intention of spending the first few days rushing around getting loo roll, formula or finding a washing machine.

However as it's on excel I never have to write a new one each holiday so I just get it out a few days before and get packing.

men and women are not the same. in fact any two people in a relationship are not the same. that's the first time you've ever sworn at your dh? sounds like you have a pretty good relationship! good for you for having your lists if that's what makes you feel geared up and ready to go.

explain to him the reasons why he pissed you off, hopefuly he'll be able to understand and apologise. however, don't expect him to be different next hols bcos that's just the way he thinks!

IME men are as crap as they are allowed to be

ds has been trained to pack from an early age. Consequently, he is pretty bloody good at it.

Tis normal.

I do packing and list making.
DH does route planning and usually driving.

Otherwise we'd get lost and have no clothes. LOL

And my GOD dd will have it installed in her that she ALWAYS DOES HALF THE DRIVING

otherwise you get this sort of crap

am actually grumpy now. Do people on here SERIOUSLY pack for their dps? I mean, SERIOUSLY?

I am a list girl!! it helps me as I am always working until the night befoe we go IYKWIM. I do the washing in this house so after 2 days before a holiday no-one is allowed to wear clothes they are taking. However I don't pack for DH. As we camp he does all teh tent/table/chairs etc. I do the clothes, food etc. so it is pretty even.

However this year I had a pleasent suprise dh took the girls away from the wednesday to sunday, I joined on teh friday night. I did NO packing and simply left them to it!! He did brilliantly, except the poor children had no trs and only one sweat top/jumper each for 5 days camping in england!! They were pretty cold most of tehtime!!

BUT it tought me that he is perfectly capable of doing it all, without my help and it is my fault that I stress about it. Next time he can pack for the family. I will throw my clothes at him at the last minute and sit down with a glass of wine

after our household's equivalent of the good friday agreement...

now i do the list, dh packs, i set the holiday laundry cut-off...

works quite well... now

fillyjonk I don't do ANY of teh driving it is seriously not worth the hassle!! DH is a better (OK slower) driver than me, and gets realy really car sick/anxious if I drive. He cannot even look at a map if he i in the passenger seat, he usally sits there, winces or keeps his eyes tight shut!!

Therefore MY role is to map read (V V important when driving around Paris at 2am) find money for the tolls, feed the whole family sweets, make sure the chidlren don't vomit, change the music every so often and genereally leave the crappy driving to DH. Usually I manage extra sleep and a far more relaxing trip!!

Yes crunchie I think if you are working the lists are helpful, I don't have a day or two to sort out packing etc as before a hol we have to work flat out to earn enough for a hol we're both self employed!
My idea of a relaxing self catering hol is NOT trying to find a local shop open on arrival to purchase toilet roll!

exactly!! But now we camp it is so much easier everything is always in boxes packed in teh garage (including loo rolls) We literally just have to add food and clothes

It is meant to be a holiday, i know several mums who seem to take a fortnight to pack for their 1 or 2 dc's. we always go self catering, i've 4 dc's and it takes me about 1 hr to sort it all - surely it's in your head anyway - we all need clothes, toothbrushes, games and books, then variables are towels/sheets (depending on the venue), buckets/spades and so on.
however have got a funny tale to tell. About 3 years ago was packing to go on hols - dh went off to cut grass. He was ages and I was starting to get a bit ratty - i mean I had the car packed, the goldfish cleaned out etc and he was still not finished so I finally sauntered up to the veg patch where i could see him lying on the grass.!!
I was just about to start shouting my head off about sunbathing now when he moaned gently - his back had gone, he was totally stuck and couldn't move an inch - the ambulance man ended up sending for the air ambulance to move him to hospital. amazingly enough we made it away only 3 days late, albeit with shed loads of painkillers for him and me chief driver.

My holidays are always lovely and relaxing as I do lots of organising and prep in advance
Also once we are off, dp does tend to take over, goes fishing for our tea, takes the kids to the beach for hours, collects wood for real fires (always rent places with those) and the clean up job he does on our last night is amazing (while I sit with my feet up) and he packs the car on the last morning.
Reminds me I came on here tonight to start a thread for recommendations...