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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Another Mother’s Day disappointment

93 replies

3andahalf · 22/03/2020 23:22

My daughter is 2 and im also 30 weeks with my second. Husband worked this morning then got a call from him lunch time saying he was at his mums and could I bring our daughter to see her too. I don’t drive so I made the 25 minute walk.
About an hour into being there he pulls out a card which was obviously bought and written by his mum from my daughter and pretends he got it for me. Then he says sorry I didn’t get round to getting a present but he’ll cook when we get home and do all the clean up after. He cooked, then did the usual “pile everything in the sink and “soak” it for as long as possible before she gives up and does it herself” that he always does (he has actually only done the washing up about 3 times the whole time we’ve been together) so I just did it and got it out the way as I didn’t want to be standing there later on doing washing up when I’m tired. Almost immediately after I finished cleaning the kitchen he decides he’s going to bake a cake for himself, proceeds to cover the kitchen in batter, fills the sink up again and leaves it for me to clean up.
Fast forward to now, toddler is still awake after I’ve put her to bed 8 times, I’m dreading being up at 4am with a screaming child as I am every single morning and I’m knackered anyway as this pregnancy has been difficult (I’m huge and have had health issues). The whole time husband is having a lovely snooze on the sofa. Have tried waking him up to see if he’ll give me one night off as it’s Mother’s Day but I have now been told I’m lazy so have just got on with it. Currently upstairs having a cry in bed with toddler jumping on my head. This happens every single Mother’s Day/birthday/Valentine’s Day etc but I still get so upset and disappointed. I’m not materialistic or expecting a present but just a day off to relax would be nice? Why does my husband put himself first? I always make an effort for Father’s Day and he doesn’t lift a finger 365 days of the year apart from his actual job

OP posts:
Icecreamsoda99 · 22/03/2020 23:52

this was an exception for Mother’s Day
The reason you didn't meet anybody was because unlike you others didn't make an exception for Mother's Day, we stayed home, as sad and disappointing as it was, in order to keep ourselves and others safe, no point saying no one in your family has symptoms as corona has been shown to be symptomless in some people.

That aside, your husband sounds like a prick. As he promised to clear up after and then didn't, did you not feel able to pull him up on it? It sounds like you have two children already and I feel for you, does he have any positives?

LagunaBubbles · 23/03/2020 00:00

Why are you having another child with this useless tosser? Wake up he will never change.

Floooopy · 23/03/2020 00:02

I really feel for you, you just sound so defeated and sad, but what are YOU doing to change your situation? Every mothers day/ birthday is like this- so he is never going to change, yet you haven't left him and decided to have another child with him.

He left the dishes as he knew you'd do them. And you did - twice! I don't wouldn't care if they were still there a year later, if it was my home I would not be doing them.

He won't change- he really really never ever will. So you have two choices: stay and literally live your one and only life miserable, teaching your children that this is how a woman should be treated and that it's perfectly for them to grow up into either your or your husband's role; or leave, with all the difficulties that entails, with a chance to be happy.

Wolfgirrl · 23/03/2020 00:02

@3andahalf

Do you understand how self isolating works??

This is why going to see MIL was irresponsible:

  1. Hubby goes to work
  2. Hubby catches virus
  3. Hubby goes to MIL's because he is asymptomatic and assumes this means he doesnt have it. He is wrong.
  4. Hubby infects MIL, who then infects everyone she lives with, before going home and infecting you and your DC

You cannot assume that as you dont have symptoms that you dont have the virus. Regardless of all your precautions your husband could have infected two households rather than one. This is how it is spreading.

this was an exception for Mother’s Day, me and DD haven’t seen anyone for 8 days now and MIL and her family are the same

Mothers Day is NOT a reason to break isolation rules, neither is Easter or August bank holiday. If everyone in the country decided to just pop round MIL's as its mothers day, can you imagine how many new infections there would be. And as for 8 days - the longer people break the rules and infect others the longer we will all have to isolate for.

I'm sorry but this is literally life and death for people and you're willing to break the rules just to pop round your MIL's. Please take it seriously from now on OP.

3andahalf · 23/03/2020 00:02

I get called lazy all the time. I understand he works and I don’t but i have a two year old to care for (don’t qualify for free childcare but also can’t afford it) so I can’t work and I’m about to start over by having another baby anyway so it will be at least 4 years from now until I can actually work as there would be no financial benefit at the moment. But I do everything I can possibly do (make sure the house is always spotless, dinner cooked, clothes Washed and ironed, child clean fed and looked after etc). I ask him what else he wants me to do to make myself as “useful” as him and he can’t answer. I know I’m not lazy and I do everything I can but it’s never good enough

OP posts:
goingtotown · 23/03/2020 00:06

I suggest you look up the meaning of isolating on the Government Corona advice line. You’re oblivious to the seriousness of this virus.

Enoughisenoughhhhh · 23/03/2020 00:08

Your husband sounds a waste of space and like he thinks very little of you. For some reason, you have chosen to have two DC with this man. You are disappointed that he could not muster any special treatment for you on mothers' day. Well, all that is shit. But honestly, this new world you are now living in is one on which what your husband did or didn't do on mothers' day pales into insignificance compared to the rest of the problems you are going to have.

MadameMeursault · 23/03/2020 00:10

I could not tolerate pots being left in the sink like that. It gives me the absolute rage. This man has no respect for you OP. LTB

SandyY2K · 23/03/2020 00:11

Why are you disappointed when he does the same thing every year?

You have decided to have a second child with him, despite knowing what he's like.

What are his good points? You are 30 weeks pregnant and he tells you to bring DD to his mums..knowing you have to walk the distance.

I'm not even going to talk about the current situation...because even without that, you're putting up with crap and accepting it.

This isn't about mother's day...he sounds like an all round waste of space in the form of a man.

The best predictor of future behaviour is past behaviour.

Whiffenpoofs · 23/03/2020 00:24

And this is why Boris and co are going to have to implement an Italy-style lockdown soon - because some people need saving from their own stupidity.

ThumbWitchesAbroad · 23/03/2020 00:32

You're lucky his mother made some effort for you then - guessing that her husband was shit too so she knows what it was like.

Your husband sounds appallingly shiftless around the house. I don't know why you're letting him get away with it though - the more you allow him to behave like that, the more he will. He doesn't sound like the sort of bloke who would actually voluntarily do anything for you, and you're just letting him treat you like shit because "you don't like mess".

Well, I'm sad for you that you've had 2 kids with this user - because you'll always be tied to him - but fgs stand up for yourself and STOP picking up after him.
He made HIMSELF a cake? And then left you with the clearing up? Fuck that noise. Bin the "soaking" washing up next time - or chuck it all out the window.

But you're contributing to your own problem here by "being nice" - also fuck Fathers' Day. He does nothing for you - you do nothing for him.

You have to see that he WILL carry on like this all the while you let him, and while his behaviour is not your fault, the only way he's going to change anything is if YOU change your reactions.

Good luck - and hope the rest of your pregnancy goes well.

Foghead · 23/03/2020 00:42

You need to stop allowing him to get away with this shitty behaviour.
I do feel for you but you’re the one who can change this by taking some kind of action.
You’re fed up and tired but you need to find some fight and let him know that you won’t be treated like crap anymore.

Italiangreyhound · 23/03/2020 00:47

OP I am very sorry, he sounds really lazy and unpleasant. I m assuming he had lots of good qualities which is why you want to be with him?

I think I'd be thinking about moving on if you are not getting anything from this. I'm sorry it is so bad. Thanks

Please do make sure you tell him what a disappointment it was today.

RainMinusBow I am so sorry about your situation, stay strong, you will get through this. Thanks

Procrastination4 · 23/03/2020 00:54

Mothers Day and Fathers Day-we’ve never bothered with either. Has saved us a fortune over the years, not to mind faffing around trying to arrange a gift or a card. There are 363 other days in the year to show your appreciation for your father or mother. We don’t need to stick to just two!

SambaMamba · 23/03/2020 00:56

stop visiting people you cock

FlamedToACrisp · 23/03/2020 01:28

It sounds like Mother's Day is the least of your problems! Yes, it would be nice if he made the effort as your kids are too little to do it on their own, but what's more important is the way he treats you the rest of the time.

mathanxiety · 23/03/2020 01:40

...his mum had made a real effort and got my baby to finger paint a plant pot and plant me a little flower, i was heartbroken seeing as I had gone all out for his first l Father’s Day. I guess men just don’t get it

While it was nice of his mum to make the effort, she really should have told him that he should honour his own wife, the mother of his children, on Mothers Day, and that a phone call would be enough for her.

Men 'don't get it' when they are brought up by mothers who pick up their slack for years and years and years, and of course fathers who take women for granted and look down their noses at women and 'women's work' and believe they are superior to them in every respect.

You need to start laying down the law with this man, you need to tell his mother to tell him how to behave, or you need to start making plans to leave. None of that will be easy. But if you want the future to look like the past then stick around and don't try rocking the boat.

No taking over toddler night duties or baby feeding, or kitchen duties for your H?
This is pure disrespect.

He is enjoying making work for you, disrespecting your time and energy, seeing you run ragged while he snoozes on the couch.

The calling you lazy is verbal, emotional (and psychological) abuse. He is tearing you down and he will eventually destroy you.

You need to try to change everything about your relationship and if your H is resistant then start making serious plans to separate, or your own children will find themselves in a home where there are sides to be taken. It's a terrible environment for children. It tears them apart emotionally to see their mum bullied and disrespected.

You have one life, and your children have one childhood.

Sceptre86 · 23/03/2020 06:56

Correction some men don't get it usually the useless ones who's partners enable them to be that way. What does he add to your life? What are his positive traits? Why are you still in this relationship? If he is like this on every special occasion then why would you expect him to behave any differently now? I can understand your need to vent but you really need to talk to him about how this had made you feel. Do you have a dishwasher, if so use it. Start batch cooking now as he will likely ne no help to you once your baby is born either.

I really don't understand why women in your position stay with men like this or have multiple children with them.Confused

Sceptre86 · 23/03/2020 06:59

Stop being a martyr and do bugger all for his next Father's Day. Only you can help yourself! To make changes you are really going to have to find your backbone and start being assertive. I know this sounds harsh but you need to stand up for yourself and make changes otherwise your unhappiness is only going to get worse!

ChewChewIsMySpiritAnimal · 23/03/2020 07:02

It's astounding that you're having another child in a relationship where you're clearly so unhappy. What are you getting out of this?

Ohfeckohfuckohshit · 23/03/2020 07:02

Oh OP. What a mess..he sounds a complete fucking idiot. Do you want to be miserable forever? Because this is what will happen if you don't leave.

I know everyone else has already said, but you really cannot go and visit MIL. Your dh is a dick for going there too.

Palavah · 23/03/2020 07:02

How long was the washing in the sink before you did it? If you keep doing it before him them he will just leave it for you, surely.

rottiemum88 · 23/03/2020 07:08

Sadly OP this is a fairly classic scenario. Out of interest, what is FIL like? Does MIL make the effort for you, because she knows how it feels from FIL treating her in a similar way? Has she inadvertently raised her son in the same way and perhaps feels guilty about how he's treating you?

Either way, doesn't sound like much of a life for you for the next 4 years to stay together. I know you say you can't afford to go back to work, but if you were to split then there's a good chance UC would support you with childcare costs and you'd obviously be entitled to maintenance payments too. It's not the vision you had for your life, but taking things into your own hands instead of excusing staying with a thoughtless and unkind man because you can't afford to do anything else, would set a much better example for your children.

Also, just to add to the chorus - social distancing/self isolating is really important. It's limited to you spending time with only those people in your immediate household. You're pregnant - you shouldn't be going out at all now, irrespective of who you meet. Use it as added incentive to get out of your current home situation if it's making you unhappy. He won't change.

CodenameVillanelle · 23/03/2020 07:08

You married him and had 2 children with him knowing that he's a lazy, selfish, sexist prick. Did you think he would magically change?
This is your life unless you decide to leave him. Sorry it sucks but take some responsibility.

SueEllenMishke · 23/03/2020 07:14

Stop doing everything. That's why he doesn't do it because it always gets done.

And stop going out!! All of you!