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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Fed up of nagging DH to just be a functioning adult!!!!

196 replies

Youngatheart00 · 07/12/2020 09:10

It’s making me miserable and it’s affecting our relationship. We’ve been together year and my share of the ‘domestic labour’ is just rising. We don’t yet have children and I’m worried for that day!!

Examples of what I keep reminding him to do - pay his credit card bill (he’s had 2 late payments in the last 6 months - given I pay half of this and the money is always in his bank account way ahead of the due date winds me up even more), send a lovely Xmas card to his grandpa who’s in a nursing home (been nagging on this for a week - even bought the card!!!), it would take him 5 mins to write it and I don’t even mind posting it. That’s just a couple of examples - there are more - like getting a haircut or booking medical appointments which are a similar battle.

He will do the jobs around the house he ‘wants’ to do (he does 75% of the cooking for eg as he enjoys it) but other things seem to left to me or it becomes so painful reminding him I just end up doing them myself.

I don’t want to be a nag 😫 but it’s getting me down. Any advice?

OP posts:
Cooroo · 07/12/2020 09:36

My OH is similar. He recently admitted he has a problem with tasks hanging over him, especially if they involve a phone call (eg doctor appts). I remind but it never seems to help and as you say you end up feeling like a nag.

I wouldn't let this be a deal-breaker. There's loads I love about him. But I do sympathise and wish I knew the answer!

Youngatheart00 · 07/12/2020 09:37

We are in our 30s and have been together 10 years but I think being stuck at home together much more this year has amplified the issues that have always existed.

I think a ‘proper sit down conversation’ is needed about life management in general. He will go on the defensive though or point out the cooking. We get on so well otherwise and no more so than on holiday when no chores need doing. For obvious reasons there have been no holidays this year!!!

OP posts:
Youngatheart00 · 07/12/2020 09:38

Sorry my initial post had a typo - was supposed to say yearS not year

OP posts:
Porcupineinwaiting · 07/12/2020 09:41

If you want your marriage last you need to stop fussing. He decides when to get his haircut, send a card to his relatives (you can send one if you want), what presents to buy etc.

You are nagging. About the financial stuff I can see why but really you are choosing to get involved with the other things.

SleepingStandingUp · 07/12/2020 09:41

I think of you're going to have kids with him you need to be honest with yourself about how much is going to fall on you.

Would he work to a chores list? Seeing his cooking against everything you do might help his visualise the disparity.

Insist the credit card goes on direct debit.

But he doesn't sound very respectful of you - his job is so important, you're isn't which often translated into "I'm so much better than you".

BackwardsGoing · 07/12/2020 09:41

You have fallen into the trap of wifework and you don't even have children! If you got together very young it might be that you are actually fundamentally incompatible now.

Let go of all of his stuff - his haircuts, his family's presents, cards etc. Tell his family that it's up to him now. The only thing I would insist on is that the credit card goes onto a direct debit as that's just wasted money.

I don't like how he's trained you to think that your job isn't as important as his, that sounds nasty.

I think you'd benefit from counselling but ultimately it sounds like he just cares about different things to you. If he never changes is this how you want to live your life?

LightDrizzle · 07/12/2020 09:43

You have to stop doing these things for him.
Mainly because you are enabling him and it will spiral, but there is also a small element of unreasonable control in what you do. It’s not for you to dictate when he sends a Christmas card to his grandpa, or to decide his presents to his family are crap or that he doesn’t buy for people you think he should.

On the other hand I’m worried by this “his job is more important” crap. Don’t accept that, you have clearly done well and that’s great. You pay tax on your income and your job helps create wealth. As your pay increases so the tax you pay increases. You also contribute. I bet if the roles were reversed his job would still be more important because he “earns more”.

You do need to do some thinking and make some changes before trying to conceive; these things usually get worse or first manifest when a baby comes along so you are not in a good place.

UghNotThisAgain36 · 07/12/2020 09:43

If he gets defensive he is trying to make you feel guilty for DARING to request he pulls his weight. Is that how you want to live? Is that the environment potential DC should grow up in? Seeing Mum working and doing everything at home while Dad is waited upon?

I had a H like this and made the excuses you are making now. Took forever to see it. He's happily an XH and now I only have two DC to take care of and raise to be functioning adults.

TottiePlantagenet · 07/12/2020 09:44

I voted YABU because you don't seem to be listening to all the posts so far. You're with someone who prefers you to take on the mental load for him.

He doesn't behave as an adult because you do it for him. As PP says, if you don't change anything, nothing will change. He will not grow up and take responsibility for himself because he has you to do it for him (and he gets the added joy of blaming you, as the "nag").

You don't deserve that kind of treatment. Sort yourself out, he will not readily change. If he can change at all. These small examples that you've told us, he's telling you who he really is, how he likes to behave. Things will only escalate the more entangled in each other's lives you become and your resentment will only grow.

And don't have a kid with this manchild.

Youngatheart00 · 07/12/2020 09:46

I am listening to what is being said. I am prepared to change my own behaviour, the reason I posted was to get opinions from others, so I’m a bit puzzled by that comment.

I know marriages require work and I’m prepared to put that in.

OP posts:
user1493413286 · 07/12/2020 09:47

The credit card one I get but the rest of it is just leave to your DH. My DH is now better with the gift thing for his family but one year I got presents for his family and told them they were just from me and that me and DH were giving them separate gifts to make a bit of a point.

Aalvarino · 07/12/2020 09:49

The missed payments are very very bad news for credit history. Mortgages are hard to get at the moment and he has just made it a million times harder for you.

Goldensnitchy · 07/12/2020 09:50

Why are you reminding him about haircuts for example? Surely nothing that affects you? Those types of things I would completely stop bothering with permanently with no more thought, medical appointments too.

You need to stop reminding him and just leave him and to it. You are mothering him (and I get why!) but it isn’t helping anything long term and nothing will change if you continue, why would it? Once things start fucking up he will either pull his finger out, or he won’t and you’ll have to decide whether you want to continue life with him like that.

ukgift2016 · 07/12/2020 09:52

You chose a man child, you want to stay and breed with a man child.

Your choice!

Aalvarino · 07/12/2020 09:52

Also try to think of the lack of shared housework tasks not as just 'differing opinions and priorities'but signs of a basic lack of respect for you, and internalised misogyny. That sounds hard, and I know you love him, but that is what it is.

SpaceOp · 07/12/2020 09:54

I think you need to seriously think long and hard about where you are being too controlling and getting unnecessarily involved - his haircuts, medical appointments, family gifts etc - vs where he is letting you down - direct debits etc.

You sound like someone who thinks ahead and plans and wants things to be perfect. I sympathise, as this is a lot like me. But I've had to learn where it's okay to expect this from Dh and where it's just my preference. Because otherwise you will find yourself in a situation where your perfectly legitimate issues, will be chalked up to your "nagging" or "controlling" behaviour.

On the credit card - just ask him to put a DD on. I am terrible at this kind of thing and DH "nagged" me until I did so. I am so relieved he did.

Also, you both need to get out of this idea that one job is more important than the other. Because that is setting yo up for massive issues when you have DC - he won't be stepping up at all because his job is so "important" he can't be tired/distracted/whatever.

Finally, as the person who does 95% of the cooking in our house, his theory that his cooking is enough is complete and utter bollocks. I also do all the shopping (food and non-food such as kids stuff etc), the vast bulk of the planning and thinking for the kids' activities. I'm responsible for the deep kitchen cleaning, do about 75% of cleaning up after meals, and do my share of the other cleaning (although DH does more actual cleaning eg bathrooms, vacuuming etc because he's at home more). We share pet care responsibility pretty much 50/50.

With Christmas looming, I've done the bulk of the thinking re Christmas presents for both families, but DH will take on the big push in the shops for last minute things in the week ahead and we'll split things like wrapping and decorations etc.

So really, cooking is nowhere near enough of the household tasks.

Porcupineinwaiting · 07/12/2020 09:55

Both parties have to work at a marriage OP, not just you. It seems to me that you have been brought up to think that being a wife means being responsible for family life, family relationships etc

DileenODoubts · 07/12/2020 09:56

Some of the examples sounds like you’ve gotten into a fairly common rut and he may see you as controlling therefore resist doing it - the card for his grandparent, you say he’ll do it but not the way you want, presents for his family - he’ll do it but not the way you want him to, a haircut and doc appointments - you want that not him.

Have a think about your role in things becoming the way they are, we cannot change other people only our own reactions to them

TottiePlantagenet · 07/12/2020 09:57

Are you listening? A lot of us are pointing out that it is his behaviour that is not acceptable and needs changing. You can't do that for him.

I've just read your post about being together for 10 years, that you're now in your 30s. As Backwards says, you may have grown up to be incompatible since you first got together.

Yes, marriage does require work for it to be successful, but that's usually work from both sides on issues that are causing problems. You've presented here some problems that you are trying to address - how is he trying to address them? It doesn't sound as though he is, if he becomes defensive and justifies his behaviour by the cooking.

Also his attitude to his and your work - how crap is that? If your best friend told you their partner felt that way about their jobs, what would you think? Likelihood is that your wouldn't think highly of your friend's partner, you wouldn't want your friend to be so disrespected.

I know marriages require work and I’m prepared to put that in. But is he?

You could try a calm discussion, with points written down, when there are no pressing time constraints. Give him the list and some time to go away and think about before he responds. But get a response to see how he thinks your lives together can be improved, cause it's not working for you.

LifeAdvice · 07/12/2020 09:57

@Youngatheart00

I am listening to what is being said. I am prepared to change my own behaviour, the reason I posted was to get opinions from others, so I’m a bit puzzled by that comment.

I know marriages require work and I’m prepared to put that in.

Hey OP,

I think this is what’s worrying people. You are prepared to change your own behaviour, but your DH isn’t going to change his. I’m not saying LTB, but just that you need to decide if you will keep doing things for him (and accept that and not be annoyed), or stop doing thing and let the consequences fall where they may.

As people say, you need to make this decision before you have children, so you know how much help you will have when you do. The MumsNet boards have lots of examples of this later.

Rainallnight · 07/12/2020 09:59

I know you say there’s a lot you love about him but can you imagine having DC with him, and then being responsible for all their stuff on your own AS WELL? The love would fade pretty quickly, believe me.

DonLewis · 07/12/2020 10:00

Ah. Its wilful incompetence. And it's dead simple to deal with. Don't nag. Don't get involved. Jsut leave him to it, or take it on yourself and be 'happy' to do it (so that it doesn't drive you mad).

If my dh does shit like this, I just tell him that he's perfectly competent at work, so I don't tolerate wilful incompetence at home.

Cam77 · 07/12/2020 10:01

If you are going to have a family together definitely better to get it out in the open now. Sit down and divide the tasks and see how it goes for six months. If all fine then I guess extending the family will work, if it’s a struggle, then perhaps not.

StrippedFridge · 07/12/2020 10:01

I think a ‘proper sit down conversation’ is needed about life management in general.
No! You are still mothering him. Stop. Just stop. Do not sit him down and tell him to start managing his life basics better so that you don't have to. Totally unnecessary. That you feel it necessary shows how far down the manchild rabbit hole you have gone. Stop doing his stuff. Stop reminding him about his stuff. Stop tracking his stuff. Stop telling him off when he fails to do his stuff. Stop.

He will go on the defensive
I am not bloody surprised. If DH sat me down and told me how to organise my personal life so it matches what he deems suitable then I'd tell him to fuck right off.

Has it occured to you that you are being rude and kind of a liar by buying the presents, cards etc you want for his family? He knows them, the presents and cards are from him, you are an incomer it isn't for you to change his family dynamics to match ones you would prefer.

You've got yourself into some fifties housewife mindset where you have a set of rules for household management that everyone else must follow and where you feel you will be rightfully judged if not followed. Resist your inner sexist!

Lsquiggles · 07/12/2020 10:02

You do know you have a choice to not have a child with him, right? Hmm it'll only get worse when you add a baby to the equation and he's not even mature enough to look after himself