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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Is my DH kind of a bad husband and dad?

200 replies

samanthajonespr · 11/02/2021 10:31

I'm a SAHM to 5 and 2 year old. Been on antidepressants for about 4 years and I'm currently having a down period which makes me tired. I pointed this out to DH last night because I was feeling frazzled after finishing my college class on Teams at 7.30 pm. He does this thing where he competes with who has the most on. He's doing his IT job at home, is left alone to get on with it while we're downstairs. So he was asking why I was tired. He just shrugs off any mention of my mental health as I'm just depressed all the time and no-one else is allowed to feel anxious, according to him. Not true, I really take care to make sure we all talk about how we're feeling. I think it's really important to provide a judgement free safe space for everyone.

Atm I'm homeschooling eldest whilst youngest is very clingy with me. I have to try and balance that whilst keeping them both entertained. Most days I don't get a shower until 6pm. On top of that I'm doing a volunteer job at the moment and I'm also studying part time for a course that will get me my dream job at the end. It's intense and I'm usually late for my Teams session (as schools and colleges aren't in atm) because he won't finish on time and give me the desk upstairs. I'm doing really well at it even though DH huffs and puffs about being left on his own with the children. He goes on and on about their occasional bad behaviour and shouts at them and smacks their bottoms if they do something bad. He acts like he's the first person who ever had children even though I take on all the emotional work with them because I know how to calm them down and we talk things through rather than me just smacking them.

An example of DH's normal behaviour is him getting up today with eldest at 8 while I had half an hour reading and cuddling with littlest in bed. He made himself some breakfast and a brew but didn't make anything for 5 y/o. I then had to do this when I got up (fine, I don't mind). He can't even do an online shop or cook a meal without asking me questions about it. I feel like I don't get a break. I'm expected to do my college work when the little one has a nap and at that point in the afternoon, I just need a bit of a rest while eldest does some colouring or has some iPad time. He complains about my volunteering taking up too much time but it's something I really love. I love to help people and it involves supporting women who have had traumatic births.

I'm also trying to emotionally support my parents and siblings through lockdown, we try and talk on FaceTime a couple of times a week. I'm cooking and trying to keep everything tidy. DH takes the bins out etc and just complains and grumbles all the time. He can be so lovely and I'll get a few days of him being nice and then it's back to "oh woe is me". I'm not sure if I'm even in the right here, all I know is I'm frazzled and don't feel like I can carry on like this.

OP posts:
AttilaTheMeerkat · 11/02/2021 14:07

He is angry too because he is abusive, not because he is angry. He has a problem with anger but not in the ways you think he does. He has a problem with anger, YOUR anger, when you rightfully call him out on his abusive behaviours.

GeordieGreigsButtButtZoom · 11/02/2021 14:08

He'll smack if the eldest hits the youngest

He's not very clever.

NeverAgain2021 · 11/02/2021 14:10

Smacking their bottoms. Yuck.

It's time to wake him to the 21 century...

samanthajonespr · 11/02/2021 14:10

I'm going to pack a bag

OP posts:
ferntwist · 11/02/2021 14:11

Fair enough @PercyPiginaWig but the sort of frequent smacking of both a two and five year old is an unacceptable red flag in the way that it might not be if a father had lost his temper and smacked an older child once when they were hurting a younger one, for instance.

OP I also wanted to say you seem like a lovely person. You shouldn’t have to cut back your volunteering radically.

And @ChrissyPlummer of course you can talk feelings through with a two and five year old. My DC have been talking about feelings since they were one.

ferntwist · 11/02/2021 14:12

Oh my god OP just seen your update. Wishing you all the luck and strength. Are you sure it wouldn’t be easier for you to kick him out rather than uproot?

SleepingStandingUp · 11/02/2021 14:13

He'll smack if the eldest hits the youngest, or if eldest deliberately trips youngest up etc (all normal sibling stuff, I'm sure).
So "Don't (whack) hit (whack) people (whack!)" or "We don't (whack) hurt (whack) people (whack!)"?

It's easy to say you'll leave but you really need to mean it. Not well that one didn't leave a mark or well he deserved that one or he said sorry after or it's been a long week.
Zero tolerance for abusing your children.

AttilaTheMeerkat · 11/02/2021 14:14

Ideally these things shoudl go into your “emergency bag”.

Some form of identification
Birth certificates for you and your children.
Passports (including passports for all your children), visas and work permits (if applicable).
Money, bankbooks, cheque book and credit and debit cards.
Keys for house, car, and place of work.
Cards for payment of Child Benefit and any other welfare benefits you are entitled to.
Driving licence (if you have one) and car registration documents, if applicable.
Prescribed medication.
Copies of documents relating to your housing tenure (for example, mortgage details or lease and rental agreements).
Insurance documents, including national insurance number.
Address book.
Family photographs, your diary, jewellery, small items of sentimental value.
Clothing and toiletries for you and your children.
Your children’s favourite small toys.
You should also take any documentation relating to the abuse – e.g. police reports, court orders such as injunctions and restraining orders, and copies of medical records if you have them.

Jasminexx · 11/02/2021 14:15

I think we need a little clarification on how hard he smacks them, a light smack isn't the end of the world am sure a lot of us got a little smack as children if we went to far and literally never done any harm what's so ever. There's a big difference in a whack or a small smack on the back of the hand. Clearly you both need to sit down and discuss and agree on how you want the children to be disciplined. I am also struggling with my partner atm as I've come to realise he is actually very selfish and feel as if my health and needs don't matter which also kinda sounds like your partner. He sounds more selfish and spoilt as in can't think for anyone other than himself and there's no room in his life for other people's problems and emotions.

ChaToilLeam · 11/02/2021 14:17

He’s a selfish bully. How could he raise his hand to such little ones? The younger is hardly more than a baby. I bet he doesn’t go round hitting people at work when they don’t do as he wants. He is not fit to be around kids.

MacDuffsMuff · 11/02/2021 14:20

@Jasminexx

I think we need a little clarification on how hard he smacks them, a light smack isn't the end of the world am sure a lot of us got a little smack as children if we went to far and literally never done any harm what's so ever. There's a big difference in a whack or a small smack on the back of the hand. Clearly you both need to sit down and discuss and agree on how you want the children to be disciplined. I am also struggling with my partner atm as I've come to realise he is actually very selfish and feel as if my health and needs don't matter which also kinda sounds like your partner. He sounds more selfish and spoilt as in can't think for anyone other than himself and there's no room in his life for other people's problems and emotions.
Like I said, some Mnetters will try and dress smacking up to be normal and 'never did them any harm'. It's not fucking normal and it's not right. He's left marks on them before. FFS.
Atalune · 11/02/2021 14:23

@Jasminexx. the op said up thread sometimes he leaves a mark. That’s too hard.

LordOfTheOnionRings · 11/02/2021 14:24

@Jasminexx we are talking about a fucking two year old. No smacking is acceptable. They're still a baby for god sake.

endlesssnow · 11/02/2021 14:24

What is is doing is some times at least straying over into definite child protection and possible police involvement.

Is my DH kind of a bad husband and dad?
Is my DH kind of a bad husband and dad?
Haffiana · 11/02/2021 14:25

We've had a chat. He says he feels incapable and its the only way he can get them to behave. He says I just try and 'counsel' them all (that's what I'm studying to be and I'm their mum, not a detached counsellor fgs)

Does he do this to his boss at work? To his colleagues/clients when he feels 'incapable'?

No? He only does it to very small defenceless children. He is an abuser.

You need to tell someone about this, a health visitor or GP, or even Social Services.

Because otherwise, when you finally split - and you will split, because the scales have dropped from your eyes - he will be entitled to solo contact with the children.

You need to specifically mention the hitting (and marking) and the fact that he refuses to feed them when he is in sole charge. You need to take steps now to prevent bigger issues down the line. What you do now can ensure that he will only allowed contact with the children when there is another, suitable adult present.

Atalune · 11/02/2021 14:26

Smacking a 2 year old that leaves a mark is abuse. And it’s a criminal offence.

Wishing you all the very best op

HitchFlix · 11/02/2021 14:27

However have you seen the kids today since people are not allowed to give there kids a smack???? they have no respect.

Such nonsense. Children from loving respectful homes with boundaries rarely grow up to be disrespectful hooligans do they? Passive parenting is different and just as lazy as smacking but judging by the families I know it's obviously not the case that children who are smacked show more respect - quite the opposite. Fear is not the same thing as respect either.

speakout · 11/02/2021 14:28

Everything else aside I would not live with someone who assaults children.

Jasminexx · 11/02/2021 14:28

@Atalune thank you. @MacsDuffMuff I think you need to calm down I never saw she wrote that he left marks on them obviously thats different.

Haffiana · 11/02/2021 14:30

[quote Jasminexx]**@Atalune* thank you. @MacsDuffMuff* I think you need to calm down I never saw she wrote that he left marks on them obviously thats different.[/quote]
Is that an apology, Jasminexx?

Jasminexx · 11/02/2021 14:32

@Haffiana apology? What for exactly? For asking could she clarify if he whacks them or if its a small smack on the back of the hand if they have gone too far? Am confused as to what you want me to apologise for

Atalune · 11/02/2021 14:35

I would just like to say to the op contact MN hq and move this thread to relationships.

And to the others who are getting cross with one another maybe keep it off this thread as the 8op needs this thread for support.

As you were FlowersCakeGin

thedancingbear · 11/02/2021 14:38

If he leaves a mark, OP, he is assaulting your kids.

He's a child abuser, OP.

Get out.

endlesssnow · 11/02/2021 14:39

I would agree that relationships would be a better board for this OP.

You are living with a violent man who is committing common assault on your toddler.

This is a child protection issue and requires serious support.

Jasminexx · 11/02/2021 14:40

@Atalune I actually really agree with you. I've noticed this with mum's net, someone writes a thread clearly wanting help so you respond with your thoughts on the subject and everyone wants to start attacking and picking apart and over analysing what other people have responded with? Bizzare behaviour. No one knows anyone one on here and everyone starts arguing all the time on threads. Ridiculous

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