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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

lettuce for fifth birthday

325 replies

Franklyfrost · 03/09/2021 20:29

I asked my partner to pay for and pick up some party food for ds 5th birthday and gave him a list on his phone. He calls me from the supermarket to ask what to buy and I end up reading out the list and adding it all to the online shop and buying it myself to save him from carrying it home. I do this nicely. After reminding him about the list on his phone. He doesn't thank me. We agree he should pick up cake ingredients to save me looking up the recipe.

I'm at home looking after four kids under 11 this week, and he asks me if I've done all my work. He's asked me this every day this week and I've told him every day that I can't do my (academic) work while looking after four children, plus doing house work and cooking. I got annoyed today and said that him asking me makes me feel like I'm failing and I've explained to him it's impossible.

So he's come home with four, brown at the bottom, reduced because the best before date is today, gem lettuces from Tescos. For the party on Sunday. He has to go put again now because he's forgotten to buy the cake ingredients. I can't mention to hime that it's a very weird thing to buy for a fifth birthday party as he would be very offended and I'd be a terrible nag. He's no health freak and they weren't on the list. AIBU to think he's losing the plot?

OP posts:
Phobiaphobic · 04/09/2021 09:02

@Goldbar

Look, this may be meant to be funny but the part I'm picking up on (and which is making me feel stressed just reading it) is that you're looking after 4 young children, cooking, cleaning, trying to plan a party AND trying to do your own academic work. And he can't even pick up some fucking party food. NO, NO, NO, NO, NO! You matter. Your health matters. Your sanity matters.

If there is no way round the work and childcare at the same time, he needs to be doing his share of the cooking and housework and taking over from you the minute he steps through the door so you can go and work quietly in peace in the evening.

@Goldbar is right on the money. Raise your expectations. Demand that he pulls his weight domestically and stops dicking around.
JesusMaryAndJosephAndTheWeeDon · 04/09/2021 09:03

What a pathetic twat.

Seriously what kind of dickhead can't manage to buy the right stuff when you have not only given him a list but are also on the phone talking him through the process. And he still got confused!?

He is either so unbelievably thick it is unreal or he's doing it on purpose. Either way doesn't it just make you despise him? How can you find such an outrageous cockwomble attractive?

What does he do for a job? I bet his boss wouldn't have employed him if he'd admitted at interview that he can't read and follow basic instructions.

HE. IS. BEING. SHIT. ON. PURPOSE

Call him out on his pathetic games.

LuckyAmy1986 · 04/09/2021 09:09

@Eralos well we all have different standards. The questioning about her work and this is enough to tell me he’s a twat.

Charley50 · 04/09/2021 09:10

Whatever your situation OP, he was still deliberately crap, and gave you more work to do, and got you to pay for the shopping too.
Did he eventually get the cake stuff? Do his kids live with you?

Brollypackedforscottishholiday · 04/09/2021 09:13

At the very beginning of our relationship dp offered to cook a big dinner for us all.
He bought 3 carrots..
There was 9 of us!!
Grin
Now he does most of the cooking..
And no complaints..
Even cakes!
Now a dh too!!

ZoyaTheDestroyer · 04/09/2021 09:17

Maybe my expectations are too low

He couldn’t follow a shopping list. That’s a rock-bottom expectation.

Perhaps MN is too quick to shout LTB but I think a lot of posters have picked up on something very sad in your posts. I hope things get easier.

Hemingwaycat · 04/09/2021 09:20

@Milkbottlelegs

He’s not lost the plot at all. He’s making sure you never ask him to get things from the shop again.
Yeah, this. Men in particular pull this tactic to get out of doing shit they can’t be arsed doing. DH has admitted to doing it at work with cups of tea so nobody asks him anymore.
lottiegarbanzo · 04/09/2021 09:21

Has he bought the ingredients and baked the cake yet?

That is the only thing that really counts here, from the perspective of the only person who really matters on their birthday - your five year-old. Does your DP not feel that?

As for the rest. Sounds complicated and like you're carrying him - and may both find it hard to switch out of that heiress / beneficiary, mother goddess / partial parent mindset when the time is right for that to happen, morally and practically (if it isn't already).

I do hope you're only living off part of the interest on your inheritance. Once capital is gone, it's gone and it goes very, very fast. With capital but low income, it's easy to misunderstand your situation as making you much richer and more morally bound to be beneficent that you actually are or can afford to be.

Great to hear you're training for something that will allow you to support yourself and your DC with earned income. I think you need to set yourself a more rigid timetable for studying and share that with him. Block out time for study and be firm about that. He is responsible for all DC at that time.

It's impossible to study while looking after children and running a house, anyone who has ever looked after children and a house knows that - which is why his questions about your studying ring loud alarm bells. They tell us he's domestically clueless and has always been carried and cosseted by women.

And/or he's a fantasist, of the 'it would be convenient to me if you could do all the domestic and childcare work, plus fit all your serious study hours into some magical night-time hinterland that allows you to study five hours a night, between 10 and 11pm and is only accessible to you.' (Obviously not to him, as time to do domestic chores).

Either way you need to make a firmer timetable and share out responsibility for tasks, so you're not leading on everything.

Walkingalot · 04/09/2021 09:33

This may be one of those threads deliberately designed to get everyone fuming, especially with OP's flippant responses. Oh, lets see how many pages we can fill with outrage!
Is this what you hoped to achieve OP?

In answer to your question - yes he does seem to be losing the plot. What now?

Goldbar · 04/09/2021 09:34

Totally beside the point, but just buy the cake!!!! You have enough on your plate without faffing around baking as well. You will not fail your child because you serve shop-bought cake at their party.

Franklyfrost · 04/09/2021 09:36

Obviously not living off the interest but the funds themselves. He also bought 8 croissants despite them not being on the list and me explicitly saying I’d get them. I think it is to make the point he won’t pay for the food but also won’t be told what he can or can’t buy. He has a big thing about not being told what to do- even if it’s something he wants to do.

He told me off last night because my hairdresser was in his side of the room so he’s not being his best self right now. To top it off he’s arranged for me and his mum to take the kids out today so he gets some time to make the cake. I don’t want any of the replies to be right, I have to stay in this relationship for another five years at least. It’s depressing to wake up to it being torn apart on mumsnet.

OP posts:
Goldbar · 04/09/2021 09:38

Also, having read your update, it sounds like you view him as an older child who can occasionally be asked to do some chores and contribute some of their wages to the house rather than as a second, equally responsible adult in your lives.

JackieWeaverHandforthCouncil · 04/09/2021 09:40

I don’t find this funny and actually feel sad for the OP. She’s going out of her way to minimise this now.

She has 4 young kids, isn’t earning and her DP sounds like a dick. She feels trapped but can’t admit it so tried so pass this incident off as funny. Which it isn’t. He isn’t a good man.

I hope OP starts earning soon and power can rebalance.

Goldbar · 04/09/2021 09:46

He has a big thing about not being told what to do- even if it’s something he wants to do.

I have to stay in this relationship for another five years at least. It’s depressing to wake up to it being torn apart on mumsnet.

What do you want us to say? You're living with a sulky teenager masquerading as an adult.

If my DH started on at me for asking him to do things, I'd honestly tell him to get out of the house or go upstairs to his room until he could come back and behave civilly as an adult because I'd not be having that sort of example set for our DC.

JackieWeaverHandforthCouncil · 04/09/2021 09:47

Just seen your latest update OP. I can see you do actually see him for what he is. Just keep working towards your future and start to plan a life away from him.

NoSquirrels · 04/09/2021 09:49

To top it off he’s arranged for me and his mum to take the kids out today so he gets some time to make the cake

Send him out with his mum, you make a cake and study instead. Doesn’t need to be an all-singing all-dancing cake, does it?

If that’s not possible tell him now that he’s in charge all next weekend.

HaveringWavering · 04/09/2021 09:52

He told me off last night because my hairdresser was in his side of the room

Do you mean hairdryer? I’m picturing a lady called Denise who does your highlights at home…

30mph · 04/09/2021 09:53

... just don't marry him. It's your house, keep it that way. You will need the security for yourself and your children.

Horehound · 04/09/2021 09:56

There's something wrong. Who would be annoyed about a hairdryer on "their* side of the bedroom?
There are no sides Confused

Why do you need to stay for at least 5 years? Sounds like you know the gig is up

Horehound · 04/09/2021 09:57

And if he can't buy items on a list from a shop, is he actually going to be able to make a cake?
You know it's going to be a disaster that you'll have to sort

Orla1970 · 04/09/2021 09:59

Not quite sure what you wanted or expected from this post OP? I don’t think it has been torn apart on mumsnet. It’s an odd post. Your partner sounds like a dick. Sounds like you know it. What is this latest shit about being told off because the hairdresser is on his side of the room? So you own the house. You live together. Have children together but have separate sides of rooms? He gets to tell you to go out with his mother so he can bake a cake but you can’t say to him don’t get croissants as I’ve already got them. Let’s hope his baking is better than his fucking shopping skills!

He would drain the life out of me. Not sure what he brings to the table. All adulting appears to sit with you and I felt uncomfortable how you describe what he does and doesn’t pay for in relation to the kids. So half of essential school stuff for his kids and nothing for your kids? That sounds a horrible arrangement. Can’t be much fun for your kids either. I’d let him go and be a miserable sensitive useless dick elsewhere and get on with things without him. Surely looking after four kids would be easier than looking after 5?

Redruby2020 · 04/09/2021 10:01

@Regularsizedrudy

I know these threads are meant to be lighthearted but they just make me so depressed. I’d rather never have sex again than spend my life with this kind of cretin
Exactly! Like I on the surface this individual situation could be laughed off if it is a one off? I lived with that for years, it's not funny, especially when you then have children on board. But then there was abuse and other problems. I felt frustrated and stressed out just reading that!
Badabingbadabum · 04/09/2021 10:02

If that needs to be done while prepping lettuces for a cake then that’s leaf. Grin

Goldbar · 04/09/2021 10:03

Could you be clearer on why you need to put up with him for 5 years? That's a long time to share a room with someone who has no respect for you.

diddl · 04/09/2021 10:03

Ooh he's a nasty one, isn't he?

List on phone but that's too much trouble, "forgets" cake ingredients even though they are presumably on the list.

You are going to spend the next 5yrs running yourelf ragged doing everything & placating him??