Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To be thinking about ending things because of my husband working from home?

256 replies

Opentoskychange · 08/11/2021 12:54

I used to come on here a lot but signed up again. Been married to DH for twelve years, have two children aged 3 and nearly 1.

DH had to work from home in March 2020. It was challenging, as our eldest (2 at the time) knew he was there and would constantly want to run in and out, showing things to Daddy, not really understanding that he wasn't available. It was pretty stressful. When I had our second, it was just at the start of the second lockdown and DH was still at home. I really found my second maternity leave awful - just a constant stress of keeping children quiet and entertained and not too loud. I found it stressful when the baby cried or when the toddler left a mess everywhere. It was just him being there all the time. His office reopened back in May. However he didn't go back until recently. He's supposed to be back one day a week, I have Mondays and Tuesdays off work. He is supposed to work Monday in the office. But the thing is he often doesn't go or changes the day at the last minute and to be fair to him it is a genuine reason, it's something like someone needing a lift and they work Wednesday or whatever. But it means my two days a week, which are supposed to be for the children, are spent either high stress keeping them quiet and away from him or out and about - which is hard going when the weather's bad.

It also means I don't see much of my family, my mum visited last week but it was awKward as DH was there and she kept apologising for "making a noise" and "disturbing him" and saying "ssh" to me. I can't have any friends over to visit on my days off and I'm feeling increasingly isolated. I'm fed up and constantly stressed.

Increasingly I'm feeling like I dont want this from life but can't work out if it's just the fatigue of lockdowns or not. Any advice? Sad

OP posts:
Lightswitch123 · 08/11/2021 19:35

A family needs a home. He is being out of order and it sounds truly miserable.

I'd give him an ultimatum - back to office or move out.

Stokey · 08/11/2021 19:46

@Opentoskychange what do you think will happen if you and your children don't try to cater to him and tiptoe around? How will he react? What would the consequence be?

CharityDingle · 09/11/2021 13:12

[quote Stokey]@Opentoskychange what do you think will happen if you and your children don't try to cater to him and tiptoe around? How will he react? What would the consequence be?[/quote]
Agreed.
If it wasn't all so nice, and centred around him, he would most likely go back to the office.

hopeishere · 09/11/2021 13:32

Can you not suggest you all do something at the weekend as opposed to "driving around"?

Agree if he's. It bothered about noise and stuff you should just crack on. Keep explaining to your older child why daddy can't play with them and they'll soon get it.

Unless there are other massive issues then getting divorced because of working dorm home seems an overreaction.

Brefugee · 09/11/2021 13:44

I'm confused a bit, OP. Is he complaining about the noise or have you just built it up in your head that the house must be silent when he's working?

You said he works in the spare room but then he's all over the place? Working? because it sounds to me as though he does what i do which is work - go to the kitchen make tea - work - go to the look, stop to check if the plants need watering - work - lunch in the kitchen - work - open the door to take in the post - work... etc

If anyone is around at that time (DH, DCs or visitors) I often chat for a minute then get back to work.

is it like this? or is he lugging his laptop and headset around and working all over the house for some other reason? has he asked you to keep the noise down?

Thatsthewaytis · 09/11/2021 13:51

I think at this point where you are considering leaving your DH you should book a session with a counsellor specifically to discuss this and make it very clear to him if he doesn’t change the marriage may be over.

He is causing too much disruption and needs to stop. My BIL ‘leaves’ the house in the morning then sneaks back in so as not to disturb the kids or have them disturb him. He takes a flask of tea in with him to the spare room and works until lunch. He then ‘comes home’ for lunch and goes ‘back to work’ after lunch.

In your case you need your DH to:

  • agree to work in spare room only
  • pretend to leave so kids don’t think he’s there
  • let you know when he’s coming down for lunch and you could go out for a walk then and him back in office when you return or do the pretend he came home for lunch and then goes back like my BIL

He is supposed to be working anyway, not popping in to see what’s going on with you.

I would also say mandatory that he goes in every Monday & Tuesday when you are off. Pre covid you wouldn’t be allowed just change your mind so he needs to go back to that mentality.

Good luck. He sounds like a nightmare!

Another option is insulated shed in garden if you have one or renting a co-working space.

New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Swipe left for the next trending thread