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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Am I expecting too much?

3 replies

Holidayhumbug · 26/02/2022 12:20

Just trying to gauge whether I'm expecting too much or whether my DH is being unreasonable.
The situation is this: he works full time, fairly demanding job and now earns a considerable amount more than I did/could. We've 4 kids and I stopped work after the third as nursery fees were the same as my salary and it was exhausting working a full time job and doing 90% of all the chores/childcare (pre pandemic he was out of the house 7am-8pm). While being a sahm I did at least 90-95% of everything and kind of just accepted it. I've now started a part time job (it doesn't earn much and actually doesn't cover the childcare costs for the hours I work so I've ended up having 4hours a week flexitime wfh so I have to squeeze that in without childcare- so in the evening/nap time etc).

Anyway, my issue is that I still do all the cleaning, cooking, laundry, tidying, getting packed lunches uniform ready etc. DH does give the kids breakfast some mornings if I need to catch up on 30 mins extra sleep after a rough night. He does also get up in the night when needed. other than that and sometimes loading/unloading the dishwasher he does little else (and nothing in the garden, no diy either) he plays with the kids and is a good dad but I'm starting to feel like his attitude to me is cleaner/housekeeper/nannny. Anytime I raise it he comes back with saying that he's working and so can't do it. It's become a huge issue because I'm mentally and physically exhausted and I feel like thhis is a huge cause of it. However, he says I'm just looking for another chance to have a go at him. I know he works hard and it is demanding but I can't get him to understand the toll our set up is having on me. I've tried to point out that if I was full time then surely he'd have to do something or how would it get done?
I'm just at the end of my tether as I can't see a way to change it or to get him to see anything from my perspective 😞

OP posts:
Shoxfordian · 26/02/2022 12:46

Do you need to work financially? If you can afford it then you should get some extra paid help like a cleaner or an au pair. I don’t know how much your husband earns but if you made the decision to not work and be a sahm then why did you decide to go back to work? Were you happy with the balance of jobs when you weren’t working?

Holidayhumbug · 26/02/2022 13:06

Currently childcare costs mean my net income from any work is pretty much £0 (salary doesn't fully cover the cost of childcare needed for the hours I work). Gone back to work as wanted some mental respite from 24/7 sahm and also don't want to be so far out of the jobs market by the time all kids are at school. The salary/childcare issue was a big part of why I stopped work- it seemed madness to work full time to earn money for kids to be in nursery when net income worked out the same for me being sahm with no nursery costs. With mortgage, bills, nursery etc we would struggle to afford a cleaner I think. It does feel like part of the package of have 4 young kids but feels like I'm taking a huge part of the burden

OP posts:
FinallyHere · 26/02/2022 16:45

he's working and so can't do it.

How does he think single, working people manage?

How are your finances split? Have you (as a family) been paying into a pension / saving for you while you have been SAHP?

Sorry he doesn't already get this.

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