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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Partner hasn't done any housework the entire time I've been away.

102 replies

Lafoosa · 01/06/2022 18:12

AIBU to be upset and annoyed at my partner because I've been away for 2 days and 2 nights with our 3 children (4, 2 and newborn), alone when I was visiting my mum (who is disabled, which is relevant for the fact it means she can't help me with the kids) and then my sister who is in hospital and quite sick, and my partner has done absolutely no housework. I left almost immediately after we'd had his family over all week (he'd been working so I had to do all the entertaining and they're horrible people) and he had 48 hours to himself with no work, no kids and no one else in the house but himself. But instead of just taking a couple of hours to do something that benefits all of us he just sat on his arse, played Xbox, drank 8 beers, then went to the pub. He could've done those things and helped with the house, but instead he chose to only think about himself. So after a ridiculously long and emotionally draining few days for me, including all together 12 hours on trains on my own, I've now got an entire house to clean while I'm also looking after all the kids.

He's acting like I'm being unreasonable to have expected him to do it while I was gone since IMO it really wouldn't have taken long when you have no children to tend to or to trash it while you're do it nf it. Is it unreasonable to expect him to do it? It's his house too.
I was just really hoping to be able to relax when I got home, but I can't even see the floor in our bedroom and no pots have been washed the entire time I've been gone.
He told me he'd been tidying up for hours, but I literally can not even see one space he's tidied up.

OP posts:
jputthekettleon · 01/06/2022 19:13

The bare minimum would have been washing up/bins and recycling out/vacuum the living room and clean the kitchen. He’s taking the piss that would have taken an hour at best.

toastfairy · 01/06/2022 19:13

"help with the house"
personally I hate this phrase. It instantly positions ALL housework and household management as your job, and the other adult, has a choice of whether or not they want to 'help' right now. To say that this seems SOOOOO last century is an understatement.

Ultimately you need to discuss with him but no this isn't good enough.

Mally100 · 01/06/2022 19:14

I've now got an entire house to clean while I'm also looking after all the kids.

Why are you enabling this??? You are part of the problem.

FelicityFlops · 01/06/2022 19:18

Did he know he was supposed to do something?
If yes, then what.
If no, get off the case and work on communal communications.

Mally100 · 01/06/2022 19:21

FelicityFlops · 01/06/2022 19:18

Did he know he was supposed to do something?
If yes, then what.
If no, get off the case and work on communal communications.

What do you mean? He has eyes? He has a brain? Why does he need to be spoonfed? The op said there's days old pots still dirty, no clean floor space. Someone needs to be told to clean that up?

AnotherEmma · 01/06/2022 19:21

FelicityFlops · 01/06/2022 19:18

Did he know he was supposed to do something?
If yes, then what.
If no, get off the case and work on communal communications.

Did he know he was supposed to do something?!
Christ, this is the whole root of the problem isn't it.
Apparently women are responsible for pointing out the bleeding obvious to adult men.

Motnight · 01/06/2022 19:23

AnotherEmma · 01/06/2022 19:21

Did he know he was supposed to do something?!
Christ, this is the whole root of the problem isn't it.
Apparently women are responsible for pointing out the bleeding obvious to adult men.

This.

BeeDavis · 01/06/2022 19:24

What a fucking bellend, I’d have hit the roof if my husband did that. Selfish prick.

Leeds2 · 01/06/2022 19:28

I don't mean to sound harsh, but you really do need to raise your standards of what is, and is not, acceptable behaviour.
Sit down, relax and tell him to do the washing up so as to make a start on clearing up his mess.

Onemoresleeptogonow · 01/06/2022 19:29

Does he add anything positive to your life?

Morph22010 · 01/06/2022 19:30

Leave the kids with him to look after and go down the pub

LemonJuiceFromConcentrate · 01/06/2022 19:34

LTB, I’m not even being facetious.

You’re in for many years of this if you stay.

ForeverFleur · 01/06/2022 19:36

My ex used to do this. One of the reasons he is my ex

Hermanfromguesswho · 01/06/2022 19:40

I’d take the newborn and book into a hotel. Tell him to call you when it’s all clean and you’ll come back then. Until then he juggles everything and you sit back, feed baby and relax

Onwards22 · 01/06/2022 19:44

What needed doing?

I find when it’s just me no cleaning really needs to be done.

What was the reason you took the kids?
It sounds like it would have been easier to leave them at home and go by yourself.

If cleaning needs to be done then he can do it now.

You’ve had a very long journey and you should have a long bath and have an early night.
He needs to be the one who is now looking after the DCs, cleaning, cooking and anything else.

Rainbowqueeen · 01/06/2022 19:45

If he thinks it is so easy he will have no Robles doing it now

I’d be going to bed now while he gets cracking and using the time to come up with an exit plan. Not saying you need to use it but it will give you sone backbone and make you think about your future. Don’t let your future be this over and over

Badger1970 · 01/06/2022 19:49

He's trained you well, OP.

What a Prince among men.

ArtVandalay · 01/06/2022 19:52

What a useless arse. But I suspect this can't be new to your dynamic after 3 kids?

If you want change, you're going to need to NOT clean the entire house or wash-up.

If one of us goes away - the other one will, without fail, have the house gleaming and welcoming for their return.

I am sorry to say, but with my friends - behind every single useless lazy bastard bloke, there is a woman who has been doing the lion's share for years.

balalake · 01/06/2022 19:53

Definitely no sex or anything romantic until he starts on the basics. Even though he is a pathological liar I bet Boris Johnson has actually done more.

Passanotherjaffacake · 01/06/2022 19:53

I would tidy his clothes into a nice big suitcase to be honest.

Olsi109 · 01/06/2022 19:56

Go back to your mums with newborn. Leave the other kids with him, tell him you will be back when you've seen photo evidence that he's got off his arse and cleaned the place up.

I would be fuming and I don't think my DH would even dare as I would do exactly the above but in a nice hotel using his credit card - that's if he begged and begged otherwise I'd leave.

You aren't his slave OP.

GMH1974 · 01/06/2022 19:59

LTB

CheeseComa · 01/06/2022 20:05

Is this a one-off or is he generally a useless waste of space who doesn't respect you and dumps everything child and household related on you? I would be having serious words and if anything, I think you're massively underreacting.

I was recently away for two nights and rather annoyed to come home to all the plates and pots OH had used stacked up next to the dishwasher rather than in the dishwasher. Everything else looked reasonably tidy, we only have a cat and no kids and my trip was not massively stressful. He apologised, admitted that it was disrespectful behaviour and has been much better about putting away his stuff.
Any decent person would be embarrassed to have their DP coming home to a shithole after the terrible time you had. In your situation I would have expected to be greeted with a clean house, a home-cooked meal and some nice chocolates / fresh flowers.

winterchills · 01/06/2022 20:09

I would be absolutely livid, selfish twit.

pigwood · 01/06/2022 20:14

He sounds lazy , vile and completely taking the piss . Don't do it . He treats you like this because you allow him to . You have to put your foot down. It's very uncaring and thoughtless OP