to expect that if my dp is away for a week working on his work/life balance it is reasonable to expect a bit more communication than this?

[abitpeeved]

okay so no mobile phone reception - fair enough. So I have sent him a cheery mail each day with info about what the dcs have been doing etc. In return he has sent a video for the dcs showing them where he is, and.... a couple of cursory emails to me saying he is really doing great work on this time management etc course and thinks he will really get a better perspective on work and home and having more time for us

Okay then. Prove it by sitting down and writing me a nice personal chatty email with kisses on then

AIBU?

no YANBU - Arse.

However, maybe after the course he will return a changed man?!

lol at the title

but cat64 he could have made the email he did send less like one to an aquaintance by the sound of it.

He he he. Sounds like his brain is stuck on "work speak".

He may be being advised to think of all his tasks as pebbles and put them in a jar ...( vague memories of a time management course many moons ago...as if I have time to visualise all my tasks!!)

oh cat64 that is reassuring - I do wonder whether other dps just shut up when they get away or whether they phone their OHs every day and send loving texts lol

my dh rarely manages more than or 2 quick texts at around midnight ( wakes me up with buzzing noises) if I'm lucky, when he's away on courses and work stuff, and never anything for the DC ( mind you he works away a lot so they are used to it). I think a lot of men have a different reaction to that sort of stuff, I went away for 2 days ( 1 night only) recently and just managed it, missed DC dreadfully and would have had real problems if I'd been away longer. I was away for less long than DH is normally, I think he can compartmantalise better than me. Work is work, home is home and problems occur if they collide
If your DH cames back with any good ideas pls share, DH hangs out on MN so he might learn s'thing

my dh has been away for a fortnight and I've had quite short emails too

we have tried to talk through the computer but I have always been in bed before he got in for the evening

I never expect floods of communication tbh

compartmEntalise

I have in the past spent a lot of time away for work (one year I was away 160 nights, now only 6 nights a month tops), and I have to say you are being a bit unreasonable, as I never find anything to really say about being away, and it can be hard to find the time to write long emails home as its hard enough to catch up on all the work you should be doing instead of being away. A course is even worse, esp a residential one as you have to socialise in the evenings.
I never send loving texts - DH gets a phone call every day if the time zones work out, but more usually we exchange a quick email where he tells me about Ds, and I tell him about work.
When DH goes away its much the same that way round

When he comes back how about you go away for a few days, it will give him an opportunity to put his new skills into action and for you to get some well deserved time to rest and reflect.

My DH has never yet managed to get his mobile to work abroad, so has to rely on any colleague who will lend him theirs. And so we're lucky to get 3 minutes. Usually with a dreadful time difference. I dream of emails! And a video! But in most other respects he's a good egg, and I know it doesn't mean he doesn't love us coz he shows it in other ways too. i thought you meant by "time management" that he was getting away from the family for some space. If it's a work-related course, then maybe you'll reap the benefits when he gets back and is super-efficient at hoovering up all work tasks leaving more time for the family!!

Whenever my dh is away with work we're lucky if he manages to squeeze a rushed call between couorses at dinner or just before they go out. Either that or he wakes me up with a late night drunken call to tell me he loves me . So it sounds pretty par for the course to me.