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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To want to sit my own living room of an evening?

107 replies

FiloPastri · 18/01/2023 19:15

I wfh, in the bedroom, as DH and I live in a small flat.
He goes out to work 4 days a week and when he comes home he likes to sit in the (small) living room on his laptop listening to YouTube videos.
I want to watch tv in the living room, however, I can't hear it over his bloody videos on his laptop.

He thinks this is perfectly reasonable and I should go and watch tv in the bedroom (which I've been working in all day.)

We do have other hobbies and things we do in the evening but it would be nice to be able to watch tv in my own living room in the evening every now and then. Aibu?

OP posts:
GracePooleslaugh · 18/01/2023 19:15

Get him some headphones

Original poster
FiloPastri · 18/01/2023 19:16

He won't wear headphones as he says they're annoying. Sorry I should have put that in the OP.

OP posts:
Wdib78 · 18/01/2023 19:17

Headphones, I cant stand it when DP watches stuff on his phone.

Brefugee · 18/01/2023 19:17

Just put the TV on. Loud. Louder. Loudest.

arethereanyleftatall · 18/01/2023 19:18

Mine will be a pointless post of no help whatsoever, as I'm sure there are plenty of things you love about your dh, but this is one of the many many reasons I adore being single. Do what you want, when you want, every single day. Utter bliss.

IamSmarticus · 18/01/2023 19:18

If he won't wear headphones, then he can go and sit in the bedroom and listen to his videos whilst you watch TV in the living room. Selfish arse.

mast0650 · 18/01/2023 19:18

I think you should roughly take turns to have use of the living room to watch stuff, whether on the tv or youtube. Don't you watch stuff together?

justforthisnow · 18/01/2023 19:18

GracePooleslaugh · 18/01/2023 19:15

Get him some headphones

Is he always this selfish?

PuttingDownRoots · 18/01/2023 19:18

Why can't he watch YouTube in the bedroom?

NoSquirrels · 18/01/2023 19:19

Why can’t he go and sit in the bedroom?

NoSquirrels · 18/01/2023 19:19

He won't wear headphones as he says they're annoying.

I hope you replied that he is annoying?

ReamsOfCheese · 18/01/2023 19:19

Argh I have one of these. Since he won't bloody listen, I do it back to him and watch TV on my own laptop. At least that way I'm closer to the source of sound so I can hear what's going on even if that perpetual irritating buzzing is still in my ear from his laptop.

SmileWithADimple · 18/01/2023 19:20

Take turns?

crosspusscrossstitcher · 18/01/2023 19:21

Brefugee · 18/01/2023 19:17

Just put the TV on. Loud. Louder. Loudest.

^This.

He can watch his YT crap in the bedroom.

WeAreAllLionesses · 18/01/2023 19:25

You WFH in the living room then move to the bedroom? Assuming there's a TV in there, that would give you a change of scene for 4 days.

Otherwise yes arse and yes headphones...

Tinkerbyebye · 18/01/2023 19:27

I would explain about you working in the bedroom all day, you need a change he can go into the bedroom if he is not prepared to wear headphones

otherwise i would just turn the tv up louder

amylou8 · 18/01/2023 19:29

DP does this when we're watching TV together, he'll decide to play a YouTube video on his phone at the same time, full volume. I'm not sure what your solution is because mine stops when I growl at him. Does your TV have Bluetooth? Maybe a nice pair of Bluetooth noise cancelling headphones linked to the TV for you.

YellowAndGreenToBeSeen · 18/01/2023 19:29

Laptop = transportable
Telly = located in one place.

He watches in bedroom for that reason alone (and also because he is being a knob).

TheChosenTwo · 18/01/2023 19:31

Could you work in the living room in the day? Not a real solution to the whole issue but I think it’s unhealthy to be working in your sleep space ☹️ - totally aware that many people have to and don’t have a choice but if in any way possible could you maybe jiggle things about a bit? I’m sure you’ve already considered this.
Sometimes when I wfh I do so in my office when I know I’ll be needing both my screens but when I don’t, I take my laptop and sit on my sofa in the front room - it’s comfy enough for a couple of hours (I’m sometimes there all day!). Or is there anywhere else you could go to work? At my gym there are always people using side rooms there for work purposes.
Yanbu, you need a change of scene from your bedroom, if he’s just watching YouTube he doesn’t really need to be sitting in the front room, he could be in the bedroom leaving you to have the telly in peace.

JudgeRudy · 18/01/2023 19:32

mast0650 · 18/01/2023 19:18

I think you should roughly take turns to have use of the living room to watch stuff, whether on the tv or youtube. Don't you watch stuff together?

This sounds a fair compromise. I don't agree that he's being selfish wanting to relax in his own living room, just as OP does. Unfortunately they want to do different things so turns seems fairest

TurquoiseDress · 18/01/2023 19:38

Brefugee · 18/01/2023 19:17

Just put the TV on. Loud. Louder. Loudest.

Yep this!

mast0650 · 18/01/2023 19:41

Laptop = transportable
Telly = located in one place.
He watches in bedroom for that reason alone (and also because he is being a knob).

Except there is a tv in the bedroom

Pizzamyamour · 18/01/2023 19:45

Love how the BF is selfish, when the OP is at home all day and he comes in and can’t even watch his pissing laptop in peace.

YABU

ttcat37 · 18/01/2023 19:50

He’s being an inconsiderate prick. I would:
a) put the telly on and increase the volume very gradually until it’s at maximum
b) change the wifi password and give it him back when he moves rooms

Judgyjudgy · 18/01/2023 19:52

That's absolutely reasonable! Suggest you alternate having the living room