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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

disagreement with DH

65 replies

biancap26 · 26/04/2023 18:40

Hi all, just wondering if AIBU. The below example is just the most recent one but it is the behaviour itself that really bothers me.

Last night I was packing the dishwasher and noticed a specific utensil that would benefit from going in the dishwasher. To clarify, it is a specific spoon used for the coffee beans. I loaded the dishwasher with our plates and realised that it is almost empty which meant we would run it the next day, once it got full. DH makes us coffee in the morning and uses it religiously, so I called him and explained that I am gonna put it in the dishwasher and asked him to use any of the other spoons for making coffee the following morning as the dishwasher wouldn't be done at that point. He said ok.

I had a look this morning and realised that he took it out of the dishwasher and washed it by hand instead. The washing itself doesn't bother me, it's washed doesn't matter, it is the fact that I took the time to say to him hey, this is what I am doing, please use any other utensils and he has done the exact opposite of what I asked. When I brought it up, he said it doesn't matter, he washed it so there is no reason for me to bring it up or have an arguement as nobody would have a problem as it is a spoon. This is not what I am upset about. I am upset about the fact that I mentioned it to him in advance and he raised no issues whatsoever. I asked him and he said he made his own decisions as he is a grown up man and that he does not remember the part where I told him to leave it in for a proper clean and that he thought it would be fine to just take it out. I explained that it did matter as I asked - can we leave it in please and he did not object to it or communicate that my idea was wrong.

This is a thing that happens quite often and please note I do realise it is over trivial matters so it's not as if he goes and makes big decisions that concerns both without communicating.

But when I do mention, hey I am going to do this, please can you do this while I sort it out and he goes and does the opposite of what I asked or mentioned it drives me insane. Again, they are mostly over trivial matters around the house. We spoke about this before and he keeps saying he is making his own decisions which is obviously fine but I wish he would tell me then and there - Hey no, I disagree, let's do it this way instead. He just says yes, absolutely fine and then the opposite happens. I brought it up and asked to please communicate, but it doesn't happen and he keeps saying he did not hear the part where I asked him the specific thing or in that specific moment he thought it would be better done in a different way.

We spoke about this quite a few times and it really, really gets to me. I explained this too and he is saying it doesn't matter because it is a small thing and nobody would ever have a problem with it, just me.

Please AIBU? thank you for reading

OP posts:
coffeecupsandwaxmelts · 26/04/2023 18:59

CrystalMaisie · 26/04/2023 18:55

I get exactly what you mean. I had a similar chat with my dh and something in the dishwasher.
like your dh, he said yes at the time and then disregarded and did his own thing.

it’s not about the spoon, it’s about communication. A small example of a wider issue I feel.

He said yes for an easy life, then disregarded it because it was nonsense.

It's a spoon. Why on earth does it matter whether it's left to be washed in the dishwasher, or taken out and washed by hand?

Lastminutebride · 26/04/2023 18:59

Definitely being unreasonable.
my OH would have grabbed it out of the dishwasher and if making coffee just for himself I imagine he probably wouldn’t even if washed it.

ZacharinaQuack · 26/04/2023 19:00

Maybe my dishwasher is shit, but I don't think it cleans more properly than handwashing.

Sissynova · 26/04/2023 19:00

YABU he washed the spoon, he didn’t make you hand wash the spoon.

it is the fact that I took the time to say to him hey, this is what I am doing, please use any other utensils and he has done the exact opposite of what I asked.

Because what you asked made no sense. You don’t get to control the situation just for the sake of it. You aren’t losing out because he wanted to use the proper utensil and washed it by hand rather than waiting until the dishwasher was full.

WinterofOurDiscountTentz · 26/04/2023 19:01

He says yes to you to make you stop talking, and then does it whatever way he wants. If this were important things it would be a problem, but since its you being controlling and micromanaging,his strategy to deal with you is actually quite a good one.
I would have told you where to shove the spoon if I were him.

Sissynova · 26/04/2023 19:01

@CrystalMaisie it’s not about the spoon, it’s about communication. A small example of a wider issue I feel.

Sounds more like it’s not about the spook, it’s about control.

ladydimitrescu · 26/04/2023 19:02

I think this is possibly a wake up call for you. You don't need to explain to him how to wash a spoon - it's so patronising, almost controlling. If my DH did this and then got annoyed over such trivial things, I would be fuming.
I also agree that if this is the biggest issue in your relationship/life then you really are very lucky. Every now and then it's really important and beneficial to ground yourself and count your blessings.

biancap26 · 26/04/2023 19:02

hi all, no worries, thank you for your thoughts, it's made me rethink stuff:)

OP posts:
arethereanyleftatall · 26/04/2023 19:02

Honestly op, this is absurd. A.B.SURD. I think when you start even thinking this way, and then going beyond that and writing it down, and then not thinking it's absurd and pressing send- you need to make some serious life changes.

sparepantsandtoothbrush · 26/04/2023 19:02

I can't imagine taking time out of my day to explain why I'd put a spoon in the dishwasher. Surely he could wash it, use it and then put it in the dishwasher next time it was on if you really needed it to have a "proper" wash through the dishwasher

RedHelenB · 26/04/2023 19:04

Boomboom22 · 26/04/2023 18:48

But if it hadn't been on yet why didn't you add it after coffee?

This. I'm on dhs side, he wanted to use it so dealt with it. Very controlling of you imo.

Xrays · 26/04/2023 19:06

I think this is absolutely insane 😳😳 I mean unless the spoon has some sort of greater metaphorical meaning in the sense that he’s done this with banking / finances / childcare etc you need to just let this go.

KrisAkabusi · 26/04/2023 19:07

The worrying thing here is that you're just giving this as an example of what he's doing wrong. Clearly it's you in the wrong, so you have a lot to rethink!

MsChatterbox · 26/04/2023 19:08

Well done OP for taking on board people's comments and not just becoming defensive! Sometimes we can get stuck in our ways and it's good to have a third party point this out.

biancap26 · 26/04/2023 19:09

hi all, thank you, I appreciate your thoughts and realise I am the problem here. thank you again

OP posts:
biancap26 · 26/04/2023 19:11

I do literally think I got stuck in my own ways and I am laughing at myself now. I appreciate the kindness too as it was clearly me in the wrong but I also didn't do ot on purpose. I will go and apologise.

OP posts:
strawberryfluff · 26/04/2023 19:11

Sorry but the spoon thing sounds deeply controlling of you. Does it matter how the spoon was cleaned?

Boxofsockss · 26/04/2023 19:11

you sound a little bit like hard work if I’m being honest. I see where you are coming from but honestly, does it matter that he cleaned it by hand after the fact you had a conversation with him about the dish washer? I don’t think it’s anything I’d get a bee in my bonnet about.

strawberryfluff · 26/04/2023 19:12

It it was I want to give the coffee spoon a good wash coz it fell down the bog that is a slightly different matter

strawberryfluff · 26/04/2023 19:13

biancap26 · 26/04/2023 19:11

I do literally think I got stuck in my own ways and I am laughing at myself now. I appreciate the kindness too as it was clearly me in the wrong but I also didn't do ot on purpose. I will go and apologise.

Do you understand though? There's no point just apologising if you don't get why you're in the wrong

biancap26 · 26/04/2023 19:15

Yes, I do realise I shouldn't have even told him in the first place and it was not my place to do this. I don't like empty apologies and I have genuinely realised it was absurd.

OP posts:
Oysterbabe · 26/04/2023 19:18

I'm glad you recognise that yabu. If my DH called me about a spoon I'd think he'd lost the plot.

PineappleLatte · 26/04/2023 19:25

Your way or the highway it seems?

ladydimitrescu · 26/04/2023 19:28

Good for you op! It's not always easy to admit you're in the wrong, especially on here!

BreviloquentBastard · 26/04/2023 19:30

YABU I'm on team husband, I couldn't live with someone this petty or who made such a big deal about such trivial things. It's a fucking spoon. Unclench.