Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Should a stay at home parent expect payment (other than an allowance)?

100 replies

working4ever · 03/06/2023 22:32

Sorry for long post - bear with it!

Other half says ". You pay me absolutely ZERO as an unpaid slave and take all our money" "and a formal complaint of domestic abuse via coercive control / controlling behaviour has been made to social services about this".

I work full time, OH quit work in Aug 2016 just as I was about to go back to work after maternity leave with OH citing stress. It was made clear before birth that I must return to work full time to give child all opportunities. There was discussion that I might be able to reduce my hours in time. Nursery was arranged for 3 days a week with me working from home and doing childcare one day and OH one day (OH worked full time up until then). Then after OH quit with no warning or discussion, with no money coming in and OH not looking for work I said we had to reduce this to 2 days nursery and they take over another day this was after 5 months). Savings at that point sub £1000 and declining rapidly. OH claimed job seekers. Finances were hard. OH did minimal childcare (ie 9 to 5.15 2 days then 3 days and not outside these hours) no housework and no cooking.

DC starts school in 2020, OH picks up DC each day and does school holidays 9 to when I get home. I still do mornings and evenings. OH "works" at a hobby that costs us money. OH gets PIP (diagnosed as being on ASD spectrum in 2020/21). I would spend minimal in order to save for household expenses. In 2021 it was agreed that since OH used PIP as personal spending I should be able to have an allowance too which is slightly less than PIP. I use this to now have my hair cut and coloured regularly (which was previously only once or twice a year with a £20 cut and buy a home colour kit) and also for other bits and pieces eg lunch for us all at McDonalds or wherever, contribute to work leaving gifts, mothers day flowers etc. I also use this to pay for days out to Paultons etc. OH prescriptions come out of joint. It was also agreed that they would cook up to 3 times per week which they never did before, even if just simple pizza and chips

OH has access to joint accounts and savings and always has and will just spend from there even Amazon purchases for themself or gifts for their friends.

My mum died recently and I have a sizable amount which they want half of to spend as they please. When my brother died a few years ago my mum gave me and brother a few thousand each and it turns out my OH went to my mum and said they should have been given half as well. My feeling is that OH is being entitled. OH has purchased in past petrol motorbike, electric motorbike, electric scooters, electric quadbike, tshirt press and all the stuff that goes with it, web hosting, turntables, laptops, speakers and numerous other stuff with joint funds. They also like to control in other ways and I have been threatened if I don't do x then y will happen.

Would you pay your OH for staying at home? OH has an additional £100 petrol allowance. Entertainment for when DC is on schools hols is from joint eg swimming, McDonalds, pier amusements. I do washing, although more than two loads is way too much per week apparently but I just crack on as we need to wash clothes, towels etc. I clean bathroom and usually kitchen, oven etc plus extras like windows and other stuff, change bedding, wash it (iron bedding as OH likes it ironed). OH does ironing as and when it suits so often I will get up at 5.30 am and do urgent ironing. No vacuuming for a month so far. Hit and miss with lawn mowing as it's either not or then every week for a while. They asked for a list of stuff that needs doing and when I provide it eg beds need changing every week or bi weekly, floors need mopping, bathroom cleaned I'm told I'm controlling. It is used against me.

It's been made clear (from both OH and FIL) that whatever my FIL provides either now or when they have passed that it is for OH/DC.

So essentially (if you made it thus far), should I pay OH for housekeeping and child care? I'm beginning to think that living separately and paying someone else to do childcare whilst I work who may be better qualified would likely make me and DC better off atlhough DC will miss their parent.

Clearly I'm sure you'll read there is more to this than I am revealing but bottom line, when both of you are working (one in the home and one in the workplace) with a similar "allowance" would the working at home person expect to be paid more?

OP posts:
Nanny0gg · 03/06/2023 22:34

Leave him

CostOfSieving · 03/06/2023 22:39

This is awful. I could barely read it to the end.

This would have finished me.

Anewuser · 03/06/2023 22:46

Your answer is: no, they shouldn’t get an allowance. You’ve already said, they buy what they like from joint savings and have their pip as their own spending money.

RollinRollinRollinRawhide · 03/06/2023 22:47

Assuming this is real -forgive me for doubting but I can’t believe this isn’t jackanory.

He wanted money off your mum after your brother died?!
WTH are you still with this person? They just want to spend, spend, spend and be kept afloat by you.
LTB so your DC doesn’t learn this model of what to expect in a relationship.

snowgal · 03/06/2023 22:48

Entitled doesn't even cover it, he's taking everything he can and providing you with zero

LadyGardenersQuestionTime · 03/06/2023 22:50

this is astonishing level cocklodgery. Why on earth are you still married? Does he have hidden talents?

Sprinkles211 · 03/06/2023 22:52

He's disgusting and no having asd does not mean he can behave that way. My whole family is ND and not one of them would treat another human like that

saveforthat · 03/06/2023 22:52

Haven't you posted about this before?

WaltzingWaters · 03/06/2023 22:53

No allowance no. Leave him. What an absolute dick. He sounds awful and completely and utterly useless.

smilingthroughgrittedteeth · 03/06/2023 22:58

Ive been a SAHM for 6 years and i dont get an allowance of any kind never mind paid for looking after my own children. We have a joint account where all expenses are paid from.

Your husband sounds controlling, manipulative and abusive to me.

MadEyeMoodysEye · 03/06/2023 22:59

They have personal spending money plus access to joint money, but they expect you to "pay" them on top? That's ludicrous. Also, as the stay at home parent they ought to be doing the majority of housework and childcare. LTB.

Sunnyfeelgood · 03/06/2023 23:03

You are being unreasonable for staying in this sort of relationship and modeling to your dc what to expect

Sarahtm35 · 03/06/2023 23:04

When I didn’t work and was a stay at home parent I didn’t receive an ‘allowance’ no. We had a joint bank account and if either of us wanted a treat like new clothes or whatever we’d just mention it to each other first.
im not inside your husbands head so I don’t know how bad his head is that he can’t work but from what you’ve written it sounds like he has huge control issues. I’d be inclined to question your future with him as he sounds hard work.

Emmamoo89 · 03/06/2023 23:05

LTB

Soakitup37 · 03/06/2023 23:06

This cannot be real!

if this is the op - you either have been brainwashed into thinking this is acceptable or you are realising the reality and need clarity.

here it is:

No it’s not normal, acceptable or expect behaviour in a healthy relationship. I cannot fathom a reason or excuse of what I might be missing here that could be the exception to the rules. LTB. If you stay you are are choosing to accept this by default.

BasketOfOats · 03/06/2023 23:06

I have been a sahm for nearly 20 years, never been paid to look after the children or do housework. This is why our children were also never paid to do chores. I had access to the joint account for things I needed like clothing, shoes, food shopping etc and anything for the children. We had trust and respect for each other which appears to be lacking in your relationship.

I would honestly get out of this one, it is not healthy nor any fun. Look at exiting, what that will take etc. I assume from OH you are not married. What is your housing situation? Seek legal advice immediately.

PrimalOwl10 · 03/06/2023 23:07

You say oh so I take it your not married. Use the money your dm left you and get out. You have an additional man child here.

Honeysuckle16 · 03/06/2023 23:08

Can I ask why a seemingly intelligent woman is even asking about this? At some point in the process of writing it down, wasn’t it abundantly clear to you that you’ve been forced into an unequal and frankly diabolical situation?

Your children are being shown an appalling disgrace of a father who doesn’t pull his weight but expects to live an entitled life via his wife and - who would believe it? - his in-laws.

Sadly they also live with a mother who doesn’t stand up for herself, accepts abuse, has apparently little self-confidence or self-esteem.

If what you write is accurate, there is no hope of redemption for your absolute disgrace of a partner. It’s not even worth talking to him about your future.

Just make plans to leave him, taking the children with you. Rent somewhere and see a solicitor straight away. Tell DH to put all communication in writing through a dedicated email address. Block him on your phone. Then you can start on a new and much more enjoyable life.

Honeysuckle16 · 03/06/2023 23:13

Oh, and open a new bank account in your name only and have your salary paid into it. Transfer your inheritance and, since you have the children, the bulk of what’s in your joint account. Make sure there’s no way he can access any of it.

Pixiedust1234 · 03/06/2023 23:19

OP - despite me suffering from a long term pain condition which meant I couldn't work I have child reared, cleaned, cooked, gardened, decorated, laid paths and built small walls, done all life admin including buying presents for his side, etc etc and you know what I got in return? Nothing. Unless you count a roof over my head and barely edible food.

Ditch him, you will be better off mentally, emotionally and very probably financially.

Madwife123 · 03/06/2023 23:27

Why are you with him?

I know you talk about children losing their other but remember your children are right now learning what a relationship is from you. By exposing them to this toxic relationship you are setting their standard of what they will expect from their own relationships. Leaving him benefits everyone.

Geppili · 03/06/2023 23:35

Greedy

CovertImage · 03/06/2023 23:38

Is your OH a woman? - you were very careful to use "they" all the way through your post

Inertia · 03/06/2023 23:45

You’ve just lost your mum, and instead of comforting you and stepping up to manage things at home, your partner is demanding your inheritance as spending money?

Are you married? I think that may legally affect your position.

Irritateandunreasonable · 03/06/2023 23:48

I think OH is female.

Dunno why tf you’re with them, she sounds like an utter prick.