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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:
bussteward · 04/06/2023 02:15

Leave him/her. I think you’ve posted before, quite recently, about their bad behaviour, and got the sane advice.

Themweefeckers · 04/06/2023 02:27

They want paid for a job they don't even do?! YANBU and also LTB wtaf

Floralnomad · 04/06/2023 02:44

This is not a good or healthy relationship , one of you needs to leave ASAP

Tophy124 · 04/06/2023 02:47

This is really strange. Is OH female? Or male?

As a SAHM, we made the decision jointly due to my husbands career having a lot more earning potential than mine. My little one is home with my full time and I don’t have an allowance nor do I expect ‘half’ of savings, as my husband and I share all money even tho he is the one who earns it. I will go back to work when my DC are school age. We have conversations before big purchases or memberships etc and decide jointly but day to day spending he never queries me (tho I’m not spending on hobbies and only buy stuff I need/sometimes want, it’s not constant which is sounds like your OH does have a spending issue or weird relationship to money). We don’t have allowances in our house, if someone needs a hair cut they get one but my hair costs a lot lot more and so it’s planned for as we only have one income. I find this situation with your OH very very strange!

Weenurse · 04/06/2023 02:50

LTB

Tophy124 · 04/06/2023 02:50

Also- OP they crossed a MAJOR line in going to your Mother and demanding money. How dare they!!

It’s also really weird for your child to have been in nursery with a parent sat at home. We don’t do nursery as it’s an extra cost with me being at home anyway. We will start schooling once it’s free.

What are they bringing to the table? It doesn’t sound like you’re happy.

Tophy124 · 04/06/2023 02:52

Hang on, I keep going back and rereading and getting more info as I am genuinely so shocked.

Did they actually make a complaint to social services or was that just a threat?! Either way I would be done and I say that as the SAHP in my own situation. This is disgusting behaviour towards you OP.

Blossomed · 04/06/2023 02:57

I’m struggling to find the words to accurately describe your partner. YANBU. They should not be paid on top of everything else. I don’t know how you are living like this. Hope you manage to change your situation.

Justbecause19 · 04/06/2023 02:59

Sounds like you are very ground down by it all to not even realise how unreasonable he is being. However he has been diagnosed ASD as a adult which does explain a lot and I think he will be clueless to a lot of this. That being said he's an adult man and it's not your responsibility to take care of him. My DH is undiagnosed but likely ASD/ADHD, has a full time job etc but is terrible with money and very entitled with how he spends it. If you don't feel the relationship us worth it then def leave! It would be much easier on your own

IncompleteSenten · 04/06/2023 03:23

Leave.
Don't share your inheritance.
She/he is taking the piss.

My2pence2day · 04/06/2023 03:38

No that's weird. As a SAHP you should have access to the joint account though, and not be questioned on spending (within reason)

BubblyBunchOfCoconuts · 04/06/2023 04:19

As a sahm and homemaker for 25 years now,of course I don't get paid!
My amazing husband provides for us and our bank accounts are shared.
My job is my family and home.
If I wanted a paycheck I'd go get a job.

AlwaysGinPlease · 04/06/2023 04:42

He is a loathsome cocklodger and you should get rid asap!

DollyParkin · 04/06/2023 05:54

I’d say this is classic DARVO. You are being coercively controlled and financially, and emotionally abused. Could you leave? You’d have a calmer life and you wouldn’t be living with someone who appears to hate you.

I'm so sorry. Your life sounds distressing and exhausting.

Whataretheodds · 04/06/2023 06:18

I'm not assuming your/your OH's sex but it's not relevant. They are taking the piss.

Are you married? If so take legal advice.
If not, just leave.

RosesAndHellebores · 04/06/2023 06:23
  1. Go to see a solicitor
  2. Go to see a solicitor
  3. Go to see a solicitor

Get your stall set out and leave this selfish, abusive, bitch/bastard

Seeingadistance · 04/06/2023 06:25

Wow!

LTB!!!!

Mummyoflittledragon · 04/06/2023 06:27

Are you married? It doesn’t sound like it. You need to extricate yourself from this situation asap. This person thinks you’re the honey pot and work horse. What’s yours is theirs and what’s theirs is theirs.

Backstreets · 04/06/2023 06:29

Bloody hell OP, do yourself a favor and leave this parasite.
How can going it alone possibly be worse than this?

GracePalmer33 · 04/06/2023 06:31

What a grim sounding life. What on earth does he bring to the table? He's not a stay at home parent, he's a stay at home waste of space.
It doesn't sound like be even does 50% of the cooking, housework and childcare; which is what a full time working adult in a couple should expect to do.

onlythe · 04/06/2023 06:32

What a horrible entitled man. Please leave him. Don't raise your child in this environment.

MintJulia · 04/06/2023 06:35

Leave.

Your OH has equated ASD with being disabled to the point of not needing to take any responsibility for their own life or that of their family, and is lining you up to keep them for life.

Get out now before you are too exhausted and beaten down to find the resolve.

Stop allowing them to disadvantage your dc.

I'm ASD, I'm also a single mum recovering from BC. I keep working because we have to live and eat. I'd love to cite stress, put my feet up and let everyone else take the load, but I don't because I'm not a lazy, freeloading, self-centred arse.

Theyreallydidaskthat · 04/06/2023 06:42

Are you part of an ethnic or religious community?

imnotsickbutimnotwell · 04/06/2023 06:46

You are being coercively controlled and financially abused. Please seek help. Speak to women’s aid, do the freedom program and take steps to remove yourself and your children from this situation.

Oaktree1233 · 04/06/2023 06:49

My son is disabled with complex needs. I saw my role as a SAHM was to d9 all the laundry, keep the house clean and good nutritious meals for the kids from scratch and then something for us. I would also organise school stuff and activities for kids. I would plan all holidays, research mortgage and insurance. I would research all schools. My son needed a lot of care, especially when younger as he struggles to talk and was in continent so I had to deal with with. I had to administer regular OT and SALT exercises and organise tuition. I also had to secure his EHCP and advocate for him as well as all applications for PIp etc. I had no allowance as such but we had a joint account. I have only regularly spent on myself when I got carers ( I delayed in applying as I was overwhelmed). Now my husband earns crazy money so we employ a cleaner to help me. To be frank he would have never denied me anything but it is a partnership and I only spend appropriately. As he works hard I like him to come home to an organised clean house and not a mess - in the days when DS was young that was really hard work.

Is your OH’s ASD so bad that they cannot work? ASD alone does not stop working and sounds like it might do them good. They certainly have no claim on inheritance.

Running to social services re coercive behaviour seems like a kick in the teeth for you.