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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Husband slept through daughters first birthday celebration

327 replies

Mimsymumsymoo · 05/08/2023 20:30

This is a long winded one sorry in advance.
So today we planned a small party for my youngest daughters 1st birthday. We decided to celebrate a few days early as her birthday is midweek and her dad -my husband- works away during the week and was not meant to be home. He came home early hours friday morning and weng to sleep as he works nights. Later that evening he decided out of the blue that he was going out with friends for a few hours as being away in a hotel all week gives him "cabin fever". I was okay with this and encouraged him to have a good night, reminding him not to stay out too late or drink too much as we had plans the following afternoon, he agreed and ensured me hed be home by 2am the latest. 3 am rolls around and he strolls in, but decides he isnt tired enough for bed so he is going to stay up for "a bit". Fine. Whatever. We have plans for 2pm he can still get a decent amount of sleep and attend. He ended up going to bed at 10 am this morning and when i woke him at 1 to say hes got an hour to get ready, he moaned,rolled over and went back to sleep. I tried to wake him several times before saying f this and just taking our children to his parents, along with the cake i made the night previous and gifts for the party. We have loads of fun at the party and return home around 7. I get the girls to bed and start cleaning the house while he lounges on the sofa watching reruns of a show on Netflix. He then says to me "are you going to strop all night?" I say i think im allowed to be annoyed that you missed the first birthday celebrations that were planned specifically so you could attend.all he had to say back to me was "if im not tired i cant make myself go to sleep, its not my fault i slept all day. I feel like ive wasted the day in bed". Which to me sounds like poor me im tired feel bad for me. So my question is AIBU to be seriously annoyed that he missed the celebrations to spend the day in bed?

OP posts:
ZombiesAreClammyDodgers · 07/08/2023 18:02

What a low bar some people have 🙄
Working nights, yada yada. He went out. Then stayed up.
Yes his body clock is out of kilter. So what? You show up for the things that matter. Especially as it wasn't like it was an unreasonable time or during his work hours or a work conflict.
Someone said "he's a dad, not a cash cow"- sorry but being present for your child's party isn't being a cash cow. It's the very opposite. It's spending time with the people who want your TIME.

mandlerparr · 07/08/2023 18:06

Fruitandclottedcream · 06/08/2023 04:23

It's not a ridiculous assumption. He's worked a full week of nights, got drunk and has managed to stay up til 1030am despite being exhausted. He won't have stayed awake naturally.
For what it's worth, I'm quite familiar with stimulants. I take stimulant medication for ADHD (Lisdexamfetamine), and I'm still awake at 4am. I took them at 10.30 yesterday morning🙃.

I have been drop dead tired, can barely walk almost throwing up from it tired and still not been able to sleep at times. Some of us are just like that and the only drug I do is caffeine.

ReginaPhalang3 · 07/08/2023 18:26

Just being dramatic to hide the fact that their main point rests on us believing men are so delicate they can’t do things whilst tired. Or that they shouldn’t be expecting to do a single thing other than work. My husband also works hard but would never miss his child’s birthday!

Retiredfromearlyyears · 07/08/2023 18:37

He is a selfish AH! Keep an eye on this type of behaviour. Red flags here on so many levels!!

CleverTea · 07/08/2023 18:45

Sounds like there was significant amounts of cocaine involved, in which case you have a bigger problem.

LlynTegid · 07/08/2023 19:00

Whilst I think first birthday celebrations are ridiculous, you had agreed to them and he had agreed to be there, so YANBU to be annoyed.

Noodles1234 · 07/08/2023 19:39

Selfish and grossly unfair more to you as parents to enjoy their first birthday of their child.

10am? Sorry to ask, but that is very late, I don’t know how to say it gently, but staying up that late suggests cocaine use to me, it may not be but something to watch for.

MojoDaysxx · 07/08/2023 20:39

He's acting like a teenager.

BubblesMacgee · 07/08/2023 22:02

Do you really want your children growing up thinking that this is what a man should be? Yes he is working hard but partying hard too. Time to consider your options now and look at some couples counselling - this is only going to escalate.

SkySecret · 07/08/2023 22:02

Yeah, I’d be fumes if my partner deliberately missed something we’d had planned, especially if it was something important.

I say deliberately because he knew the score, he went out and got pissed, then stayed up all night and most of the morning?! He could have attempted to sleep from 3am? At least then there’s been an effort. Either way, get up, suck it up for a few hours, then hole and back to bed.

OP, would it be acceptable if you’d done that? Prepped the party, then sodded off out all night, gone to bed at 10am then refused to get up for the party? I’m guessing not, I’m also guessing people would call you a shit mum for that…. sooo if the caps fits….

as others have mentioned, most parents have to work on little to no sleep and just crack on. I’m lifeboat crew, I’m regularly up most of the night on a job, then can’t sleep when I’m back due to adrenaline, then have to get up for work. Sometimes on a hour or so sleep. Just gotta do it sometimes haven’t you!

jjmm06 · 07/08/2023 22:30

I'm a shift worker, and often go to family events after 3-4 hours sleep. I feel like shit, but I want to be there. This year I was at my daughter's sports day on 2 hours sleep.
He clearly doesn't really give a shit.

LadyMaryTalbotCrawleysEyebrows · 07/08/2023 22:38

It's annoying but your child won't even remember it in years to come.

GillianCarole · 07/08/2023 23:08

He made a commitment to attend, and should have stuck to it. Having said that, in your shoes I may have let it go - IF he had apologised for staying out later than he said, and then going to bed very late. As he didn't apologise, he's definitely an arse.

Mumsyimmy · 08/08/2023 00:07

I have worked nights for many years, never missed my daughters birthday or Christmas even if it meant I lost sleep mid night shifts- 7 nights in a row. I would at least attend arranged events even if just for an hour or so. My oldest dd is 17 and youngest is 11 months.
He has been a massive twat going on a night out and then sleeping all day. Please do not accept this behaviour despite other posters opinions. He didn't care about you and the children. Selfish man.
My other half works stupid hours but will always be home for important events. Sometime Christmas day has to be on another day but birthdays of your children are very important. Other people say the child won't remember but the pictures will always remind them. Xx

Gingernan · 08/08/2023 03:55

It can be hurtful but when your partner works away or works difficult hours you have to get used to doing a lot of things on your own.
Aim to do something nice as a family when your husband isn't so exhausted.

ImustLearn2Cook · 08/08/2023 05:50

Pp keep saying that the baby won’t remember. But, they have two kids. We don’t know how old the eldest dd is. She might be old enough to remember. And maybe she was looking forward to her dad being there.

DarthTater3 · 08/08/2023 06:46

You are not being unreasonable at all. He’s massively let you and the rest of the family down and he’s not even sorry. Can’t believe he said it’s not his fault. Of course it is! He’s a grown man who chose a night out instead of his child’s birthday celebration. If there was no night out involved and he was actually genuinely sorry I’d still be annoyed but have a bit more sympathy, but as it is I would have none.

Bugbabe1970 · 08/08/2023 09:27

LadyMaryTalbotCrawleysEyebrows · 07/08/2023 22:38

It's annoying but your child won't even remember it in years to come.

But that's not what this is about!
The OP remembers and feels hurt and if he continues to do things like this it will build resentment in her. He let her and his family down and then brushed it off. It's not good enough!

Crazycrazylady · 08/08/2023 10:31

I'm very passive aggressive so would print out the photos taken at his in-laws and put them in a nice big frame so he can be reminded he missed it each time he looked at it. I also definitely wouldn't organise another celebration just for him . But that's me and I can be a bitch😜

CleansUpButWouldPreferNotTo · 08/08/2023 13:18

@Mimsymumsymoo Why did you put the girls to bed then clean up while he lounged watching Netflix? Sorry to pile on, but this is almost enabling behaviour. You should have let him know how great the party was, told the girls to tell him all about it while he put them to bed and you should have put your feet up with a glass of wine. When he came downstairs after their bedtime routine, you should have told him you were very seriously annoyed but he could redeem himself by making you dinner, and that this very disappointing behaviour would be let go as a one-off but a last chance too.

What did his parents say about his absence?

CleansUpButWouldPreferNotTo · 08/08/2023 13:21

Ellyess · Yesterday 12:48
He's a selfish arse, as has been said. I think you should seriously keep this and other examples on a list for the divorce.
Mine did similar. My DD was having 6th birthday party. He would not come to any of it. We lived in a 400 yr old house opening straight onto High Street, because of my job then. When the parents came to collect their children I had to leave the other children on their own while I went to the door. A dear friend and colleague came by, saw the balloons and came in. He looked after the children in the house while I handed out presents and cake and took each child to the front door as the parents collected them. My DH stayed upstairs avoiding everything.

@Ellyess he's just H, no DH about him, I'm sorry to say. Is the dear friend and colleague available???!

Ellyess · 08/08/2023 13:35

CleansUpButWouldPreferNotTo ·

Thanks, I entirely agree. I have trouble with the DH DD DM etc when it clearly isn't appropriate or applicable. I often don't use it but I didn't know whether I was supposed to - whether it was used as shorthand even for a not dear husband...
Anyway, I agree with you!

Grrrrdarling · 08/08/2023 13:51

Mimsymumsymoo · 05/08/2023 20:30

This is a long winded one sorry in advance.
So today we planned a small party for my youngest daughters 1st birthday. We decided to celebrate a few days early as her birthday is midweek and her dad -my husband- works away during the week and was not meant to be home. He came home early hours friday morning and weng to sleep as he works nights. Later that evening he decided out of the blue that he was going out with friends for a few hours as being away in a hotel all week gives him "cabin fever". I was okay with this and encouraged him to have a good night, reminding him not to stay out too late or drink too much as we had plans the following afternoon, he agreed and ensured me hed be home by 2am the latest. 3 am rolls around and he strolls in, but decides he isnt tired enough for bed so he is going to stay up for "a bit". Fine. Whatever. We have plans for 2pm he can still get a decent amount of sleep and attend. He ended up going to bed at 10 am this morning and when i woke him at 1 to say hes got an hour to get ready, he moaned,rolled over and went back to sleep. I tried to wake him several times before saying f this and just taking our children to his parents, along with the cake i made the night previous and gifts for the party. We have loads of fun at the party and return home around 7. I get the girls to bed and start cleaning the house while he lounges on the sofa watching reruns of a show on Netflix. He then says to me "are you going to strop all night?" I say i think im allowed to be annoyed that you missed the first birthday celebrations that were planned specifically so you could attend.all he had to say back to me was "if im not tired i cant make myself go to sleep, its not my fault i slept all day. I feel like ive wasted the day in bed". Which to me sounds like poor me im tired feel bad for me. So my question is AIBU to be seriously annoyed that he missed the celebrations to spend the day in bed?

Stop on ding to him, stop mothering him & stop mailing excuses for him!
barring any serious mental health issues or neurodivergence if he wanted to he would have been there!
He is clearly on a different page to you when it comes to priorities & he is childish, selfish & ignorant!
Red flags for the blaming you as that is gaslighting!

Ellyess · 08/08/2023 19:05

Grrrrdarling
That's so beautifully to the point and perfectly summed-up!
I found, from experience, when I was in the middle of experiencing a relationship unfolding like this, it is such a shock and, as I remember, I had to try and keep the home running and pay the bills and everything looking normal as well. I wasn't able to take in quite what was happening. The way my H behaved didn't jump out at me as clearly wrong and something I did not have to put up with. I used to feel guilty and worried he was ill or I'd done something wrong and I couldn't even think about it very sanely because he used to get me so confused and distressed it took all my energy to stay calm for the children. I also had to be able to keep working. I had to earn money as he never gave me a penny and I had to pay for everything the children needed and for holidays and food.

Anyway - I imagine our OP is coming across a lot of this man's behaviour for the first time - obviously the baby has only one 1st birthday! But she is in shock about his behaviour and that stops her seeing it for what it is. It makes her confused.
That's why I like your very straight forward approach, Grrrrdarling, it just cuts away the confusion and goes straight to common sense.

When a person is abusing us and has done so from the start, we often cannot see it. Certainly not at the time. Someone outside, completely new, is often the best at seeing the plain truth. It probably stems from relationships when we grew up. In my case my mother was very bossy and dictatorial and I had to try and appease her to keep the peace or life was hell at home.
I will tell you something very personal. It is an example of how my thinking was totally gaslit by someone for over 30 years. As briefly as I can: A close friend phoned and asked me for help concerning her ex H by writing to his previous Employer because she had been contacted by Employer (very kind email) saying her exH made a Subject Access Request. I looked at the Employer's email and saw it would be the 2nd time I would write to him regarding her ex, because, when he was in another position in the Organisation, I had written to this man because the ex, who had done many seriously bad things, was being allowed privileges (sorry got to be rather vague for privacy), which made me very worried. So I reminded him of my previous contact, after which he had written back saying allowed this bad ex (who obviously lied to him) to go ahead with the privileges and why. I had details of proof the ex lied but... there was no way it would make any difference in this vast Institution. Anyway, this time I decided to send all my info, including that this man, while still married to my friend, had set me up to trap me on my own, almost 30 years ago, physically poured alcohol into me so I was incapable of doing anything and raped me. Apart from my friend whom I told when she was getting information for her divorce, and who hadn't really said anything except it sounded like her ex, I had told nobody. I sent this to the Employer so he could see why I was so against this man working with vulnerable people.
Then, on the phone, (we lived about 100+ miles apart) I told my friend that the Employer would have no doubts now about the level of iniquity in her ex, as I had decided to be brave and tell them what he did. I thought she'd be grateful and say how glad she was that they would understand at last how dreadful he was. BUT, to my complete shock, she immediately shouted angrily, 'OH Elle! You should not have done that! You should have got my permission first!' I was terribly shocked and felt terrible. So what did I do? I straight away emailed the Employer and explained that the man's ex wife, my friend, was v upset that I didn't get her permission to reveal he had raped me 30 years before, and could he disregard it?

Now, this man was not just any Employer but part of a very famous establishment and very high up in it, and very (deservedly) well thought of. I immediately got a response saying how terribly upset and sorry he was to hear of what I had been through and how hard it must have been that I had been unable to talk about it for 30 years. He said he had a duty to to report it to the Police. Then he said as for the ex wife, what has a crime committed against me got to do with her? Why did I need her permission? He did actually send a Counsellor out to me and I realised how I had let bullies push me around for years. I also realised the extent this 'friend' had used me throughout all the relationship.
I hope that helps explain how someone in a relationship with a bully, where they are used to trying to keep the peace, can be so under the bully's power they do not even know their own rights or use common sense. The number of ridiculous things I did for this woman during my life right up until not so long ago actually embarrass me. I just don't know why I let her boss me around. I even did things that were against my standards, things I regarded as wrong, but she insisted they were necessary. Obviously nothing was illegal, but once I recognised the extent of her deceit and dishonesty, I felt an enormous relief to be rid of her.

JVJ · 08/08/2023 21:50

I’m so sorry to hear this. My little girls 1st birthday is coming up and I can’t even imagine how upset I’d be if my other half did this. From reading this the biggest red flag to me isn’t the fact he got wasted or slept in or even that he missed the birthday, it’s how he’s handled himself afterwards. He hasn’t listened and acknowledged how you feel or showed any genuine remorse which really says a lot about his character. If he came to his senses when he sobered up and was saying ‘I’m so so sorry how can I make this up to you both’ at least it would show he genuinely cares. Him saying ‘you’re in a strop’ is also so belittling and degrading I feel like that in itself needs addressing. I don’t get why people think it’s okay to do this it’s gaslighting tbh. Really sorry again. Hope you manage to work through it!

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