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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

AIBU for telling my "friend" that my husband isn't her concern?

401 replies

Empressofall · 06/10/2023 09:35

100% believe I'm in the right here but you never know.
Context: My husband and I both work full time. Both have stressful jobs.
He has long shifts (10+ hours) but his days off can fall during the week when our child goes to daycare so he has actual time off to do as he pleases (it's just how his shifts work. No shade that our kid isnt at home with him. We still send him so we can keep his place and its fun for him) and I do not. I often bring work home and either work into the night or grab some time during baby's nap time. My "days off" are weekends where I'm 100% in charge of the house and our baby if my husband is working.
My husband is as hands on as he can be in the time that he has.
On to the issue: last night, he came home at around 7.30pm (late for him) and I'd already done grocery shop, laundry, bathtime, bedtime, cleaned the lounge etc. I was pretty tired.
I made dinner. I made breaded chicken (from frozen, like a Birds Eye packet), roasted garlic potatoes and salad. Not really a chore. But somewhat nutritious.
Husband was super grateful and ate it all up.
He then did the dishes.
I was chatting to my friend (let's call her A) about our day and she was appalled that I'd made my husband a "low effort and low quality dinner" and that "making him do the dishes after a long day at work was bitchy and unhelpful". Like... excuse me?! I also worked yesterday. And did 100% of the childcare/housework. I was exhausted. I didn't even ask him to do the dishes. He did them himself because he's an adult who knows how and when to wash dishes.
I told her this.
She told me not to be surprised when he finds someone willing to put more effort into the relationship. More context: A was involved with a married man who left his wife for her, citing that his wife didn't make enough effort. She's paranoid AF that he'll leave if she isn't 100% perfect. Their house is like a fucking show home and every meal is organic from scratch blah blah blah.
I got angry and told her that my husband isn't her concern, that if he leaves me because of a dinner then he's not much of a man. She then said ahe was only telling me "for your own good". I lost my sh1t and told her to f**k off.
Husband says I'm in the right. Another friend agrees with A that I should have put more effort into the meal and offered to do the dishes because husband worked a longer day than I did.
But the way I see it, we both worked so why is his job and work day more important than mine?

If anyone's wondering, I started work at 7am, finished at 3.30pm, did the grocery shop at 4.30pm (after commuting an hour), bathed baby at 6.40pm, put him to bed by 7.20pm and had 10mins to myself before husband came home. I started dinner as soon as he walked in.

Husband started work at 9.30am and got in at 7.30pm meaning he finished at 7pm.

Was I wrong to tell her this? Am I just lazy?
Edit: my husband never EVER expects me or even asks me to cook for him. We have VERY different tastes in food so we often just cook for ourselves because it's easier!

OP posts:
Cetim · 08/10/2023 10:29

ClairDeLaLune · 08/10/2023 08:17

Maybe your “friend” thinks she’d be a better wife for your DH. I’d be wary of her, she might be targeting him next…

Yes this is probably true.

Ohhmydays · 08/10/2023 10:42

I take it friend A and the one agreeing with her don’t have kids. And for fs, your husband worked an extra 2hrs than what you worked, poor him for his wife not making him a meal from scratch while she also looked after their children. Deary me some people really do need a good 👊🏽

jsterr1 · 08/10/2023 12:07

While reading, I thought your marriage sounds mostly traditional with a small mix of modern (both parents working full time). Everything sounded fine. You for home from work, Were Tired af. STILL made your husband dinner since he was getting home later. Sounds all kinds of considerate. Knowing how tired you were and appreciating that you STILL made him dinner, he did the dishes (tradition dictates he who doesn't cook, cleans. been that way for decades).
Then I read your friend's response. Good lord, she sounds absolutely mental. I want to say "stepford wife"? but I don't really remember what that movie was about. She SHOULD be paranoid. Her husband left his previous wife for her. No reason he won't upgrade from her as soon as he finds better. His past actions show that he views marriage as a commodity, not a commitment.
You are fine. Your friend is not. Carry on as you were.

pollymere · 08/10/2023 14:45

Ha! I was about to say you're doing too much and that your DH could do grocery shopping on his day off to give you a break 😂

I think what you cooked was adequate after you'd both had a long day. Is it any business of your friend? Definitely not.

Some days I was so tired from general running around that my DH would come home at 19:30 and start cooking dinner for me. He hasn't left me yet and we've been together over 25 years.

It's sad your friend feels that relationships are wholly dependent on such trivial things. You shouldn't have to wait on a DH to "keep your man". That's not what marriage is about.

Ironically, whilst writing this, my DH has just told me there's no chicken gravy to have with the roast he just cooked for lunch. I told him I'd divorce him and he just said oh no... Then promptly just got on with serving up.

caodha · 08/10/2023 16:30

She is not a friend

caodha · 08/10/2023 16:40

Have just entertained my sister in law for two weeks hard work but all happy. I was going to take on a homeless kitten but hubby pulled a face so she called me Selfish. The last time I had any lengthy contact we were bringing up two small kids I had was just recovering from a third baby stillborn got my career back on track husband constantly in pub and was offered interview for good job but not in local area went for it but she called me Selfish. So my other nice sil and I coped with the family alcohol problem and this is going back a long time when we were all first married- she said why can’t you both go to the pub with my brothers and maybe they wouldn’t drnk as much ! We’ll a because we would be bankrupt/ who would mind the children/ and how is that making our family life better? Would really like her to say f-k you from a height how do I say this nicely,,,,,

caodha · 08/10/2023 16:54

I can’t call her out big time as it would cause a lot of trouble in the family- I think this time she has just triggered me - my nice sil and I have been absolute rocks to her unstable brothers while she was married to a decent hardworking man who provided for her every need- I don’t envy her at all but why can’t she be kinder?

Annemaria · 08/10/2023 16:56

She is probably jealous of you. Please don’t take this stupid woman’s words to heart.

caodha · 08/10/2023 16:58

Thank you x she really upset me

Bridewel1 · 08/10/2023 17:39

Annoying as she may be I’d feel a little sorry for her that she’s with someone who has high expectations and makes her feel she has to be little miss perfect just to keep him. Yet I’d be also annoyed at her intrusive comments and would probably have blurted out something like ‘well at least my husband doesn’t have that high expectations of me’.
She’s obviously just jealous that your husband makes an effort willingly unlike her bloke.

ladygindiva · 08/10/2023 17:41

Your friends an arsehole and you and your husband sound great.

ConsuelaHammock · 08/10/2023 17:44

Tell her that just because she has to be on her best behaviour to keep as man doesn’t mean you have to. And watch her squirm! What a nasty biatch!

ConsuelaHammock · 08/10/2023 17:44

And then ask her if she’s jealous of your wonderful husband and your happy marriage !

Daffodilwoman · 08/10/2023 17:48

If ‘a friend’ said that to me I would not be contacting them again.
In fact I’d go seriously low contact with such a dim wit.

Buildingthefuture · 08/10/2023 17:49

A is not your friend. A is batshit and probably justifiably paranoid that her “d”h with the wandering dick will….wander off. How the actual fuck she believes that making him organic goose fillets, stuffed with freshly foraged herbs and served with a delicious glass of her homemade nettle wine will make him keep his dick in his pants is a whole different story.

Splynta · 09/10/2023 02:06

You're perfectly right, she should mind her own, your husband appreciates what you do, else he wouldn't be your husband, your "friend" needs to shove off and worry about her own house x

concertgoer · 09/10/2023 09:52

@Empressofall
attitudes like that and I’d marry you OP! And your husband!

how nice it is you live in the 21st century and get along, rather than the 1950s!

im a big fan of nutritional food (stuff that doesn’t leave me feeling sluggish!) but it also needs to be relatively easy …. I really am not a big fan of washing up for washing ups sake!!

chicken potatoes and salad is one of my favourites!

Alialio · 11/10/2023 17:29

Honestly drop those mates they sound like morons. I'm so astonished that A would say this to you but even more surprised that your other pal.backed them up

3rdtimelucky73 · 17/10/2023 20:50

I'd love to know who the 1% defending the mad friend are?!

Dinner sounds delicious, I'd be very grateful to anyone cooking that after a long day.

Shannon50 · 19/10/2023 00:43

lose her, she is a judgement cow.... and doesn't like the fact you have a good relationship, plus she needed to be told so good on you

Shannon50 · 19/10/2023 00:54

The nicer you are to people, the more they will walk all over you.... putting yourself out for other's only gets you used. Sooner or later you get to know your friends who show there true colours.

HangingOnTillChristmas · 19/10/2023 01:50

Why weren't you up at the crack of dawn making your DH a delicious cooked breakfast for him to go to work on, before getting on with the housework, then making him a delicious dinner, cooked from scratch for him to enjoy after a hard day's toil?
I hope you managed to at least make yourself look presentable with a nice dress and maybe a pretty ribbon in your hair for his arrival? Along with the children being all rosy from their bath!
Women these days!!

On a serious note though, your friend isn't a friend at all. I would seriously ditch her before she starts causing some real problems.

Empressofall · 22/10/2023 19:32

Thank you all for the lovely messages. Not sure if anyone will see this or if anyone cares but I have an update.
I spoke to the friend who agreed with A. There was a lot more going on under the surface but it boils down to the fact that she's feeling quite shitty about her dating life and apparently I caught her on a bad day. She was apologetic and I've decided to spend a bit more time with her. I've been a pretty shitty friend. She really is a decent person.
As for A... she blocked me. On everything. So I suppose the friendship is definitely over lol. Honestly, when I look back... the friendship was very odd. I'm not even sure why we kept in touch but I guess maybe I was clinging to the idea of having a lot of friends rather than a small circle of good friends. From now on, it's quality rather than quantity. Oh and DH is very happy. Apparently, he always thought she was a self centred bitch 🤣🤣🤣

OP posts:
INTERNETEXPL0RER · 23/10/2023 00:14

Thank you for the update @Empressofall . I’m glad you’ve got some kind of resolution to the issue, even though ups not how you might have wanted it to work out at first.

I hope your life is more positive and peaceful without A in it.

T1Dmama · 25/10/2023 01:20

Great update.
Sometimes we just have to say ‘see ya’ to certain people in our life's