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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To drink whilst in sole charge of toddler?

68 replies

MuxMoo · 23/12/2023 21:01

Currently upstairs trying to defuse a situation that I am left wondering if I am in the wrong for and so I thought a post on here may leave some clarity.

Me and my partner have DS who is 16 months, a DD who is 5 and my partner has a son who is 11. DS is rather clingy to me and due to still breastfeeding, I am more often then not a walking dummy (we’re working on it!), this has meant that it’s only been the last couple of months that I’ve been able to leave him for longer periods of time. So today I thought that I would go out and have some girl time just me and DD and go watch a film at the cinema, have some lunch and grab last few bits of Christmas shopping. Had a really nice day together and was gone for around 5 hours. When we got home, as soon as I got in the door I could hear in my partners voice that he had, had a drink. I asked him if he had and he snapped back ‘yes, why is that a problem?’ - thought to myself here we bloody go. I just said ‘I don’t think it’s the best idea to be drinking whilst you’re in sole charge of DS as you need eyes in the back of your head with him at the best of times!’ - that was it then and as he’d been drinking he was defensive straight away and started calling me all sorts including an effing see you next Tuesday, calling me absolutely vile, telling our daughter I’m absolutely evil and it’s my fault that daddy is shouting and stuff like that.

Don’t get me wrong, my partner wasn’t absolutely out of his face drunk, he had managed to make tea for us for example, and I understand it’s Christmas and people like to let loose a little - but surely responsibility comes first? Or am I being uptight?
If DS was a older then it wouldn’t bother me as much, but he’s still very much at the age of trying to cause all sorts of havoc, he actually has a fat lip which was apparently caused by him falling over - just typical it happens today eh?
This argument then resulted in him saying he’s going out and taking his step son home so he doesn’t have to listen to the arguing (by arguing he means him shouting at me) which meant he was planning on driving, insisting he wasn’t drunk. I’ve hid his keys because I can still hear it in his voice that he is over the limit. Told him I’ll stay upstairs out of his way so he doesn’t need to leave (as much as I bloody wish he would), but the whole evening he’s just kept returning upstairs to demand his keys and give me more verbal abuse, telling me I’ve caused all this when I can honestly say that apart from trying to put my point across for about 10 minutes whilst we were downstairs, I’ve honestly not said a word to him and just let him unload on me apart from asking him to please leave it when our daughter has been upset at him shouting. He’s fallen out with his mum as well about it and told me it’s my fault that he’s called his mum a see you next Tuesday as well, telling me I’m a control freak cause I’ve hid his keys.

So heartbroken, my daughter is Christmas obsessed and tomorrow is obviously Christmas Eve and she’s so so excited. Just don’t know what to do moving forward, she’s been so upset tonight crying that she doesn’t want daddy to go and asking for my reassurance that he will be here when she wakes up. What do I do 🥺

OP posts:
WDTABNONONO · 24/12/2023 00:21

One beer with a meal then no p oblem but that's not what this is.

He's been drinking.

And he got abuaive about it.

And he dragged your kids into it.

And he was willing to drive.

All massive red flags.

2mummies1baby · 24/12/2023 06:56

MuxMoo · 23/12/2023 22:13

I’m going go leave him after Christmas, I really am. All of you are right and I know in my heart that as much as I want it to, it won’t ever change.

Please stick to your guns, OP. He is an abusive alcoholic and you and your kids are not safe with him. I would also inform your step-son's mum of what has happened, as she has the right to know so she can take steps to keep her son safe.

wildeflowers · 24/12/2023 07:01

He obviously has a problem and he's abusive.

I'm a single parent so I don't ever get a break and I would drink while on watch, but never enough so it affected my abilities. I actually haven't had a drink in years, but just wanted to add that so you can see my opinion isn't biased somehow. His drinking is out of control and his behavior even worse!! You can't let your kids watch him treat you that way, long term that's going to be really damaging, not just for you but for them as well.

everyredsock · 24/12/2023 07:12

My problem with him is the way he talks to you. I would not put up with that.
A few drinks whilst looking after kids is fine IMO.

crumblingschools · 24/12/2023 07:27

@everyredsock okay to drive after 4 double rum and cokes?

I would like to know why 23% of people think the OP is unreasonable, their parenting standards must be very low.

@MuxMoo do you think he has driven whilst over the limit in the past?

bryceQ · 24/12/2023 07:29

You poor thing.

He sounds absolutely vile I'm so sorry for you. This is proper abuse. And in front of your daughter too is horrendous.

I'm so sorry for you

CasperGutman · 24/12/2023 07:33

My wife and I would both think nothing of having a drink while caring for the children - e.g., a glass of wine with lunch. But it isn't okay to be drinking to the point where your speech is impaired when in sole charge of a toddler. And it certainly isn't okay to be abusive when challenged on it.

CasperGutman · 24/12/2023 07:37

@crumblingschools wrote: I would like to know why 23% of people think the OP is unreasonable, their parenting standards must be very low.

I suspect many of those people are just responding to the thread title. They might have a small glass of wine with lunch or something, and they're not reading the thread - or even the OP - before voting. But yes, some of them have low parenting standards and/or alcohol problems.

Humbugg · 24/12/2023 07:46

The drinking when responsible for young children not okay

drink driving - awful - he could have killed someone

having your children watch him shout and scream and call you a cunt. Terrible.

il so sorry OP

Gravelshoveling · 24/12/2023 07:51

He’s abusive
You should leave him.
Contact Women’s Aid

BogRollBOGOF · 24/12/2023 07:52

The big issue is that he's verbally abusive, doesn't take responsibility for his actions, is prepared to drink-drive and is an alcoholic.

He doesn't care that his drunken tantrum has upset one of the children.

On its own, that's not a reasonable level of drinking when supervising a young toddler with more mobility than sense where you need to stay alert.

NoCloudsAllowed · 24/12/2023 08:24

So red flags here are:
Drinking 8 shots of spirit in the middle of the day
Your son's fat lip
Calling you names
Sending abusive texts
Not accepting responsibility
Going to drink and drive

What's important here isn't this Christmas, it's the safety of you and the kids. Imagine how you'd feel if he'd driven drunk with your kids in car and had an accident.

Coffeesnob11 · 24/12/2023 08:26

From someone who left an abusive alcoholic, please get some advice about leaving from the professionals. The alcohol is the problem for him, his attitude regardless of the drink is your problem. You don't need to deal with either. You could attend (some online) al anon for friends and families of alcoholics.
He is only verbally abusive now. Don't stay until it gets worse like I did.
I am sorry your kids heard it too. Write all of this in an online diary so you have notes. Best of luck

jolies1 · 24/12/2023 09:18

A drink - fine (if DH had a bottle of beer while making dinner once kids ready for bed or I would have a glass of wine) but both of us would be perfectly able to function in an emergency.

Four doubles during the day while alone in the house with kids is a drinking problem.

Nomorelessonneededplease · 24/12/2023 12:22

He is gas lighting you. Mine used to do that.
You are not in the wrong.
Listen to what your instinct is telling you. Make plans to leave. If you don't, this will be your forever problem. Not his. But make solid plans;
Gather evidence, pictures, receipts for alcohol, audio record his abuse, make print screens of his texts. Record everything. And date stamp it.
You will need this to keep your kids safe post divorce.

UsingChangeofName · 24/12/2023 15:32

I would like to know why 23% of people think the OP is unreasonable, their parenting standards must be very low.

I should imagine because the OP asked "AIBU To drink whilst in sole charge of toddler?" and many people vote in response to the question in the title.

I suspect quite a lot of posters don't realise they can change their vote, once they have read the thread and any drip feeds.

SoFineOkay · 24/12/2023 15:50

I only made it to: telling our daughter I’m absolutely evil and it’s my fault that daddy is shouting and stuff like that.
No. No, no, no. She's 5. Not only is he drinking while in charge of a toddler, but he is verbally abusive to you and your daughter.

Just no. This is not on. Unless you want your daughter to grow up and choose an emotionally abusive partner because this is all she knows, now is when you have to change life for her and yourself.

To those who don't see the problem, yes it's a problem to drink when you are alone with a small child. What if he fell asleep and there was a fire? What if the little boy became sick and he was too drunk to realise/help/call for help/drive to the hospital? If you drink at home with a toddler, Seek. Help.

stichguru · 08/03/2024 13:54

Your partner is abusive to you and the kids, get out of there and don't look back.

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