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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

to be fed up with DH spouting 'I've been at work all day'

195 replies

Boobalina · 26/03/2008 17:13

and basically saying I do fuck all all day at home... apart from be on my maternity leave looking after 6 month old who has never slept through yet and a 3 year old.

It feels like every night he comes home from work and moans that I havent done a paticular task round the house - last night it was WW3 becuase I hadnt taken 3 yr olds PJ's back up stairs after getting him dressed in the morning... he said 'What do you actually do all day?'

When I challenge him on it I get smart arse responses like, 'well I've been at work all day earning money for our family'

I could cheerfully bump him off at the moment.

OP posts:
MadamePlatypus · 27/03/2008 19:35

Tell him yes it is an absolute breeze looking after children, and for his next holiday that is what he will be doing while you go to a spa/visit the pyramids/go white water rafting.

Janni · 27/03/2008 19:37

Wait for Xenia to turn up now and tell you SAHMs can't even keep their fridge stocked with milk.

Actually, come to think of it, there's none in mine [shame]

WallOfSilence · 27/03/2008 19:37

Do you work Quattro?

WallOfSilence · 27/03/2008 19:40

UniversallyChallenged - I see the list of work you have done today... what's left for tomorrow?

See, when I was a SAHM (before uni & pt work) If I did all that in one day it left very little for me to do the next day, so I ended up making work for myself, by hoovering over again & cleaning parts that I had already done, just to stop myself being bored.

Wheras now I am out of the home, I find that one/two days/afternoons doing the cleaning is all the house needs...

Quattrocento · 27/03/2008 19:41

Quite. It comes to something when a hard day incorporates a bit of (unnecessary?) shopping, a bit of tv, a bit of MNing ... But let's not forget the brassoing. That must count for something.

I am enjoying this thread though. I am printing it off for my DH.

MadamePlatypus · 27/03/2008 19:41

He needs to read this book www.amazon.co.uk/What-Mothers-Do-Especially-Nothing/dp/0749926201/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qi d=1206646852&sr=8-1

Quattrocento · 27/03/2008 19:44

To WoS - Yes - means my day gets condensed

UniversallyChallenged · 27/03/2008 19:49

"What's left for tomorrow?" are you serious???

Am more than happy to give you my list for tomorrow but you may be bored to tears

prussell · 27/03/2008 19:55

I think this list of work thing is irrelevant. Agreed all those irritating and incredibly tedious tasks don't amount to much at the end of the day. And that's exactly why it is a more ardous day.

One of the reasons why I think we get irritated with our DHs when they spout this what have you been doing all day shtick is because we don't know ourselves and it is incredibly frustrating. Far more fulfilling to go to work where you can get things done and feel like you have achieved something.

flossish · 27/03/2008 20:07

i'm on mat leave with a 3 yr old and a 6 month old. My 3 yr old is sad at the moment because he doesn't get enough 'mummy' time, my DP goes nuts if the house isn't tidy for his return home, even if he unexpectedly returns early...

Oh, and when i do go back to work, I can bet my bottom dollar I will return to a tidy house. A tidy house with a dirty bathroom, no prepared bottles, a tickled floor and a full washing basket!

WallOfSilence · 27/03/2008 20:07

Ah UC, then your house is obviously cleaner & tidier than mine!!

Unless it is glaringly obvious something needs cleaned, then it doesn't get it

mollymawk · 27/03/2008 20:09

I m confused by your day UniversallyChallenged - did you do all those things before 10am?

Anyway Boobalina I think your DH is BU (or rather, was - he seems a bit more understanding now). As it happens I WOTH some days and look after the DCs other days and I think the WOTH days are much harder/more stressful.
However what is easy to fail to know is just how long it takes to do the basic things for dealing with a baby and especilly how long it takes to do any non-baby-related things with a baby in tow and needing attention that calls you away from the task a quarter of the way through (and then halfway through and then two thirds of the way through etc). Even if your day is not "hard" there is just a limit to how many things can actually happen in that day (and that limit is quite low when a baby is involved!)

derah · 27/03/2008 20:21

An old one but always funny....

A man came home from work and found his three children outside, still in their pajamas, playing in the mud, with empty food boxes and wrappers strewn all around the front yard. The door of his wife's car was open, as was the front door to the house and there was no sign of the dog.

Proceeding into the entry, he found an even bigger mess. A lamp had been knocked over, and the throw rug was wadded against one wall. In the front room the TV was loudly blaring a cartoon channel, and the family room was strewn with toys and various items of clothing.

In the kitchen, dishes filled the sink, breakfast food was spilled on the counter, the fridge door was open wide, dog food was spilled on the floor, a broken glass lay under the table, and a small pile of sand was spread by the back door.

He quickly headed up the stairs, stepping over toys and more piles of clothes, looking for his wife. He was worried she might be ill, or that something serious had happened. He was met with a small trickle of water as it made its way out the bathroom door. As he peered inside he found wet towels, scummy soap and more toys strewn over the floor. Miles of toilet paper lay in a heap and toothpaste had been smeared over the mirror and walls.

As he rushed to the bedroom, he found his wife still curled up in the bed in her pajamas, reading a novel. She looked up at him, smiled, and asked how his day went. He looked at her bewildered and asked, "What happened here today?"

She again smiled and answered, "You know every day when you come home from work and you ask me what in the world did I do today?"

"Yes," was his incredulous replied.

She answered, "Well, today I didn't do it."

UniversallyChallenged · 27/03/2008 20:23

LOL WoS - I have got cleaner and tidier with every child, and as i have 5 now..... it would be utter chaos pretty quickly if i didnt keep up with it all!

Yes mollymawk - all by 10am - then as i had left my mobile at home and dashed back to get it I was 5 mins late for my work course and the tutor announced how "everyone should please be here on time in future"

I just about managed to smile politely thinking if only she knew!

Janni · 27/03/2008 21:08

A SAHMs contribution to the children in her care is unquantifiable. I certainly do not believe all mums should be SAHMs, but I am certain that for me, being a SAHM is far more emotionally demanding than any job I have ever done - and I used to be a psychiatric nurs

Gingerbear · 27/03/2008 21:41

I put DS in an Ergo back carrier, mop in one hand, duster in the other, a broom up my arse.

God, this SAHM lark is a breeze!

pinkyp · 27/03/2008 21:42

I have lazy morning till about 10am, just do bottles, wash dishes and feed bambino, oh and get washed and dressed then wizz around the house, once i set my mind to it and ds is sleeping it doesnt take too long, wouldnt it be more worth while say hoovering/washing up/cleaning bathroom etc than cleaning a broken door knob? lol x

bozza · 27/03/2008 21:43

By Moomin:

a)there will be tea and meal breaks
b)I will be starting tasks, concentrating fully on them and completing them within a set time
c) at least one person will say 'well done you're doing a good job'

I disagree with this.
a) I once worked in a carpet factory in the university holidays where there was set tea breaks but never since. And yes, I have lunch breaks, I use these for getting groceries, presents, internet shopping, getting new tyres fitted etc. Also the OP has a 3yo in nursery and a 6mo who naps.
b) this never happens at my work - someone will approach my desk, or ring up or I will get an urgent e-mail or a problem alert.
c) ????? I wish....

Janni · 28/03/2008 08:54

Don't see DH for dust at the moment due to his frantic work commitments.

The thing about being a SAHM is that there's no buzz, no rush of adrenaline - and you do get that at work sometimes. Even if your job is boring, you generally get to talk to other adults without little ones wanting or needing your attention.

It's pointless to compare 'lists of tasks' between SAHMs and WOHMs. Of course a WOHM is going to get more done - it would be a bit worrying if they didn't - as someone else is looking after the children.

I'm a SAHM. I often think I've made the wrong choice for me and the right choice for the children.

Cue the martyrdom debate!!

Boobalina · 28/03/2008 13:19

Quattrocento - Thanks for you interesting contributions.......

I might add that I havent actually had more than 4 hours continual sleep since oct 2007... so to you my morning may have smacked of feebleness. I do shop once a week thank you and it was not an Expedition for me to 'buy a stamp' - I didnt buy any?

And re: watching Phil and Fern for 30 mins - I was eating my lunch FFS!

You seem to have a very snooty view of who I am and how may day goes - Jeremy Kyle watching - yeah righto, I dont fucking thinking so. What a pompous remark.

Why dont you regale us with your current situation and see how it fairs in comparison?

OP posts:
Boobalina · 28/03/2008 13:30

I'm really cross.

OP posts:
OrmIrian · 28/03/2008 13:34

OK. I have to admit that my DH was at home with the DCs and I came home to find chaos I'd be pretty p*ed off. In fact I am when he's taken a day off during the holidays. I try to not mention it but it gets me down. In the end I get down to cleaning it up myself and get more and more cross. It's not so bad when we've both been out of the house, but when I know he's been around and it isn't done, it does irritate me.

I know being at home with DCs is hard work. I've been there. But comparing how tiring it is going out to work and staying at home with DCs is irrelevant. At the end of the day both of you are probably tired for different reasons.

Can you come up with a rota of things that have to be done, and then divide it between you?

Boobalina · 28/03/2008 13:38

Hey OI,
We have pretty much done that (rota) and I get the lion share... it seems to have resolved itself a bit more over the last few days. I think the main bug bare was he thought I literally was lolling about doing nowt but BF and wean the babe.

OP posts:
justabout · 28/03/2008 13:42

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Boobalina · 28/03/2008 13:59

I think the main thing here is that I have done both and have worked FT when I had first child and then after a year was 'allowed' by company to do 4 days a week. Am now on Mat leave with second kidder and will be returning to work again in July. When the kids are older, yes it is infinitely easier to do more round the house in a small amount of time. However when you have a three year old constantly saying, please play with me, a babe that wants to be fed, changed, rocked, played with etc - it can be diffiuclt to get he smallest of things done - such as BRASSOING (smirk)

OP posts:
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