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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Aibu to feel resentful about the imbalance of duties

11 replies

Frazzledfreya79 · 11/07/2024 21:10

Both DH and I work full time. We have 3 children, the eldest is from his previous relationship and is grown up.

Prior to my current role I worked from home and, as such, would pick up most of the domestic duties like, walking dog, all school drop offs and pick ups, cooking, washing, packing children’s bags and cleaning.

My husband does do all of the bill payments, mows lawns and sorts insurance stuff etc.

Recently we have changed jobs. I now work a 40 hour week in the office and he works from home. His company van has only 2 seats. Therefore all pick up and drop offs fall on me and the same domestic duties as before.

Am I being unreasonable to be grumpy and resentful towards him for this? I literally feel completely worn down and burnt out but I am not sure if I’m just being a martyr or whether there is an imbalance here.

To top it off, today our daughter was sent home from school with a rash and my husband was angry at me for not standing up to them and insisting she stays at nursery (she was not poorly otherwise). Earlier this evening we had a huge fight as, I have tomorrow off, and I suggested he takes kids to school to give me a break. He screamed at me and told me it was my problem as, ‘I was trying to shirk difficult conversations with nursery staff about our daughter going in’. As an aside, I realise some mums out there will point out I have a day off but I really feel I could do with a few hours to myself as I rarely have this.

He stormed out of house and sent me this msg ‘Nursery is your problem being soft with them, not our daughter’.

Am I being unreasonable? I have recently come off my medication for anxiety and he has pointed out that I am being unbearable. So I am looking for level-headed support here to advise me if, in actual fact, I am being combative with him and actually need to get some perspective. Alternatively is there some merit in my current sentiment.

OP posts:
Ginwitch5 · 11/07/2024 21:17

I have always shared house and children duties with my husband. We switch roles between who has the most demanding job and working close to home from time to time and whoever it makes most sense gets allocated the task.

Sounds like you have identified the cause of your anxiety.

grungey · 11/07/2024 21:19
  1. How dare he scream at you. Just who does he think he is? What awful behaviour to show your children
  2. If he strongly feels the nursery need putting straight then he is best placed to do that himself
  3. You need to carve up the division of labour with a reasonable and factual Conversation / spreadsheet, but given the other info in the thread it seems unlikely that you can have this kind of conversation with him if he just shouts you down
  4. What support do you have in real life? Use it.
atticstage · 11/07/2024 21:22

My husband does do all of the bill payments, mows lawns and sorts insurance stuff etc.

Unless you live on some great country estate and pay all your bills manually in person instead of by DD, that cannot possibly take as much time as your share of tasks.

cupcaske123 · 11/07/2024 21:24

My husband does do all of the bill payments, mows lawns and sorts insurance stuff etc.

How much work is involved in setting up DD, looking on confused.com for insurance or mowing the lawn? He left you to do all the grunt work. You didn't have a fair division of labour.

Recently we have changed jobs. I now work a 40 hour week in the office and he works from home. His company van has only 2 seats. Therefore all pick up and drop offs fall on me and the same domestic duties as before

Now he's working from home, has he taken over all the chores as you did? Why can't he borrow your car to do the school run?

He's taking advantage of you and you sound exhausted. Sort out a fairer division of tasks.

Ozanj · 11/07/2024 21:25

The person at home HAS to do the bulk of the drop offs, pick ups and childcare sorting. He’s an idiot if he thinks he can wfh and pass the buck to you. Make it clear to him what he needs to do and the consequences if he doesn’t (divorce and 50/50 custody which means he’ll have to do it all on his days).

Despair1 · 11/07/2024 21:28

Hi OP, I can understand why you are feeling upset and hurt. You desperately want afew hours to yourself which is totally understandable. Your daughter having to be collected from nursery for the rash is standard protocol even if she feels well so your husband is being extremely unreasonable in suggesting that you haven't dealt with the matter in the right way.
The contrast between WFH and going out to work is enormous ( separate matter) and it seems that your husband expects you to continue with the same domestic duties/school drop offs/pick ups etc etc as previously. This seems grossly unfair. Does your husband do any chores/meal prep etc? Is getting a 'cheap' car an option to enable him to do school drop offs? Or is this something that he would find inconceivable to do? I think you need to have a conversation re rejigging of 'duties'; otherwise you will get increasingly resentful and burnt out. Please try and have this conversation when things are a bit calmer to support rational discussion.
Having come off anxiety meds recently makes you vulnerable. You need love and support. Wishing you well. please take care

circular2478 · 11/07/2024 21:28

Why does he have a work van if he works from home?

autienotnaughty · 11/07/2024 21:34

So you do all the daily tasks and he does the occasional tasks and this is supposedly equal. And when you ask for help he screams at you. What a horrible person

TiffanyTaylor · 11/07/2024 21:42

why did you take an office job?
he sounds like he doesn't like you or want to be apart of the family. He sounds like he secretly hates you.
I have no idea what you did or if he just feels stuck but I would find the CEO of the office and start dating him leave your current loser dude and then be a stay at home mom with the new rich guy. Sounds like your a maid.

littleapplecottage · 11/07/2024 22:21

To be fair I think the pp has nailed it, he does seem to act as if he hates you, but realises you make a good nanny to his children.
Have you thought of leaving him and splitting the childcare more equally (plus you wouldn't have responsibility for his older child)?
I seems you have everything to gain and nothing to lose separating from him, he sounds aggressive, abusive and completely uncaring, of you and your children.

BroadbeanMama · 11/07/2024 22:23

Your DH is a twat.

Sorry, that wasn’t helpful, but it’s true.

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