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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Or is DH? Stuck on holiday with him

304 replies

WITWHBIWAGT · 26/07/2024 19:55

Bought lunch in a small supermarket today as per agreement. We are on holiday and needed quick food. I got a shop bought meat sandwich and some bread and hummus. It was slim pickings.

So, DC decided they didn’t want the shop sandwich and I’m vegetarian. So I said to DH, ‘I am afraid it’s the shop bought sandwich for you.’ I said it in a kind of resigned, ‘bloody fussy kids’ kind of way - I thought.

He got cross and asked why does he have to eat it? I said you don’t but DC don’t want it and I don’t eat meat. ‘So why aren’t I allowed bread and hummus?’ - me ‘I’m not saying you are aren’t, I’m just saying no one else will eat that sandwich’ - he continues ranting. I say, ‘it’s fine, we can just chuck the sandwich away’.

Anyway he goes on being cross and telling me how awful I’m being. I get a bit tearful. Oldest DC comes and hugs me. DH storms off and slams the door. Then a bit later comes angrily out and angrily eats the bloody sandwich. I try and make conversation but I’m feeling a bit upset.

DC then go off somewhere so I calmly explain that I wasn’t dictating he should have the sandwich, more was commiserating. He sulkily says thank you for explaining and then says, ‘but can you see how I might think you were dictating what I eat’. I say no I don’t, because it seems obvious to me that I’m saying oh no, you poor thing, the DC are being fussy again and you are going to be stuck with that boring sandwich.

He launches into another tirade about how awful I’ve been (I got a bit irritated with him twice in the last week - I think most people would have but that’s another thread) - called me arrogant. Said my irritation with him was as unacceptable. I asked him if he thought it was ok to speak to me how he was. He didn’t answer. Carried on his tirade until I just sat quiet for long enough. I had a bit of a cry.

Was I being unreasonable and should he say sorry for getting so angry and storming off? To be clear, I stayed calm, didn’t once shout and didn’t call him any names or have a go at him but also didn’t just apologise because he’d completely misunderstood me for some reason.

I’ve got another week of holiday left. I just want to go home but have to play happy families for DC.

OP posts:
ProfessorPeppy · 27/07/2024 08:37

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

DS1 is ASD/ADHD, I am not ableist. I’m realistic about how being neurodivergent affects your style of thinking.

NotbloodyGivingupYet · 27/07/2024 08:40

OP try the relationships board next time. Aibu is only fit for parking threads these days.
Stop the expensive couples counselling. It's not recommended where one partner is abusive. And your husband is abusive.
You are basically surviving this relationship rather than living a happy life. You and DC deserve better than having to tread on eggshells for an entire holiday. Being on alert all the time is exhausting. And it doesn't work because sooner or later the abuser decides they want to have a rant and they will find something to rant about.

taylorswift1989 · 27/07/2024 08:58

Some of the comments on this thread are just shameful nonsense. OP you did nothing wrong. Your husband is an abusive prick. The commenters trying to shame you over your sandwich choice are ridiculous.

Getitgirl · 27/07/2024 09:06

@WITWHBIWAGT i’m so sorry you’re receiving such stupid, petulant responses to sandwich-gate on here. Many of us totally get it OP, we really do. You deserve better than your husband. Your kids too.

TheBottomsOfMyTrousersAreRolled · 27/07/2024 09:58

his level of anger makes me question my own judgement

Smile along. Get through the holiday for the children and be happy knowing you now know who is he and youll leave him when you get home

UngratefulOldCabbage · 27/07/2024 10:03

RadRad · 26/07/2024 20:33

I think the relationship is over for both sides, arguing about something trivial like this must be exhausting, kids know it, you know it. Sorry op, hugs xx

This. It doesn't matter who is right or wrong in each situation. The fact is you are both unhappy, and your children are being affected.
Just end it now and work on living apart with your children's best interests as the focus.

SendNoodles · 27/07/2024 14:31

His reaction seems over the top to me. People seem to be focusing too much on the sandwich.

NalafromtheLionKing · 27/07/2024 14:39

I’m wondering whether there is a different angle to this. Was the holiday very low budget (just a guess based on lunch choice) so had been really looked forward to but ended up disappointing all round?

AnnieSnap · 27/07/2024 18:11

I’m stunned that some people have voted YABU. Of course YANBU. I’m guessing that when he came back and you ‘tried to chat even though you felt upset’ was because you were trying to keep the peace as you are on a family holiday with the kids. If you feel obliged to do this on other occasions though, bear in mind that you may be sliding into being controlled to an extent by his bad behaviour. If he rants like this on other occasions, he would benefit either from individual therapy to explore why he becomes angry unnecessarily and shouts at you and/or anger management.

WITWHBIWAGT · 27/07/2024 18:36

NalafromtheLionKing · 27/07/2024 14:39

I’m wondering whether there is a different angle to this. Was the holiday very low budget (just a guess based on lunch choice) so had been really looked forward to but ended up disappointing all round?

Nope. Just getting from A to B on a journey and in a rush so had to be quick. Stopped quickly on route to grab food. Only shop had very little choice as it wasn’t set up for ‘on the go’ food.

OP posts:
mansviewpoint · 27/07/2024 18:55

Thank you for answering and explaining the situation further. I can now say that for me you are definitely not being unreasonable. Even though we can only hear your viewpoint, you've now explained it to such an extent that I cannot possibly see that he is in the right or that you are in the wrong with him. I would like to suggest that it's possible that he's very stressed /anxious / depressed but that isn't your problem and it certainly isn't the kids problem. If he is suffering with MH issues then he needs to be honest with you and the kids. However I don't think he is, I think he's having tantrums and doesn't want to be with his family on holiday. Sad really.

ummbrella · 27/07/2024 18:56

Wendysfriend · 26/07/2024 20:09

God all this over a sandwich 🙄 I would have gone back to the shop and bought a fuck ton of hummus and handed it to him and said here you go you moany fuck, here's your poxy hummus. But then I'm stubborn.

Most mother's would eat whatever their kids didn't want, I know your veggie but jesus he could have ate the sandwich without moaning about wanting hummus. I bet he ate it all and enjoyed it.

Definitely take some hours apart during the holiday, you can get a bit of peace and not have to listen to him moaning.

Yeah, but it’s not about the sandwich though, is it.

PorridgeEater · 27/07/2024 19:28

What a palaver - over a sandwich? I'd agree with the person who was surprised a European supermarket didn't have anything else. Best not buy anything you wouldn't eat yourself.

Cotonsugar · 27/07/2024 19:36

The food wasn’t the issue here ☹️

Thepartnersdesk · 27/07/2024 20:05

I would definitely say something like that to my husband in the same position.

Similarly if it was tuna or egg it would be 'you'll have to eat that ' for me.

This isn't about the bloody sandwiches. Something else is going on.

pomers · 27/07/2024 20:10

I think too much focus is being out on the sandwich. It’s not about the sandwich, it’s about a relationship that’s ending. Focusing on the sandwich will just cause you to go round and round. It’s over, start thinking about what your future needs to look like

Atethehalloweenchocs · 27/07/2024 20:15

Its really clear that he has given himself permission to be as rude and horrible to you as he wants. That is a massive problem, and does not bode well.

pollymere · 27/07/2024 20:28

As your DH I'd be wondering... What no packet ham? No tomatoes? No cucumber? And I definitely wouldn't have bothered buying the sandwich unless it was as an extra item for DC but on the basis there was enough for everyone without it. I'd have said "Would you like the sandwich?" to DH but told him it was in addition to the bread and whatever else I'd been able to buy.

NeedMoreHeadSpce · 27/07/2024 20:52

My soon-to-be exH was always a dick on holiday. He’d humiliate me and have a go at me out of nowhere, and cause utter confusion and upset. I’m a strong woman and tbh, he has a massive narc ego and was punching. A year ago I discovered he was having an affair. I’m now on hols with our 16 yo DS, and the feeling of freedom and happiness being away without him is immense. Consider what might be going on behind the scenes for him to behave like that.

Pupinskipops · 27/07/2024 21:36

Sounds like there's more to this story than meets the eye, and we're just hearing the latest in a series of recent events, culminating in the sandwich becoming the proxy for wider problems...

pineapplesundae · 27/07/2024 21:41

Don’t you know what he likes by now? If you were in charge of buying lunch, you should try and please the people you’re buying for. Otherwise, ask them to choose their own sandwich. Don’t create a situation and then cry poor me.

CutthroatDruTheViolent · 27/07/2024 21:56

I genuinely don't know why people are picking you apart @WITWHBIWAGT, unless they are in unhappy relationships themselves.

To me, this should have been such a non-event.

A sandwich bought for a kid who ultimately didn't want it; handing it over to a grown adult to have it instead as they normally would. I mean, if I was in an arse of a mood I might say "I don't want that, I'll share yours/get something different" and throw it away. But sparking a fight about it and then carrying it on about other things really speaks volumes.

When something as trivial as this triggers a fight and tears something is really not on.

Itsmecathy87 · 27/07/2024 21:56

pineapplesundae · 27/07/2024 21:41

Don’t you know what he likes by now? If you were in charge of buying lunch, you should try and please the people you’re buying for. Otherwise, ask them to choose their own sandwich. Don’t create a situation and then cry poor me.

Wow what a c*nty comment!

Itsmecathy87 · 27/07/2024 22:00

He once ranted and raved at me for 20 minutes on a journey because he didn’t think I was listening to him well enough. Basically, I listened but didn’t agree with him (it had been a calm discussion but we had different views).
Why do men do that??? Why do some men have a need of us to verbally acknowledge that we are listening? My DP does this. He'd be driving along, and will make a randomn remark not requiring my input, but he then makes a sarcastic comment if I don't make some sort of response. And that's from a man that doesn't even listen to what I say!!!

Runnerinthenight · 27/07/2024 22:00

pineapplesundae · 27/07/2024 21:41

Don’t you know what he likes by now? If you were in charge of buying lunch, you should try and please the people you’re buying for. Otherwise, ask them to choose their own sandwich. Don’t create a situation and then cry poor me.

Charming.