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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

AIBU to not feel guilty about shouting at my husband?

7 replies

Peppette · 15/08/2024 21:27

So we are in the process of separating but still living under the same roof at the moment. He has really shouted/screamed at me a few times, including slamming doors, all while the kids are in earshot. I usually just leave the situation if I can or cry or whatever, react passively I suppose.

We've actually just been to marriage counselling and the kids were still next door with the people who watched them while we went. This doesn't always happen but today it had bought up a lot of stuff for me where I feel like I'm putting in effort and really trying and he keeps moving the goalposts and not holding himself to the same standards he is holding me at. The big one he keeps bringing up at the moment is that we both needed to communicate, we've already had a number of issues with this in that he is trying to absolve himself from something because I didn't communicate with him when I did so it's already a touchy subject.

So what we were arguing about is how the other day he took the kids to the park with his mates and after a couple of hours, I had just got back from shopping (which took longer than expected) and I communicated to him that I was feeling overwhelmed with the things that I needed to get sorted to get dinner in the table at a reasonable hour (food needing putting away, kitchen was a massive mess after he made lunch, dishwasher, washing etc there was probably about 7 jobs in total that needed to be done fairly soon) and that I needed his help with some of it. He asked "when do you need me back then" and I replied "uhhhm...now?" Which I thought was implied but okay.

Anyway I had done a meal plan and he goes to use something that I've bought for meals on other days (I no longer have time to make the thing I had planned for that day), and he's pulling things out and asking can I use that and he's getting more and more annoyed and I'm getting more and more overwhelmed.

And that's what the argument today was about, I told him he could have just looked at the meal plan that was on the table behind him and he shouted/screamed, "or you could have just answered my f-ing questions because you were right there" or something like that and then I shouted/screamed back " or you could have thought to yourself that I had already told you I was overwhelmed and that its probably not the best time to ask me 17 f-ing questions" then I started to walk away and calmly says "oh look I can shout too". And then he has the audacity to then ask me questions about if he should take the kids with him on a dog walk now or just walk the dog later and I said "are you really asking me more questions right now, is that really what you're doing" and just repeated that until he stopped and left.

Now I know it was wrong to shout objectively and I have literally never screamed like that at a person before, it was almost as if I stood to one side and watched myself and went "woah that's a lot". But I can't bring myself to feel bad about it, as I said he's done it a few times now and he did shout at me first which is what triggered me. I have not said sorry, but neither has he yet either.

If it was an AITA question, I guess everyone is a bit shit here but it's not. I feel bad about not feeling bad about it basically and obviously I know shouting at a person is wrong, but should I feel bad about it?

PS sorry it's so long, I guess I needed a little vent too!

OP posts:
ThatTealViewer · 15/08/2024 21:31

For goodness sake. You’re wondering if you should feel bad about standing up for yourself when your husband was shouting at you and being a twat? Seriously?

ETA: actually, that was unkind. I apologise. This sort of thing just frustrates me. Women are not required to be pleasant doormats, OP. It sounds like you need to find and own your anger.

MyOtherCarisAVauxhallZafira · 15/08/2024 21:36

Why are you in marriage counselling when this relationship is over?
Tbh I'm not sure what the underlying issues or backstory are but clearly there are some. I can't imagine being overwhelmed by putting shopping away, tidying a kitchen and preparing dinner. Annoyed at the person who left the mess, yes.
I also think it's odd to expect someone to read a meal plan rather than have a conversation but again I don't know the back story.

He sounds like a dick, but it sounds like unnecessary drama from your end too. If he does something without asking it's wrong, eg taking the wrong food, if he asks whether it's best to take the kids with him on the dog walk ie get them out of your hair as you're busy with jobs, he shouldn't be asking. Clearly the relationship and communication have completely broken down, you need to get on with separating and get the children out of this situation

MumsPointOfView · 15/08/2024 21:48

YANBU - when will partners understand that when we say we are overwhelmed we are overwhelmed and need you to put your big boy pants on to help me with XYZ and switch on emotionally. I feel you, I really struggle to deal with unnecessary questions from my H constantly especially when I already have a mental load it’s something that makes him less attractive to me in that moment, it can feel like I have an additional child swinging from my ankles 🤣🙈 you don’t feel guilty because you have probably checked out from his BS x

Peppette · 15/08/2024 21:51

MyOtherCarisAVauxhallZafira · 15/08/2024 21:36

Why are you in marriage counselling when this relationship is over?
Tbh I'm not sure what the underlying issues or backstory are but clearly there are some. I can't imagine being overwhelmed by putting shopping away, tidying a kitchen and preparing dinner. Annoyed at the person who left the mess, yes.
I also think it's odd to expect someone to read a meal plan rather than have a conversation but again I don't know the back story.

He sounds like a dick, but it sounds like unnecessary drama from your end too. If he does something without asking it's wrong, eg taking the wrong food, if he asks whether it's best to take the kids with him on the dog walk ie get them out of your hair as you're busy with jobs, he shouldn't be asking. Clearly the relationship and communication have completely broken down, you need to get on with separating and get the children out of this situation

Edited

We're in counselling as a mediator to work out and come to agreements about the logistics of separating.

There was a lot more going on that just the things I listed and I was anxious about the time element as well as we have young-ish kids that still need a bedtime even in the summer holidays. I agree there is unnecessary drama from me in this example and I own that, however, I spent a long time pushing aside my feelings trying to do the things that he was asking of me and feeling under scrutiny from him as well that I am generally quite anxious around him now as a rule (or if I'm not able to do something he expects like dinner at a certain time) and all my feelings that I pushed down are bubbling out, sometimes in drama and apparently sometimes shouting.

OP posts:
MyOtherCarisAVauxhallZafira · 15/08/2024 21:52

As I said I don't know the back story and there clearly is one. You're not going to suddenly be able to communicate with each other, you need to progress to separating properly it's the only way to end the toxicity

SpiritAdder · 15/08/2024 22:10

I see the effort from both of you.

You called him up, asked him to come home straight away, he does so.
You didn’t have time to prepare the dinner listed on the meal plan, and he’s pitching in to cook dinner while presumably you’re doing one or more of the other jobs.

He asks you what is ok to cook, and you tell him look at the meal plan…when the meal plan will list a dinner there isn’t time to cook!

Just as you thought the I need help implied come home now, I am sure his perspective is that the what should I cook implied, which dinner do you want to eat? (Because the meal plan was useless by then).

I agree, why couldn’t you answer the question on what to have for dinner so he could get on with making it.

Being overwhelmed isn’t an excuse to be arsey and you being arsey isn’t an excuse for him to shout either.

Communication is a serious issue between the two of you BUT keep going to the therapy, bad habits cannot be undone quickly. And improvement will involve a few accidental episodes of regression. I know it’s disappointing to have a row when you’re both putting in effort, but it does happen.

I know you are seperating, but improving your communication is so important for the future wellbeing of your kids as you will be co-parenting from different households.

StormingNorman · 15/08/2024 22:15

Stop wasting your money on marriage counselling. This relationship is done.

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