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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

AIBU re DH

105 replies

Highnone · 16/08/2024 18:05

having had a really difficult few weeks at work DH and I had a heart to heart and he agreed that he needed to pull his weight a bit more.
was promised a lovely evening tonight, my favourite drink ready and a nice dinner.
he has form for not listening to what I actually want and getting food etc that I don’t really like.
I explained clearly what I wanted (vodka, soda and lime)
home after work, he has bought lime and mint cordial and tonic water. I pointed out that this wasn’t what I wanted.
Big sigh, him pissed off and says I’m ungrateful. Big argument followed with me saying I’m sick of not being listened too
He has decided to go out and watch the kids play sport and left me to it. (This wasn’t the plan)
Amongst my sheer frustration I told him if he goes out I won’t be here when he gets back, said I was sick of it all.
I want to follow through on this but am
mindful I am ranging and full of emotion at the moment.

OP posts:
VerityUnreasonble · 17/08/2024 12:15

He fucked up the drink, that's fair, maybe he didn't give it the attention he should have.

I wonder about some of the other stuff, though. As happens I considerably out earn my DH (and have a more stressful job) but if the situation was reversed I'd be really hurt if he felt the need to point out he was "the main breadwinner" when we both work, our roles happen to pay differently and by nature I'm more ambitious. He contributes as much of his income to our family as I do (all of it!).

It sounds like your DH is trying to support you in a way, he is also working, doing things with the DC, possibly finding it quite stressful seeing you stressed? He tried to find a practical solution by sitting down and going through the finances. He can't cook but bought food to make for you - you called it low effort but what did you want him to do? Learn to cook? Or try and fail?

What is the balance of other stuff like? The housework, the mental load? The DCs stuff? Does he try and take stress off you with these things or put more stress on you?

Practically, you've been through the finances and don't feel like there are options but burning out completely isn't an option either. You will end up quitting/ off sick / breakdown and your finances will be screwed anyway. There needs to be another option which might include changes for you both or all.

I know you are feeling alone and unsupported and that you aren't getting the care you need. Maybe you feel everything is on you? Because you have to stay in this job to keep the financial situation going? But I wonder if some of that is becoming resentment that DH doesn't earn enough to fix it? Even if he had got the drink right, would that really have been enough?

I could be hugely wrong and maybe he has been a shit DH and done a million tiny things to make you feel rubbish (or both could be true).

No matter what you do about DH though, something will have to give with work.

Livinghappy · 17/08/2024 12:36

rather than him just behave in a way that a loving husband would do

This jumped out for me. You may have a definition of what "a living husband" does which is different to his. I'm not saying you need to tolerate poor behaviour (and ultimately you are the judge of his actions as living with him day to day) however do you nurture yourself? Do you buy yourself treats so that they are in house when you need them? Do you take time out to relax after a stressful week at work?

If you separated and loved alone with the children what would you have done to rest yourself last night? That doesn't mean you don't have to rely on him but nurturing yourself is important and a good life skill.

Greenhedge1 · 17/08/2024 12:47

OP, yanbu.
He is selfish and you are not a priority.
You need to look carefully at all that you do and cut back completely on ANYTHING that benefits him.
Does your salary pay for any hobbies or treats for him?
If so, knock them on the head.
He is living off you and benefits from all that you do while happily suiting himself.

You are clearly at risk of burnout and if that happens your children will suffer.

Stop asking him to be caring and decent and start taking back control.
Stop tolerating his selfishness.
Start holding back some of your salary.
Look at counselling.
Men like your husband see you as a work horse to provide them with a good life.

This is not a good man.
Good men care about their wives well-being.

pikkumyy77 · 17/08/2024 12:48

Highnone · 17/08/2024 07:30

Thanks all.
I came home in the end and went straight to bed. He slept downstairs
my daughter has an appointment this morning, he has got up and taken her - we had another argument. He asked me to confirm the postcode, I offered to take her and he snapped at me again.
He will see this at a surface level, that I’ve had a strop over a drink, as some posters here have also suggested.
But like others, it goes deeper than that. Do I ever really feel like he has put me at the centre of anything? Not really. But he is somewhat dismissive of me saying something like that, he doesn’t really listen to me.
We have been married 16 years. On one hand, he is by best friend, we get on and often have a very good laugh together. But on this deeper level, I just feel so alone.

How can he be your best friend? What on earth can that meN if, after 16 years together, you are both so reactive to each other?

GivingitToGod · 17/08/2024 13:21

Runnerinthenight · 16/08/2024 22:18

Bullshit. He couldn't even be bothered to get it right. My H drives me mad in very many ways, but in this situation, he'd have phoned to make sure he was getting what I wanted!!

Hi, we all have strengths and weaknesses and different irritations!

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