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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

DH just told me he expects me to miss-out on a work thing and deal with childcare so he can go to the pub.

163 replies

Poppyfie1ds · 05/11/2024 21:24

I know this sounds like I'm expecting him to ask permission, but I'm not; quite the opposite in fact. Hear me out. My DH(M39) and me (F38) work for the same company both full time. We have DS (11). Now the company are doing a 'fun day' party type thing at the office in a couple of weeks time. Working at the same company we are obviously both invited. When it was announced a couple of months ago I asked DH if he was going and he grumpily told me it wasn't his sort of thing, so no, he'd stay out the office that day. Fast forward to today, and while I'm cooking dinner, DH gets back from the office and tells me "he can't remember if he mentioned it" (he didn't because it turns out it was only agreed a few hours ago) but after this fun day, some male colleagues and himself are going to the pub. At no time (not even after our row tonight) has he asked me if I'm planning to go to this fun day or show any interest in my plans.

Like a lot of parents, even without the added pub trip there would be the school run to consider if we're both in the office on the same day. So I was super p-off and said "so I guess I'll be doing the school run?" At which point DH picks up my annoyance and starts hypothetically roping in our parents to babysit. I got really annoyed and said that we work at the same place, we have childcare to consider we really need to be talking to each other in the planning stage and not presenting each other with "I'm doing this - it's agreed with everyone except you and the babysitters". DH has a history of presenting me with his plans in this way and if childcare is an issue just assuming the grandparents will step in, without actually checking with them. This fun day thing is a relatively minor issue on its own, but tonight was the straw that broke the camel's back.

DH has called me deranged for being annoyed. He tells me he'll pull out from the pub trip "if it will make me happy" as if he's being the good guy here, instead of the guy who doesn't talk to his wife about any of his plans, assumes others will deal with the childcare and who apparently can't say to his male colleagues 'I'll just check who's doing the school run and get back to you.' DH says that what I'm expecting from him isn't normal. It's not even really about the pub for me, it's about me now not being able to attend a work thing without any discussion - the grandparents won't be able to step in because they don't like to drive in the dark and it will be dark early, and I actually think there is some sort of school concert that evening too, which I've not even bothered reminding him of.

DH routinely presents me with complete 'this is happening' plans that have knock on affects to childcare (not to mention my plans) and I have to either smile, nod and deal with it, or point out some objection and be accused of "stopping him." I'm currently annoyed but remarkably calm. DH has had a complete hissy-fit and says he'll never make plans or go out again and that it's always like this. I am not his mum, I don't want to be presented with his plans for me to grant permission or get in his way, I want DH to be talking to me about his plans as he arranges them, like a grown up who is part of a family unit. I don't event book a hairdressing appointment without checking childcare is covered and it doesn't inconvenience anyone first.

Thank you for reading, that was cathartic. I guess I need to ask, have I got this wrong, AIBU?

OP posts:
Pussycat22 · 05/11/2024 23:55

LTB !!!!

viques · 06/11/2024 00:00

He has offered to forgo work do, call his bluff, say thanks and make sure he doesn’t weasel out of it!

shuggles · 06/11/2024 00:17

I'm always confused by the number of women on here who are married to men who go to the pub with their male friends.

Isn't that something that kids do in their early 20s? I thought people quickly grew out of drinking culture by the time they're in their mid 20s. Surely most people could not be fucked going to "the pub"?

Diomi · 06/11/2024 05:37
  1. It sounds like you didn’t tell him you were going.
  2. ’That is fine but, as you know, I’m at the work do so you will have to arrange childcare’ would be a better response. It means you are not the reason he can’t go and once he has had the hassle of finding childcare a few times, he’ll probably check his plans with you.
Zanatdy · 06/11/2024 05:47

He clearly knew that you were going to the fun day, and now he’s just decided that he is going now and you have to cancel your plans as he is going out afterwards. No consideration if you wanted to go for drinks too. Completely selfish attitude and typical DH reaction to kick off. It’s just so infuriating that men just expect the woman to be the one that picks up the child.

Zanatdy · 06/11/2024 05:50

shuggles · 06/11/2024 00:17

I'm always confused by the number of women on here who are married to men who go to the pub with their male friends.

Isn't that something that kids do in their early 20s? I thought people quickly grew out of drinking culture by the time they're in their mid 20s. Surely most people could not be fucked going to "the pub"?

No, it’s pretty normal for people to go to the pub with friends at all ages.

Nothatgingerpirate · 06/11/2024 05:57

godmum56 · 05/11/2024 22:17

OP has he always been like this and if so what does he bring to the table?

Yes.
He sounds a massive burden in life.

Christmasfairy3 · 06/11/2024 05:58

In this situation
Carry on as normal
His responsibility is the school run today .
You are attending the funeral day as agreed weeks ago .
Up to him how he sorts it out .
Don't be his back up ,don't let him wriggle out of the responsibility

Christmasfairy3 · 06/11/2024 05:59

Fun day ..sorry ,,bloody auto correct

autienotnaughty · 06/11/2024 06:08

In this scenario my response would be

"Ok but you are down to work from home and do the school run"

Then leave him to sort it out. He doesn't learn because you don't make it his responsibility.

Going forward would it be easier to have set days you each do school run.

Maria1979 · 06/11/2024 06:13

I'm with the others on this one. Golden rule : everything needs to be cleared by partner before comitment. I'm a sahm to school kids (1Sen so don't have a choice really) and I have lots if free time during the day so obviously DH don't have to deal with dinners, homework, bed etc in the evening. So it's really a given that he can do what he wants to in the evening when he stops working at 19 h. He still has the politeness to ask me EVERY SINGLE TIME if I'm OK with him going to the cinema/ for a walk / see his mum/ friends when he wants to do that. It's just the polite thing to do when you're a couple 🤷‍♀️

Laptoppie · 06/11/2024 06:17

He tells me he'll pull out from the pub trip "if it will make me happy"

Honestly just say yes it will thanks and go to the fun day.

Rocknrollstar · 06/11/2024 06:20

Without addressing your relationship, could your DS go home with a friend and stay the night? That’s what my DC used to do.

ExcludedatfiveFML · 06/11/2024 06:25

It's his child

How can he babysit his own child?

AlertCat · 06/11/2024 06:26

Poppyfie1ds · 05/11/2024 22:49

Ooo sorry I'll just answer this one before I go. It's logistics that make this difficult we work far away from home when we go to the office. He's not working from home that day any more and didn't tell me this, he's booked-in to work from the office first thing then go to the fun day later, then he will go from the office for drinks locally. I am also booked similar as he said he wasn't going in and I was even hoping to join some after work drinks myself - but was waiting to see if DS was required at the school concert first. I actually don't care about the pub stuff so much as one of us will have to cancel our work plans and he's assumed it will be me without speaking to me.

I got a summer tutoring job one year on fairly good money. I started it and all was going well, Ex was also on holidays and had our dc while I did this. Then he was offered some work as well. Rather than arranging things so we could both do our jobs, he just left me to have dc. I tried taking her to the tutoring job but it didn’t work and I had to give it up.

at the end of the summer Ex told me he’d paid his overdraft off thanks to the job he did. My overdraft was very much not paid off.

My relationship was actually emotionally abusive, which is what concerns me with this. Hopefully it doesn’t go that far, but gaslighting and silent treatment, grumping etc are not good behaviours to face in a relationship.

Doingmybest12 · 06/11/2024 06:29

I'd remind him that he was working from home so doing school pick up and there is a school concert that night. Don't get involved in anything else .

Billybagpuss · 06/11/2024 06:35

Have you ever pointed out he’s not letting you do things as the dc are joint responsibility.

user1492757084 · 06/11/2024 06:35

This

CatamaranViper · 06/11/2024 06:36

Challenge him and be direct.

"Why do you expect me to change plans to accommodate yours? You knew I wanted to go to the fun day and now you're telling me I can't. How is that fair?"

"If I'm a "terrible wife who won't let you go anywhere", why are you still married to me?"

"I always cave and change plans to accommodate you (give example) and it stops now. Stop trying to guilt trip me"

"You've really taken the shine off of what was meant to be a nice day that you actively said you weren't going to attend. That's really sad"

Volumedelachanel · 06/11/2024 06:43

Backfromswimming · 05/11/2024 21:42

He tells me he'll pull out from the pub trip "if it will make me happy"

Rather than let him guilt trip, I’d smile and say it very much would make me happy, that I was glad he was seeing sense and being considerate.
Don’t give it another thought and feign disinterest if he mentions it in future.

Definitely do this. and don't feel one iota of guilt. He feels none.

Pickled21 · 06/11/2024 07:07

This isn't just about one argument. You have bigger issues in your marriage and this should highlight them to you. He puts his needs and wants above you and his child. You are expected to fall in line and when he doesn't get his way resorts to name calling. You are a family so not unreasonable to check in with each other. Whilst you hadn't explicitly stared you were going to the fun day you had implied that you were and anyway he has stated that it wasn't his thing and he didn't want to go. He's changed the goalposts and then got in a hump and gaslit you. These are the issues that I couldn't and wouldn't put up with. If you are the only one that ever considers your child in plans you make and life in general would it not just be easier to get rid of the dh so you don't have a dead weight to deal with too? As ypu acquiesce him the resentment and frustration will only build.

For now I'd likely tell him a few home truths. However, you might have different boundaries to me so telling him you are going to the fun day and he will be doing the school run, collections might be the best approach.

Hufflemuff · 06/11/2024 07:14

Everyone else already made a lot of the points I would make about him being an idiot etc...

However one thing struck me that i wanted to ask: Is there any truth in it, when he says you're always huffy/finding issue with his plans? Could that be why he puts it off telling you? Looking at that completely from his side, would you come to that conclusion?

Comtesse · 06/11/2024 07:23

Alalalala · 05/11/2024 22:04

Agree that he needs to cancel and you go to the event. Let him sulk and be a martyr about it and breezily ignore his shit.

I think this is the key. At some point you’re going to have to do this. He is getting his (unreasonable) way because you relent when he huffs and is bad tempered. You are being manipulated by his emotions. Hold the line - he offered to cancel, let him feel that pain and take up his offer.

And no you are NOT deranged - but he is being manipulative and entitled and stubborn.

Fedupwithteenagers24 · 06/11/2024 07:23

Purplewarrior · 05/11/2024 21:32

I would call his bluff and say yes, you will have to cancel your pub trip.

Exactly this
He phrased it in a way that backed you into a corner. Just smile and say thanks and let him do the childcare

Phonicshaskilledmeoff · 06/11/2024 07:26

Cant you have shared work calendars? We had school pick ups and night outs noted in there.
we also had a shared one note for longer term plans