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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Living with a partner who is used to SAHM / homemaker dynamic

854 replies

glensof · 24/01/2025 17:08

Moved in together with a partner (6 months ago), and need advice.

Our relationship is brilliant in all respects, apart from one: he does absolutely zero "housework" of any sorts. Not only physical things (dishes, laundry, cooking, minor diy and such), but also no "mental load" of any sorts (doctor's appointments, bills, insurance, subscriptions - all his own). His level of competence in domestic duties / life admin is roughly at the level of a pre-schooler - I am serious.

All his previous partners / wives have been 100% homemakers (whether there were children in the relationship or not), and he doesn't have much experience living on his own, or with a woman who has to work for a living. He's been exceptionally financially successful in the past so it was no issue at all, but now his circumstances have changed quite dramatically and it is no longer the case.

I am the only breadwinner now, and it started to annoy me that after a long stressful work day I have a second shift picking his socks from the floor and collecting dishes / mugs from the house. We discussed it openly and he does fully understand where I am coming from, and is very apologetic. If I ask him explicitly to do something, he will do with absolutely no complaints - but I just can't constantly micromanage an adult to this level ("go and pick up your socks first darling, and then we'll discuss current affairs and geopolitics"). I feel like a nagging shallow bitch so I just do it myself. His problem is that he can't immediately unlearn nearly 40 years of previous coupled life - he's used to socks and mugs magically disappearing, the car somehow always being fully charged just when he needs it, fairies delivering a delicious dinner straight to the table each night and dentist appointments in his calendar just popping up when the time comes. He genuinely just doesn't see these tasks, understand how long they take or how frequently they need to be done - they don't even register with him as "something that needs to be done for my comfort by someone".

I love him to bits and I really, really want this to work. There's so much that is right about him, and I want this to be the last relationship in my life (in a good way). This post is not to complain, but genuinely to seek advice on how to fix the situation. I am quite a messy creature myself, and have a higher than average tolerance to domestic chaos - but it now started getting even to me, and I was a bit snappy several times.

OP posts:
LordBummenbachsMagnificentBalls · 24/01/2025 19:16

Sadly I think so many women have been conditioned by society and depictions of happily ever afters and 2.4 children to believe life simply isn’t complete without a man in it. OP would rather live with a total drain on her time and resources than be alone.

diddl · 24/01/2025 19:17

He's in his 60s & it has never occurred to him to pick up his socks or make a dentist appointment?

What a load of enablers he's been with!

fashionqueen0123 · 24/01/2025 19:18

glensof · 24/01/2025 18:56

Me, yes. He's native English. From Yorkshire, not sure if it is a hotbed of misogyny.

Just tell him. Anytime he’s left his pants around, dishes in the sink etc tell him to come and sort it. Every time.

GreekSun · 24/01/2025 19:18

@Thepeopleversuswork he's already in the house and doesn't sound like he's going anywhere so may as well get cracking with the house training pronto!!

He can go on an accelerated programme as he doesn't have a job 😉

tillytown · 24/01/2025 19:19

You do the shopping, do the cooking, do his washing, do the cleaning, and you pay the bills, at what point are you going to realise you aren't his girlfriend, you are his mum?

Thepeopleversuswork · 24/01/2025 19:19

LordBummenbachsMagnificentBalls · 24/01/2025 19:16

Sadly I think so many women have been conditioned by society and depictions of happily ever afters and 2.4 children to believe life simply isn’t complete without a man in it. OP would rather live with a total drain on her time and resources than be alone.

This. This is one of the most depressing threads I've read on here for a while.

He doesn't even have any of the dubious virtues of being "old fashioned". If he was a traditional sexist who wanted the OP to stay at home and do housework while he provided for her he'd be a predictable sexist old fart but at least consistently keeping up his side of the bargain.

This bloke can't even do this. He's the worst of all possible worlds.

Lentilweaver · 24/01/2025 19:20

Am beginning to think this is a wind up.

Shinyandnew1 · 24/01/2025 19:20

So he brings no money to the table, doesn't pull his weight with housework and is actively actuating causing you more work because he can't even pick up after himself.

What a prince among men!

CantHoldMeDown · 24/01/2025 19:20

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ at the poster's request.

allthemiddlechildrenoftheworld · 24/01/2025 19:21

@outerspacepotato dont think we will get an answer to that question! i dont even think he should be supporting a child who is not even his! her mother obviously saw him coming!! the way he seems to have thrown his money about is probably the reason he was made bankrupt!! wonder how much he actually puts into op's household????

IsawwhatIsaw · 24/01/2025 19:22

Theeyeballsinthesky · 24/01/2025 19:12

Tbh the more the OP replies, the more I think this has to be a wind up

no one could be this utterly clueless/this much of a doormat

Yes I’m now thinking troll/ wind up. At least I hope it is…

Lentilweaver · 24/01/2025 19:22

I come from a very.traditional background where the men work and the women stay at home. Which is shit but as pp said, at least the men work and don't have a string of ex-wives.

MiddleAgedDread · 24/01/2025 19:23

Perhaps you could make him a reward chart and chore list and he only gets sex if he’s done his tasks for the day?
seriously though, how did you not work out his incompetence before you agreed to live together?!?

PeggyMitchellsCameo · 24/01/2025 19:24

If I was one of OP’s kids I would be FURIOUS.
I am sorry but he’s seen her coming with bells on.
Who needs a retirement plan when you land on your feet like this?

OhBow · 24/01/2025 19:25

I'm now genuinely considering getting myself a reward chart for housework, I love a gold star and stickers in general

BotterMon · 24/01/2025 19:25

Send him off to housekeeping school? He's a SAHM (m=man) and should be doing all housework including having dinner ready for you now he's recovered from his health issues. As there are no kids, it's not exactly onerous!

Motnight · 24/01/2025 19:25

This has to be a windup

CantHoldMeDown · 24/01/2025 19:25

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ at the poster's request.

Normallynumb · 24/01/2025 19:25

He's not a great man if he expects a woman to run around picking up his dropped pants from the floor and cooking his dinner!
Personally I would have talked about expectations before he moved in but sit down and tell him he's taking the absolute piss, and if he doesn't shape up, he can ship out back to where he came from
I didn't put up with this from one of my teen boys, certainly wouldn't do it now

TheLargestToblerone · 24/01/2025 19:27

He genuinely just doesn't see these tasks, understand how long they take or how frequently they need to be done - they don't even register with him as "something that needs to be done for my comfort by someone".

You can't possibly really believe this. Do you think he believes in magic, or is he aware that laundry, cooking and cleaning require human intervention? Do you think his socks are camouflaged to his eyes? Why are they on the floor anyway? There is a clue here in the answer to that, and it involves selfishness and entitlement. Can you imagine someone not doing part of their job and saying that they genuinely just don't see those tasks. Honestly OP, what the fuck are you thinking. His dick must shoot stars.

Ladamesansmerci · 24/01/2025 19:29

Chore rota you can stick on the cupboard door. Get him to write it with you so he has input. Then you can just say 'look at the rota'. Overtime things become habit.

I have ADHD and struggle a lot with chores, but do manage a lot better if I stick to a very rigid routine.

ElizabethTaylorsEyebrow · 24/01/2025 19:29

Given your posts on this thread and the fact you were raised this way, you may be better able to stand this than many women.

Make your peace with doing everything. He will not change. He doesn’t want to. Where is the benefit to him in doing so?

And even if he did want to, I doubt a man in his 60s has the capacity for such a radical change of personality.

If you were younger, had or wanted children, and had higher expectations for men I would advise you to get out ASAP because this would eat a woman like that up inside.

In your case it sounds like you might just be okay enough with this situation to find it worth it for the next 20-30 years. Focus on and enjoy the positives in your relationship, which you have said are many.

Taigabread · 24/01/2025 19:30

glensof · 24/01/2025 17:24

Sorry, too many questions so will answer in one post.

He's not earning now, but I am comfortable financially to cover that side, so it is not really a problem. He had a successful business, not a career. Now he can't return to it due to a combination of reasons, mostly health related. It's downtime now when he is deciding what to do next, and I am quite happy for him to take time off and regroup.

He ran a successful business yet simply cannot manage basic household tasks? Oh aye 🤣

Wow have you fallen for his lines 🤣🤣
Anyone able to cope with running a business including stuff like invoicing, payments, sales, managing a diary, business strategy, growth, marketing etc, can absolutely manage to make a few appointments, load a dishwasher, and place socks in a laundry bin.

You sound quite naive with your wide eyed 'he' s just never learned how!' nonsense. Pull the wool from over your eyes, this man is a total waste of your time

NeedsMustNet · 24/01/2025 19:32

Lists! And more lists! Am echoing a couple of other’s people words here. Is this an acceptable compromise position to you?

IF he can do what you want / need him to when you tell him to, I am guessing this is something you both can live with.

PullTheBricksDown · 24/01/2025 19:33

The thing is, if you've got to your 60s and not ever done standard housework, cooking for yourself things, then you've made a fair amount of effort to actively avoid doing those things. There comes a point when it's just easier to pick up and wash your own socks because otherwise you have to buy new ones or go barefoot. He has consistently found it preferable to get women to do these things for him. That's quite the commitment to avoiding them.

You could have the benefits of the relationship still if he moved out. He could come round, have the good sex and the fun conversations, then go away and drop his socks on this own floor. All the enjoyment but not the drudgery.