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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To expect DH to support me financially on maternity leave and increase the share of mental load

218 replies

Iris10000 · 13/06/2025 10:20

This is a long post but I hope I will get some response and advice. I have been going in circles with DH and it’s apparent we have totally different outlook on running the household and associated responsibilities. The argument boils down to two items:

  • money and what happens when my maternity pay decreases. Just as a background we have two DCs preschool age and 4 months. Before maternity leave I worked part time 4 days earning £72k. DH works 5 days earning £35k. We both get bonuses. Mine is c£10k once a year and his is £400 a month. DH refused to have joint account so I take care of all bills and he has standing order to my account. He approximately contributes 35 percent of all bills and kids expenses. Some larger purchases for DCs and household are financed from my bonus and he doesn’t contribute. DH has more savings than me as a result of not always contributing to all expenditure. I am fed up of being responsible for all finances and not having one pot. I don’t like the idea of my and yours money but DH disagrees. I asked DH if he could support me on maternity leave when my wages are lower than his and especially the last two months when I don’t get paid. I thought this is fair as I have been contributing to household expenses more than him and I am happy to do that as that’s fair because I am the higher earner. He said he doesn’t want to hand over all his wages and that I should dip into my savings. I feel very emotional about this as I really want someone to take care of me and stop feeling like I am the house manager and DH is my son.
  • Spinning from the argument above there is another argument about the split of mental load. I fully expect to do more when on maternity leave but I also did more when I was working. DH is of a view that he already does more than any man and partner he spoken to in his workplace as they don’t even change a nappy. He also stated that he is tired in the evenings so cannot physically do more. He is of an opinion that I am unreasonably demanding and I should be more affectionate towards him as he doesn’t feel loved. This is totally irrelevant but crops up at every conversation I am trying to have with him so it’s always spun the way that I am the bad wife. Our split is as follows: DH - bins, help get older DC dressed and make her breakfast in the morning, being tidy which stems from his OCD tendency, play with both DCs when I cook in the evening, older DC bedtime but not bath, mow the lawns once every two weeks, iron his work shirts, play with DCs at the weekend, change nappy etc when we are all at home at weekends (yes he thinks this is part of his chores and counts). Me - preschool pick up and drop off when I am on maternity leave, meal planing, food shop, cooking, shopping for all household items eg bin bags, cleaning products and noticing when they need a top up, house cleaning every other week as we have a cleaner, buying, sorting, replacing DCs clothes, daily laundry, planning DCs activities such as swimming and taking them, all preschool admin and asking DH to take holiday for things like sports day or nativity so we can both go, looking after household finances, looking after DCs health (organise private health ins, taking to doctors, dentist when needed), changing beds, thinking ahead of the school holidays and organising clubs and my unpaid leave.
OP posts:
tinyspiny · 13/06/2025 12:47

I wish more people would read these kinds of posts before they have children with men who won’t do one pot finances . That said quite honestly @Iris10000 yes you may lose out a bit initially in a divorce but you earn well and will be much better off in the long term and mentally / emotionally it will be a definite improvement for you .

IberianBlackout · 13/06/2025 12:49

Why did you let him creating savings for himself while you have none? For all you know he could be planning to bolt out of there when he has enough savings.

He needs to be contributing proportionally. That way both of you can create savings (or do whatever you want with the spare money). As of right now he’s just using you.

Strangely enough lately I’ve seen many men who seem to have the “your money is our money, my money is my money” attitude, including when they earn more. What the fuck.

MounjaroMounjaro · 13/06/2025 12:53

JHound · 13/06/2025 10:27

DH is of a view that he already does more than any man and partner he spoken to in his workplace as they don’t even change a nappy.

Oh. There it is. Another dud husband.

And one who gravitates towards deadbeats and handmaidens - his natural habitat.

JHound · 13/06/2025 12:56

GreenIsMyFavoriteColour · 13/06/2025 11:38

I think the problem with that is if serious objective thought went into it there would be few marriages and few children.

You only have to look at gay men to see the life men really want - it doesn't involve children and a strong domestic life. Marriage and children is often achieved by slight of hand rather than sitting down up front and saying "I want 3 children and two dogs, I will stay at home and you will work and you will take on 50% of the housework and mental load.".

You only have to look at the arrangement of the couple in the OP to realize there was some serious horse trading to bring these three kids into the world. Paying most of the money and doing most of the work is not something you agree to if your partner is desperate to settle down and have children with you. You'd strike a much harder bargain.

😧

Handmethegunandaskmeagain · 13/06/2025 12:58

He will absolutely demand 50/50 to stop you leaving him out of fear.

He will also absolutely not want 50/50 if you ever do divorce him.

Courts these days tend to look at splitting of assets 50/50 as a starting point. He wouldn’t necessarily get more if he demands 50/50 custody (which he won’t).

Id suggest booking an hour with a divorce lawyer for a chat. Get some professional advice about your particular situation and see where you stand.

He won’t “help” with the kids now. No way in hell is he going to do everything for them 50% of the time!!!

Pipsquiggle · 13/06/2025 12:58

Ugh - this just sounds awful and so petty. Your DH sounds a bit thick TBH.

You could try what me and DH do. We both have our own accounts where our wages are paid into.
We also have a joint account.
We both transfer virtually all our wages (we keep about £250 a month back each) into the joint account
98% of all our spending comes out of the joint account. It works very well. My DH gets paid nearly 3 times what I earn. We both see it as our pot of money.

JHound · 13/06/2025 12:58

GreenIsMyFavoriteColour · 13/06/2025 11:38

I think the problem with that is if serious objective thought went into it there would be few marriages and few children.

You only have to look at gay men to see the life men really want - it doesn't involve children and a strong domestic life. Marriage and children is often achieved by slight of hand rather than sitting down up front and saying "I want 3 children and two dogs, I will stay at home and you will work and you will take on 50% of the housework and mental load.".

You only have to look at the arrangement of the couple in the OP to realize there was some serious horse trading to bring these three kids into the world. Paying most of the money and doing most of the work is not something you agree to if your partner is desperate to settle down and have children with you. You'd strike a much harder bargain.

You seem to think this imbalance was carefully agreed to upfront instead of something drifted into.

JHound · 13/06/2025 12:59

GreenIsMyFavoriteColour · 13/06/2025 11:41

I'm not criticising either of them. Just saying what I think happened.

Well OP can clarify.

laclochette · 13/06/2025 12:59

Scottishgirl85 · 13/06/2025 10:44

So he earns 35k plus about £6k in bonuses (so call it £40k), you earn 72k plus 10k in bonus (so call it 80ish). So he basically earns half and yet only pays a third? Why have you allowed this to happen?

You each should have equal disposable income and equal downtime once all housework etc done. It's really not difficult!

If he doesn't accept these terms, then get rid.

He earns about 1/3 of the total household income (120/40 is 3) so he is paying the correct percentage of household bills by paying a third, not a half. However, it is odd that he ends up with more money to save than OP in this situation given he makes much less. I suspect there are just so many bills she actually covers in full.

A much more fair arrangement would be to agree that you both should have the same amount of spending and saving money each month, then everything else goes into a communal pot. This should apply both when OP isn't on Mat Leave, and when she is! There will just be less money concerned when she is.

JHound · 13/06/2025 13:00

GreenIsMyFavoriteColour · 13/06/2025 11:44

DH realise life changed after kids and he has to adapt.

Something that should have been spelled out loud and clear both ways before TTC.

Spelled out by whom to whom?

You are babying this grown adult man.

MounjaroMounjaro · 13/06/2025 13:00

Where do you get 120 from?

GreenIsMyFavoriteColour · 13/06/2025 13:03

JHound · 13/06/2025 12:58

You seem to think this imbalance was carefully agreed to upfront instead of something drifted into.

No, I'm saying the imbalance was drifted into becaise the OP didn't explicitly ensure an agreement that suited her as a pre condition of having children. And I suspect the reason she didn't clearly state preconditions was that he wasn't that keen on having children so she couldn't demand anything.

babyproblems · 13/06/2025 13:03

drspouse · 13/06/2025 10:24

Why are you still with him?
He doesn't pay towards his kids' upkeep. He just saves for him.
He doesn't think the kids are his job.
He doesn't think the house is his job.
He isn't an equal partner and wonders why you aren't affectionate.

I rarely say LTB but it really feels like ultimatum time.

Agree entirely with this.
You feel like his mother because he is not behaving like a partner in a team; because you’re not a team. You are doing everything!!

Honestly why did you have any children with this useless person?? You’d be much much better off divorced. He isn’t in the team with you. You’re already doing it alone. He literally brings nothing to your unit… which is a choice he is making and has made for yonks. What does that tell you about how he feels about you??? It says he doesn’t respect you and doesn’t see you as two equals.

laclochette · 13/06/2025 13:04

Frankly wouldn't it make more sense for him to take the majority of the time off to do pat leave and childcare? Since he's a much lower earner?

In fact wouldn't it make much more sense for him to be a house husband?

Then you could work 5 days a week not 4.

This would give you a household income of £95k before tax, assuming your current 4 days are pro rata. Only £11k a year less than your current totalled incomes and with huge savings to everyone's wellbeing and probably childcare costs too.

If this sounds impossible it's only because of his male ego. Many woman do just this sort of thing.

GreenIsMyFavoriteColour · 13/06/2025 13:07

JHound · 13/06/2025 13:00

Spelled out by whom to whom?

You are babying this grown adult man.

Both ways. They both needed to clearly acknowledge that it would be difficult and both would be expected to make big sacrifice. If they both weren't up for that then don't have DCs.

And yeah. Better to baby each other than to end up with kids that you don't have the capacity to look after between you.

You said yourself. It should all have been spelled out before marriage.

JHound · 13/06/2025 13:07

GreenIsMyFavoriteColour · 13/06/2025 13:03

No, I'm saying the imbalance was drifted into becaise the OP didn't explicitly ensure an agreement that suited her as a pre condition of having children. And I suspect the reason she didn't clearly state preconditions was that he wasn't that keen on having children so she couldn't demand anything.

Why are you assuming he was not keen on having children? Do you think it’s really that unusual couples to marry and then just have kids as the next step. Seems like you are just
keen to find an angle to make his behaviour her fault.

There are many many men who want wives and children but don’t want to be husbands and fathers.

JHound · 13/06/2025 13:08

GreenIsMyFavoriteColour · 13/06/2025 13:07

Both ways. They both needed to clearly acknowledge that it would be difficult and both would be expected to make big sacrifice. If they both weren't up for that then don't have DCs.

And yeah. Better to baby each other than to end up with kids that you don't have the capacity to look after between you.

You said yourself. It should all have been spelled out before marriage.

Why does a mature adult need somebody to spell out to them children change your life?

I did not say “kids changing you life” needs spelling out before marriage. I don’t think any adult needs to be told that. I said what should’ve been discussed before marriage is the split of unpaid and paid labour as well as finances. I do not for one second believe this man was unaware kids change your life. Sounds like he was just hoping it would have a little impact on his life specifically and that like so many other households. Would just do the lion share.

GreenIsMyFavoriteColour · 13/06/2025 13:09

In fact wouldn't it make much more sense for him to be a house husband?

Very much so.

SP2024 · 13/06/2025 13:09

A 35/65% split on household bills is about right for your proportion of take home pay when you’re at work. What isn’t right is the things that are not included in that pot - so if your paying out for children’s activities, clothes, big purchases for the house etc that should also all be split proportionately. And of course whilst you don’t earn that then your proportion of the bills has to change according to what pay you are both actually getting at the moment. Also your husband is an idiot of complaining about being tired and changing nappies. I assume he was like this after the first so why have another?!

yourefreetodowhatyouwanttodo · 13/06/2025 13:09

What’s the point of having him as a ‘husband’ when he drains you emotionally financially mentally and physically

middleagedandinarage · 13/06/2025 13:09

JHound · 13/06/2025 11:10

I am increasingly convinced that the desire for motherhood convinces a lot of women to settle for any old rubbish when it comes to male partnership.

Totally agree. God I wish I'd discussed all this before having children. Very similar situation to you OP, in that my husband is also a selfish twat who think's everything is my responsibility and doesn't want to share finances, however we're the other way round where he's the higher earner and I couldn't have as good a quality of life without him. Honestly if I was in your position would I hell be putting up with that, see ya 👋

Canonlythinkofthisone · 13/06/2025 13:15

JHound · 13/06/2025 10:26

I feel like these are conversations for before marriage.

Edited

certainly before kids!

lastapache · 13/06/2025 13:15

Jesus, the people who say "leave him" are always very trigger happy on Mumsnet.

Clearly this isn't a situation that can continue. Your DH isn't going to divorce you because you insist he takes on more chores and contribute fairly to finances. If he does, you shouldn't be with him.

It's fine to maintain two separate current accounts. But you have two children now, you need joint accounts for joint expenses and joint savings. This is an absolute red line. It's perfectly fine for you to contribute 2/3 to outgoings while he contributes a 1/3. That reflects your income and that's fair. But you need a joint bills account and a joint savings account. None of this "he transfers me x amount per month". Both your names should be on the accounts. If you had this already, you could have drawn from your joint savings to top up your maternity pay.

Your joint outgoings account should cover rent/mortgage, bills, holidays and kids expenses. Personally I'd set up two accounts for this. One solely for rent or mortgage, as that's generally a fixed amount per month, and the other for bills/expenses which can fluctuate. I haven't read all the thread but I am assuming you are not the sole owner of wherever you live.

Chores and mental load are a bugbear for every married couple. However, seeing how you've set yourselves up financially, I can imagine this is probably a bigger problem for you both than most. Download a family chores/mental load checklist - there's loads on the internet if you google them. Work180 has an especially helpful one. Print out one for you and one for him. Often the problem is that couples can't see what the other person is doing - especially the hidden mental load of things like doctors appointments.

You need to take time out to discuss all of this with him. Do you have family or a friend close by who might be able to take your kids for a few hours on a weekend? Go out to a cafe and get breakfast with him. Don't do an evening conversation when you're tired and when potentially alcohol can get involved. Make sure the conversation happens somewhere out of the house so that he can't make an excuse that something else needs to be done. Practice what you're going to say. I suggest telling him this evening that you are both going out for breakfast in the morning as you need to sort out finances and X has agreed to babysit. Don't get into a conversation then and there - tell him that it needs to be discussed without distractions. Hold your line if he tries - "I'm tired, I don't want an argument, I just want to watch tv. I am serious when I say I am not talking about it now".

When you get to the cafe, tell him how you want the conversation to go. i.e. "we're both aware that the split of things like finances and chores have been a source of arguments for the both of us. What I want is that when we go home today we have split finances and chores fairly. We don't have to both be 100% happy, but we need to have an agreement. I have some suggestions, and I'm very open to whatever you might suggest too. But I have to clear, continuing the way we are is not one of the options".

Don't have any patience with the nonsense of "I do more than any guy at work". You didn't marry his workmates. And unless he steps into a time machine and emerges at his workplace in the 1950's, he's bllshtting you anyway. Just keep bringing the conversation back to the both of you. You can shoot the breeze on how you were raised or who he hangs out with AFTER you have come to your agreement. Oh, and by the way, before you leave - and assuming you haven't poured your coffee over his head - say "this was so helpful. I feel so much better. It's so good to get away from the kids for an hour or two and actually have an honest conversation. I'm definitely going to ask X if she can babysit again in a couple of months and we can see if this is all working." That puts him on notice that there's going to be follow up.

TheScentOfElonMusk · 13/06/2025 13:21

What's the point of him then?

LardoBurrows · 13/06/2025 13:22

After everything you have said about him the only feeling I would have is revulsion and utter contempt for this vile caveman. He doesn't want to hand over any of his money in order to financially support his wife and and his children when your maternity pay is reduced and then finishes. Where the fuck did you find this prime specimen of manhood?

Do yourself a favour, don't prolong the inevitable, start the divorce proceedings now. I doubt he will want or manage looking after his DC 50% of the time on his own when he can't manage it now. Even if initially you are worse off financially, in the long run with your earning power and abilities, you will be much better off, both financially and emotionally. He really saw you coming, take back the power from this creep.