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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To think most men wouldn’t survive a year living the life of an average woman?

932 replies

ThatRealLimeBee · 01/08/2025 20:12

The daily grind of sexism, safety worries, juggling expectations, emotional labour… Most men have no idea. AIBU to think they’d crumble under the load if they had to swap lives with us for a year?

OP posts:
Thread gallery
7
Didshejustsaythatoutloud · 02/08/2025 16:55

MyUmberSeal · 01/08/2025 20:24

Women are such martyrs.
Men can cope, and not all women feel burdened by their gender.

Couldn't agree more 👏

Didshejustsaythatoutloud · 02/08/2025 17:03

ThankYouNigel · 02/08/2025 16:20

Never underestimate either the intelligence or financial astuteness of a diligent housewife.

If I spent an hour chatting over coffee (prepared at my domestic haven, of course) with anyone laughing at me on here then I guarantee you’d leave with personalised advice that would save and make you substantially more with what you currently have.

OK, I'm listening 😁

SugarSoiree · 02/08/2025 17:06

ThankYouNigel · 02/08/2025 16:20

Never underestimate either the intelligence or financial astuteness of a diligent housewife.

If I spent an hour chatting over coffee (prepared at my domestic haven, of course) with anyone laughing at me on here then I guarantee you’d leave with personalised advice that would save and make you substantially more with what you currently have.

This can't be for real 😂

I mean obviously the best advice is get a husband to pay for it for you!

CyanDreamer · 02/08/2025 17:16

I am not sure I would want to survive a year living the life of an average bloke 😂Some countries and culture are hell on earth, but I am not talking about that.

I feel bloody lucky to be a woman in modern England, best of both worlds! I can be anything I want, play the woman's card, be strong, be weak, I have access to everything and anything a man has access to, plus a few female-only things. It's bloody brilliant. It's normal to be a successful career woman, it's also normal to be a SAHM. We have choices.

I wish some women could stop presenting us like weak born-victims, it makes us all look stupid.I have no idea where these women meet all these men who "hate women", it's never something I experience in real life. People hating a certain colour or race? plenty. People hating woman? nope. It does not happen.

MyUmberSeal · 02/08/2025 17:22

CyanDreamer · 02/08/2025 17:16

I am not sure I would want to survive a year living the life of an average bloke 😂Some countries and culture are hell on earth, but I am not talking about that.

I feel bloody lucky to be a woman in modern England, best of both worlds! I can be anything I want, play the woman's card, be strong, be weak, I have access to everything and anything a man has access to, plus a few female-only things. It's bloody brilliant. It's normal to be a successful career woman, it's also normal to be a SAHM. We have choices.

I wish some women could stop presenting us like weak born-victims, it makes us all look stupid.I have no idea where these women meet all these men who "hate women", it's never something I experience in real life. People hating a certain colour or race? plenty. People hating woman? nope. It does not happen.

I agree. It’s quite often the women that have been in multiple failed relationships that have it in for men, because all the men are apparently awful, but they fail to see they are the common denominator.

SleeplessInWherever · 02/08/2025 17:35

ThankYouNigel · 02/08/2025 16:22

More fool you then. You can stick wasting time doing it yourself or paying someone else to.

My DH trusts me over anyone to manage his money, and he is one happy man with the decisions I’ve made over the past 20 years, that’s for sure! We trust each other over anyone.

Edited

I would far rather pay someone to look after my money, if it meant my husband had a job and contributed some of that money that required management.

Disposableusername374 · 02/08/2025 17:39

Thinking of children I know who are being raised by a single dad, there is a missing layer of care there that makes my heart hurt. The universe thinks dad is a superhero!
They couldn’t cope with the standards women set themselves, no.

MsCactus · 02/08/2025 17:40

Slackbladder22 · 02/08/2025 11:30

I agree to an extent but men don’t have those expectations on us mainly because we have an ability to give less of a fuck about what other people think. If someone put that expectation on me I would brush it off. I know I’m doing my best, fuck everyone else and what they think

Also on the nuggets every night point I know loads of mum’s who do that without judging each other.

Men don't have as high parenting expectations out on them, but they DO have cultural expectations to be successful at work/breadwinners - and judgement about being stay at home Dads, for example. And most men clearly do "give a fuck" about those expectations, because so few men take up the SAHD role, because of the judgement they'd get. So men are equally influenced by what others think tbh

SleeplessInWherever · 02/08/2025 17:40

ThankYouNigel · 02/08/2025 16:18

It’s not actually for me, it’s for my children- so yeah I am delighted for them! 🥂 Not that it’s any of your business, but if my DH died tomorrow everything goes straight to our children, not me (my decision, and same vice versa- I personally drew up our wills years ago so they are absolutely watertight. I’d actually advise anyone to do the same- prevents any future spouses getting their hands on your own DCs inheritance). I don’t give a stuff any of it, came from nothing myself 😊

Sorry - you’ve spent your married life looking after a man, being a diligent housewife (whatever that means), and sacrificing having your own independence or income… and as far as I can see will be left with absolutely nothing in the event something happens.

You’ve given everything up, for… what? Your home, any funds, anything - nothing.

Well pardon me but I don’t think I’d like more financial advice, because that doesn’t make any financial sense.

Let’s hope your kids look after you.

Meadowfinch · 02/08/2025 17:43

I can only speak for my ex, OP but he always looked outraged if I asked him to do any chores or to look after ds or collect him from nursery. He'd look at me like I had two heads and say "you know I can't. I work !" as if he deserved a sodding medal for managing a 9-5.

So we left when ds was 2.

Since then, I've worked full time for 15 years, I've cared for ds 345 mornings, evenings & nights each year. I've managed all childcare, holiday clubs, school issues, and homework. I've done every school run, parents evening, sports day, nativity play, doctors and dentist appointments. I've bought and renovated a 4 bed house. Now we're driving around the country doing university open days

Somewhere in the middle of all that I found time to have a mastectomy, chemo and radiotherapy, while still working full time.

Ex on his weekly visit to see ds, didn't notice anything was wrong, just moaned about how driving his luxury automatic made his leg ache. 😂😂😂

Life is much easier without him in tow but I have high hopes for my ds who knows how to use the washing machine, the dishwasher and the cooker.

He can turn out a decent omelette, an outstanding salad and makes a mean curry. And leaves the kitchen tidy. He makes his own bed and is familiar with the hoover and the loo brush.

By the time he's 21 I'm hopeful he will be completely independent. 😊

cofffeeee · 02/08/2025 17:50

Some women cant live without a man on MN.
Out of one mess and dive to the next with in weeks.
Some not even divorce yet and on dating sites i mean just chill stay single for a while because when you are truly happy being single and on your own you know what you really want.

tumblingdowntherabbithole · 02/08/2025 17:52

MyUmberSeal · 02/08/2025 17:22

I agree. It’s quite often the women that have been in multiple failed relationships that have it in for men, because all the men are apparently awful, but they fail to see they are the common denominator.

Edited

Ain't that the truth.

ginasevern · 02/08/2025 17:56

I don't think the average man has the faintest clue about women's safety concerns. How many men need to consider whether the woman walking behind them is about to rape and murder them? How many men on an evening run get a random woman yelling from a car at them? And the list goes on, to say nothing of every day "casual" misogyny. I wonder how well they'd cope with any of that.

RubySquid · 02/08/2025 17:58

Disposableusername374 · 02/08/2025 17:39

Thinking of children I know who are being raised by a single dad, there is a missing layer of care there that makes my heart hurt. The universe thinks dad is a superhero!
They couldn’t cope with the standards women set themselves, no.

What do you mean there's a missing layer of care?

VintageDiamondGirl · 02/08/2025 18:04

ThatRealLimeBee · 01/08/2025 20:12

The daily grind of sexism, safety worries, juggling expectations, emotional labour… Most men have no idea. AIBU to think they’d crumble under the load if they had to swap lives with us for a year?

You mean like the sexism towards men that you have outlined here in your OP?

YABU and ridiculous. ‘Daily grind of sexism’ 😂

MrsBennetsPoorNerves · 02/08/2025 18:11

ThatRealLimeBee · 01/08/2025 20:55

I’m not saying men don’t face their own pressures, they do. The point was that many don’t experience or even notice the specific daily realities women deal with and that those challenges are different in nature. It’s not about one-upmanship, it’s about perspective.

Tbh, the hardest thing that I have to deal with in my life is the pressure of being the main breadwinner. It far outweighs any of the experiences that I have "as a woman". Although caring for elderly relatives comes a close second.

So much depends on individual circumstances, personal strengths and weaknesses etc. You can't generalise.

Titasaducksarse · 02/08/2025 18:13

They'd be fine. I know loads of useless, flaky women..usually with an added 'diagnosis ' to justify themselves. Either gender has it's good and bad individuals.

CyanDreamer · 02/08/2025 18:14

Disposableusername374 · 02/08/2025 17:39

Thinking of children I know who are being raised by a single dad, there is a missing layer of care there that makes my heart hurt. The universe thinks dad is a superhero!
They couldn’t cope with the standards women set themselves, no.

what a horrible thing to say

I have a few single dads around me, divorced or sadly widower. I also have a couple of gay friends who adopted, so 2 men...

You might have met a twat that is a bad parent, sadly it's not gender-related.
Dads are just as good as mums.

What is shocking is the behaviour and attitude of some women who try to reject them from parents things because they are male. I am not talking about breast-feeding groups, but groups who are trying to exclude them because they are MALE. And presenting themselves as male. Shocking and disgusting.

tumblingdowntherabbithole · 02/08/2025 18:16

ginasevern · 02/08/2025 17:56

I don't think the average man has the faintest clue about women's safety concerns. How many men need to consider whether the woman walking behind them is about to rape and murder them? How many men on an evening run get a random woman yelling from a car at them? And the list goes on, to say nothing of every day "casual" misogyny. I wonder how well they'd cope with any of that.

I genuinely don't have any safety concerns. I walk alone for hours everyday and have never had a single issue with a man making me feel unsafe. I've certainly never worried about being attacked or raped because a man is walking behind me.

I wish people wouldn't assume they speak for all women.

CyanDreamer · 02/08/2025 18:23

tumblingdowntherabbithole · 02/08/2025 18:16

I genuinely don't have any safety concerns. I walk alone for hours everyday and have never had a single issue with a man making me feel unsafe. I've certainly never worried about being attacked or raped because a man is walking behind me.

I wish people wouldn't assume they speak for all women.

I couldn't agree more.

Not only have I never felt unsafe running at any time, but men are the ones who politely get out of my path - sometimes with a bit of shuffling when we both try to change direction in the distance - while some women rudely expect everyone to get out of their way 😂

If a man runs behind me and then overtakes me, I don't take it as a personal aggression either. I don't expect him to slow down to make me feel safe 🙄. The poor bloke runs faster than me, off he goes.

CoffeeCakeAndALattePlease · 02/08/2025 18:30

Some men would struggle. Some would be great.

my Dad brought us up as a single parent and held everything himself. Worked, no outside childcare, Xmas and birthdays, appointments.

He also dealt with lots of sexism and prejudice as a single dad. Maybe not the safety issues that some women have but definitely had some struggles.

He set a great example to me and my brother, who incidentally is a great dad and husband now.

RoseAlone · 02/08/2025 18:32

Don't be ridiculous. It's a woman's world these days. I feel heart sorry for men they can't do right for doing wrong because of women. It's very unfair.

ThankYouNigel · 02/08/2025 18:41

SleeplessInWherever · 02/08/2025 17:40

Sorry - you’ve spent your married life looking after a man, being a diligent housewife (whatever that means), and sacrificing having your own independence or income… and as far as I can see will be left with absolutely nothing in the event something happens.

You’ve given everything up, for… what? Your home, any funds, anything - nothing.

Well pardon me but I don’t think I’d like more financial advice, because that doesn’t make any financial sense.

Let’s hope your kids look after you.

I’ll explain, as many are sadly still unaware of how to throughly draft a will, or even have one at all. I’m always shocked when I talk to people generally at how few have really made their priorities clear legally.

We own everything in both our names. If 1 dies, the other of course maintains the half in their name. The half of the spouse who dies legally belongs to their children, but the surviving spouse has lifetime living rights to the property. The children of course cannot evict their surviving parent whilst alive, and they may not even be informed by either parent that they already own half. Many don’t tell their children.

What it ensures is two things:
A. If the surviving spouse remarries and they were to divorce/have more children, neither the new spouse or new children have any claim whatsoever to the half from the first marriage, which is legally the original children’s.
B. Depending on the age/health of the surviving spouse, that half is also free from any elderly care cost assessments.

hmmimnotsurewhy · 02/08/2025 18:47

MyUmberSeal · 01/08/2025 20:24

Women are such martyrs.
Men can cope, and not all women feel burdened by their gender.

This. If you choose and enable a useless man then that’s your problem. Not all men are like this.

SleeplessInWherever · 02/08/2025 18:49

ThankYouNigel · 02/08/2025 18:41

I’ll explain, as many are sadly still unaware of how to throughly draft a will, or even have one at all. I’m always shocked when I talk to people generally at how few have really made their priorities clear legally.

We own everything in both our names. If 1 dies, the other of course maintains the half in their name. The half of the spouse who dies legally belongs to their children, but the surviving spouse has lifetime living rights to the property. The children of course cannot evict their surviving parent whilst alive, and they may not even be informed by either parent that they already own half. Many don’t tell their children.

What it ensures is two things:
A. If the surviving spouse remarries and they were to divorce/have more children, neither the new spouse or new children have any claim whatsoever to the half from the first marriage, which is legally the original children’s.
B. Depending on the age/health of the surviving spouse, that half is also free from any elderly care cost assessments.

Okay. Thank you for clarifying.

Your husband bought you half a house. That was left out of your “mortgage free in your 30s” comment earlier. You’re mortgage free through your husband’s doing, or so it sounds.

I’m in my 30’s, and I’m honestly staggered that there are people of our age group that have such, IMO dated, views. I’m genuinely baffled that there are women in their 30s talking about “diligent housewifery.”