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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Husband over planning/ arranging things - driving me insane

50 replies

Biosblbay · 10/11/2025 09:05

So I had my second baby mid July this year and almost every weekend we have committed to people coming over, seeing people, going out etc and not spending much time together as a family. I have said to my husband on multiple occasions that we need to calm it down with the plans so 1. We can spend some time together and 2. We can get this house sorted because it’s always such a mess and we always have so much housework that keeps getting put aside due to how busy we are.

He dumped it on me last night that his brother is coming round for 2 nights on the 21st and 22nd of November infront of his family so I couldn’t really say No but thinking in my head “here we go again” and then next weekend he is out with his friends which is absolutely fine and that was already planned but he also decided to try and go golf with his brother and step Dad that morning despite him going out with his friends later that day which will be an all night thing, staying over and coming home the following day. I have an appointment this morning anyway so he couldn’t have gone, but this morning I decided to bring up the fact that even if I didn’t have my appointment it’s unfair on him to leave me at home, all day, all night until the next day with 2 children aged 3 and a baby 4 months old. Surely going out with his friends in the afternoon and all night is enough why does he feel the need to also go golf that same morning.

Everyone I try to explain my feeling and how I feel going out all day and all night is unreasonable he shoots me down, shouts at me, swears and makes me think I am really controlling and crazy.

I have had to put my foot down on a few things already because if he had his way he would be out all the time. Example… he joined the local dart team, it got to the point where I thought it was actually unfair he was going out every Friday night drinking and playing darts so I told him to make this every other Friday, so that way me and the kids get to spend some Fridays with him.
also bear In mind my husband does work, and does work crazy hours that the kids don’t see him much in the week and by the time he is home from work I am exhausted anyway so we don’t really spend any quality time together. This is also another reason I get really upset at the fact he plans things with everyone else but me and the kids. It’s like he finds ways to get out as much as possible.

I may sound controlling but all I want is some weekends with no plans or for him to plan something for me and the kids.

Am I being unreasonable here? I really don’t want to come across controlling at all! But pub every Friday night is excessive to me, especially due to the nature of what it is and the time, and am I out of order for saying that it would have been unfair for him to go gold Saturday morning while he is off out that afternoon and night anyway and wouldn’t be returning until the next day? Then on top of that having his brother stay over for a whole weekend.
I do not deprive him of a social life at all, he sees friends and family every week, he is even going out with his dart lot next month for their Christmas Do. I just want things to calm down a bit, be in my own home without people being round, no stress to rush to get out the door, get things in order at home and for him to spend more quality time with us.

OP posts:
Orangepate · 10/11/2025 09:10

He’s either married with kids.. or he’s not. That’s the bottom line here, if he wants the life of a single man then he needs to be single.. although he’ll probably have to factor in seeing his kids at some point.

Schoolmusing · 10/11/2025 09:11

In all the hours apart from work hours, you and he should be splitting all tasks and childcare 50/50. You are absolutely miles off that and it sounds like he is shouty and horrible when you complain. I'm really sorry but I don't think this is an easy one to solve as he obviously doesnt think he has the same responsibility as you for the family and home.

ThirdStorm · 10/11/2025 09:11

You are not controlling but he is behaving like he doesn't have a family. I wouldn't be happy with this either. If he is out every Friday night, do you get equal time doing your hobbies? I suspect not! And actually all you want is family time together, not unreasonable.

Dogaredabomb · 10/11/2025 09:14

And what about you? Are you getting any child free time? Maybe approach it that way? So you're not, in his eyes, controlling him, but controlling you?

DaveWatts · 10/11/2025 09:14

Everything else aside - he shouts and swears at you when you ask him to stay at home?

I'm sorry but this sounds abusive to me. He just wants to live the single life while you're at home doing with the kids. I suspect he's always making plans because he doesn't actually want to spend any time with you and the kids actually parenting. I'd be thinking very seriously about whether this marriage actually has a future.

Goldenboxes · 10/11/2025 09:17

OP, this is an abusive relationship.
He shouts you down and becomes aggressive to shut you up.

He is avoiding family life and making yours harder.
Please reach out to your family and friends and tell the truth.
He is abusing you.
Womens aid is there for you.

This is not a good man, husband or father.
He's a selfish loser.
I am so sorry.

CaminoPlanner · 10/11/2025 09:17

Seriously, do the same. Just for a while. Men often need to have done to them what they do to you before they get it. Tot up how many days a month, evenings per week etc he has planned other do his own thing and book exactly the same amount for yourself. Breezily inform him you are doing XYZ, just as he informs you, and ensure he knows how to sterilise bottles, change nappies so the baby doesn;t suffer. If he complains you are out a lot, explain you tallied his hours and while that might seem petty, it is important for you that he understands how hard it is to parent alone while your partner is out having fun, so from now on please can he be more thoughtful and can you always sit down together and plan free time.

DH and I made a plan when DC were small - we each got half a day or an evening (about 4 hours) to ourselves every weekend while the other one looked after both DC. We each took one child for half a day so they had one to one time/age appropriate outings or because it was easier than two at a time while doing chores, and we had at least a half day outing as a family every weekend. It meant we both felt rested, got to do stuff we wanted to do but weren't resentful.

FuckoffeeBeforeCoffee · 10/11/2025 09:18

You’re not controlling but it’s an easy accusation to throw about to shut you up when a man isn’t getting his own way.

Sparkletastic · 10/11/2025 09:18

Did he want your two children? He’s certainly not acting as if he did. I’d be having a serious discussion about how he will manage with shared custody as you can’t go on like this.

Biosblbay · 10/11/2025 09:20

@ThirdStorm@Dogaredabomb the thing is he would have me go out all the time, but more so because it gives him a free pass to go out more. Difference is Ild rather spend my time going gym if I had the choice of a break as such and then spend any free time with my family because of how little time we get together in the week. I do have a social life but I choose to see my friends once every 3-4 months which I think is reasonable, he sees his brother or friends weekly. He does also do things in the week as well after work like golf.
my fear is when u go back to work full time it is only going to get worse

OP posts:
VeterinaryCareAssistant · 10/11/2025 09:20

It's tricky though because what is it you want him to do if he stays in with you? If it's just sitting indoors he's going to feel restless and twitchy.

Maybe talk to him and say you want equal time to go out and see your friends or do your hobby and he needs to do his share with the children.

Happyjoe · 10/11/2025 09:38

Everyone I try to explain my feeling and how I feel going out all day and all night is unreasonable he shoots me down, shouts at me, swears and makes me think I am really controlling and crazy.

Nah, this is not a very nice man. Sorry OP.

mindutopia · 10/11/2025 09:39

So it’s not that he’s planning things for all of you. Planning things is like inviting MIL over for tea every Sunday. This is he’s going out socialising and partying most weekends and leaving you to do all the shit work on your own managing the children and the home.

Nope, it’s not on. I’m pretty sure Dh went out about once in the first 6 months when we had our dc. Because there is a time and a place for going out every weekend and when you have small children isn’t it.

mindutopia · 10/11/2025 09:40

VeterinaryCareAssistant · 10/11/2025 09:20

It's tricky though because what is it you want him to do if he stays in with you? If it's just sitting indoors he's going to feel restless and twitchy.

Maybe talk to him and say you want equal time to go out and see your friends or do your hobby and he needs to do his share with the children.

Who doesn’t feel restless and twitchy stuck at home looking after small children and tidying the bloody house though? But this is adulting.

Happyjoe · 10/11/2025 09:41

Do you do the lions share of everything? Because I cannot see, if he was doing 50/50 of the care and house chores why he's not too flipping tired to go out all the time.

Starlight1984 · 10/11/2025 09:43

I may sound controlling but all I want is some weekends with no plans or for him to plan something for me and the kids.

Sadly though, it doesn't sound like he wants the same.

Fupoffyagrasshole · 10/11/2025 09:46

ive got an 18 month old & 4 year old - we have started to go out 2 evenings each a week usually mid week that way we both get to avoid bed time a few times a week

weekends are usually split that one of us is out either friday or saturday but it wouldn't usually be that its a few in a row unless it can't be helped (example thats just the way things fall/ticketed events or whatever)

the darts thing would piss me off ! that doesn't need to be weekly !

Abracadabrador · 10/11/2025 09:50

shoots me down, shouts at me, swears and makes me think I am really controlling and crazy.

He is abusing you.

dontlikethings · 10/11/2025 10:03

I'm so sorry, OP. I agree with PP, he is abusive and doesn't want family life.

Endofyear · 10/11/2025 10:05

OP, judge him by his actions - he doesn't make plans to do things with you and the children as a family because he doesn't want to. If he did, he would prioritise family time. He sees looking after the children as your job. He sees his time outside of work as his free time.

He shouts and swears at you and calls you crazy and controlling. Think about this for a minute - would you put up with this from anyone else? No-one should be doing this to the person they are supposed to love and care for. It is abuse.

I think you need to think carefully about what you want from the relationship. You have 2 choices - talk to him, tell him that things need to change and that you want him to prioritise his family. If he isn't willing to change, you either put up with his selfish behaviour or you leave. That's the bottom line.

Hoppinggreen · 10/11/2025 10:07

He shouts and swears at you?
Whatever else is going on that is unaceptable

YorkshireGoldDrinker · 10/11/2025 10:09

YANBU. The gallivanting slows/stops when the kids come. He's now a family man and a father, not a lad. He needs to reel it in and settle.

ForZanyAquaViewer · 10/11/2025 10:12

he shoots me down, shouts at me, swears and makes me think I am really controlling and crazy

It’s really disturbing how casually you dropped that in there, OP. Like it’s a minor annoyance, as opposed to nasty abusive behaviour.

I don’t understand how this post is about him ‘over organising’ as opposed to him being a disrespectful bully.

aCatCalledFawkes · 10/11/2025 10:22

My exHusband was like this when we had our daughter. It drove me nuts, I never knew when he was coming back from work as he would call in to the pub with friends for a drink on the way home, weekends doing his hobbies, expensive nights out that meant staying at his grandmothers in a city and basically making my life miserable while he just carried on like nothing had changed. Things never changed and TBH I don't think he would off been happy if they had of so it was a lose lose situation.
When he left things were calmer at home, even though I had less time to myself at least I could make plans that fitted around our daughter.

BauhausOfEliott · 10/11/2025 11:41

God, he sounds like a selfish prick.

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