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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To take DS for a burger after football?

104 replies

Burntoutandsevered · 20/11/2025 21:29

DH usually takes DS to football Thursday nights. He was tired and wanted me to do it. OK.

For the record, we are about to move house and everything is quite chaotic. Work is busy, I am handling all the admin for the move, renovation, packing etc. My dad died a couple of months ago. My brain is a bit full.

It was freezing after football, we were bith starving and tired. DS asked for a burger chain drive through. We don't normally do stuff in the evening just us so I figured sure, bit of a treat.

Some part of me thought DH might be miffed (he hates take out and fast food) but I thought he could suck it up. I am usually at home, tidying up, walking the dog and making dinner ready for them to get home. They're often late, and on more than one occasion have stopped for food on the way home and not told me.

I went to message DH but my phone had died. Honestly, I thought 'sod it'. Perhaps not my finest move but not a crime.

We got in, DH (who NEVER cooks) had heated up a pasta sauce from the freezer. He was obviously cross. The quiet, disappointed in you, pass agg kind of cross. Apparently it hurt his feelings and made him sad. This made DS cry because he felt really guilty. I said it wasn't that big a deal, DS did nothing wrong, it was my decision and his reaction was a bit rich given how often I'm cooking at home waiting for them. Every bloody Sunday I spend two hours cooking a roast while they're glued to the x box and only when ive said three times dinner is ready does DH decide to go to the loo and faff choosing some music to listen to.

I said i was sorry to have hurt his feelings, it was a genuine miscommunication but now he knows what it feels like. We managed to do a good job of patching it up before DS went to bed but now DH is sulking and theres an atmosphere. All over a bloody burger.

I'm being petty arent i. Did he over react?Am I being a total dick, or is it about time the boot was on the other foot?

OP posts:
GlosGirl82 · 20/11/2025 23:06

This is emotionally abusive from your DH imo - the drama over nothing, sulking, trying your best punish you - don’t put up with it

StarDolphins · 20/11/2025 23:06

This would nark me right off! What a brat! Imagine if he had real problems🙄 I’d not have another word said about it apart from telling him to apologise to your son for making him cry.

not the same but before I split up with my ex, he had a habit of shouting at our DD wvery time she fell/bumped/hurt herself etc. Then she was with me one day, fell and straight away she got up & apologised to me. I went absolutely mad at my DH that day. It took me a while to get her out of that habit. I’m not saying your DH makes your son feel quilty frequently but these things can leave a residue.

Itsaknockout235 · 21/11/2025 06:51

Sometimes I think that when men say they don’t like take-aways on the go, what they really mean is “I prefer lengthier opportunities to sit at the table and hold court”

Jellycatspyjamas · 21/11/2025 08:00

To be honest I wouldn’t have given any thought to justifying why I took my child for a burger, it’s a nice end to his football training and practical in that I don’t need to then cook.

Your husband is being an arse.

Owly11 · 21/11/2025 08:06

Oh ffs what a drama over nothing. You are both unreasonable - you for being so anxious about taking your kid for a burger and feeling you have to agree it with dh, and your dh for being a total fucking knobhead and upsetting your son. Poor kid.

Ariel896 · 21/11/2025 08:11

Your DH is an absolute wet wipe! I can’t stress this enough. Tell him to get a fucking life

theressomanytinafeysicouldbe · 21/11/2025 08:43

He made his son cry over a pasta sauce? What a dick

ItsameLuigi · 21/11/2025 08:52

My kids asked me to order McDonald's onWednesday. I have been really busy decorating their bedrooms and building beds(single parent so all alone doing this). I happily obliged and my kids enjoyed their happy meal while I got a break from cooking. Life is too short to be dealing with angry men. Is he controlling in other ways too?

Lennonjingles · 21/11/2025 08:52

He’s obviously disappointed he cooked, but you would have let him know if your phone hadn’t died. You’ve said sorry, things happen in life, if DH or I sulked every time, something didn’t go to plan, we would hardly ever speak to one another.

Butchyrestingface · 21/11/2025 08:52

Why are you apologising? Confused

Let him sulk away (and make his own dinners). I’d enjoy the peace.

Ablondiebutagoody · 21/11/2025 08:54

You are being a total dick for saying sorry that you hurt his feelings. You had a burger after football ffs. Don't give his hurt feelings a second thought.

Danioyellow · 21/11/2025 08:55

I feel so sorry for your son being forced to grow up like this

Takenoprisoner · 21/11/2025 08:59

You do everything by the sounds of it. Day to day. and now the house move. just months after a bereavement. Sorry for your loss.

What does your dh actually do?? except game while you make Sunday roast by the sounds of it.

He sounds like one of those useless men who do a bit of hoovering 'for you' and then expect a thank you and a medal. No idea how or why you've put up with him doing so little, such that now the the little and rare effort from him needs to be rewarded and acknowledged.

Going forward, do LESS for him. Expect MORE from him.

surreygirly · 21/11/2025 09:07

Goodness is this really an issue
Teacup - storm

TY78910 · 21/11/2025 09:10

Do you guys not communicate at all? If that was me I’d text DH and say I’m picking up a maccies on the way back… or reversed he would ask me if there’s dinner..

MysteryMZ · 21/11/2025 09:11

Christ I think you need to stop apologising and justifying for literally everything. It sounds like you walk on egg shells!

Your husband sounds like an oppressive, controlling douche.

you do not need his permission or approval to make a basic decision about what to have for tea.

sashh · 21/11/2025 09:13

So he doesn't normally cook.

But yesterday he thought he would lower himself to 'women's work' and that when you saw the food you would fall to your knees and worship him for doing something that most of the population do routinely.

It reminds me of when you are potty training a child and you get all excited and say well done because the toddler has used the potty.

Tell him to grow up.

TheGoddessFrigg · 21/11/2025 09:14

Danioyellow · 21/11/2025 08:55

I feel so sorry for your son being forced to grow up like this

Yes this was my dad growing up and he could put the whole house under a black cloud 😕

Keroppi · 21/11/2025 09:22

This is sad for your son, crying because his moody arse dad guilt tripped him!!! Totally unacceptable and the fact he's trying to continue it on today.
You need to have serious words with him over his behaviour if he doesn't apologise or accept accountability

Pasta sauce in the fridge for the next day or eaten later in the evening. Who isn't starving 10 minutes after a maccies?!
Tell DS your dad was behaving like a child and you can eat what you want whenever. He's not the boss of the house!

Time to seriously change the household dynamics

BauhausOfEliott · 21/11/2025 09:23

The fact that you were worried about getting a McDonald’s in the first place because your husband ‘hates takeout and fast food’ stood out for me. He sounds like a controlling prick.

BauhausOfEliott · 21/11/2025 09:24

TY78910 · 21/11/2025 09:10

Do you guys not communicate at all? If that was me I’d text DH and say I’m picking up a maccies on the way back… or reversed he would ask me if there’s dinner..

Read her post. She says they couldn’t text because her phone was dead.

hididdlyho · 21/11/2025 09:28

I assume you were the one who went to the effort to make the pasta sauce and put it in the freezer? In which case he's a massive arse for getting mardy over spending a measly 10 minutes of his day boiling some pasta and reheating a sauce. If he doesn't like his son eating take outs then he needs to take on a role of regularly cooking on certain nights of the week so it's not all left to you.

ACynicalDad · 21/11/2025 09:30

Did he originally cook the sauce he heated up. He's a child himself.

TheApocalypticiansApprentice · 21/11/2025 09:35

God, is this what you got married for - to be afraid of taking your own child for a burger?

AngelinaFibres · 21/11/2025 09:36

We always had sausage and chips from the chippy after swimming. One night a week, every week for years.
You have a lot on your plate.
Your husband is a nob