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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To think women are just expected to get on with it

9 replies

cadburyegg · 16/05/2026 13:50

Separated for 5 years. Split up because my exh was the equivalent of a third child. He still expected me to act like his PA for many years. Had to tell him everything school related even though he works (very part time) at the school and gets all the same emails I do. For a long time contact with the kids was purely at his convenience and when he could fit them in round his love life. He doesn’t pay any maintenance atm. I have taken so many steps, including counselling, on how to deal and communicate with him without losing myself.

Normal arrangement is EOW plus one night a week. But he didn’t have them as usual last weekend due to SATs so we swapped weekends. Which means I haven’t had a “break “ really for 3 weeks.

It has been an intense week due to SATs and my childcare fell through twice so I have been chasing my tail and relying on a lot of goodwill at work. Exh was supposed to pick up kids at 9am this morning but didn’t come till 12pm because he got locked out without his car keys. Annoying but sorted. I had lunch plans with my mum so I called her to let her know that they’d be delayed and explained why.

Have just come to pick my mum up and she told me that she was “so worried” that she called my exh and asked if she could help him. “Can I do anything at all to help” she said. I’m fuming. One tiny inconvenience and people fall over themselves to help him but I’m just expected to get on with it. I feel like all the work I’ve done to take a step back and stop enabling his behaviour, she has just ruined it. I know I am overreacting and she was just being kind but I’m so annoyed and upset.

I know I am BU I just wanted to rant 😭😭

OP posts:
Danikm151 · 16/05/2026 13:53

No you’re not being unreasonable… my son’s dad is always late to collect him. No apologies or anything. Yet he’s usually bang on time to bring him back.

He has him 1 night every other weekend but is praised because he still sees his son!

endofagain · 16/05/2026 13:55

Don't tell her anything about him. If necessary just tell her you have been delayed. Make something up if you have to.

S0j0urn4r · 16/05/2026 13:55

You rant as much as you want to. Then take a deep breath and get back to being your fabulous self. Maybe have a chat with your mum about weaponised incompetence if you think it will do any good. But neither of you are the problem. Try not to give ex DH (which should stand for Dick Head) too much headspace.

Gettingbysomehow · 16/05/2026 13:56

What an utter cock. My ex was even more useless if thats possible. I feel your pain. Sounds like he needs a good kicking.

TeaPot496 · 16/05/2026 13:58

Yuck. Handwringing over the 'big important man'. Yanbu.

FlapperFlamingo · 16/05/2026 14:08

Rant away!! My question would be, did he have a key issue or want a lie in?!

S0j0urn4r · 16/05/2026 14:28

For what it's worth, I was at the self checkout in Tesco earlier and there was a bloke 'struggling' with it. 3 (yes 3) female assistants gathered around like mother hens, put all his shopping through for him AND bagged it. You'd have thought he was a 5 year old kid judging by the performance. WTAF!

jeaux90 · 16/05/2026 15:21

Yep I am so bored of watching women mother incompetent men.

TeaBiscuitsNaptime · 16/05/2026 15:35

Yes, there is indeed double standards.

Myself and my male work colleague are good friends. I raised an issue at work that was bugging me. I was told it would be addressed at some stage, no hurry on them. I then talked about it with my male colleague. Later that day, he casually brought it up with the boss.

I couldn't get over the anxiety and sense of urgency that then took place. I was told 'sorry, I can't talk now, x is concerned about this'. I looked at her bemused, from a standing back place. There was no urgency when I raised the problem a day earlier

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