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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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AIBU to leave my husband over his job?

1000 replies

Poptart22 · 20/05/2026 06:38

Am I being unreasonable to end my marriage because my husband won’t change his job?

DH works away constantly, sometimes 3/4 nights per week. We have a 3 year old toddler, 3 large rescue dogs and 2 cats. I work a very demanding job that includes 2 evenings per week. The impact him being away has on me is huge. I have to manage every early wake-up and refusal to sleep from our 3 year old alone, feed everyone, walk the dogs, manage all the daily household jobs and still be present at work. I am constantly overwhelmed, overstimulated and in survival mode and it massively impacts my mental health. I barely sleep when he’s away. Lately due to my working late done nights, my elderly parents have been forced to come over and help out at my husbands request, which puts a massive strain on them. My father has hip problems and struggles to walk but has had to walk our dogs and my mother has had to help bath my son. My mother still works herself and is exhausted. We do have a dog walker 3 mornings a week but this is expensive and we can’t afford it on the evenings too.

I have repeatedly asked him to consider changing jobs as his current role is putting me under so much pressure. He refuses and is adamant he won’t quit.

When he does return I’m so full of resentment I don’t want to be near him, then he gets upset.

We have had 3 sessions of couples therapy but it’s done nothing to address the resentment.

I feel so over it and like I don’t matter.

OP posts:
WildEnergySupplier · 20/05/2026 06:54

Sounds like you're more bothered about the dogs than the humans

LoveOldFilms · 20/05/2026 06:54

Poptart22 · 20/05/2026 06:53

I would never rehome my pets, I adore them. We got them before he started this. The dogs get an abundance of love and are very happy. They get an hours walk in the morning and a half hour every evening without fail. I’m not someone who just gives up on animals. What an awful thing to say.

But you're very ready to give up on your family for them.

Gillydoller · 20/05/2026 06:54

Poptart22 · 20/05/2026 06:53

I would never rehome my pets, I adore them. We got them before he started this. The dogs get an abundance of love and are very happy. They get an hours walk in the morning and a half hour every evening without fail. I’m not someone who just gives up on animals. What an awful thing to say.

Oh well, you’ve only got yourself to blame. You are trying to live a life that is totally untenable.

FoldThreePiece · 20/05/2026 06:55

The dogs put a strain on you, your finances, your parents and marriage.
You are not being sensible.
Rehome them, life will be much easier.

Sirzy · 20/05/2026 06:55

How long has he worked a job that is working away?

Shallotsaresmallonions · 20/05/2026 06:55

Poptart22 · 20/05/2026 06:53

I would never rehome my pets, I adore them. We got them before he started this. The dogs get an abundance of love and are very happy. They get an hours walk in the morning and a half hour every evening without fail. I’m not someone who just gives up on animals. What an awful thing to say.

There isn't really a solution then. Five animals to care for is a lot, even if he didn't work away half the week. It's too much.

Blondeshavemorefun · 20/05/2026 06:56

You could spin this and dh say I work away lots and my wife is refusing to swap her demanding job

you both can’t work away /evenings

who has 3yr daytime or do you only work evenings ?

you are making your parents your immobile elderly parents walk your dogs ? wtf

you need to walk them before/after your work and parents stay with your child

im all for dogs being family but if you can’t look after their basic needs esp as rescue dogs then they need to be rehomed

Dratthebest · 20/05/2026 06:56

Gillydoller · 20/05/2026 06:54

Oh well, you’ve only got yourself to blame. You are trying to live a life that is totally untenable.

I agree that rehoming the dogs might get necessary, but ehy is OP to blame, not her husband? He started the new job after the pets were acquired.

Iamthemoom · 20/05/2026 06:56

Would it not be more rational to rehome the dogs rather than the husband? Unless there are other issues in the marriage of course beyond his job.

I really don’t understand why people without the time or resources end up with multiple high maintenance pets. It just seems completely irresponsible especially when you have a child who needs your time and attention.

Deal with that as a priority and then address how your DH can support you by taking the lead with child care on the days he’s back to give you respite.

monkeysox · 20/05/2026 06:56

Can you change your job?

Getmeacoffeenow · 20/05/2026 06:57

Poptart22 · 20/05/2026 06:53

I would never rehome my pets, I adore them. We got them before he started this. The dogs get an abundance of love and are very happy. They get an hours walk in the morning and a half hour every evening without fail. I’m not someone who just gives up on animals. What an awful thing to say.

Love this ❤️❤️❤️❤️

When we got our rescue cats, we adopted them mentally as if they were children. They are now our family, we made a commitment.

Im not comparing them to children before anyone starts, in comparing the commitment we made to them being family.

MatchaTea1 · 20/05/2026 06:58

Did he have this job before you had your child and got the dogs? If so you are being unreasonable if this job is a departure from your previous set up then you are not being unreasonable. Honestly though it doesn’t sound that bad, he is there half the week and you have family support..

ThejoyofNC · 20/05/2026 06:58

Poptart22 · 20/05/2026 06:53

I would never rehome my pets, I adore them. We got them before he started this. The dogs get an abundance of love and are very happy. They get an hours walk in the morning and a half hour every evening without fail. I’m not someone who just gives up on animals. What an awful thing to say.

Stop complaining then

BlackBean2023 · 20/05/2026 07:01

I’m in a senior management position and my DH is a lorry driver so I get it.

I echo what others have said. If you still love him:

  1. rehome the animals
  2. get a cleaner

my kids are older now but I find it peaceful when DH is working - in fact, if he has a couple of weeks on days I’m ready to LTB!

Agix · 20/05/2026 07:02

Won't rehome the dogs, but contemplating rehoming the husband 😂 classic.

Tbh that just means you should do it. There will be more to this than just his job (even if just his lack of care towards you, the principle of it, has effected your feelings for him).

Don't expect it to change your resentment and rage though. You'll still feel that, because you'll still be doing it alone.

Blondeshavemorefun · 20/05/2026 07:02

How new is this job of his ?

Sartre · 20/05/2026 07:02

Poptart22 · 20/05/2026 06:53

I would never rehome my pets, I adore them. We got them before he started this. The dogs get an abundance of love and are very happy. They get an hours walk in the morning and a half hour every evening without fail. I’m not someone who just gives up on animals. What an awful thing to say.

It isn’t an awful thing to say because you don’t have the capacity to care for them hence your elderly frail father being forced to walk them. Do you know how dangerous that is for him? My MIL walked SIL’s big dog one day in winter and the fucker pulled her over, she fell onto her face and smashed it up but because it was winter, barely anyone was around and she wasn’t found for a while so also could have ended up hypothermic. It’s just ridiculous to have not even one but three dogs on top of everything else in your life.

So yeah, I’d also start there, it will hugely lessen your workload and burden. Any way around your evening shifts as well?! That would also make your life easier.

PurpleThistle7 · 20/05/2026 07:02

I unfortunately agree that you’re both as bad as the other here. You’re choosing a crazy number of pets and a job that requires nights, he’s choosing to work away. Who decided to get so many dogs? You cannot have your parents walking them if they don’t want to, that is unfair and unsustainable.

I know plenty of families with two working parents and one child, the pets are the issue here and the fact you are both working problematic hours with a toddler to look after. Your child doesn’t seem to be anyone’s priority here which is sad.

catcatcat24 · 20/05/2026 07:03

You say that you would get a break when your DH has custody of your son but realistically with working away and his unpredictable schedule this doesn’t seem likely. Does DH’s salary allow you all to live a somewhat luxurious lifestyle?

Iocanepowder · 20/05/2026 07:03

Poptart22 · 20/05/2026 06:53

I would never rehome my pets, I adore them. We got them before he started this. The dogs get an abundance of love and are very happy. They get an hours walk in the morning and a half hour every evening without fail. I’m not someone who just gives up on animals. What an awful thing to say.

I think we’re all interested to know at what point all these decisions where made and how they came about though.

So it sounds like you got the dogs before his job. What then happened with agreeing he would work away half the week and you also have a child while you already have lots of pets?

I know it’s quite common but i’m interested to know how this decision came about. Working away half the week while having kids would have been a categorical no from me.

Poptart22 · 20/05/2026 07:03

ThejoyofNC · 20/05/2026 06:58

Stop complaining then

Wow, what a friendly community this is 🙄 I’ll ask somewhere else.

OP posts:
TheTortiePuffinNeedsHerBreakfast · 20/05/2026 07:03

Good jobs are hard to come by these days. I would look first at what you can outsource - cleaner, dog walker etc. Yes it costs but it's often worth it, especially if it's only temporary while your child is not sleeping well.

Blondeshavemorefun · 20/05/2026 07:03

Getmeacoffeenow · 20/05/2026 06:57

Love this ❤️❤️❤️❤️

When we got our rescue cats, we adopted them mentally as if they were children. They are now our family, we made a commitment.

Im not comparing them to children before anyone starts, in comparing the commitment we made to them being family.

Main diff.

you don’t need to walk cats and can leave them alone for hours unlike dogs

DelphiniumBlue · 20/05/2026 07:04

So if he took the job away AFTER you acquired the pets and the child, then he is being unreasonable, and presumably if this time away is a relatively new job, then it wasn't part of his original career plan.
But if he won't give it up, and you can't manage it all by yourself, then something has to give. Why is he digging in his heels over this?

XelaM · 20/05/2026 07:04

All the dog haters out in force on Mumsnet 😞

I'd rather get rid of the idiotic husband who adds nothing to my life than my pets. 🤷‍♀️

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