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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:
fashionqueen0123 · 20/05/2026 12:21

Poptart22 · 20/05/2026 06:45

If we split I appreciate things would be hard for me but I wouldn’t be living in a constant state of anger and resentment. Also I would have regular breaks if he had part time custody of our child. The dogs would have to stay with me as he’s not around enough to look after them.

OK.

  1. Get a dog walker. That will help right?
  2. Get a mothers help or nanny or friends teen to help with late nights from work and babysitting?

Outsource things to help

Giraffeandthedog · 20/05/2026 12:21

I can’t understand how the situation came about.

Did you not both discuss and agree the promotion?

Did the promotion not come with a pay rise, with presumably part of the discussion being how some of the money would be used for additional help while he was away?

I just don’t understand how you end up in a situation where he is unexpectedly working away, you don’t even have enough money to pay for a dog walker when he’s away, and you are still not covering bills as a family. What was the rationale for taking the promotion at all?

BudgetBuster · 20/05/2026 12:22

MrsMcGarry · 20/05/2026 12:18

I bet if you add up the cost of the hours of childcare she does, and the cost of a cleaner and dog walker, she's more than contributing half the family finances

They have a dog walker... she has clearly stated repeatedly that SHE CHOSE to work part time to spend more time with their child.

And yes, I've actually already stated that yes she picks up the slack when he isn't around (she has said he is actively hands on when he is home) and the trade off here is that happens in I would guess the majority of households - one person financially contributes more and the other contributes more in terms of household and childcare.

But she's also complaining there isn't more money... so yes he can change his job and earn less and be home more but who is paying the bills then?

Littlejellyuk · 20/05/2026 12:22

Shitshowpolitics · 20/05/2026 11:56

Give it a couple of years it will get easier when your child starts full time school. Talk to your husband about the future and can he start working from home more or working away less.

My partner for the first two years of his job worked away. Then he started travelling from home and working from home more. Can he travel from home rather than live away for 4 nights a week. What is his job?

Agree with this 💯
It gets easier when DC are in school full time.

Could you up your children's hours in nursery by an extra day OP?
Say, if he's in for 3 days, could you up it to 4? 🤔

Just so you can have a day of your choice, where you can either:
get stuff done (mental load/house admin/bills/ clean/ food prep or anything that is tedious but necessary etc). 🤓
Or get some down time for yourself for a hour or more (hot bath in peace/ read a book/ watch a film /walk your 3 dogs / coffee with a pal). 😌

Would it be financially viable to do this?
I'm sorry you are feeling drained with all this, it happens to the best of us and I hope you feel better soon OP 💕 @Poptart22

Sensiblesal · 20/05/2026 12:23

I think if his job lifestyle was like this prior to you having kids/dogs whatever then you are being very unreasonable

I think if he is well paid due to the working away & it helps fun your lifestyle you are being unreasonable.

In the current market, its not so easy to just pick up another job whether you are exec level or min wage level. Its an employers market right now. He may not get same level of salary/benefits too.

If he decided to take the job recently with absolutely zero discussion then no you aren’t unreasonable.

you have options that will alleviate the resentment

help with the kids
cleaner etc
move close to DH’s job

You need to have a practical and sensible conversation with your husband about what your struggles are & how its making you feel & then discuss practicalities and solutions to help you.

the conversation needs to be level headed and not emotionally driven unless you want divorce

Naunet · 20/05/2026 12:23

PurpleThistle7 · 20/05/2026 12:19

Well yes but if I told my husband I was going to work part-time because he could pay 2/3 our expenses that's a consideration as well. I am super confused by the narrative that 'he does nothing' and 'he does half when he's home and pays 2/3 of everything'. Those things aren't the same.

If I worked part-time I would absolutely expect that more of the day-to-day responsibilities of running a household would be my responsibility. It's a huge amount of pressure to be the breadwinner and I would think the tradeoff is that there is more help at home if you are supporting your partner in working part-time. Sounds like the OP mostly works nights which means the bulk of the day is home - yes, home with a menagerie and a toddler but still available in some capacity.

I still haven't seen anything from the OP explaining how it would actually work if he quit his job and she took over the financial responsibility.

What are you talking about? Her work is restricted by his, he doesn't get a medal for that. If he was doing half of everything, no doubt OP could earn more, but lets punish her twice for that, huh? She hasn't said she wants him to give up work either, she just wants him to do the job he used to do, for what appears to be the same money, and didn't take him away constantly. Why is that such a huge ask?

JHound · 20/05/2026 12:23

JudgeJ · 20/05/2026 12:14

So your telling me, you would give up your pets, who rely on you, are loyal to you, who have done nothing wrong and are suppose to be apart of the family for a shitty human being who is too selfish to meet your needs or the needs of your family and run you to the ground every day, has no respect for you and only worries and cares about themselves.

You're referring to the person who is selfish enough to go to work to support his family? Maybe instead of concentrating on the three dogs the OP needs to consider her child and think the influence on the child of stomping out. The precious dogs rely on the OP and are loyal to her, does their child not meet these criteria?

No he’s selfish for refusing to consider his family and find a job that allows him to actually play a part in family life. His wife is drowning, her parents are struggling and he does not care. He sounds awful.

BlueMum16 · 20/05/2026 12:24

Poptart22 · 20/05/2026 11:44

Works perfectly fine when he’s not away

So what would change if you divorced?

You would still but stuck with the mental load, the dogs, cat and DC.

IF he co parented how much do you think he would have your DC to stay? One night a week? Will that lighten your load enough?

I doubt it.

You need to speak to him and tell him things need to change as his working pattern is not sustained and making you ill.

Petrie999 · 20/05/2026 12:24

Happytaytos · 20/05/2026 06:48

Does he earn a lot of money from the job?
Joe easy is it to get a new one?

You have a ridiculous amount of pets, they can go.

Your non sleeping 3yo needs sorting too. Neither of those are your husbands fault.

It's not just as simple as "sorting out" a three year olds sleep, which is incidentally not her fault either. I've just attempted to sleep train mine and it hasn't made a jot of difference to overnight wakes. If you were ever sleep deprived, try and find a bit of empathy for why someone may be struggling to find the energy to tackle all these things alone.

JHound · 20/05/2026 12:24

BudgetBuster · 20/05/2026 12:22

They have a dog walker... she has clearly stated repeatedly that SHE CHOSE to work part time to spend more time with their child.

And yes, I've actually already stated that yes she picks up the slack when he isn't around (she has said he is actively hands on when he is home) and the trade off here is that happens in I would guess the majority of households - one person financially contributes more and the other contributes more in terms of household and childcare.

But she's also complaining there isn't more money... so yes he can change his job and earn less and be home more but who is paying the bills then?

Why have you assumed changing jobs means less money.

InWithPeaceOutWithStress · 20/05/2026 12:25

Giraffeandthedog · 20/05/2026 12:21

I can’t understand how the situation came about.

Did you not both discuss and agree the promotion?

Did the promotion not come with a pay rise, with presumably part of the discussion being how some of the money would be used for additional help while he was away?

I just don’t understand how you end up in a situation where he is unexpectedly working away, you don’t even have enough money to pay for a dog walker when he’s away, and you are still not covering bills as a family. What was the rationale for taking the promotion at all?

She said earlier that her husband downplayed the amount of time he’d be working away from home. Perhaps he wasn’t aware of the full extent of the expectation at the time either.

Mapletree1985 · 20/05/2026 12:26

I think you should get rid of the dogs before you get rid of your child's father. His work is his work and helps sustain all of you. You should not have taken on even one animal you couldn't cope with, let alone three!

Isitevensummer · 20/05/2026 12:26

Kokonimater · 20/05/2026 11:59

I can’t believe the amount of criticism and attack you are getting particularly around your dogs. This is supposed to be a supportive community and so many people are saying exactly the same thing over and over get rid of the dogs. You have stated you will not get rid of the dogs, you love the dogs and you are responsible for them, which is absolutely right

You sound like you’re doing an amazing job, but having to do a lot of it on your own.

Your husband is not listening to or taking on board any of the issues. My advice would be to give him an ultimatum change jobs. Take a step back so that he doesn’t have to travel so much or you will start to divorce proceedings. He is being incredibly unsupportive and selfish.

It's really clear that there are a lot of people here who just want to say something nasty. MN seems to be more susceptible to MRA's, incels and trolls. Its a shame, because when its supportive its great. AIBU seems to be particularly full 9 this kind of poster just wanting to say something mean.

BudgetBuster · 20/05/2026 12:27

JHound · 20/05/2026 12:24

Why have you assumed changing jobs means less money.

I haven't assumed anything darling.
The OP has stated this was a promotion.

StarDolphins · 20/05/2026 12:28

Tontostitis · 20/05/2026 06:46

Rehome the dogs you shouldn't have got. Pay for an evening sitter/nanny. Stop expecting him to help in an unmanageable situation. Once the situation is manageable if he really isn't stepping up bin him off. Expecting him to change his job is totally unreasonable expecting him to help in a normal household is reasonable.

Rehome dogs, just like that? How irresponsible and awful to suggest that. What if she loves the dogs, see la them as part of the family? This isn’t about the dogs, it’s about the husband not working as a team.

op, just drop the dogs back off at the rescue, kids at SS and drive your parents to the local old folks home and you’ll feel much better🙄

BudgetBuster · 20/05/2026 12:30

StarDolphins · 20/05/2026 12:28

Rehome dogs, just like that? How irresponsible and awful to suggest that. What if she loves the dogs, see la them as part of the family? This isn’t about the dogs, it’s about the husband not working as a team.

op, just drop the dogs back off at the rescue, kids at SS and drive your parents to the local old folks home and you’ll feel much better🙄

She does love the dogs... more than her husband, parents or child it seems.

Moroccocococo · 20/05/2026 12:30

Come on people, OP doesn't literally mean that it's his job she'd be leaving him over... Read the very eloquent and well-explained posts she has made that explain that it's the impact of his job and, crucially, his lack of willingness to do anything about it that's the problem. If OP were to have chosen a different title for this thread I think those that seem to struggle with basic comprehension might have grasped the problem beyond 'you'd chose your dogs over your husband?' inanity.

How about 'AIBU to leave my husband because he's a selfish cunt', OP? Mumsnet might change it for you if you ask them nicely...

JHound · 20/05/2026 12:31

So I had not read all OP’s posts. I have no and I would 100% leave him.

This is astonishing:

He was already in his current role before our son was born and when we rescued the dogs but was home based, so everything was much easier, but not long after our son was born he accepted a promotion involving a lot of travel, which he massively played down to me.

The fact he took a job to take him away from home AFTER the dogs and child shows he really wants little involvement in home life. The fact you have made multiple changes to your work life to enable you to support your family why he has done the exact opposite would make me so resentful I would have left already.

PurpleThistle7 · 20/05/2026 12:31

Naunet · 20/05/2026 12:23

What are you talking about? Her work is restricted by his, he doesn't get a medal for that. If he was doing half of everything, no doubt OP could earn more, but lets punish her twice for that, huh? She hasn't said she wants him to give up work either, she just wants him to do the job he used to do, for what appears to be the same money, and didn't take him away constantly. Why is that such a huge ask?

This job was a promotion so presumably is more money. If he does his old job (which surely is no longer available) he would make less money. So either they cut their costs or she starts working more. Those are discussions she needs to have with him - what is actually possible, how much money do they need, what schedule works for the entire family. Relying on elderly grandparents and two parents working unsocial hours is really unsustainable.

According to the OP, when he is there he is fully engaged and does his share of everything. When he's not she struggles as she works nights as well. So either he quits or she quits or they outsource more.

Moroccocococo · 20/05/2026 12:32

BudgetBuster · 20/05/2026 12:30

She does love the dogs... more than her husband, parents or child it seems.

Ha ha! My post cross-posted with this one. Absolute case in point.
Ridiculous response.

JHound · 20/05/2026 12:32

Moroccocococo · 20/05/2026 12:30

Come on people, OP doesn't literally mean that it's his job she'd be leaving him over... Read the very eloquent and well-explained posts she has made that explain that it's the impact of his job and, crucially, his lack of willingness to do anything about it that's the problem. If OP were to have chosen a different title for this thread I think those that seem to struggle with basic comprehension might have grasped the problem beyond 'you'd chose your dogs over your husband?' inanity.

How about 'AIBU to leave my husband because he's a selfish cunt', OP? Mumsnet might change it for you if you ask them nicely...

Yep. It’s not the job that’s the issue. It’s his selfishness and him not wanting to be an actual husband and father.

Isitevensummer · 20/05/2026 12:32

BudgetBuster · 20/05/2026 12:30

She does love the dogs... more than her husband, parents or child it seems.

Presumably they have not lied like her husband has, and Care about how she feels. Because he sure as shit doesn't give a fuck.

BudgetBuster · 20/05/2026 12:33

Moroccocococo · 20/05/2026 12:32

Ha ha! My post cross-posted with this one. Absolute case in point.
Ridiculous response.

To a ridiculous scenario the OP has made up and won't listen to anything anyone with a different opinion has.

Endoadnowarrior · 20/05/2026 12:33

Naunet · 20/05/2026 12:04

Excuse me?! If you have sexist double standards, that's on you, but assuming you dont have psychic powers, you dont get to speak for the rest of us, and confidently tell us what we'd be saying.

Edited

Wtaf?

There is no "double standard" - both people in a relationship are entitled to work and pursue their careers. And when children are involved, its up to the couple to decide between them how best to manage work and home responsibilities and what changes/sacrifices BOTH parties need to make.

In this instance, it seems like there are a lot of "home" factors that are contributing to OPs overwhelm, and demanding her DH change jobs or she'll leave -seems rather extreme if they haven't at least tried some of the less extreme ways of making things more manageable!

Obviously I'm not speaking for everyone, but there have been MANY threads on here with mothers being told to keep their jobs, and not to let their husbands/partners pressure them into limiting their career options/dictating where they work/what sort of job they can havr etc, which i fully agree with! It would THEN be a double standard to say that husbands arent entitled to the same!

JHound · 20/05/2026 12:34

BudgetBuster · 20/05/2026 12:27

I haven't assumed anything darling.
The OP has stated this was a promotion.

Yes but you said if he secured a new job it would mean less money. How have you reasoned that?

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