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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To refuse to babysit on Friday after giving up my day off today?

84 replies

RiskyRain · 16/06/2026 17:51

I've been with my partner for about 16 years.

He has a 17 year old son who has lived with us FT since he was about 6 as his mum lives abroad and contact is very sporadic. He had has a heart condition and had heart surgery at 14 and she didn't visit once because it was hectic as it was close to Christmas (11 days) and she had other her children to look after and after that he sort of gave up with her and their relationship because she made him feel like an inconvenience.

2023 was a tough year for him as he’d lost most of his friends due to the surgery and recovery so he was miserable especially dealing with the trauma of the surgery as we did know about the heart condition but it was always managed with medication until it had rapidly worsened and he needed the surgery.

He attempted suicide and was referred to camhs who were useless, he started a new school for year 10 and is now doing much better. DH is obviously protective over him and has let a lot slide. Now he's not a bad lad but he's mouthy.

He started dating a girl at the end of 2023, when he was 15 and she was 13 which I was weary of but dh said it wasn't a big deal as they were only a school year apart. She wasn't going to his school though, they met online.

Long story short, he ended up getting her pregnant and the baby was born last year (they were 14 and 16) the baby is now about 15 months old and ds got his GCSEs and is in year 12 at a sixth form college. DH made it clearly he didn't want the fact he had a baby to impact his education (or baby's mums) and funded everything for him pretty much and now pays for childcare a few days a week as well as having him himself.

I am at my wits end with DS though just lately as he vapes even though he shouldn't due to his heart, we've told him multiple times but he says he's fine but he then plays on his condition by saying he's too tired and he doesn't go to college sometimes because Again he's tired or can't be bothered

Now the issue, he recently broke up with his gf which hit him hard as they were together for over 2 and a half years, they were argujg a lot and I think it was they were both stressed because of exams (GCSEs for her and AS levels for him). On Sunday I found out he’d been lying about having chest pains and being in hospital to his boss and dropped him in it by saying he was fine as I didn't know he lied. He called me a bitch and still hasn't gone and spoke to his boss. He had a shift yesterday too and didn't turn up.

I booked AL for Monday and today and had plans with a friend but DH had to go into the office today and asked me if I can have our grandson (as he was meant to) in the end I agreed as it's not worth the arguments, however I ended up cancelling plans with my friend. DH is away for the weekend on a stag do and DS asked me to have grandson on Friday night so he can celebrate his gf completing his GCSEs, I said yes and this was before they broke up. He's saying they're sorting things out so still wants to but not sure if I should after giving up my day off today and his behaviour in the past few days.

WWYD?

OP posts:
PullTheBricksDown · 16/06/2026 21:01

You have a DH problem. Next time he 'has to go into the office' don't enable him.

SummerDive · 16/06/2026 21:11

Ponderingwindow · 16/06/2026 21:01

If it is to go out for an evening, I would not babysit. For most parents of a young child an evening out is a rarity.

But then many parents have grand parents babysitting so they can have an evening off.
That’s not a rarity either.

And because ‘most parents don’t get an evening off’ doesn’t mean no parents should have an evening off because some are worse off/don’t have build in childcare.

EmeraldShamrock000 · 16/06/2026 21:15

This is a nightmare scenario. He’ll be a torn in your side for the next decade at least. Do you want to stay in this marriage? I’d tell DH that the baby is not your responsibility going forward.

worldshottestmom · 16/06/2026 21:19

I'm sure this is like the 3rd time I've read this thread. I mean, you said you would babysit, but now you don't want to? Don't if you don't want to, but don't be surprised when he's pissed off about it.

DS is in college with a job, after everything he has endured with his own awful mother, yes he has made mistakes by having a baby so young but it sounds like he's doing fine given the circumstances. He wants to celebrate his gf passing her GCSEs and sort out his relationship with her so they can provide a more stable home for their child. I would definitely be facilitating this.

With regards to the vaping and being mouthy, he is 17. Not ideal but hardly surprising. I know 17yos that do waaaaay worse.

inickedthisname · 16/06/2026 21:45

I would babysit. Thinking of what would be best for the baby, and probably everyone overall, I would think the baby’s parents working out their differences would help.

I would try and talk to him honestly. Tell him you didn’t know he’d lied to his manager, and while he’s obviously angry that it was you that accidentally let the cat out of the bag, blaming you isn’t reasonable and using that kind of language towards you is not acceptable. You can babysit this time for the baby’s sake and because you already agreed, but let him know that if his attitude doesn’t improve, you’re under no obligation to help him in any way in future.

Viviennemary · 16/06/2026 22:07

The whole situation sounds awful. I think I would walk away and let them sort it out. Why should you spend your life being put upon like this.

Happyjoe · 16/06/2026 22:19

Blimms · 16/06/2026 17:55

You posted this a day or two ago. Are you hoping for different answers?

Yes, it's a copy and paste job isn't it?

Coconutter24 · 16/06/2026 22:22

ThisOliveKoala · 16/06/2026 19:22

My thoughts exactly 🤣🤣🤣. Imagine my mum telling work I pulled a sickie…wow. It would never happen.

Thing is he’s not a teen with no responsibilities, he’s a father so he needs to grow up, stop lying and get to work!

Coconutter24 · 16/06/2026 22:23

Happyjoe · 16/06/2026 22:19

Yes, it's a copy and paste job isn't it?

No, it’s a different question

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