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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Husband is a boring bastard

156 replies

bosslady24 · Yesterday 18:47

Sorry but it’s true. He works full time and helps around the house but has no interest in family life, days out etc. We had a holiday this year that he was miserable for. Didn’t really want to leave the resort as it would be ‘too much hard work’ with our youngest. If ever he can get out of opting out of something he will. When he has our youngest on his own there are a select few activities he might do like the park or NT but would never dream of taking her to the cinema or swimming because it’s too difficult. Whenever I suggest getting in the car and going somewhere he will huff and claim he has too much to be doing at home or that he’s ill/tired/skint. I don’t want to be busy every weekend but feel as parents we have an obligation to do stuff with our kids when we can and give them a good childhood. He is just lazy and disinterested.

There is an age gap between us - he’s in his early 50s now with a 3 year old and I understand it’s difficult. In hindsight he probably didn’t fully appreciate what having a child later in life means. But she’s here now and I’m finding his lack of enthusiasm for anything quite a turn off. I have resolved to start doing things alone with dc (I have an older child from previous marriage) but I find it sad that I’m with someone who doesn’t share my values around this stuff.

Leaving isn’t an option for me at the moment but I just need to vent. If I bring this up with him he will list a load of excuses and/or sulk so it’s not worth it. It’s bank holiday coming up and I said I might take the dc away for a night and he is practically gleeful about the prospect of being left alone. I don’t get that opportunity because he’d never offer to take them anywhere himself.

OP posts:
PinkyFlamingo · Today 00:38

Hard to say. It’s not like he loathes her or can’t stand to be around her. He just doesn’t engage or want to do a lot. When I look back, he’s always been a bit like this even before we had her. We’d have the odd night away once in a blue moon but it was always planned by me

She will notice. It's emotional neglect from him thankfully she's got you. But she will notice.

wilsonjordan · Today 00:44

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Thatsnotmynameno · Today 01:05

Solidarity as I am in the same boat. Just no interest to do anything fun. Have to stay home because there is stuff to do and DS "is too young to remember anyway".
So sad for my DS as it massively effects our relationship but will have to make the most of it and do things just the 2 of us.
It's infuriating as he is happy to do stuff when somebody else makes a suggestion or when he has an idea. My suggestions are ridiculed or ignored.. Good luck

patooties · Today 01:13

I mean - he sounds both boring and lazy.
if I were you I’d go back to work FT and pay for someone to do all the boring cleaning stuff.
he does not get to opt out of parenting- I’m 53 btw - and while I’d not welcome a toddler now, if it was mine, I’d step up.
All parents of toddlers are knackered - that’s what they are for. You don’t get to just ‘back out’ of the boring stuff.

patooties · Today 01:18

I speak from the perspective of having been a SAHM to ours until they wete 7 and 10. The manged incompetence of some men (mine ran a fucking junior football league but wah wah’ed about bills, holiday clubs, weekend plans)

I had to go pass agg ‘so you’re taking Dave to a party, make sure you know where / when it is, and that you have everything’.

AnonyMumAuDHD · Today 01:30

Am not sure it’s fair to attack the OP the way some of these replies do. My DH and I were older parents - we were both 39 when we had our last, and so in our late fifties now he is 18. But at 50-52 my DH was doing a FT high level job, 14hrs a day most days and often working weekends, lots of travel… yet he was also coaching my DS’s cricket team, largely single handedly, running fixtures and traipsing all over country 1-2 nights a week for matches. Not the same as running around after a 3 year old, admittedly, but I have 60+ year old friends who have multiple grandchildren aged 3-8yo to stay for long weekends and a week here or there in the holidays and manage those alone too. I ran brownies and beavers, including weekend camps in my mid forties. Yes, we were/all all tired after a big weekend, but nothing like the OP’s DH - and he’s just being asked to step up in the evenings or for a few hours at the weekend. My FIL managed that in his late 60s and early seventies.

Early fifties is hardly geriatric!! So yes, he’s a boring - and lazy, selfish - bastard.

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