to want the wife to look after the kids while i watch F1

[Jasonthunderpants]

I work hard all week and it would be nice to get a couple of hours to myself so i can watch the grand prix without the little cherubs pestering.

lol @ notcitrus. Reminds me of DH trying to watch the football with a toddler pointing out the ball on the screen.

Problem with F1 is that:

1. It's horribly noisy (so whole house suffers while it's on)
2. It lasts an eternity
3. It's on a Sunday when, presumably, you are expected to do something fun/useful.

I sympathise with your wife.

There will be F1 GP in the streets of our little town in two weeks, and barriers etc are already up. We have plans to run far away for those four days. I used to like F1 but it's hell with kids. Trial runs start at 9 AM and the noise is so freakishly loud that kids you can't have a conversation and all babies start crying at the same time.

scurryfunge
define the mums job
ok
get up with the kids in the morning (between 5.50 and 6.20am every morning feed and dress them), do the housework,prepare the dinners and tea,entertaint the kids all day, try and feed them a balenced diet and after they have gone to bed wash up again and make DW a cup of tea while she puts her feet up
I usually get finished and my feet up by 6.30pm

Based on that list, Jason - welcome to the mums' club, and yes, you are not being unreasonable to ask your wife to look after the dc whilst you watch the grand prix.

Though you have forgotten to add to the list - know everything about the dc - birth weights, immunisation status, best friend' name, favourite toy/book/colour, next dentist's appointment etc etc, whilst the other parent is vaguely aware of small people underfoot.

It's all about give and take. DH likes a nap so I take care of DD. I want to go out with the girls DH takes care of DD. It's what works for you. If DW isn't happy about looking after churubs then more communication is required. If DW is still not happy then I think your gonna have to suck it up and take them all out for sunday lunch.

Blimey - you're a part timer. Feet up by 6.30pm!!! I could ever only dream of having everything done by 6.30 when mine were little. Actually come to think of it even now when they are a lot bigger.

I agree, start them young. DS2 was born half an hour before the Italian GP and DS1's memory of the day is a) eating fruit pastilles on the front step with DH whilst waiting for the ambulance crew to take their ambulance away (unexpected, unplanned home birth) and b) watching the GP and Schumacher winning. He was just 3 at the time and perfectly capable of paying attention.

Weirdly,DS2 has been a fan of Schumacher ever since much to the disgust of the rest of us. He claims to remember the race too, bless him.

YANBU my dh loves to watch the Grand Prix and I keep the monsters dc out of the way and then he takes them out for a couple of hours so that I get time out. Surely life is all about compromise and making each other happy. Grand Prix makes dh happy and time out makes me happy = occasionally happy household

"I happen to be a man who does a mums job so i class myself as a male mum"
Jason, that was the comment I was referring to,why should it be a mum's job anymore than anyone else's, presumably they are your children? Probably being pedantic here,I know

scurryfunge
Yes they are mine and ok I am not a man doing a mums job. I am just a person who looks after 2 kiddies.

Ha @ male mum. Err, a dad then? It's a job in its own right. FWIW (for what it's worth) we (DH, 2 boys aged just 4 and 20 months and I) watch the grand prix together if it's on at a decent time. Things happen as a family now.

Thunderpants, I suggest if you are on mumsnet at 14.38 on a Weds you perhaps have spare time during the week in which you can watch it?

weds, thurs, fri afternoon 4 yr old at pre school,2yr old at nursery,1pm till 3pm I have 2 hours without them
The reason I was on mumsnet is that I was online following a recipe for Chille con carne and I was entertaining myself while the onions were cooking down.Did you think I locked them in the shed?

Leomanade
It is more about having time to myself without the kids than watching the GP. They are both chatterboxes and I am being nagged in sterio.Sometimes it is nice to be away from them and just vegitate by myself

exactly. totally agree. Of course you should have time for yourself. As long as you both have time set aside for yourself, nothing wrong in that at all. Why do you need to ask?

Jason could you prehaps come and have a chat with my hubby please.
I'm a full time mum plus childminder, but
( and I know most of the time he's trying to wind me up) according to him I sit on my butt drinking coffee and watching t.v all day ok, if you say so!!

Oh and by the way just in case anyones wondering,how comes Im on MN, I only have 1 child today and thats after nursery at 12.00

YANBU

Thank you for all your replies

DW does let me watch the GP and this was my first post (I am new) and I suppose I was really questioning myself.

I enjoy doing things together but no matter how much you love your kids it is nice to be away from them.

Gosh, was this your first foray onto MN? You did quite well.

YANBU, as long as your wife had the chance to have some time alone.

DS is 5.5yo and started watching F1 with DH last year so you should find it easier from next season on.

YANBU

Check out Parenting, Relationships Behaviour Development for a less confrontational atmosphere.

oh you are being unreasonable, everything stops when F1 comes on in our house, your lucky to get a reponse from me once the green lights are on! but if shes not bothered then thats fine, I do the same for DH when footballs on-once i've poured his beer!

DD watched F1 from about 18months. She was entracned and obsessed with Michael Schumacher.

Get your kids into it, it's 2 hours where they are glued to the telly (it also means staying in the house every other weekend even if the weather is beautiful, so has its downsides as well).