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Parenting

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Partner with opposite parenting rules

3 replies

Sponge321 · 20/05/2026 14:24

Me and my partner inherently disagree on a lot of important things like screentime/diet/exercise etc. It causes me so much resentment because he just doesn't care. He'll let them watch tv for hours, eats nothing but junk/takeaways himself and then it affects the kids because if I've cooked a healthy meal and he comes home with a pizza they obviously want the pizza.

I'm not anti screentime but I think an hour/hour and a half after school is enough. I love snuggling up and watching a movie with the kids occasionally etc but instead they get endless reruns of top gear or the Simpsons. I try to persuade the kids to come out and walk the dog with me most evenings because I think it's healthy to get some fresh air and exercise (even if its not far just to the park down the road) but if he's home then they of course want to stay and watch tv or iPad instead. I'm not against takeaways but again think it just be a once a week/month treat and not a daily thing.

I just get shot down in flames everytime I try to bring it up. I know some might say leave him but its not possibly financially and also possibly worse as on his custody days I know it'd be endless mcdonald's, greggs, dominoes etc. I just want to do my best for my kids and feel like his attitude is destroying any of the healthy habits im trying to build.

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
TuppenceM · 20/05/2026 14:52

He isn’t parenting rather than a different approach.

How old are the children?

Sponge321 · 20/05/2026 15:22

TuppenceM · 20/05/2026 14:52

He isn’t parenting rather than a different approach.

How old are the children?

Upper primary school age.

He's super strict on some things that I just don't care much about like leaving toys on the floor & will expect them to drop everything to pick them up immediately if he feels they're in his way.

It wasnt so bad when he was working out of the house more but hes around a lot now and wants to watch tv all evening so even when I get home from work and start cooking tea (which is another thing I'd love the kids to be more involved with) the kids might turn their ipads off but he's still sat there watching tv so the kids end up watching too. Ive ended up putting them in lots.of afterschool activities just to keep them out of the house but my eldest is reaching the age where he wants to stay at home whilst I take the youngest to swimming etc so it's not working as well as when I just took them both with me everywhere automatically

OP posts:
TuppenceM · 20/05/2026 15:49

It all sounds very very unhappy and the root of it will probs my be between you and dh simply not having a healthy marriage.

He sounds lazy, deeply lazy and probably exaggerates just to rile you, which he achieves. You aren’t going to change him.

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