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Mumsnet has not checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. If you need help urgently or expert advice, please see our domestic violence webguide and/or relationships webguide. Many Mumsnetters experiencing domestic abuse have found this thread helpful: Listen up, everybody

Dh said he wants to leave me because I'm a domestic nazi (sorry long and petty)

119 replies

AlmightyMess · 23/08/2013 10:40

Have name changed as lots of personal information here.

Dh fell out last night, then it carried on this morning.

The situation in our house is like this. We have a small shop, Dh works 6 days a week and can do long stretches without a day off. He leaves the house at 8am when he's dropping dc at school/nursery (2-3 times a week, 10 if not) and doesn't get back till almost 8 at night.

I am meant to work in the shop 2 days a week, but during the holidays I have only been in once every three weeks (childcare is too expensive).

Dh has worked incredibly hard to keep the shop going through the recession, I respect him allot for this. It has been very stressful and he has fallen in and out of depression with the weight of it all. He will not go to the doctor as he thinks he can pull himself out of it.

I do the majority of housework and childcare. I get up almost every morning with the kids at 6-6.30. I cook 6 nights a week and do all the kids meals unless I'm working. My house is not a pristine palace, I barely hold it together to get everyone out the door fed and dressed in clean clothes. I know this is how most people are so I don't expect a medal.

What I would like is a little bit of help with the housework. I'm happy to do all the washing and most of the cleaning. Dh does do general tidying and will sweep kitchen floor, hoover occasionally. He will also do DIY stuff when he has time.

I do like to go to bed knowing that the kitchen is clean for the kids getting up in the morning. I don't want it all bleached and perfect, just the dishes done (put away preferably, but not necessary), any beer bottle put away and counters to have no food on them.

I made dinner last night. We sat down together, dh asked me if I'd like to have sex that night and I said yes. I asked him if he'd tidy the kitchen and he said yes, then he called me a domestic nazi. I said that wasn't fair and he said it was a joke. He finished his meal then went next door to watch tv. I was still eating, I thought that was rude and I wondered why he wasn't cleaning up.

I then ran around getting the kids stuff ready for school. At about 10ish I asked dh if he planned on doing the kitchen as it was getting late. He asked if it needed to be done right now and I said as long as it's done before we go to bed as I hate getting up to rotting food on the counters, dishes and beer bottles.

He then went to the bedroom to wait for me. I went in and he asked why I seemed uptight. I said I can't switch off knowing I'm going to get up to that mess in the kitchen. He had a huge strop, went off to do the dishes and then wouldn't talk to me, then went to sleep on the couch.

This morning we fell out and he says I'm neurotic and uptight about everything. He said he pays all the bills and I reminded him that looking after his children is a full time job that he would have to pay someone to do it if I didn't. He said he would do the dishes but didn't want to have to live to my rules. Apparently I want everything done the way I want it, when I want it.

He shouted completely inappropriate things in front of the kids, like how he works 12 hours a day and do I want him to go kill himself. He said he was leaving but has since emailed me work to do today (that I asked for).

I am exhausted, one friend tells me I am neurotic but her dh is the same and doesn't do the housework she asks him to do. She thinks my situation is normal and I should just live with it if I want to keep a happy family.

My other friend, who I haven't told about any of these issue thinks I work too hard as I don't have any leisure time and dh takes the piss.

Sorry this is so long and sounds so petty but I really don't have any time to myself and I should be able to ask my dh to do a small bit of housework without all this anger.

Am I being petty and neurotic? Is this situation normal, do most women feel like a servant to their families?

OP posts:
somersethouse · 23/08/2013 14:14

If you have children, you do have to get up with them and get them ready for school. You do have to clean and cook them dinner. You do have to put them to bed and you do have to keep the house clean.
It has to be paid for and either the man or woman has to work (cash earning work) to facilitate this.
I am not sure I understand the issue.

valiumredhead · 23/08/2013 14:19

He asked you if you wanted sex? As in 'pass the salt, do you want sex tonight?'Shock

valiumredhead · 23/08/2013 14:22

I think I'm with your Dh on this one and swapping rules would be interesting, sounds like he's really putting the hours in.

dreamingbohemian · 23/08/2013 14:27

Oh sorry, x-post

I think it would be better to phrase it like that then whoever cooks, the other person cleans. And if he doesn't want to clean, he can cook if it's just the two of you eating dinner when he gets home, then he could actually cook.

I think that might sound nicer than just saying 'I think you should clean up'

What is the workshop work you do? Is that paid work?

blueshoes · 23/08/2013 14:29

OP, you work 2 days a week with one 7 year old child in school and another 3 year old child in nursery. You have to cook and clean as well, together with childcare. I am not sure what is stressing you out.

If you are at home with them (5 days or 3 out of 5 days during term time), your children are old enough to play together or by themselves, to give you time to do some cleaning and cooking. If they are at school on your days off, that's bonus time. If I had that amount of time at home, I'd be laughing.

If cooking and washing up dishes is getting you down, I suggest you take a leaf out of working mothers' books and do batch cooking and freezing over the weekends so during the weekdays, it is fairly straightforward to re-heat and generates less washing up.

It does not sound like you are anal on the cleaning. A little bit of organisation and planning your week to minimise the cooking/washing up and you are pretty much there.

AlmightyMess · 23/08/2013 14:30

He's not in the shop working 12 hours a day. On the 2 or 3 days a week he takes kids he leaves at 8 am (to drop kids at 9, then there is no point in coming home before going into town again) on other days he leaves at 10am. He finishes work at 7pm and it takes him up to an hour to get home on bus or train.

I don't expect him to do any of the housework or any of the child stuff, like ironing uniforms or packed lunches. I don't expect him to hoover, mop, do bathroom, clothes washing, folding or putting away. Just to tidy up a bit after himself, put beer bottles away and occasionally do the dishes after dinner when he's said he would.

I know I'm at home with ds most days so I do all the housework. I get up early each day with my kids and do breakfast, get them dressed, hair done. He gets up in time to leave the house (to do school/nursery run or go to work).

I don't want to do the dishes every night. I'd like him to eat the meal I've cooked and then do the the dishes some nights.

OP posts:
ChippingInHopHopHop · 23/08/2013 14:30

Somersethouse - someone has to get up with them, someone has to cook & clean, someone has to cook the adult dinner, someone has to clean up after the adult dinner.

Is there any particular reason you believe this has to be the woman? (In addition to all the other stuff she does for the family/the business)

Bonsoir · 23/08/2013 14:31

I don't think you can expect your DH to do housework on top of his very stressful job.

ChippingInHopHopHop · 23/08/2013 14:33

'his very stressful job' (running a small shop?????) prevents him from doing the washing up?

Stepford has reported you missing Bonsoir.

justanuthermanicmumsday · 23/08/2013 14:35

I think he should have done the dishes since he said he would. But equally you should be more understanding it was a few dishes there's no need for a strop over that. But we've all been there.

Personally I think women can be ungrateful of anything their partners do for them. I know I want it done a certain way and feel like its always a half done job. But perhaps they just don't see that? Everyone has their own standards, so we have to compromise unfortunately.

I think most women do feel like the house skivvy whether they go out to work or Sahm most domestic chores always fall on them. Only alternative is get rich and get cleaners and chefs.

I think you should invest in a dishwasher. I've had mine about a year, I never wanted one initially but I too got sick of being left for another 20 mins to do dishes tables and sweep the floor whilst everyone else him and his mum went to relax. I felt it was unfair I don't care if he works outside all day I don't stop till I go bed, even then if kids wake at night, who gives them a bottle or calms them down for bed ?, most the time us women.p, they pretend to be asleep.

Also I don't agree with poster who said why is she exhausted if kids are at school. My mum raised 7 of us and when they were at school she was doing all the same stuff apart from babysitting I.e laundry, cleaning, cooking, grocery shop. She may have got 1 hour to herself if she wanted but she never took it my mum used to love spending her time cooking extra stuff for us to eat. I'm sure it's the same now those same duties are there whether the kids are home or not. It's unfair to suggest this poster is perhaps lazy and not as tired as husband. I'd be livid if husband suggested that world war 3.

blueshoes · 23/08/2013 14:36

Justanut, the OP has 2 children, not 7. I have 2 children - it is not difficult.

AlmightyMess · 23/08/2013 14:37

So Bonsoir, he is to get up, put on clothes that have magically appeared in his drawers, eat, leave dishes in sink, leave house. Come home later to clean house, eat food that has been made for him, watch tv, then go to bed that has been cleaned and made for him.

OP posts:
Offred · 23/08/2013 14:39

OP I think you are getting a very hard time on this thread from people who consider 'women's work' lower status and that a woman's role should be to slave for a man if he is out at work.

I think some of the posts, particularly the venomous one talking about taking tips from 'working women' when you do work in the business are particularly nasty.

I'd like to say I totally agree with you. He is not higher status than you because the work he chooses to do is difficult and stressful and paid and the work role you play in the family is one of supporting him to pursue this and is unpaid.

AlmightyMess · 23/08/2013 14:39

Yes workshop stuff is for the shop. We could make more money, if I had more time in the workshop. I have retrained in this area so I could help the shop.

OP posts:
somersethouse · 23/08/2013 14:40

errr... chipping I said that if you have children you have to get them up and get them to school and keep the house clean and feed them, that someone (either the man or woman) has to earn money to facilitate this.

In this case it is the DH.

In no way do I think women have to do these Jobs, but if it happens to be the woman who is not working then it is the woman. FFS Hmm

The OP sounds like she is really wingeing, now she is complaining about having to wash their hair and cook a meal.

Honestly.

Offred · 23/08/2013 14:42

I'd be inclined to agree with a suggestion further back on the thread that said his choice of work doesn't sound compatible with his family and home responsibilities and perhaps it is time for him to reconsider his work choices.

dreamingbohemian · 23/08/2013 14:43

I do feel for you OP. When I moved in with DH I said I would do every lick of housework as long as he did the dishes. I just loathe doing them.

But, I've had to accept that I can't force him to do it my way. So they usually get done in the morning rather than after dinner. It does bug me a bit but I'd still rather that than have to do them.

I don't think you are unreasonable in wanting him to do them. I just think you need to have a proper talk and work out some agreement.

I guess it's also worth thinking whether you want to live like this forever. Are you both really committed to wanting to keep the shop?

UnexpectedItemInShaggingArea · 23/08/2013 14:43

Working FT six days a week and you have no extra money?

You need to give up the shop and get into a more profitable line of business.

What Chipping said in her first post. You both sound tired, neither of you is BU. you have different standards (it wouldn't bother me to leave dishes overnight, but I know it bothers my DH. A 7 yo and a 3 yo shouldn't be that demanding although if you are doing it mostly on your own it is very wearing.

Offred · 23/08/2013 14:43

stop deliberately ignoring the fact that the OP DOES work.

somersethouse · 23/08/2013 14:43

He works a 12 hour day. She has one 3 year old at home and Works keeping that home clean, tidy and cooks for her family.
I still don't understand and would not understand if she was a man and she was working a 12 hour day.
Someone has to do it. This is the OP, the Op's DH is working his arse off.

justanuthermanicmumsday · 23/08/2013 14:44

Somerset what you just said why don't you go to work 12 hours come home and cook and clean sounds like nightmare. Well that's most women's lives. My sister has to work full time because her husbands wage is pathetic and he refuses to retrain or find another job. So she had to put her kids in crèche when they were younger, after school clubs and when she got home she was doing the cooking and cleaning, he typical man was sitting there saying I'm not doing it I've been working all day. Well what has she been doing sitting on her laurels? This is the reality modern day women face. Whether they work outside or not still same rubbish from men on we work, what so housework , and child rearing is not deemed to be work? It's something I do for the fun of it? I think women need to be appreciated society seems to devalue the domestic Jobs we do as leisurely treats, and puts mens jobs on a pedestal as it it has more virtue and respect?

Yes someone has to do these chores but I don't think that's the point the poster was making. Marriage or a partnership is about sharing especially when kids are involved. in my house if you eat sleep make dirt you bloody well clean when you get a chance or you can get hotels because that's what you pay for when you can't be bothered.

AlmightyMess · 23/08/2013 14:45

Somersethouse I'm not winging, I'm just saying these are the things I do and he never does.

I do know what it's like to work in the shop, I do work there once a week in term time.

OP posts:
mynewpassion · 23/08/2013 14:45

You need to relax about the dishes. If he does it usually then one night isn't something to stress about. I am sure you have put off doing something until the next day.

Offred · 23/08/2013 14:45

she begins working in the home during the holidays when she can't work in the shop 2 hours before him and on this occasion was still working when he was sitting on his arse.

Besides, he starts work at 10 and finishes at 7, that is not 12 hours.

somersethouse · 23/08/2013 14:46

He does the school/nursery run as well?

I think you are lucky TBH.

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