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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

I am interested in advice especially from men

403 replies

midlifehope · 04/06/2015 17:04

I have a problem in that I feel I am pulling the weight of 2 people in my family. I have ds aged 3 and am pregnant. I work 3-4 days a week. Ds is in nursery or with dp when I work. However I also end up doing 95% of domestic stuff. Dp doesn't work having
recently taken voluntary redundancy and bought a yacht! He has way more leisure time than me and I am feeling incredibly resentful. Howdo I get him to change. I don't want to ltb Jesuits

OP posts:
Lweji · 18/06/2015 14:15

The message here is that most men are not bastards, so the ones who do nothing at home are bastards and should be left, perhaps for a better model.

BarrySponge · 18/06/2015 14:49

Huh, it's funny that on a discussion called 'I am interested in advice especially from men' that an opinion of a man (put quite politely, I thought) is deemed as someone wanting to fight and worthy of being directed to tabloid website. It's good to see there are no cliched or preconceived ideas here, that's for sure.

JohnFarleysRuskin · 18/06/2015 14:52

Where's your advice to the op Barry?

wafflyversatile · 18/06/2015 15:20

You don't want to leave him and you also don't want to be in an unhappy marriage so there are going to have to be changes in your marriage.

Which means one way or another you're going to have to sit down and thrash all this out with him about division of chores, and presumably about money. So why not use the imminent arrival of your new baby to start that conversation about budgets and chores and free time. Have some basics about the money and a list of what needs doing how you think things should be split ideally and a schedule of how each of you currently spend your time just now to hand. I agree with the first bit of advice you got of asking him to come up with plans of how things should work. But you have to stick up for yourself too, even if it does lead to disagreement/an argument. Be clear in your mind and in your words what you want.

It's not acceptable for him to have all this spare time then call you a slob when you've been at work all day.

BarrySponge · 18/06/2015 15:48

My advice would be pretty much the same as the less hysterical* ones that have been offered. It sounds like this bloke needs a kick up the arse. Why does he act like he does? Has he been 'allowed' to act this way without recrimination over the years? Could it be as simple as that? If you let someone walk all over you then they'll carry on doing it. He may think he's the luckiest man alive, he is pretty solvent (so having a yacht would suggest) and his wife 'lets' him do what the hell he wants and never complains. Result! So; start complaining.

Yes, in a ideal world they'd divide chores equally and live happily ever after in the Peoples Republic of Mumsnet but in the real world lots of people do like to sit around and do fuck all - if they can get away with it. That is when you say 'oi, I've been rushing round like an idiot all day, so get off your arse and look after the kids you lazy git'.

*Yes, I am fully aware of the origins of the word hysterical. I couldn't think of another word that conveyed what I mean. It is not meant as an insult, backhand or otherwise. I felt it best to mention that before the Mumsnet Thought Police pounce.

Twinklestein · 18/06/2015 16:06

He acts like he does because that's who he is. He's an adult male in full control of his own life, able to make his own choices.

He is not the way he is because some woman has 'allowed' him to be: he has allowed himself to be like this.

And your solution is nagging complaining.

You don't think that might have occurred to the OP? And that if she's here at her wit's end, it's because it had no effect?

People don't change, and if they do it's certainly not at the instigation of someone else.

In the real world Baz, people divide chores and don't have to nag their husbands.

Fairenuff · 18/06/2015 16:35

He won't change OP, because he has no reason to. It's as simple as that.

He knows that there is no negative consequence to himself for his behaviour so he will carry on doing it.

If you keep doing the same thing, OP, you will get the same results. If you are not prepared to change anything, you will get the same results.

You can't make him behave the way you want him to but you can tell him what you are prepared to accept in your relationship. In fact, you are telling him already by your actions.

BarrySponge · 18/06/2015 16:57

'You don't think that might have occurred to the OP? And that if she's here at her wit's end, it's because it had no effect?' - that's why I said 'Could it be as simple as that?' because having read through this thread I couldn't find any evidence that she had done that. That's why I opined it.

'In the real world Baz, people divide chores and don't have to nag their husbands' - nope, I'd say in certain peoples 'real' world that's exactly what happens. It doesn't make it right, but that's how it is. is it like that for the OP? Dunno. Maybe. Maybe not.

And as for 'People don't change, and if they do it's certainly not at the instigation of someone else' - what a load of complete and utter bollocks! So your advice would be 'you can't change him so you might as well leave him'? So he is beyond redemption and she should leave him/throw him out and turn her life and that of her child upside down because he's a lost cause?

Also, I recall reading early on in this thread something along the lines of 'why is it that when women complain is it called nagging?' Why feel the need to type and score out nagging as if I have suggested that complaining is nagging? I never used the work nag. But you know, that's what us men do, right? Always moaning about the little woman at home nagging us. What a right bunch of bastards we are.

I doubt that anything I say would ever suit your worldview, but hey ho, I can be an argumentative fucker and really hate being put into a neatly labelled box by anyone who doesn't know who I am and what I think.

Twinklestein · 18/06/2015 17:06

I don't really know what to say to someone who is so naïve as to think that you can change other people. Perhaps you've never tried.

If you want to know what 'neatly labelled box' I've put you in it's [thick].

That's as much as I can be arsed to say to you.

JohnFarleysRuskin · 18/06/2015 17:06

really hate being put into a neatly labelled box by anyone who doesn't know who I am and what I think.

Funny because that's exactly what you've done. You've said this thread was a diatribe of 'all men are bastards' but I can't see any of that. I can see plenty of, 'this guy is a cock', but certainly nothing saying that all men are.
So you're actually just making that up. Weird that you'd come onto this thread expressly to say that. Ho hum.

So he is beyond redemption and she should leave him/throw him out and turn her life and that of her child upside down because he's a lost cause?

Isn't this your real beef, Barry? You don't like to see women who've been unhappy for years advised to leave their lazy men? Dearie, dearie me.

Lweji · 18/06/2015 20:02

He can certainly change, but the OP can't change him. He has to want to.

Lweji · 18/06/2015 20:07

Yes, in a ideal world they'd divide chores equally and live happily ever after in the Peoples Republic of Mumsnet but in the real world lots of people do like to sit around and do fuck all - if they can get away with it. That is when you say 'oi, I've been rushing round like an idiot all day, so get off your arse and look after the kids you lazy git'.

If you love someone you don't let them do all the work themselves and sit on your arse all day, or leave them alone with that work and fuck off to a yacht. You do your best to unload their burden.

BonnieNoClyde · 18/06/2015 20:34

Manhaters?! Nonsense. I'm a housework-hater and I'm not doing more than 50%

BonnieNoClyde · 18/06/2015 20:35

That's true lweji, if you can see that your 'oh' doesn't want to ease your burden, then, it's time to reassess.........

Lweji · 18/06/2015 20:55

Even worse, when you have children and share a home, it's the responsibility of both partners.
Even the lazy ones. Like me. Who still doesn't manage to let her child starve or live in a dirty home.
Why should any partner think it's only the other's responsibility?

CalmMeLikeAnOcean · 18/06/2015 21:13

Stick all the chores in an imaginary pot.
Housework, homework, paid work, jobs, salaries, self-employment, emotional stuff, family stuff, all of it.

Is it all in there? Has anything been contracted-out?

No? Good then.

You're both in.

DinnaeKnowShitFromClay · 19/06/2015 07:03

Barry you said it! post at 13.33 Grin

BarrySponge · 19/06/2015 11:07

So because I don't conform to certain people here's view of what men are or should be in their world you just call me thick and say you can't be arsed to say anything at all?

Nice.

midlifehope · 19/06/2015 17:34

Hi - didn't realise this thread was still active. It didn't show up on my phone.

Barry - of course I have complained to him in multiple different ways, articulations, configurations until the cows come home. Calmly, angrily, reasoned with him, tried many different angles with him. Debated with him. Cried about it to him. Joked about it to him.

I've even complained to a counsellor about it.

However he is a grown man and I cannot force him to do anything. He's not gonna magically change. That's my issue.

However we have children and are entwined, hence I find it hard just to walk away, for many reasons.

OP posts:
Senada · 19/06/2015 18:17

didn't realise this thread was still active. It didn't show up on my phone.

Actually it was pointed out to you on this thread of yours at 11.07

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/relationships/2400079-Looks-like-my-thread-vanished

Twinklestein · 19/06/2015 18:29

That was the 11th June.

midlifehope · 20/06/2015 17:34

Yes Senada my phone's doing funny things

OP posts:
Twinklestein · 20/06/2015 17:36

How are things going midlife?

midlifehope · 20/06/2015 20:32

Twinkle kind of resigned to it at the mo. Dp has had a day sailing his boat. I've been in town with ds. House is a mess - trying to decide whether to haul myself of sofa and deal with it or put it off. Blitzed the kitchen at 7.30 this am when ds woke me up so that's done!

OP posts:
Lweji · 20/06/2015 20:40

It might be a good idea to go on strike and see where that leads you.
Or leave the house and leave DC to him.
No food for DC? He can sort it out. See if he steps up. If he doesn't, then you have your answer.