Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Relationships

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

To feel this way about my oh?

357 replies

Kmoggy · 12/03/2017 13:21

I'm really struggling to like my partner just now.. i haven't been happy in our relationship for about a year, had another baby 6 months ago so I'm sure that's contributed. He's not a bad guy at all.. he loves our children so much. Trouble is he has no ambition, no drive to do better for us as a family. I know he's been brought up to accept that just by having a job and being around is enough but it really isn't in my book. He is financially dependant on me.. I bring in most of the money. Granted I get private money gifted from my family each month but still that money was never to pay bills with, it was to treat myself with etc. Now we have children I just keep thinking how I could use that money for them and their futures but instead it's paying our monthly bills.
I'm going bk to work soon and will be working part time, looking after 3 under 2,s and hopefully starting some study plus running every aspect of this household. I don't have time to take on extra work. He does tho, he works 6/3 and has weekends off.. I have tried to suggest he advertises as a handy man or looks into some courses etc as he's so good with diy. But he won't and just tells me he doesn't enjoy it... he works for my uncle and brings in £20000 a year which is nothing when I think of the cost of 3 kids when they are a bit older. I just want him to want to provide for us and not happy to sit back and take from my family.
He could help more around the house too which really upsets me as today for instance I was up 3x feeding throughout the night.. I was so tired at 7am and asked him if I could get an extra hr, he said go get boys breakfast first and I'll come down when you did that.. he did come down but went bk to bed, it's 12.30 and I've just sat down. I've been cooking, cleaning etc since I got up and now he's sitting on his again. He never offers to help me or says I'll do that you sit down. He rarely cleans to standard I need and I honestly just feel so much hatred and resentment towards him just now.. don't know if we will get through this. He thinks everything is fine and has no idea I keep thinking about what would happen if we split up. I can't communicate to him ever coz he never talks back just sits quiet and never ever offers a solution to the problems in our relationship! I just feel we are 2 different. I want the very best for my kids, I'm not prepared to settle for bare minimum and he is! Although he seems to think spending money is ok on things we can't afford etc.. he wants all the nice things but he isn't pulling the money in to have them. Any advice welcome.. but I just need to get this off my chest as I have no one I can talk to about this and I don't know if there is any going be from here.

OP posts:
PigletWasPoohsFriend · 12/03/2017 17:50

He finishes at 3pm, he could do a course enabling him to earn more

Firstly he may not want to, secondly academically he may not be able to.

After all if it was that easy everyone would have first class degrees from Oxbridge!

ZilphasHatpin · 12/03/2017 17:59

He could do a course, but OP is just about to start a degree which will mean her partner has to be available to look after the children. Presumably after 3pm when he finishes work.

MuchAdoAboutItAll · 12/03/2017 18:00

OP I bet you're wishing you'd never mentioned it now Wink

Reading between the lines, rather than commenting on how you have tried to explain your feelings, I think it's likely that you're struggling with the responsibility of everything and your OH is distant and possibly acting in a passive aggressive manner. You need to be communicating your concerns with him to see how he reacts when he knows you are so upset and fed up with it all.

I don't see how you can realistically be studying if you have three under twos and no help with them, let alone keep a lid on everything else if you are also responsibly for all the admin and house work and intend to be working part time. I can understand your frustration because it is natural to want to improve your life, but would suggest you defer any studying until your children are a little older for the sake of your own sanity. I'd be focussing on whether your OH is the OH for you.

I imagine that your family are already aware that you aren't happy as they probably know you are ambitious. Their support and employment of your OH are probably continued as they can see you and your OH are different kinds of people and they are trying to help keep your world afloat rather than see you suffer. Ask them for help or advice and also see if you can have the money they gift you put aside incase you need it for yourself and your children at a later date so it isn't spent on coffee machines.

For what it's worth, and having previously lived with a responsibility shirking OH for many years, I would say that if he is not making any effort now it's unlikely he ever will. Make sure he does actually do the things he is responsible for because the last thing you need is to find he hasn't done something important. There will always be an excuse he can present you with, but actually not wanting to do something is a good enough reason for him not doing it, for him anyway. Everyone has free will. Keep an eye on things so nothing can go wrong.

I'd be far more concerned that he had no empathy for you when you were exhausted. At best he could have let you sleep. You could even have both stayed awake and spent the miserable time together! A partner who always puts themselves first is not a partner.

If you think he is both callous in his attitude to you and not capable of taking full responsibility for himself or his obligations to his family (and that is not necessarily about money) then I would be examining your options in more detail before talking with him. Start with a frank but careful discussion of the number of hours you need to sleep and the support you will need. Things are more easily sorted out when you are sleeping enough.

Good luck Flowers

LakieLady · 12/03/2017 18:02

"This man finishes at 3pm every day. He could easily do a course to improve his future earning potential. It's absolutely ridiculous!"

But the poor sod starts work at 6 am, so is probably up at 5. We don't know what his job entails, it could be very physically demanding and he could be coming home filthy dirty and utterly knackered.

Want2bSupermum · 12/03/2017 18:10

Piglet He COULD do a course that enables him to earn more. Doesn't mean he wants to and I used the word 'could' not 'should' because of course he doesn't have to. However, it takes two to tango and when you have 3DC I think you (plural) have a personal responsibility to make sure you earn enough to support those 3DC. That is for both parents, not just the father.

Finishing at 3pm, also enables the mother to go out and work 4pm to midnight, coming home at 12:30pm. She would bring in a FT wage too, helping to solve the financial issues they have. Personally I think doing a vocational qualification should be something he looks at and her doing an open learning course is a good idea too while she is on leave.

This isn't about going to oxbridge or gaining a first class degree. You don't NEED either of those to earn more money. If neither of them have qualifications, they can earn more by earning relevant qualifications.

I know a little about this. DH left school at 17 and had no qualifications to his name beyond the equivalent of GCSEs. I have a bachelor degree from a redbrick university. I didn't care that he didn't have qualifications because he was focused on improving his earning potential. Today he earns 7x my salary. We have 3DC and he is looking after them right now while I sort out my offshore team on yet another conference call. No needs for a first class degree or oxbridge to get to where we are at. Working long hours and going the extra mile has been the biggest contributing factor to our success.

JJbum · 12/03/2017 18:10

Dolt - I am glad it's not just me!

pinkdonkey · 12/03/2017 18:17

OP you do sound spoilt. By the sounds of it your parent's have continued to give you an allowance which you were getting before you had kids and were presumably working full time so on £40k yourself, you expected this money being spent on luxuries. Now you have kids and want to spend it in them but are working part time so it needs to go on bills. Your DP wants expensive thinks like golf club membership and if he is spending on this thus leaving you short for the bills then thats out of order and he needs a reality check too, but he works full time earning a decent wage so I think expecting him to work extra at the weekends is unreasonable. Infact I've just had a row with DH who earns less than your DP for taking on too much extra work as I'm worried he will make himself ill, yet again.

You need to sit down and look at your finances together if you don't think the current arrangement is fair. Work out how much you each spend on luxuries for yourselves each month. Is it equal or is he spending the golf club and leaving you with nothing to spend on yourself or the kids. If you look at it like this you can both see what looks fair. The way DH and I do it we each pay a percentage of our wage into a joint account for the bills and household expenses each month and are left with a percentage to spend on ourselves or save. If you resent your families money going on everyday necesities could you ask them to use it to pay directly for activities for the kids and work out your budget without including it.

As for the housework you need to meet in the middle DHs standards are much higher than mine but over time I've highered mine and hes lowered his, so we don't fall out over it anymore.

As for study, do you need to do this now or are you just piling to much pressure on yourself. And if your DP doesn't want to study, so what maybe he would rather spend his time with the kids and not pile so much pressure on himself unecessarily. You already have an above average income between you.

And if you can't comprimise and find a happy medium then maybe you are not as well suited as you thought and need to reconsider the relationship.

Want2bSupermum · 12/03/2017 18:18

Lakie DH often starts work at 6am. He gets up at 5am, leaves at 5:30am and gets on with it. When in the office he finishes at 4:30pm and comes home.

When he was studying for his MBA he came home at 4:30pm, ate dinner and went upstairs at 6pm to study until 10pm. I worked 9am-7pm so got up and got DD ready while DH got ready. He took DD with him to work and dropped DD off with the teacher who lived over the road. I studied 6am-8am, had my shower and got to work for 9am and studied over lunch. I got home at 8pm (work always overran), paid the baby sitter who had watched over DD while DH studied, and did housework/prepared lunches etc. We have 3 DC ages 5 and under and both work FT. I often work until after midnight and DH is up and out at 5am or earlier at least once a week. You make it work.

PigletWasPoohsFriend · 12/03/2017 18:20

Working long hours and going the extra mile has been the biggest contributing factor to our success.

Doing that also doesn't mean earning a great wage necessarily. By saying things like this it makes it sound that those on NMW or low incomes don't do this when in fact many do.

Glad it has worked for you but it doesn't for many people.

Mumoftwoyoungkids · 12/03/2017 18:26

Want2b But that is your values. Some people value financial success above all else. Other people don't. I don't. I would hate your life. I value "enough". We have enough.

Today we have:-

Gone on a family bike ride
Let the kids play on the lawn in the sprinklers (and then bath d them to warm them up - it's 13 degrees here!)
Played an epic game of Ludo
Done the odd chore
I've read a bit of a book and gone on Mumsnet.
Dh has tinkered with our bikes.

None of it particularly improving and not at all financially rewarding.

But nice. I like nice.

ZilphasHatpin · 12/03/2017 18:35

want so your child only saw you for 30 minutes a day and those minutes were at the break of dawn when you were all groggy from sleep? I would hate that.

Kmoggy · 12/03/2017 18:39

Oh ffs... those who are jumping in calling me entitled etc and critiquing me for accepting money from my parents, as others have said it's no different to those of you who have free childcare, house deposits etc. Sorry if you don't have that kind of support and it make you mad I do but that's not really what my frustrations are about! I would love to use that money for things for the kids esp in the future when they want to do all sorts of extra curriculum stuff and go on school trips etc. I do not want to choose who gets to do something one month and who doesn't.. but I think we can all agree music lessons, sports coaching etc isn't cheap nor is university fees etc. Is it so wrong I want to increase our earning potential together to provide that? The reason I'm doing my Degree is so that I can get a better income myself. I just wouldcexpect my partner to have the same drive to want the best for our children.
Certainly he could work part time and I full time, however as a long term goal we will still be in same boat plus I can guarantee you I'd still be coming home from work to washing, cooking etc. He doesn't even take my kids further than the garden on the weekend so I suspect their groups etc would suffer..as I don't think he would take them to the groups I go to withvthem or get them outside every day.. he sits on his phone most of the time. So why should I be the one doing everything, working part time, mothering our children and studying whilst he is comfy to clock off at 3 pm and has no intentions to perhaps looking at some self development, do some courses etc or a few odd jobs here and there to bring in some extra money. It's about self determination, sorry that I think my oh should show some ambition to pay for the lovely coffee machine and BBQ he keeps going on about!
Before everyone has a go at me about my income, we all live according to our income so whilst some of you can live on less that's fab but our bills are what they are each month, so unless I'm prepared to sell up and move somewhere with a smaller mortgages etc then this is what we have to pay. I can assure you out of the 2 of us it's not me living outwith my means. For Christ sake he doesn't even know how much money we spend a month and when the dd come out.. he has never once logged onto our joint bank account to see what's there..he just spends blindly assuming that money is there. It's me that has to then pull it from elsewhere to cover that.

OP posts:
DoingThisRight · 12/03/2017 18:44

So when did he change? Because you've had 3 Children knowing who he is, so why complain about it now?

ZilphasHatpin · 12/03/2017 18:44

He doesn't even take my kids further than the garden on the weekend so I suspect their groups etc would suffer..as I don't think he would take them to the groups I go to withvthem or get them outside every day.. he sits on his phone most of the time

Your kids? Are they not his? Has he had an extreme personality transplant in the last 2 years? Why did you have another child with him if he is so shit with the first one/two?

Kmoggy · 12/03/2017 18:51

The poor sod starts at 6 am? What time do you think I start?? It's not like I'm laying in bed whilst he gets up.. his alarm wakes me and I usually get up with him. My day never stops, sorry but the luxury of having a 15 min peaceful commute to work and tea breaks and lunch breaks etc sound brill. If I thought he'd look after the kids and house properly then of course I'd be out full time but considering he couldn't even tell me how much our weekly shop is I doubt we'd be better off and I suspect I'd be sepersted coz unlike some people here I prefer my house to be cleaned and tidy and yes with 3 babies my floor needs mopped every day! I start bk work in 2 weeks and can't wait to have my breakfast earlier that 2pm!

OP posts:
Kmoggy · 12/03/2017 18:52

The 3rd wasn't planned not that I need to justify myself to you.. but I suspect I'll be hounded for that too.

OP posts:
DoingThisRight · 12/03/2017 18:53

So he was fine for the first two?

Kmoggy · 12/03/2017 18:55

Another thing we need to clear up is that I'm not in 40k a year. My monthly take home wage part time will be around £1200 with travel allowance petrol etc. His us £1300 so £100 of a difference

OP posts:
MommaGee · 12/03/2017 18:55

So leave him OP. You have no respect for him, havnt said one nice thing about him. If you aren't happy, walk.

I can't help but think many women infantilise their DP then moan they don't step up.

What is your financial set up? Joint bank account etc? If he's spending money you don't have then talk to him about it. Tell him that all these things have culminated in you feeling such contempt for him. That if he keeps spending the bill money you can't be with him. Don't just wipe up his mess and winge online.

PollytheDolly · 12/03/2017 18:57

But nice. I like nice*

Sounds like an excellent day Smile

Caipir1nha · 12/03/2017 18:57

OP - people have given you a hard time on this thread and god knows why.
Your DH seems to be living in la la land - facilitated by your family paying him above the going rate for what he does and also subsidising his income. This is not ok. His lack of ambition is trapping you all, particularly as he is unlikely to pick up any slack at home to enable you to progress your career.
In my experience, most men seem to get a rocket up them once DC arrive, even if they weren't particularly career-focused before. Drifting through and being subsidised is NOT normal, despite what some people seem to think on here. I'm sure he's a nice enough guy and all, but this is not the point. If you are not happy, he needs to listen and engage with you to work out a solution.

MommaGee · 12/03/2017 18:58

So give him a shopping list one Saturday morning and tell him he needs to do the shopping. Sit down and talk about the bills vs income and how much money you have to spend on fun / golf memberships.
Fwiw he needs to do more round the house , he needs to look after the kids etc but YOU need to get him to so don't do his washing, bog off to the coffee shop after lunch etc

ZilphasHatpin · 12/03/2017 18:59

An unplanned pregnancy doesn't have to mean you have another child.

Anyway, I half suspect he was like this before the first one was conceived. No-one changes that much unless there is something wrong with them. Is there? Does he need to see the GP for sudden onset of depression or tiredness? What was his high flying career when your first was conceived?

Kmoggy · 12/03/2017 18:59

Yes as I said before he had plans.. he was going to do courses through work and now he just says that their isn't anyway to progress!! He is great with diy and has done some jobs around the house which I think are great and he could easily do as a living , I've suggested he do a course to learn the correct way and to start doing that as a job. He tells me he hates his job so if he hates it then why not change it?? It's a bit difficult to explain the whole dynamics of a relationship on mn.. but I'm a much more positive thinker than he is so I don't really have the attitude of "can't do it" I think you can do anything you put your mind to.

OP posts:
Kmoggy · 12/03/2017 19:02

Would love to bog off to coffee shop but I'd come home and nothing would be done.. I'm not kidding when I say I spend my life cleaning /cooking/picking up and still trying to do right for the kids by not keeping them coupes up all day inside!

OP posts: