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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

Was DP crap while DD was in hospital?

44 replies

BedraggledRock · 18/09/2019 22:55

I'm really tired, I've had a shit few days and there's no one around to talk to. Also, there is a backstory, its not my intention to drip feed but Id really like perspective on this by itself.

Background DD is 8, been with the DP 5.5 years, we've all lived together for 3.5. DD's dad is very involved but she and DP are also very close. DP always very vocal about our 'little family' and about how much he loves 'the girls'.

At the weekend DD was at her dad's but she had a virus and was suffering with her asthma. ExH called at one point to say he was worried about her and I went over while he called NHS direct. An ambulance was sent and we spent the night in a and e then she was admitted.

ExH and I shared staying over for 3 nights and making sure she had at least one of us with her all the time. I also had to juggle a freelance work commitment I couldn't moss and attend a job interview, which I wanted to just cancel really. It was poor DDs first hospital stint and the worst asthma she's ever had by far.

DP has coincidentally had the last four days off work. He was great on the first night, coming to the hospital at 1am as I didn't have my car and then popped into see DD in the morning.

Monday PM I called him about something but he sounded really distracted, he was obviously engrossed on his computer. He didn't even ask about DD, although I suppose he'd seen her earlier. He had said he wanted to go and see her again in the evening but I text him an hour before visiting time ended and he didn't see the message on his phone. He was obviously engrossed again on his computer.

That evening DD got worse and it was a pretty sucky night. When everything calmed down at about midnight, I picked my phone up, no message off DP asking how we were. I text to tell him about DD and say goodnight. He didn't see the message for an hour or so, so had obviously been busy on his computer and hadn't stopped to wonder how we were.

Next morning he messaged to ask if we wanted breakfast bringing. The hospital don't provide breakfast so I said yes please, we're starving. We live 10 minutes away but it took him an hour and a half to get there.

I asked him to change the beds and hoover upstairs for when we got home so DD could sleep in clean, dust free surroundings and he said he would.

Tues night I went home as exH was sleeping at the hospital. No housework had been done and DP was on his computer again. He said he'd do the housework in the morning and rushed out to get some tea as there was no food in the house and he 'hadn't had chance' to go shopping.

This morning, I left early for the hospital and told DP that hopefully I'd be bringing DD home lunchtime. Luckily, the night had gone well and we were allowed home.

When we walked in, DP was on his computer. He'd picked things off the floor and done half of the bathroom but that was about it.

I changed the sheets and hoovered while DD stayed downstairs. Not the end of the world, but hardly the return home to a nice clean bed that I wanted for her. The one she'd have had if I'd done the beds myself which I would have done had DP just been honest and said he wasn't going to bother.

The sink was full of dishes. I settled DD and started doing them. DP then took over and obviously out of guilt, hoovered the living room. I then gave him a shopping list as there was still no food in and DD was hungry.

I just feel like he's been crap. He prides himself on being very family orientated and thoughtful but I think he let us down.

How annoyed would you be? If at all? I'm not sure if my high level of annoyance is because I'm tired and stressed and I've got a general downer on him because of other things going on at the moment

OP posts:
Sally2791 · 19/09/2019 00:55

He was absolutely rubbish. Hope your daughter is much better. Have a serious conversation with him

Nat6999 · 19/09/2019 01:57

I would have stuck his control pad somewhere very painful, what you asked him to do would have taken a couple of hours max but he preferred to spend all is time playing games on his computer.

BedraggledRock · 19/09/2019 10:14

Thanks all, I fell asleep last night after only reading a couple of comments. I still woke up feeling annoyed though

@readitandwept yes that's him - I think that's why I'm even more annoyed

He does work, but he was on a few days off. His hobby isn't gaming as such, well its not playing it. It started off as playing and I would often call him out on the amount of time he was spending playing. Now he is learning how to make the games, which apparently is different because its learning a skill and is a more educational hobby Hmm

I'm annoyed with myself because I set my alarm for the middle of the night to give DD her meds. I have ADHD so it takes me several alarms before I even hear it. DP got up before me and went and did it.

He's now gone into 'ultra step dad' mode, so obviously I would be a total cow if I accused him of being crap

OP posts:
OrchidInTheSun · 19/09/2019 10:18

No you wouldn't. He put your DD's health at risk by not getting the house ready for her release from hospital. That's appalling. It's not just lazy, it's neglectful.

chickenyhead · 19/09/2019 10:20

Yeah that just shows that he knows that he was wrong. He knows it now and he knew it then. He just didn't give a shit.

Flyg · 19/09/2019 12:40

Really shit and trying to make up for it now. Do some shopping and hoover, tidy, change the beds. What is that, about 2 hours work absolute maximum??

He took the opportunity to cultivate his arse on the couch in an empty house all weekend.

Span1elsRock · 19/09/2019 12:49

He not only let you down, he's let himself down.

I always think when times are testing, people show their true behaviours...........

Not a guy I'd want around me in a crisis.

Windydaysuponus · 19/09/2019 12:52

Sounds like he made the most of his break.
You and dd way down his line imo.

FuriousVexation · 19/09/2019 12:56

Is he the type to say "But if you wanted me to vacuum you should have said" - as if the possession of a penis stops you from thinking about thoughtful stuff like this?

If so, find an article (I think there's also a comic strip of it) called "The Mental Load".

Hope your DD is feeling much better soon.

Bibidy · 19/09/2019 13:36

Ok so coming at it from another point of view...

My DP has children and if one of them was in hospital, as much as I would be concerned and check in with him often about how they were doing, I would definitely feel it wasn't my place to be there unless I was asked. Especially if he was there with his ex. I would be very conscious of stepping on toes and potentially causing more stress in an already stressful situation.

Re the cleaning, he should have done that. Giving him the benefit of the doubt, did you let him know when you found out she was definitely discharged? Maybe he was waiting for confirmation.

chickenyhead · 19/09/2019 13:39

She has been with DP most of her child's life! He should care about her a LOT! 5.5 years by age 8 is pretty much since she can remember.

He has shown you who he is.

Bibidy · 19/09/2019 13:47

She has been with DP most of her child's life! He should care about her a LOT! 5.5 years by age 8 is pretty much since she can remember.

I have been with my DP for most of his younger child's life too and I do care about her a lot, but I would still feel unsure and awkward about going to the hospital for more than a visit when her mum was there. I just feel like if you're a parent with your child sick in hospital, the last thing you want is your ex's new other half there (even if they're not that new).

Of course if my OH asked me I would go, but otherwise I'd just check in by phone and visit at convenient times.

AND I would probably be like OP's DP and feel much more comfortable stepping up when SD was back home again.

Booboostwo · 19/09/2019 13:55

He is lazy and he took the opportunity to have some time off while you are at the hospital/. I am afraid there is no other way but to see this as uncaring,

WhoKnewBeefStew · 19/09/2019 13:58

Yep he was crap...

readitandwept · 19/09/2019 15:24

He wasn't even checking in to see how she was though. And he said he wanted go and see her. From OP's posts, she was absolutely fine with that. No one tried to stop him, but he just didn't show.

This guy has in the past told OP's friends that he WILL be attending the child's parents night, and that her ex will need to "suck it up". But he can't be arsed to send a text or run a hoover round the house?

He's all about appearances and ego, not what's actually best for his "little family".

Graphista · 19/09/2019 15:34

"It's when a crisis happens that you learn what someone is really made of. He's made of shit." Yep!

My life experience has taught me that you find your true friends in a crisis.

First time was when my dad was injured at work and rushed to hospital, very much "touch and go", he was army and we'd been at that location actually a good while at that point and mum and dad had people they THOUGHT were good friends and who THEY had helped in emergencies, including having their kids in the middle of the night no notice, distressed kids, who MASSIVELY let them down when this happened.

But also people who before it happened they would have described as friends that were just beyond the level of acquaintances, REALLY came through for them, took care of my siblings and I that first 36 hours of him being admitted and in icu, reassured and distracted us, made up meals for my mum to eat when she did dashes back to check in on us, the "mum" even popped to the hospital and gave my mum some spare clothes when she got caught short due to dad bleeding all over her when he was first admitted. She was amazing!

As life has gone on I've had similar experiences, the people I thought of as good friends I could rely on nowhere to be seen, but people I barely knew being bloody awesome!

This has included the "friend" who "couldn't handle the drama" when I had my second mc, but the neighbour (who went on to become a great friend) who came to see me in hospital, listened to my grief and even managed to make me smile, and didn't disappear when i got home and even remembered my due date and made sure we did something distracting that day.

"Friends" who were all about (supposedly) ending MH stigma, but when I had my breakdown I didn't see for dust! Whereas others who again weren't so close previously or I (wrongly) thought of as "just fun" friends (people I really only did nights out with before) came and helped with dd, sat with me just talking and having cuppas when I couldn't sleep, spent HOURS with me encouraging me just to walk to the end of my path as I recovered from my first bout of being housebound from agoraphobia, and held me when I wept when I could go no further.

And I have helped people out too, having kids when a sibling has had to go into hospital or their single mum has been sick and no dad around, fetching shopping, cooking meals so they don't have to cook but aren't relying on carry out, lifts to hospital appointments, even just talking to them when their own MH is shit and it's 3am and nobody else to talk to.

Yes you really find true friends in a crisis...

This guy is not that! Appalling behaviour! To not even Hoover when she's been hospitalised for what sounds quite some time with an asthma flare up? Even though you very specifically asked him to and were clear what was needed?

Completely unacceptable he should be thoroughly ashamed!!

Mrskeats · 19/09/2019 18:04

How was hoovering, changing sheets and getting some food in likely to step on anyone’s toes bib? What a load of excuses. I knew it would involve gaming,

BedraggledRock · 19/09/2019 23:18

Giving him the benefit of the doubt, did you let him know when you found out she was definitely discharged? Maybe he was waiting for confirmation

I did, I text him half as we were packing up, about half an hour before we arrived home, to say we were on our way. He didn't see it though and when we got home, surprise, surprise he was on his computer. It was lunch time though like I told him it probably would be.

I'm by no means complaining that he wasn't at the hospital when he should be (apart from when it took him 90 minutes to bring breakfast), only what he should have done at home.

I am constantly walking a tight rope of keeping everyone happy - making sure DP feels involved, exH doesn't feel pushed out and DD gets what she needs and wants from both of them without being aware of any tension. It's frankly exhausting and I'm beginning to feel that if DP wants to be included in a family he needs to earn it too.

I don't understand why I've not noticed it before but I think he just wants to do the visible stuff - parents evening, turning up at hospital with breakfast, natvities and Facebook pictures etc.

He saw my mum when DD was in hospital and complained to her that work weren't letting him have his rota and he 'had a sick child at home and he needed to be able to plan' yet behind the scenes he was doing nothing.

OP posts:
JustHavinABreak · 20/09/2019 00:07

If you're planning to have any more children with this man-child you really need to have a long talk with him about the grim realities of parenting. Despite what he seems to think it's mainly a back of house job, not a front of house one. The glory moments are great when you're watching your little darling cherub do you proud but someone has to do the grounding, wipe the arses, clean up puke, make the threats and all that jazz. And he'll have to tear his eyes off the screen to so it.

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