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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 and 'I thought'

155 replies

chubbyspice · 28/05/2020 11:51

Is this passive aggressive? 'I thought we were all going to do breakfast together' when I'd only done pancakes for the kids. I pointed out that he could have a pancake if he wanted but he said that there weren't enough, without actually checking how many they were. He comes out with 'I thought' a lot, I just can't think of more examples.

Anyone got a comeback? 'You thought wrong' feels rude and probably won't be appreciated. I always get defensive when I get 'I thought', most likely because it's something DM trots out when she wants her way

OP posts:
Haffdonga · 28/05/2020 14:03

I thought ...
Oh? You didn't say....

But I'd be pretty hurt if I was left out of a special birthday breakfast. That sounds like it would be better as a whole family thing,

Alittleshortforaspacepooper · 28/05/2020 14:04

I wouldn't eat them. Nasty, nutritionless, white starch stodge

Who cares? You've missed the point entirely.

DontTellThemYourNamePike · 28/05/2020 14:06

DP does this too. I don't have any suggestions for suitable replies because every one I try starts World War 3. I find just making a sort of mmm? sound and keeping on doing whatever I'm doing makes him shuffle off and then he finds something else to moan about.

DP's other one is 'Somebody left the oven on', somebody didn't put the padlock back on the gate' etc etc. Drives me mad, because, assuming he hasn't completely forgotten what he did or didn't do 5 minutes ago, the only other person it could have been is ME. Very bloody unlikely to be the kids. Why can't he just say 'Just to let you know, you forgot to ... (insert instance of wilful negligence here)?'

MorrisZapp · 28/05/2020 14:06

'Nutritionless stodge' on a birthday pancake thread is the peakest of peak mumsnet with a pointy peak on top.

Megatron · 28/05/2020 14:07

My ex used to do this all the time. 'I thought' with a wounded look - it was always over something so innocuous, it was pathetic.

Eventually, every time he did it I would say 'Aw, did you?' and move the conversation to something completely different. Drove him mad. Grin

Megatron · 28/05/2020 14:08

'Nutritionless stodge' on a birthday pancake thread is the peakest of peak mumsnet with a pointy peak on top.

God, isn't it just. GrinGrin

zippyswife · 28/05/2020 14:10

I now want pancakes

MorrisZapp · 28/05/2020 14:15

@zippyswife

I now want pancakes
My dad's mate was in bed late at night watching a repeat of 'Taggart' (grizzled Scottish cop show) which featured a suspect eating fish and chips.

Dad's mate was forced to get up, get dressed, and go out to the chippy.

He'd already had his tea.

BorsetshireBlueBalls · 28/05/2020 14:15

I wouldn't do the 'oh'. Or the weird, old-lady sayings (my grandmother used to say of someone whom she thought rather pleased with themselves, 'he/she's like a carrot half-scraped.' She wasn't a very bright woman though). What about (since it fits your family circumstances) "We don't normally have breakfast together and we didn't discuss having it together today. Do you want us all to sit down together? would you like to make more pancakes?'

Bishybarnybee · 28/05/2020 14:19

I'd be well pissed off if my OH made pancakes for a birthday treat and we didn't all celebrate the birthday together. I don't understand why you wouldn't just ask him if he wanted to join you, especially as it's not something you do every day.

A little bit of passive aggression seems understandable in the circumstances.

ifIwerenotanandroid · 28/05/2020 14:20

hadtojoin
Your Mum's just made me laugh. My grandmother used to come up with the same kind of BS about what other people 'thought' & 'wanted'.

GigiLamour · 28/05/2020 14:22

I hate these passive-aggressive digs and really wouldn't put up with them from a partner. They're bad enough from DM.

For the "you want to..." ones I use "No, I don't want to. If I wanted to then I would be doing it, wouldn't I?" This has worked well.

For the "I thought..." ones I use "Did you?" or "Really? Why on earth would you think that?" Haven't managed to eradicate them yet, though. I might try "I think you're getting a bit confused" next - she's of an age to get annoyed by that Grin

MulticolourMophead · 28/05/2020 14:28

DP's other one is 'Somebody left the oven on', somebody didn't put the padlock back on the gate' etc etc. Drives me mad, because, assuming he hasn't completely forgotten what he did or didn't do 5 minutes ago, the only other person it could have been is ME. Very bloody unlikely to be the kids. Why can't he just say 'Just to let you know, you forgot to ... (insert instance of wilful negligence here)?'

My ex was like this. I only managed to put a stop to it when I had already secretly signed the rental agreement for me to leave, by telling him he had been the one to forget whatever it was, and showing him the proof. He was a wazzock.

Jeezoh · 28/05/2020 14:29

@DontTellThemYourNamePike

DP does this too. I don't have any suggestions for suitable replies because every one I try starts World War 3. I find just making a sort of mmm? sound and keeping on doing whatever I'm doing makes him shuffle off and then he finds something else to moan about.

DP's other one is 'Somebody left the oven on', somebody didn't put the padlock back on the gate' etc etc. Drives me mad, because, assuming he hasn't completely forgotten what he did or didn't do 5 minutes ago, the only other person it could have been is ME. Very bloody unlikely to be the kids. Why can't he just say 'Just to let you know, you forgot to ... (insert instance of wilful negligence here)?'

I’d reply with “was it you?” every single time and act confused when he says no - “must be that ghost again”
Al1Langdownthecleghole · 28/05/2020 14:34

Pieceofpurplesky I love your Gran's response.

'You know what thought did? Followed a muck cart and thought it was a wedding'

My Dad would have said, well best you have another thunk.

"I thought" isn't conflict resolution when it really means, "I thought you..." It's passive-aggressive.

IPityThePontipines · 28/05/2020 14:35

@MorrisZapp I'm sure they tasted gorgeous though. Fish and chips is the sort of food you crave on sight.

Whatisthisfuckery · 28/05/2020 14:38

This is a complete aside but my ex was the same. Her, ‘you should really do x.’ Me, ‘maybe, I’ll see how it goes/if I want/need to etc.’ Couple of weeks later, her, ‘I thought you said you were doing x?’ Me, ’no, you said I was doing x, I said nothing of the sort.’ It drove me mad.

Also another one that goes hand in hand very closely: Her, ‘I need to get an x because I’ve got to do y.’ Me, ‘you can borrow my x if you like, save you buying one.’ Her, ‘are you sure?’ Me, ‘yeah it’s fine.’ Couple of weeks later, me, ‘can I have my x back please?’ Her, ‘I thought you said I could have it?’ Me, ‘no, I said you could borrow it to save you buying one to do y.’ Her, ‘but I thought you said I could have it, you said it was fine.’ Me, ‘I said it was fine for you to borrow it, not to have it. Why would I say you could have it when I need it?’ And around and around we go until she gave it me back and I somehow felt like I had misremembered or was being unfair.

It’s subtle gaslighting, because it always leaves you feeling like you’re somehow being unreasonable or in the wrong.

Durgasarrow · 28/05/2020 14:39

I agree with your husband on this one. It's a birthday breakfast and a special food. Why wouldn't he want to be included in part of his child's celebration?

butterpuffed · 28/05/2020 14:42

Perhaps he's miffed as he wasn't included in your breakfast birthday plans and not passive aggressive at all .

FamBae · 28/05/2020 14:45

My DH of two years frequently used to use the following 'Whatever' 'if you like' 'can do' .... just blooming well say yes or no grrrrr .... he is getting better, if he doesn't say yes I presume the negative Grin

chubbyspice · 28/05/2020 14:46

I didn't have pancakes. Only the two kids had pancakes.
This all started when I got breakfast in bed for my birthday so the kids followed suit and decided that they wanted breakfast in bed for their birthdays. So it is only ever really the birthday person who gets it the special breakfast. As DS wanted pancakes and was already up and also sleeps in a bunk bed I did breakfast at the kitchen table and his sister got some as well.
DH thinking that we were all going to sit down and do breakfast together wasn't based on anything I said/did. And it's not about this, it's more the use of 'I thought' which grinds my gears. And then the martyr attitude when he was offered pancakes. Anyway, water under the bridge. It's just that 'I thought' is such a trigger for me. Might ban it's use......

OP posts:
Eckhart · 28/05/2020 14:46

'How tragic for you.'..?

lightyearsahead · 28/05/2020 14:47

How about saying "Less thinking and more doing"

Eckhart · 28/05/2020 14:48

As a response to him, I mean, not you , OP!

Lynda07 · 28/05/2020 14:49

I don't know why he couldn't have shared breakfast with you and it doesn't take long to whip up another bit of pancake mix. However, if he even says, "I thought...", in different circumstances, I do not think, "You thought wrong", would be an inappropriate retort. We all know what 'thought' did.

Hee hee, I can remember when I was a child and diappointed about something I would say, "I naturally thought....", and it drove my mum potty.

I'll read the whole thread to see why husband was excluded.

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