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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

Lazy husband- Am I being unreasonable?

16 replies

Aditilove · 05/07/2020 17:49

Hi everyone,
even though I’m currently 35 wks preg with my 3rd child, I’ve never used this or any other chat forum before- but I think perhaps something about the lockdown maybe making me feel more isolated and missing outside reflections. But anyway, I’ve made it this far into this pregnancy dealing with this issue with my Dh which just keeps going on a loop and coming back round again. Need to talk to someone. - he’s just so damn lazy in my opinion. It’s driving me nuts. I’m approaching the end of this preg and I’m still the one doing all the organising for kids/home/work etc- I do most of the childcare, housework (omg he’s sooo messy which now nesting instinct has locked in is feeling pretty excruciating! ), I’ve earned all the money for the family for many months now, (Working from home preg) - I’ve bought literally everything for the baby and organised EVERYTHING- plus I’m doing the home educating of the other 2 kids- one of whom is a teenager who has a completely separate set of needs....all the bedtime & morning routines, plus all the admin to organise work (including for him though he hasn’t actually generated £ yet), I provide all the food, organise the cats vet trips, pay all the bills etc . I feel like I’m working day and night for little thanks or acknowledgement. Plus my other none of contention is even though my OH desperately wanted another child he seems to show little interest in the baby or me. There’s no romance, barely any intimacy (not for my lack of being open to that). He seems to switch off every evening and go into his distant bubble while I manage the kids bedtimes etc.. then he doesn’t come to bed until 2,3 or 4am most nights- which not only makes me feel neglected in pregnancy, obviously, he also often wakes me up and as you all prob know sleep is hard enough to come by in pregnancy! then of course he doesn’t get up
in the morning either or takes hours to get into any domestic/child/work oriented mode in the day. He seems to lod around doing one job to my 20 jobs, you know? Then he acts tired and runs himself a hot bath or whatever- it just makes me fume with irritation!
I’ve just been feeling so neglected, taken for granted, exhausted etc. Also, I’m in my early 40s- this is certainly a more physically taxing preg than before and I need more rest and to take care of my health more- but I’m just not receiving the rest or time I need.
Ive tried and tried to have this conversation repeatedly with him- have expressed my needs as reasonably and patiently as I can over n over- and it’s deteriorated into several arguments over the months as nothing seems to get through to him and I eventually either collapse into tears or scream with frustration. Ik not good and not that many times, but I’m just feeling so ignored, over burdened and stressed much of the time. I realise this lockdown is hard on everyone- and I truly do not find it easy to reach out or ask for help or complain, I’m one of those kinds of people- annoyingly so I might add. But lately I’m struggling to not feel a bit desperate and panicked at what kind of a future my family has, as I find this level of laziness and selfishness from my OH often unbearable, and I find myself contemplating leaving him and being a single mum of 3 in my 40s. Not a great thought for me to be having- I was a single mum with my eldest for years so I know exactly the reality of that. But that’s the other thing- I’m just feeling a bit too old to put up with this kind of crap.
Redeeming factors: there’s genuine love between my OH and I, he loves the kids, he’s not abusive etc and has a kind nature. But he’s disconnected, inattentive and not providing and lazy to a point that’s maddening.
Sorry for massive rant!
Appreciate second opinions?
Thanks ladies

OP posts:
yellowfishestoyou · 05/07/2020 17:52

If you've had countless conversations and nothing's changed it would be the end of the relationship for me. You are already practically a single parent and supporting everyone. What exactly does this man bring to your life apart from you think you love him?

GrannyBags · 05/07/2020 18:01

Why is he not contributing financially?

Aditilove · 05/07/2020 18:05

I hear that ..mostly at this stage he brings a father to the children - especially my young son who adores him. He does give a lot of attention to the kids (playing mostly, not the more challenging aspects of parenting)...and a s**t load of promises to me that don’t seem come to fruition but still give me enough hope to cling to. Having been a single mum for years I’m reluctant to re-enter that arena at this stage in my life. And especially about to give birth again it’s quite hard to actively contemplate-or even practically put into action. I don’t know how I’d cope in the first 6 months at least after giving birth with 2 other kids in this isolated pandemic situation- I feel like I’m hanging on to see if anything changes. But I’m not clouded by romantic idealism like I was when I was younger. I’m trying to give him and this family unit a chance to work but I’m feeling pretty disheartened in this preg

OP posts:
Aditilove · 05/07/2020 18:06

Not working atm and not applying himself enough

OP posts:
AttilaTheMeerkat · 05/07/2020 18:15

Aditilove

re your comment:-

"Redeeming factors: there’s genuine love between my OH and I, he loves the kids, he’s not abusive etc and has a kind nature. But he’s disconnected, inattentive and not providing and lazy to a point that’s maddening"

These two sentences really do not go together at all do they?.

What is the point of he being in your life at all now?. I fail to see what you are getting out of this relationship in terms of your own needs being met. He is showing you no respect for you as a person whatsoever.

Read this article too:-

www.huffpost.com/entry/she-divorced-me-i-left-dishes-by-the-sink_b_9055288?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAAFktc8Gjvtewc4cM7nqXQL_XtQlJ4KbJFeMn7qIA-l8S26jB6k-wo8TSyjSkkArfsPhstaqdq86irxhQ-N75wef4Ck5IPRScBQWDMyfHlbITNzdt9fTi-cYbEgswfoJowzVTkN6JkmShQVxezObVsLtPJlweMPyx7lc-c0TYg3F

When does he ever do anything for these children, oh he may well love them but love is also an action as well as a verb. And as for him having a kind nature, well that just shows me just how low your relationship bar actually is. He is taking the mick here and sadly you have let him do this till now when the penny has dropped. He won't change either, this is who he really is. You'll be doing all the donkey work with baby too.

AttilaTheMeerkat · 05/07/2020 18:18

He does give a lot of attention to the kids (playing mostly, not the more challenging aspects of parenting)...and a s**t load of promises to me that don’t seem come to fruition but still give me enough hope to cling to".

So he is a Disney Dad then. He's also bloody good at telling you what you perhaps even now want to hear. And it again all comes to nothing, he is all hot air. Hope is your enemy here; how long have you already been hoping that he will somehow change, provide for his family and get off his backside?.

Aquamarine1029 · 05/07/2020 18:21

Having been a single mum for years I’m reluctant to re-enter that arena at this stage in my life.

You basically are a single mum, aren't you? Actually, you might as well have 4 children because he's nothing but a useless man child. I fail to see a single positive thing he brings to your life. He is nothing but an anchor around your neck.

Regularsizedrudy · 05/07/2020 19:03

Was he always like this? He sounds less than useless

sassenach84 · 05/07/2020 19:40

Has he always been like this? Could there be MH issues at play?

sassenach84 · 05/07/2020 19:45

Has he always been like this? Could there be MH issues at play?

sassenach84 · 05/07/2020 19:46

Has he always been like this? Could there be MH issues at play?

roarfeckingroar · 05/07/2020 23:24

Lazy useless men don't change when they become a father (again).

Sounds like he isn't bringing anything serious to the table. Time for very serious conversations: shape up or ship out.

LannieDuck · 05/07/2020 23:34

I would tell him that he either needs to pull his weight with the housework and childcare, or he needs to leave.

You're already a single parent - would it really make that much difference? At least you'd get a break EOW.

Cherrysoup · 05/07/2020 23:51

So basically he’s your 3rd child right now? What benefits are there to being with him?

Tappering · 06/07/2020 09:45

But you are already carrying the load by yourself. By booting him out you stand to gain - by not feeling resentful and bitter anymore that you are supporting a lazy arsehole.

I am normally a great proponent of family money being shared money, but that is dependent on both adults making equal contributions. And by equal that doesn't mean earning the same or even both being in employement - he could make an equal contribution if he was pulling his weight. But he's not. Every penny of yours that he sucks away is money that could be spent on your kids.

Kick him out, file for divorce.

FancyPants20 · 06/07/2020 18:51

What's his excuse for the laziness?

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