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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

Please help me decide if the balance of duties is right...

33 replies

robin3 · 18/10/2007 10:58

This has been bugging me for ages so help me decide if the balance of duties between me (working F/T) and DP (SAHD) is right or wrong. I'm still not sure because I know staying at home is really difficult.

Background info...
Two children
One is a pre-school 5 mornings a week and with Grandparents 1 afternoon a week
One is at nursery/with Grandparents 4 mornings a week
DP works two evenings a week and virtually all day Saturday.
House is small 4 bed with big garden

SOOOOOOOO
What are the tasks that need to be done and what is a reasonable split?

OP posts:
Legacy · 18/10/2007 13:54

I see some of my DH in your description - I think it's a 'man' problem in general, as much as it is for your DH - some men just don't 'see' the things that need doing.

DH & I both have our own businesses and work from home In theory we both work about 4 days over 5 days and evenings. In theory we 'share' the after school childcare and school runs.

In practice, when I'm doing 'after school' childcare I feed them tea, oversee homework, pack bags for next morning, do a couple of loads of laundry & folding/ putting away, listen to reading, hear spellings and cook our dinner.

When DH is doing after school childcare he brings the kids home from school, gives them some squash and a biscuit, and then buggers off upstairs to his office until about 6 pm.

It is a constant source of argument between us, and like your DH, he won't hear any suggestions about what else he should be doing! As a result I am spending about 2 days a week working, and end up doing everything else!

The only partial success I had was by putting together an 'after school checklist' which listed all the stuff he HAD to do with the kids on a particular day, and then he reluctantly followed it (for a couple of weeks at least )

cheeset · 18/10/2007 14:01

Agree Ladymuck

bozza · 18/10/2007 14:17

Your subsequent posts have rather made me lose sympathy with him. I think he is being head in sand about it all.

robin3 · 18/10/2007 15:17

He's actually a really nice guy and a great Dad but yes the facts below aren't screaming great things.

I was thinking last night though that when I lived on my own I came home, did my own washing, paid my own bills, bought and made my own dinner. Of course weekends I could lie in and do nothing and I never had to get up in the night but i was trying to be positive.

OP posts:
Meowmix · 18/10/2007 15:26

this is a bit sneaky but worked on DH. I started talking to DS about him having finger chores (ie a small job he does for each finger, like setting the table for dinner or putting his dirty clothes in the laundry basket). One day he asked what Daddy and Mummy's chores were.... so now we all have finger chores. Admittedly I have to police them from time to time but there can't be arguments.

However come the weekend I am very much the full-time parent, cleaner and cook and our last holiday was exhausting (and the last self catering one we take imo)!

Elizabetth · 18/10/2007 16:20

Do you mean when you were thinking that because you did everything before it doesn't matter if you do it all now, robin?

The thing is you aren't just doing it for yourself, you're having to look after your children and your I'm sorry to say this but your lazy husband too on top of a full-time job whilst he has plenty of spare time to do as he pleases.

Does he see himself as somehow above having to do mundane household work?

robin3 · 18/10/2007 16:33

Honestly not sure what he thinks in his head except to say I'm certain that he doesn't think that he's not pulling his weight. If he did he would do something about it.

I really really think that the other Mums amongst our friends are the route of the issue as they seem to have loads of time to go to the gym, have manicures, have their hair done, have gardeners. Of course they have domestic help and probably do all the other stuff at twice the pace that he does. Also he feels that time spent in the garden is him doing chores which is true to some extent BUT he prioritises this above all else. I know it sounds rediculous but I think this has removed the guilt completely.

Ofcourse there are other friends who run around being domestic goddesses with no help or work full-time as does their partner but he doesn't model his life on theirs . Funny that!

I have to face the fact that it's not worth the fight and that nothing will change until he starts to work F/T. Then I swear I am going to put my feet up big time.

OP posts:
phdlife · 18/10/2007 16:51

where are the threads about women feeling devalued because their dh's don't help, anyone?

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