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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

WFH is ruining our relationship

100 replies

Pointlesspercy5 · 06/01/2022 07:53

I am in the wrong here, I know I am, I'm being unfair but I need a moan.
We have two kids at school, I'm a housewife partly through choice and partly through situation. Husband has a good job, earns enough that we are comfortable. He is senior management (similar to an operations manager). His work has always been different hours because the places are open 24 hours. He also has to work away for a few days here and there around the country. On top of this we have no family able to help with childcare so I don't work at the moment as its easier that way. I worked full time before the kids. Our life and relationship of 20 years was great!!!

Then covid came along. I accepted our new way of life abit like a prison sentence to get through . I was homeschooling the kids and husband was working from home. It was very very hard to get used to and there were alot of tears and arguments along the way. But I was able to cope with it because I knew it wouldn't be forever a d the good weather helped alot.
Time passed and the kids returned to school and husband was given the opportunity to basically do whatever he wanted. His work were not bothered if he went in or not. He goes in occasionally. Over the past month he has been in for one day.
Last night he told me due to omicron he will be working from home permanently for the foreseeable. He has also been applying for other jobs that are totally work from home aswell.
I don't blame him. He loves working from home. He isn't social at all and is very lazy. Now he doesn't have commute, doesn't have to get dressed, doesn't have to move from bed or sofa if he doesn't want to as long as he has his laptop!! Gets all his meals put in front of him.
He suffers from SAD (seasonal affective disorder) and has for a long time and can't see the link that he almost never goes outside. The only time I can think of that he's left the house over the past month is for an hour on boxing day. He doesn't step outside. He's like a vampire. But anyway he's loving this new life.

But for me it has completely ruined our relationship. We are together almost 24/7. There is no difference between the weekdays and the weekends. It's groundhog day. We have nothing to say to each other because we are together all the time. We used to go for date nights, all that's stopped because we'd have nothing to say to each other. No time together feels special because we are together all the time. I can't bare it. I feel trapped, monitored, controlled.
He's never been controlling before and there are very subtle things that are driving me mad. He comments on everything I do. If I go out, where am I going, why, how long for? If I sit down for a cuppa after cleaning for hours he will come downstairs at that moment and comment I just sit down all day and he bets that's what I did all day when he was at work.
It is so so tough. The winter makes it worse because we are indoors. During the summer I'm outside gardening etc or we go on days out. At the moment I feel like a servant /cinderella.
It's got to the point where I am completely turned off from him, everything he says annoys me, I don't want sex with him, don't want to be around him. Ive found myself fantasising about me moving away for a life on my own, now or in the future. I've got it into my head as soon as the kids are old enough I'm going to seperate from him to live my own life. I never felt this way before.
And then to top it off, I've said ill go back to work now as he is at home to grab the kids from school and let the dog out for wees etc. He's flatly refused because "he may go back at some point' and" there's no way he's got time to let the dog out/get the kids. ". This is completely not true. He just wants this lazy life to continue!! This would be the answer for me because id feel like I have my own life, money, other adults to speak to. Currently the only time we are apart is if I go to tesco, take the dog out and the school run.
Some people would love to be together all the time but this is no life at all. It's unbearable.

OP posts:
Bellringer · 06/01/2022 12:38

Stop servicing him. Don't bring his food, now he is home he can make your sandwich, take a turn at cooking dinner, help with homework, pop the washing on at lunchtime...
Make it less comfortable, if you have to ramp it up stop cleaning and go out, be late back
Have a proper talk and make new rules and boundaries

moremoony · 06/01/2022 12:40

and start building up your life. Join a gym. There’s no reason why you can’t go out in the eve once the kids are fed. He can do bedtime. Go out to yoga/gym/book club/boot camps. Get out at least 3/4 nights a week. Weekend mornings go to the gym. Get your own life. You can do this

Flyg · 06/01/2022 12:41

He sounds vile. Other women are certainly not jealous of you, as he suggests. Honestly i'd leave, you only get one life and you're living yours to facilitate him doing whatever he likes.

sociallydistained · 06/01/2022 12:44

This sounds like the prison sentence you mentioned before but for life! I really think you need to sit him down and explain that your life can't go this way and if changes aren't made you need to end the relationship.

I couldn't life like this no way!

Serenschintte · 06/01/2022 12:49

It might be time for some marriage Councelling. Before things really slip over into resentment more than they have already.
I’m also a SAHM - teen children. Husband in high pressure job.
Some points to consider

  1. He orders his day as he sees fit. You should be able to as well. Have you explained that to him
  2. What about volunteering or joining a gym or a local walking group? Just for you? When my husband has been tricky now I start to do things for me. Continue with my life. He comes back eventually
Hopeful22 · 06/01/2022 12:50

@Pointlesspercy5

A few things have led to this situation. I've been a housewife for ten years. I wouldn't have been initially but was made redundant whilst pregnant so kind of forced me into it. During those ten years, husband has gone from a minimum wage job himself right up to very senior management. Through hard work granted. He doesn't work hard at all now, in fact he does hardly anything. Just delegates to other people. But he did work hard. I was extremely proud of him and also grateful to be at home with my babies.

Ten years has now passed so kids are alot older. Ten years of day to day drudgery of the house and having no life.ten years of my husband having every single thing being done for him, the house and the children and he not having to lift a finger or even think about the kids etc. Ten years of him developing a very high sense of self and power and big headedness. His job is "extremely important", his job has to come before the families needs and wants. And then the addition of covid and then working from home.
I see no end to it because he prefers this way of working he will actively seek it out in future to remain home based.
I act stroppy etc because when I wake up each morning I'm dreading the day ahead. The same groundhog day. I don't even want to get up. So I can't be pleasant around him.at the moment I'm keeping very quiet. So obviously he picks up on this. He tells me that I hurt his feelings by not wanting my own husband at home and not wanting to be in his company!!!

My god I literally could have written this post. Word for word. I was miserable. I am in the middle of separating from my dh. For exactly the reason above. It took me 8 years to realise he was financially abusive. Your dh is too. You just don't realise it. Proper loving men don't act like this. He is selfish entitled and arrogant I would strongly advise you to leave for your sake and the kids. I have now got a part time job. To plan for my financial future when he is gone. My dh refuses to move out so we will end up in court but I know that I will be free of him one day and I can live my life the way I want to. Please think of yourself, you sound so like me in what you say. There is a happy life out there for you. It's not easy , in my case it's toxic and destructive my dh is making my life hell while still living together but that just confirms I'm doing the right thing , stay strong x
SallyWD · 06/01/2022 12:53

@Pointlesspercy5

It's another 4 years until all my kids are in high school. I'm counting down the days until then because I will have muxh more freedom as in they can get themselves to and from school. Can be home alone for an hour if I'm running late for example. So at the very least I will be going to work then because the reasons I need to stay at home right now won't exist. After that who knows but I can't see myself spending the next 30 odd years like this
OP - you still seem to think it's currently impossible for you to work given the children need to be taken to and from school and you have school holidays. But many of us are in exactly the same boat and we work and we manage! There are loads of jobs at schools. I was a SAHM mum for 7 years then eased back in to work by working at a school. I started off just doing lunchtimes but ended up doing 10am to 2pm as a classroom assistant every day. I loved it. I didn't need any special qualifications for this. I was able to take the kids to and from school and had all the holidays off. Having worked in schools I can tell you they are chronically understaffed and desperate for staff. I ended up getting an office job that's only 17 hours a week and also fits in with school hours. There ARE part time flexible jobs. You don't seem to realise that many mums are working part time and able to be there for the children. Is it that you actually prefer to be a SAHM for now. If so, that's fine! But you'll have to put up with being around DH all the time.
JustKeepSwimmingJust · 06/01/2022 13:18

Go for it now. When they’re in high school then you won’t be able to book them in wrap around or holiday club even occasionally, so it’s harder in some ways.

What is your degree in?

HairyScaryMonster · 06/01/2022 13:19

I think if I was in your position id be throwing myself into volunteering just for time out and self worth, charity trustee, parent helper anything.

FrappuccinoLight · 06/01/2022 13:25

@billy1966

I suggest you ring Women's aid.

He sounds truly awful.

Controlling and abusive.

You need to get copies of all and any financials.

Speak to Women's aid about his financial abuse of you.

That is a crime now.

He is NOT a good man.

Women's aid will advise you and you should consider seeking legal advice.

He wants to control you.
I hope you see that.

Your gut is screaming this at you, that is why he is now repulsing you.

Reach out for support.

Keep posting.Flowers

Oh for god sake get a grip and read what you just advised the OP. TYPICAL MUMSNET SCAREMONGERING.

The OP just needs to challenge the status quo that her husband has become used to (partly through the role she took on when she had her first child which at the time suited her). I bet if she was to stay she was leaving unless he we met back to the office part time or was allowed to get a job he would quickly withdraw and compromise. He just needs to realise what is at stake if he wants it all his way.

theemmadilemma · 06/01/2022 13:25

Outside of the fact that it sounds like you're generally unhappy in your marriage...

Does he have a home office available? Can you put in place an agreement that he needs to work in there? Partner and I both WFH full time, but it works fine. We both have offices and we use them. On a busy day we may only say hello a couple of times in the day in passing.

nitsandwormsdodger · 06/01/2022 13:31

Get s job
Combination child care ie after school club , other mums, oh
Get a cleaner and then a therapist

shakingmytambourineatyou · 06/01/2022 13:31

Op, what access to money do you have?

RandomMess · 06/01/2022 13:41

I think I would get the job and tell him it's happening or you want a divorce. He isn't your boss and I bet he hasn't been paying into a private pension for you!

Rainbowpurple · 06/01/2022 14:30

It sounds so horrific OP. As other ops said, think of your happiness and purpose. You don't exist to serve your DH. You can facilitate him as long as he appreciates you and equally shares the gratification as a team, but currently he just wants his lazy life supported by you. Go get out there, get yourself a different life by making a small step towards independence. You deserve it.

Feelingbutterflies · 07/01/2022 22:34

15 months WFH for both of us and I hated it. So fed up of DH. He didn't do anything wrong I just wanted some space for me and to speak with another human other than him. I changed jobs and I'm now in the office 5 days a week. I love it. I get out of the house everyday, I dress up for work and I get time to interact with other people. Sadly DH is still fully WFH and he's got so lazy. Doesn't regularly shower, never makes an effort just trackies and tshirt every day. I know mine is a very different situation but I wonder if I'm just bored of him now and WFH was part of it......I thoroughly recommend getting yourself a job where you have to leave the house to go to work for your own sanity!!! It's not about convenience or childcare issues. You may be worse off financially by you going to work and paying for childcare but as long as you can take the hit from his big important salary then it's worth it if it makes you happy. He seems to have totally neglected your needs.

What1sg01ngON · 08/01/2022 16:14

You are frustrated now !
No need to wait 4 more years
Get a PT or FT job now locally
Employment is not just about the money, its social & you can sometimes get involved in other side projects too, gives you purpose outside the home

It is always easier to change jobs, once you have a job

Abbo552 · 08/01/2022 16:18

@billy1966

I suggest you ring Women's aid.

He sounds truly awful.

Controlling and abusive.

You need to get copies of all and any financials.

Speak to Women's aid about his financial abuse of you.

That is a crime now.

He is NOT a good man.

Women's aid will advise you and you should consider seeking legal advice.

He wants to control you.
I hope you see that.

Your gut is screaming this at you, that is why he is now repulsing you.

Reach out for support.

Keep posting.Flowers

Oh FGS, what a stupidly over the top reaction, what rubbish.
RantyAunty · 08/01/2022 16:43

What was your degree in?

There are before and after school clubs if you want to work full time.

Companies are crying for workers now. There a many techinical roles that have very flexible work conditions. Project coordinator, project manager, business analyst, help desk.

NowEvenBetter · 08/01/2022 17:49

Have you made many threads about this before?

There’s a poster who posts about this so often, I feel like I WFH in her house at this point. If it is you, why not specify what’s different about this one, and what replies you’re wanting?

Namenic · 08/01/2022 18:14

Can you work nights and weekends? Then you could get some stuff on your CV, some extra money and pension.

Oblomov22 · 08/01/2022 18:17

You need to talk to him about this. You could get a job. What did you do before?

youvegottenminuteslynn · 08/01/2022 20:10

@Pointlesspercy5

If I did return to work it would be a minimum wage job so wouldnt earn much at all, it would just be to get out of the house. So I wouldn't be able to pay for childcare myself. When I've brought it up with him beorre He has refused to pay for childcare because, in his words, "you don't need to go to work. If you go to work and create these problems you will need to pay for the childcare." which I wouldn't be able to do.
This is coercive control and financial abuse OP.

This is miserable. And your kids are being taught that it's a woman's job to do cooking, cleaning, childcare, pet care and family admin while it's a man's job to work and be in charge of what the woman does.

Can you really live with leaving them that legacy? I certainly couldn't.

And the longer they live with you two under the same roof, the more likely it is that they'll end up replicating it as adults.

youvegottenminuteslynn · 08/01/2022 20:13

You also need to think about national insurance contributions as if you're ten years down that is going to heavily affect your pension. Easier said than done I know but if he's making it almost impossible for you to change things and don't have access to independent finances then you need to borrow from a friend to see a solicitor and financial advisor to see where you stand. This is no life and it's a toxic dynamic to be showing your kids.

Upsetdaughter379 · 09/01/2022 09:41

@NowEvenBetter no I haven't. This is my first. But if you search the topic as I have since done there seem to be a huge amount of women stuck in this situation.
I just wish covid would piss off. That's whats started this hellish existence.

@SallyWD this is my ideal. I've spent a few hours looking on job sites this past few days but there is nothing like this in my local area at the moment. School hours are the perfect solution but they are the holy grail aren't they? I'm going to make it my mission to find a term time job this year!! I may even contact each local school individually to offer my services

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