Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

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

Dp has completely checked out of doing anything around the house.

34 replies

Pojji · 15/02/2023 12:00

I'll start this off by saying I find communication with him really tricky sometimes, especially when it comes to money and the house. I'm trying really hard to be clear and kind in what I say but it seems to either piss him off or falls of deaf ears.

This has been going on for about a month, probably longer if I'm honest. He's doing next to nothing. When he does do stuff it's like the most basic half assed effort. He cuts corners everywhere and it just feels like it's easier to do it myself than walk around picking up after a grown man. I sometimes wonder if that's the objective - do such a shit job thar I don't ask him to do it again.
He also says the teenagers should be doing more and whilst I agree I know he's only saying that to deflect attention from him doing nothing.

He has a huge list of half finished DIY projects that are beginning to piss me off massively. Our loo won't flush without a wrench at the mo. I've offered to get someone in to fix it but no.....he's apparently got it covered. Just fucking fix it or let me pay someone 😤

I picked him up on it a few weeks back because I walked into an absolute shit tip on my return from work. I don't get home till 6.30 and then have to sort dinner for our 3 kids and get the youngest to bed ASAP. Instead I had to spend an hour cleaning up before I could even start dinner. Baby was screaming because he was hungry and tired and I was exhausted.
I tried to approach it in the nicest way possible and he was upset with me. He basically said he would never pick me up on why the house was so messy on his return home from work. I tried to be understanding of his feelings, however there's a difference that when he returns home from work around 10.30pm, he doesn't have to cook dinner, get a small child to bed and help older kids with homework. He then spent the rest of the evening and the next day being really meh and flat but when I asked him what was wrong said nothing.

Saturday evening I went out and left him with the kids. I put dinner in the slow cooker in the morning so he didn't have to worry about food and left the kitchen all clean. When I got home the whole of downstairs was a mess. Dishes all left on the side. Toys everywhere, Beer cans strewn everywhere. And when he was finished he took himself off to bed. It spoilt my evening and just made me feel really disrespected. When I said about the mess he said he'd do it in the morning, except I knew he wouldn't so I just cleaned it up Before I went to bed rather than add it to tomorrow's to do list! I should add I'm not fastidious about the house being clean. We have a very lived in home and it never looks immaculate but I'm beginning to realise that is in part due to the fact that I am working 3 days a week and doing all the housework!

I've asked him if he's OK mentally and he says yes. Ironically we're really good and open when it comes to talking about our wonky brains so I think he'd tell me if something was wrong.

He's still in bed now as I type this.....he commented this morning about how much better the baby slept last night but he'd rather waste the day in bed than get up.

All in all I'm bored of it. He's become so lazy and it's totally unfair. I was quite poorly with iron deficiency up until last week and since having treatment and beginning to feel better it feels like a green light for him to do absolutely nothing to contribute to the running of our house.

Most of this is a rant because I feel about ready to explode but equally this needs sorting because it's stupid and needs fixing. I'm just not sure how to approach it.

OP posts:
Badger1970 · 15/02/2023 12:09

Is he drinking a lot? I just noted the beer cans you mentioned...

DiscontinuedModelHusband · 15/02/2023 12:11

before you speak to him, you need to establish to yourself what your expectations are, and what your boundaries are.

meaning, what you want to be different, and what you will do if nothing changes.

be honest with yourself about whether you will realistically follow through with whatever these consequences are.

once you're clear with yourself on both these (write them down, so you can refer to them without getting knocked off track in any discussion), then you need to sit down the pair of you, and talk it through.

give him a heads up that the conversation is coming, so he can't accuse you of ambushing him.

be clear about what the issues are, how they are affecting you, and what you want to change.

if it's giving you any icks, or making him less attractive to you, tell him (if you're comfortable).

then be clear about the consequences if nothing changes.

3487642I · 15/02/2023 12:13

This offers some explanation about why your conversations with him might be difficult...

www.talkingwise.com/conversational-control-explained

Chowtime · 15/02/2023 12:13

Pick up the phone right now and get someone in to do all the DIY jobs that he's started. Then chuck out half of your possessions. Then get someone in to do a deep clean, then start following the flylady or organised mum method.

Then leave him. Since when did you sign up to do 100% of the shit work?

DiscontinuedModelHusband · 15/02/2023 12:14

make it a family discussion, if needed - you mention your teenagers could do more.

that way it might not feel like such a personal attack on him.
plus it highlights (indirectly) to your DC that he is also falling short, and that is not acceptable.

Daleksatemyshed · 15/02/2023 12:16

Well if he's still in bed at midday maybe he's ill or depressed but I'm going to opt for that good old standby, he's doing nothing because he can Op. He makes a mess and you clean it up, which is great for him, and he can tell himself if you really minded you wouldn't do it, besides, he knows you'll break and do it if he doesn't.
A lot of people think they can do DIY but can't, he's realised he probably can't manage but won't admit it so nothing gets finished.
Time to get angry Op, get someone professional in to finish the DIY and stop doing things for him. Let him do his own laundry and cooking and when he asks why tell him exactly how pissed off you really are

Pixiedust1234 · 15/02/2023 12:19

I have the same husband. After twenty plus years of tiptoeing around trying to change my approach or when I approached a subject I've finally realised its him, not me. I'm now trying to find a way to leave but since he holds the purse strings its a little tricky.

Btw, every expert I've spoken to in womensaid, refuge, local abuse centre , CAB and various GPs...ALL have said I am being abused. Please think about that. Same situations.

ZombieKettle · 15/02/2023 12:37

I think this sums up brilliantly how men view chores and other household tasks.

www.google.com/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/world/2017/may/26/gender-wars-household-chores-comic

loveliesbleeding1 · 15/02/2023 12:38

What time does he start work? Coming home at 10:30pm,surely he has the morning free to help you if he’s working shifts?

Sucessinthenewyear · 15/02/2023 12:39

Why are you worried about being kind to him when he clearly couldn’t give a fuck about you.

Aquamarine1029 · 15/02/2023 12:40

Toss out this waster and be rid of him. He's a disrespectful twat.

bussteward · 15/02/2023 12:41

Talk to him about “closing the task”: giving the kids dinner isn’t the whole task – the whole task is giving the kids dinner, clearing it up, and putting the dishwasher on.

Alternatively I’d be tempted to pick up all the mess and a screaming baby and dump it all on the bed for him to sort out.

mycatsanutter · 15/02/2023 12:44

It's disrespectful and screams of ' I don't actually give a shit ' and the teenagers are probably thinking if my dad doesn't tidy up why should we ! Have a family meeting tell them all if they don't change , be specific what they need to do , then you are taking the baby and you are off! Bit of a shock might jolt them into changing .

Reluctantadult · 15/02/2023 14:05

There probably isn't some magically right way of putting things to him so that he understands what you mean and doesn't get annoyed. So perhaps accept that he's going to get annoyed, and be more assertive?

billy1966 · 15/02/2023 14:32

God help you OP, 3 children with a waster.

What a hard life you have.

He just doesn't care unfortunately.

Cherrysoup · 15/02/2023 16:40

Still in bed at 12, with young dc? Lazy arse.

MrsSquirrel · 15/02/2023 16:47

Sucessinthenewyear · 15/02/2023 12:39

Why are you worried about being kind to him when he clearly couldn’t give a fuck about you.

This ^

waterrat · 15/02/2023 16:57

Its totally beyond understanding to me that a parent with young children would be in bed at midday so something isnt right here Op

Leaving beer cans etc and total.mess for you to come home to is totally gross as well

Perfect28 · 15/02/2023 17:00

Completely unacceptable. what do you get out of this arrangement can I ask? Another child to look after? Leave. He will never ever change

Pojji · 15/02/2023 17:20

@ZombieKettle that link summed it up perfectly. I sent it to him.

I came up and asked him if he was feeling ill and he said not ill just not better. He had a bug at the beginning of the week so I'm guessing he's referringto that. I'm wondering if he thinks it's his turn to have a lie in. Before I had my iron infusion I would have to sleep in for a bit in the mornings once the older 2 were at school, my levels were so low that it was really badly effecting my mental health. Especially when I'd been up all night with the baby. However when I came down nothing would be done. When he has a lie in, he cones down to a clean house. It would be nice to have it reciprocated.

I think one of the main things is his absolute lack of communication with things- I've picked him up on it so many times. If he'd said to me this morning "I didn't sleep great last night, do you mind having the baby for a bit whilst I grab an extra hour" it wouldn't be a problem at all. But he'll lie there messing about on his phone waiting for me to go downstairs and give the baby breakfast and just go back to sleep and I'll just hear the rumble of his snoring.

I love him. Its not always been like this so I know he's capable of pulling his weight. It's just slowly crept in where I'm now doing everything.
I guess you're all right when you say he's not thinking of my feelings when he does nothing so I might need to do same with him. I need to be blunt which I'm crap at. But equally I can't carry on like this. I feel really frustrated.

OP posts:
Stillcountingbeans · 15/02/2023 17:26

I need to be blunt which I'm crap at.

Yep - stop being so 'nice' - find your anger and let rip at him.

@DiscontinuedModelHusband has good advice - decide in advance of the conversation what your red lines are and what consequences you will carry out - up to and including divorce.
The worst thing you could do would be to make threats and not carry them out.

Ourlittleharmonica · 15/02/2023 17:29

Is he drinking a lot?

You said you are good at talking but this can't go on. It has to stop before you end up hating each other. I would start with having someone in to fix the loo. He doesn't need to "allow" you to do that. Can you stay with family or friends for a few days? Would that shake him enough to wise up? Or would it be worse. I feel for you OP but if you keep letting him off with doing nothing the kids will learn that behaviour too and you're not a doormat.

AttilaTheMeerkat · 15/02/2023 17:38

You may as well have MUG written on your forehead. Where is your anger here at this individual who has caused you and in turn your DC here so many problems?.

He knows and he does not give a shit.

Why are you with him at all?. So you love him; he does not love you nearly as much as he presumably loves his own self here. He has you as his all too willing maid and housekeeper; there is no incentive or will for him to change. This is who he really is and if he treats you like this your DC will do the same to you as well.

Pojji · 15/02/2023 17:39

He drinks too much....well I think he does. but he doesn't see a problem because its only on the weekend. I think he probably has around 7 pints Fri night and the same on Sat and Sunday.
I asked him to slow down with it but he won't. He says he enjoys it and that's basically where the conversation ends.

OP posts:
AttilaTheMeerkat · 15/02/2023 17:40

And pay for a plumber to fix your toilet; having to use a wrench to flush it currently is not great.

Swipe left for the next trending thread