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

Is this gaslighting?

16 replies

Summerhasarrived · 10/02/2026 09:17

DH told me I gaslight him because I called him out for not pulling his weight. I pointed out I get up earlier than he does every day, unload the dishwasher, get DC breakfast, hang up washing/fold up dry clothes, get school bags ready, feed the cat, clear away the breakfast things and weekly, take delivery of a food shop that I’ve planned and ordered. All before he gets out of bed. He said he makes the DC breakfast and I’m gaslighting him because he does other things I don’t place value on. I explained I can only go on my lived experience and that’s what I do every morning. I don’t see him alongside me, pitching in and doing some of the tasks above as he’s still in bed. I’m not making it up and I’m not a liar.
Am I gaslighting him?

OP posts:
TheThingOnTheIce · 10/02/2026 09:31

He clearly has no idea what gaslighting means

Tinybiker · 10/02/2026 09:33

Get up later and split the chores then. He does some you do some. Share it out.

dudsville · 10/02/2026 09:34

It's not gaslight. Sit down together and just ask the things that need to be fine and who will do then and when. Value the things each of you things is important.

rwalker · 10/02/2026 09:39

No gaslighting there
but is there any weight in his argument about the tasks he does

How fair is the split on tasks
just because you are up and doing doesn’t mean he has to be as long as he’s doing his share whenever

AttilaTheMeerkat · 10/02/2026 09:41

In answer to your question, no.

Gaslighting occurs when a partner repeatedly undermines and distorts their partner’s reality by denying facts, the situation around them, or their partner’s feelings and needs.

Why is he still in bed whilst you are running around like a headless chicken?.

I presume you are doing this because he sees this as "your" job rather than "his".

Skybluepinky · 10/02/2026 10:00

He is using the wrong word.

Endofyear · 10/02/2026 11:29

He's a pillock 🙄

toodleoothen · 10/02/2026 12:47

Buy him a dictionary, and then do a chore chart together so you both know exactly what each of you is doing (and not doing).

Remmy123 · 10/02/2026 13:32

My husband uses that word numerous times because he has no idea what it really means

your husband sounds a bit like mine but he doesn't do the kids breakfast I also do that

Nevermind17 · 10/02/2026 13:40

If you were saying “I get up earlier than he does every day, unload the dishwasher, get DC breakfast, hang up washing/fold up dry clothes, get school bags ready, feed the cat, clear away the breakfast things and weekly, take delivery of a food shop that I’ve planned and ordered. All before he gets out of bed.” when in actual fact, he was the one doing all those things, that would be gaslighting. You would be making him question his reality.

But as he’s lying on his back in bed while you genuinely do all those things, that is not gaslighting.

Though sometimes we might be guilty of a bit of hyperbole and say things like “You never do anything round the house!” or “I do everything for the kids” when they may actually do a bit, that could be seen as gaslighting.

WallaceinAnderland · 10/02/2026 13:46

I pointed out I get up earlier than he does every day, unload the dishwasher, get DC breakfast, hang up washing/fold up dry clothes, get school bags ready, feed the cat, clear away the breakfast things and weekly, take delivery of a food shop that I’ve planned and ordered. All before he gets out of bed. He said he makes the DC breakfast and I’m gaslighting him because he does other things I don’t place value on.

Which is it? Who makes the breakfast for the children?

BeenThereBackThen · 10/02/2026 15:02

Nah, he is having a stab at gaslighting you to preserve status quo. Because it works for him.

What are those ‘other things’ he does? How often?

Summerhasarrived · 10/02/2026 16:43

I make the DC breakfast so that when he gets up, they’ve eaten it (eg porridge) but they might then ask for toast which he’ll make but only on days he’s not wfh. On those days, he just gets up and sorts himself out.
The other things are some school drop offs and pick ups but this very much depends on his availability which can often change last minute and then I have to drop everything at work and leg it to the school!
I cook dinner Monday to Friday and he cooks at weekends but it’s not every weekend and usually is something heated up in an oven. Nothing wrong with that at all but slight double standards as he’ll tell me I shouldn’t give the DC quick carb laden meals - pasta. I cook from scratch and make it as healthy as possible.
Essentially he maintains he does things and that since he’s the high earner, I should be more grateful.

OP posts:
WallaceinAnderland · 11/02/2026 19:58

So technically he does make breakfast sometimes. I think you need to change your morning routine so that you take it in turns to give kids breakfast. As he claims that he already does this, it shouldn't make a difference to him.

RandomMess · 11/02/2026 20:31

Oh he can F off.

His higher earnings means you are the family maid 🤬

Economicsday · 11/02/2026 20:55

So he's a selfish, lazy, liar, that isn't the brightest, using words he doesn't understand.

What a prize. He's doing the bare minimum OP.
Yanbu.

New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Swipe left for the next trending thread