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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

Husband doesnt help enough with kids & expects special treatment

120 replies

Sofrustrated982 · 04/03/2026 13:32

I am so mad today and need to rant. I already know i am absolutely stupid to have put up with this so long and I am already in the process of preparing to separate. But these instances just tell me im doing the right thing and I have noone in real life to talk to about it.
When our kids were little , my husband was a lovely dad. Engaged with them, played with them, really loving to them, we would go on days out together etc
I didn't realise at the time but he never did anything with them alone. He would have them alone in the house but never took them out alone whereas I did all of the time .
As the kids have got older and became actual individuals with personalities and opinions I noticed a change in him. Any hobby they wanted to do: football, brownies , cubs, kickboxing , and now they are teenagers needing lifts to and from places it became apparent that it was all on me . I have called him out on this many times and he just refuses to do it without giving a reason. So if I was ill or somewhere else then the kids just couldn't go their club etc.
Now my son is a much older teenager hes started to want to stay at friends later on weekends etc. Again its me going out late at night in the dark and cold to fetch him, otherwise he can't go.
Im happy to do this for the kids but why does he feel he doesnt have to do it? Partly why ive stayed with him is because if the kids had to spend 50% of their time with him they would never be able to do anything.
At one point he did help with a school run for one child. But that soon slipped and now I do 2 different school runs in the morning, go to work, and then 2 different school runs on way back. Whilst he does none. He will do it occasionally if I need to work late or something like that. He words it as im already out of the house so makes sense for me to get them on the way home .
This past 3 weeks the children and myself have been really poorly with a horrible virus. I had one 3 hour nap and the rest of the time I still had to take them and pick them up from various places (it was half term). One night I picked son up at 10pm, I had an awful fever at the time. Whilst husband was sat at home?
Now he has got it , and yes its a horrible virus. He has spent over a week resting and hasn't lifted a finger at home and its still ongoing now.
More fool me you would say, and im kicking myself over it, but if I stopped doing these things the kids would miss out.
Why is he like this? Im addition he acts like he is superior to everyone else and loves nothing more than telling the kids off or dictating to them about something.
My son now barely speaks to him at all. Not even hi and bye.
My daughter was much closer to him at one point but now shes getting angry about it and has started to call him out on it . (No input from me) he absolutely hates this but shes just speaking her mind. I cannot wait to get away from this man. Sorry just needed to rant

OP posts:
pizzaHeart · 04/03/2026 13:34

When you’ve said my son and my daughter are they his children as well?
just to check

CleanSkin · 04/03/2026 13:38

He doesn’t deserve any of you. Selfish, ignorant, un-loving. He deserves to be alone.

Sofrustrated982 · 04/03/2026 13:43

Yes they are his children. I just noticed i put my. That's a perfect example as I feel like im a single mum so I dont say our, I say my without thinking

OP posts:
Wickiedooda · 04/03/2026 13:47

You probably find that they wouldn't want to stay 50% of their time with him and if they are older they would have a say.

He sounds awful, time to get rid!

aBuffetofunreasonableness · 04/03/2026 13:50

50/50 wouldn't be needed, at their ages your kids can choose which house they want to be in if/when you divorce.

beAsensible1 · 04/03/2026 13:50

You say they are teenagers why are you doing the school run? Can they get public transport? Or cycle in spring summer.

stop doing anything for him. Nothing. Don’t even pass the sugar. Horrible selfish bastard

Solost92 · 04/03/2026 13:51

How old are they? If they're old enough to voice opinions the court won't force 5050. And is he actually going to fight fir 5050 of kids that don't talk to him and he doesn't want to do anything for/with?

Please tell me you're not nursing the sad sack while he's poorly?!

EveryKneeShallBow · 04/03/2026 13:51

Good grief you are your own worst enemy.

Imbusytodaysorry · 04/03/2026 13:53

@Sofrustrated982 do you have a plan/frame for leaving ?
You would be doing your kids a massive favour never mind yourself.
He wouldn’t get 50/5 as kids are old enough to say no . Court wouldn’t enforce it .

Sofrustrated982 · 04/03/2026 13:56

The kids wouldnt choose 50/50 but he would push for it just to be horrible I expect. Son probably wouldn't want to see him at all, as I said they have no relationship. Daughter maybe a once a week visit for tea or something like that.
Ive been saving up myself etc and speaking to my parents as they are aware and will support me. I only earn minimum wage whereas he is a higher earner.

OP posts:
OneShyQuail · 04/03/2026 13:56

You are better off as a single mum than carrying his sorry ass in the relationship too.
Resentment kills relationships.

What does he say when you ask him why he is so selfish?

Rainraingoawaydontcomeback · 04/03/2026 13:57

I agree. Why are you driving teenagers to school? Why are you driving on 3 hours sleeps? That is crazy and unsafe. Yes, you’re being a martyr and while your DH not pulling his weight it sounds like you have enabled this to happen.

Starlight1979 · 04/03/2026 13:58

Why is he like this?

Because, being blunt, you've accepted / allowed it.

Sorry to be harsh and I'm absolutely not blaming you at all as you've obviously just got stuck in this cycle you can't get out of. But the reality is that he has been allowed to sit doing fuck all for years whilst you've exhausted yourself run round after the kids (and most likely him). Why would he get off his arse if you're doing it for him?

Some people are just inherently lazy and if they can get away with it, will sit and do nothing and not even feel the slightest bit of guilt in watching you do absolutely everything.

RandomMess · 04/03/2026 13:59

You need to divorce ASAP as you need to fight for a larger share of the assets whilst they are still in education or you will be financially screwed over big time.

aBuffetofunreasonableness · 04/03/2026 14:04

RandomMess · 04/03/2026 13:59

You need to divorce ASAP as you need to fight for a larger share of the assets whilst they are still in education or you will be financially screwed over big time.

This. He can ask for 50/50 parenting all he wants, doesn't mean the teenagers have to comply.

dicentra365 · 04/03/2026 14:04

How old are the children? I think at a certain age it’s very much up to them whether it is 50-50 and in reality I bet you would find that he wouldn’t actually want to do it anyway.
He sounds unbearably selfish so it’s probably a good idea to start making plans about how to separate. Even if it’s not immediately, sorting out your exit might make it more manageable in the short term.

Starlight1979 · 04/03/2026 14:06

Sofrustrated982 · 04/03/2026 13:56

The kids wouldnt choose 50/50 but he would push for it just to be horrible I expect. Son probably wouldn't want to see him at all, as I said they have no relationship. Daughter maybe a once a week visit for tea or something like that.
Ive been saving up myself etc and speaking to my parents as they are aware and will support me. I only earn minimum wage whereas he is a higher earner.

There is no fucking chance on this planet that a bloke like this would want 50/50 custody of his children when he can't even be arsed taking them to hobbies or picking them up from a friends house.

And as others have said, it's irrelevant anyway as your kids are old enough to decide what they want.

Dumbledore167 · 04/03/2026 14:07

“Just refuses to do it without giving a reason”

You’ve really never pushed for one?!?! Wowzer.

The very first time that happened would have been crisis talks for me. ‘Pitch in or fuck off’ kind of thing.

Imagine being too lazy to do any practical parenting for kids he presumably wanted to have, you’ll be well rid.

Sofrustrated982 · 04/03/2026 14:08

Ive begged him many times over the years to help me. Like I say when ive been ill ive asked him please will you take daughter to her club tonight, he just says no she just wont be able to go today. Inevitably I would still take her .
Its got to the point now where I actually dispise him.
He is generous with money and gifts and seems to think that is enough .
Or if I ask him why dont you take them places , he will come up with the few times has done and seems to think that's enough. Whilst im doing it 24/7.
Its got to the point now where I just cant take any more. My life would be exactly the same if he wasnt there.

OP posts:
halftermhalfawake · 04/03/2026 14:10

Ah not exactly the same no, much easier. It's surprising how much extra work a checked out manchild generates in a house. Being a single mum has been so much easier ime

Starlight1979 · 04/03/2026 14:11

Sofrustrated982 · 04/03/2026 14:08

Ive begged him many times over the years to help me. Like I say when ive been ill ive asked him please will you take daughter to her club tonight, he just says no she just wont be able to go today. Inevitably I would still take her .
Its got to the point now where I actually dispise him.
He is generous with money and gifts and seems to think that is enough .
Or if I ask him why dont you take them places , he will come up with the few times has done and seems to think that's enough. Whilst im doing it 24/7.
Its got to the point now where I just cant take any more. My life would be exactly the same if he wasnt there.

Ive begged him many times over the years to help me. Like I say when ive been ill ive asked him please will you take daughter to her club tonight, he just says no

And you think this man would want to take on this responsibility ON HIS OWN 50% of the time?! When he can't even be arsed taking his daughter to a club on as a one off?!

TwistedWonder · 04/03/2026 14:11

Divorce the lazy useless twat, get a fair settlement and live a better life with your kids away from his pathetic arse.

MinPinSins · 04/03/2026 14:15

He sounds like a bellend, but is there really no way for your kids to be a bit more independent?

You describe your son as an older teenager, but you seem to be taking him everywhere - are public transport, a bike or walking not an option?

Who's choice was it to live where you live? If it wasn't a joint decision, that would affect my answer - are you equally responsible for your kids needing much more help to get to places than most?

ananasfritz · 04/03/2026 14:15

Presumably he either didn't want children at all or had no idea what having children would entail and doesn't feel any responsibility for the fact that he DID and DOES have them. He might still push for 50/50 in a split so he wouldn't have to pay you any maintenance.

As for why he does it - either he thinks the things you do for the children are unnecessary and therefore it's your choice to do them, nothing to do with him. Much more likely, he knows they need to be done but you are already doing them so why should he contribute, when his time is so much more valuable than yours? (In that case I'd guess he's probably not doing his fair share of the non-child-related household tasks on a regular basis either.)

He knows it's not OK, or he wouldn't be getting upset when you raise the topic. He reacts negatively so that you'll shut up and keep doing all the work. What you could possibly do is make it more uncomfortable for him to shirk than to do his share. Or tell him to leave.

Mumlaplomb · 04/03/2026 14:25

Yeh this is crap OP I would leave him now. You will get child maintenance. The kids being older can just chose not to go to his and it wouldn’t be worth him trying to go through court as they would take the kids views into account. See a solicitor for some advice.