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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

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:
MajorProcrastination · 04/03/2026 17:20

Sofrustrated982 · 04/03/2026 17:17

He works from home so is always home.
Yes the strict house is shouting to tidy up etc. He does do a few chores but absolutely nothing that means i rely on him for anything.
We pay bills 50/50 and he saves money . H.i have nothing he has lots. Like I say hes generous with gifts and holidays etc and to other people. But day to day I would rather be living in poverty than put up with this. The kids want us to separate. They know that we wouldn't have money and they dont care!

In this case I'd say absolutely end it. The marriage is already over. This sounds like it's verging on financial abuse. You and the kids will be grand without him.

KitsyWitsy · 04/03/2026 17:23

Sofrustrated982 · 04/03/2026 17:17

He works from home so is always home.
Yes the strict house is shouting to tidy up etc. He does do a few chores but absolutely nothing that means i rely on him for anything.
We pay bills 50/50 and he saves money . H.i have nothing he has lots. Like I say hes generous with gifts and holidays etc and to other people. But day to day I would rather be living in poverty than put up with this. The kids want us to separate. They know that we wouldn't have money and they dont care!

Why did you ever agree to 50/50 when you earn so much less?

Skybunnee · 04/03/2026 17:28

You need to make plans to separate. Look at how finances would be split, who would live where etc etc
You don’t have to carry it through but you need to know how it would pan out then discuss it and decide.

category12 · 04/03/2026 17:41

Sounds like financial abuse.

He's generous when it looks good to others and he can get praise for it. Which is to say it's all for show and when it benefits himself.

He's stingy as fuck and exploiting you by insisting on a 50/50 split of bills when you earn so much less.

I bet he's not paying half your petrol while you're running round after everyone.

Curleddown · 04/03/2026 17:44

When your kids are telling you that they want you and their dad to separate, then that screams that this is a very dark and unhappy family home, and has been an unhappy childhood

How are old your teens?

They’ve been subjected to an unhappy home for years…. Don’t make it that they never want to return home once they move out. You need to listen to them, and separate. Although sadly you don’t seem to have any intention of doing so

GoldenCupsatHarvestTime · 04/03/2026 17:51

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?

Why are you acting like these are all options for everyone? In many cities like Leeds and Manchester all the buses go in and out of the city but not around the suburbs and villages. So it can take 2-3 hours to go into the centre then out again to another area. And cycling in the dark in winter for 30-45minutes each way isn’t particularly safe for children.

Not everyone lives close to things and most UK cities have shite public transport.

GoldenCupsatHarvestTime · 04/03/2026 17:53

Sofrustrated982 · 04/03/2026 17:17

He works from home so is always home.
Yes the strict house is shouting to tidy up etc. He does do a few chores but absolutely nothing that means i rely on him for anything.
We pay bills 50/50 and he saves money . H.i have nothing he has lots. Like I say hes generous with gifts and holidays etc and to other people. But day to day I would rather be living in poverty than put up with this. The kids want us to separate. They know that we wouldn't have money and they dont care!

Split up. This is a shit life for your kids.

You’ll get some of the money from the house and half of his savings in a divorce…

AttilaTheMeerkat · 04/03/2026 17:57

What do you think your kids are learning about relationships here from the two of you?.

Your children have far more insight than you two as their parents. They are not stupid and know far more about the state of your marriage than either of you care to realise. They want you to separate from him and the reasons you’ve given for staying are really not going to cut it. They will call you daft for staying and could also accuse you of putting him before them.

BoxingHare · 04/03/2026 17:58

He does it because you let him, OP. There have never been any consequences, so why would he change?

When are you leaving him?

BoxingHare · 04/03/2026 17:59

We pay bills 50/50

Why, when you earn so much less?

AttilaTheMeerkat · 04/03/2026 18:00

op

And he’s financially abusing you as well by making you live from hand to mouth whilst he has savings. Such men are rarely solely financially abusive and indeed he is abusing you and in turn the kids in other ways also.

You never envisaged such a relationship for yourself when you were growing up. What did you learn about relationships when you were growing up?

Keroppi · 04/03/2026 18:04

He won't get 50/50 even if he is going to be horrible about it
And end of the day regardless of how much your parents have put into the house, they'll understand that divorce means assets being split
Why don't you book a solictor appointment with questions about the trust and assets upon divorce? And see what they say
Get armed with all his financial info you need such as pensions approx amounts, how much he earns etc, mortgage amount
Be sneaky about it if you know his passwords or can go on his emails on his phone etc

Have you never told him you want to seperate/he needs to fix up before you leave? How does he react?

Could he not buy a flat nearby or make a garden shed and just spend most of his time there? Lol
Tell him you need more money and start spending from his account for food and clubs etc
50/50 bills is stupid when you're not earning enough as him it should be proportional

Curleddown · 04/03/2026 18:08

50/50 is daft because the kids are teenagers. They will make their own mind up and there’s not a damn thing he can do to force it

nc43214321 · 04/03/2026 18:09

Honestly I think it is installed from his parents. An inflated sense of ego and a control mechanism learnt from parents.

Sofrustrated982 · 04/03/2026 18:55

We are separating this year 100%. Im just sorting everything in the background first so im prepared.
Its taken me a good while to save enough to pay solicitor fees etc

OP posts:
Curleddown · 04/03/2026 19:00

Sofrustrated982 · 04/03/2026 18:55

We are separating this year 100%. Im just sorting everything in the background first so im prepared.
Its taken me a good while to save enough to pay solicitor fees etc

Wow… that was a quick change of heart given a few hours ago you said I cant leave because my parents put a large amount of money into our home so I am stuck. I just want him to go

Either way - thank goodness you are

how old are you teens? They’ll jump for joy at the news

nowizewords · 04/03/2026 20:04

You’ve enabled him for far too long!! In the bin!!

ReadingCrimeFiction · 04/03/2026 23:01

Sofrustrated982 · 04/03/2026 18:55

We are separating this year 100%. Im just sorting everything in the background first so im prepared.
Its taken me a good while to save enough to pay solicitor fees etc

Return all gifts and get the refunds!

mathanxiety · 05/03/2026 00:36

Sofrustrated982 · 04/03/2026 14:36

I do ask him, all the time. More than once a week i will end up having a meltdown at him, or everytime i go out the door to take them somewhere i will make a sarcastic comment to him as I leave about it being me again. He just doesnt answer me. I know this is petty and childish but something has snapped in me and I cant help it.
Regarding the kids lifts etc, we live semi rurally and not on any bus routes. All of their friends parents take and fetch their children too. We do car share and take it in turns but I know there has been comments as to why their dad doesnt do lifts . I have also had to ask sons friends parents for lifts/help far more than I should have done. Now son tells me not to ask them so much as its unfair. But thats because they all have 2 parents to share the load. But im a single parent who happens to be married.
My social media is full of photos of me and my children. Husband isnt in them as he wasnt there. People often message me to ask if we have separated. I have also told him this that people notice and comment on it and he just says im talking rubbish

You don't have to defend yourself or respond to the posters suggesting this is your fault or that your children should be more independent.

Your husband is a useless twat. You are the responsible parent. That is all there is to it.

It's not your fault, and there's no way he would be any different because he is an entitled misogynist who has decided money and status at work are more important than his relationship with you or with his children.

mathanxiety · 05/03/2026 00:39

Sofrustrated982 · 04/03/2026 18:55

We are separating this year 100%. Im just sorting everything in the background first so im prepared.
Its taken me a good while to save enough to pay solicitor fees etc

Get cash back when you go to the supermarket?

How are the finances done in the home? Joint account? Credit card in his name that gets paid off in full every month? He gives you a cash allowance? You pay for everything for the kids out of your income?

Sofrustrated982 · 05/03/2026 06:56

Curleddown · 04/03/2026 19:00

Wow… that was a quick change of heart given a few hours ago you said I cant leave because my parents put a large amount of money into our home so I am stuck. I just want him to go

Either way - thank goodness you are

how old are you teens? They’ll jump for joy at the news

Edited

Sorry I think you misunderstood. I meant I cant leave our house and leave him in it as others might do because the house is 80% mine. If it wasnt I would have walked out years ago
Because of this we will have to sell the house and split the money depending on what the court decides . Which makes it alot more distressing as we will have to still live together during that process. I have full intention of separating

OP posts:
Curleddown · 05/03/2026 06:57

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Sofrustrated982 · 05/03/2026 06:57

Kids are 16 and 14

OP posts:
Curleddown · 05/03/2026 06:58

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Curleddown · 05/03/2026 07:03

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