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Relationships

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Was my husband out of line to shout at my family?

101 replies

Tina6458 · 20/08/2026 08:02

My nieces stayed over as I took them to see the Weeknd on Sunday at Wembley.They are in their early 20s and are in summer holidays. We got back late and they went to sleep around 2 am - they stayed in the same room so I guess they were chatting late. My two boys 5&6 woke up early- 6.30am and were watching tv and then building lots of mess around the house . They were excited to wake their cousins up with they did at 10.30 ish - and sort of all hung out in the bed having cuddles with the older girl cousins . The girls are on their own time but I had to hurry them out of the house because I thought wed go for lunch. The house was a bit of a Bomb sight bc the boys had made a mess and one of them had had 3 breakfasts . I was also aware my cleaner was coming at 3ish. We went out for the day. My cleaner texted to say she couldn’t come today. Fast forward 5.30pm we get home and as soon as DH sees my nieces he shouts at them that they had left a mess in the house , that they’re clothes were all over the place ( jackets on a chair in the kitchen ). ‘ do you go to someone else’s house and leave a mess ?! All in s very aggressive elevated tone.
He feels he was in the right to do this because he’s teaching them manners.

OP posts:
PurpleInGaloshes · 20/08/2026 20:54

Dery · 20/08/2026 08:16

“Marroon · Today 08:11
It’s very alarming how aggressive your DH was to your adult nieces and how he thinks it’s his place to “teach them manners” particularly when it sounds like much of the mess was your own children.”

This with bells on. I wonder if he’d be so quick to throw his weight around with young men. Or people his own age.

Or even to his own family???

wp65 · 20/08/2026 20:55

He sounds like a nasty sexist bully, and I think you’re finding it harder to rationalise/ minimise his behaviour when you see it directed at others, instead of only at you (I’m not intending this as a criticism - most of us minimise in this way when we’re the victims). Sounds like the wake up call you need. You don’t have to live like this.

Filoparcels017 · 20/08/2026 20:55

BeBreezyPlum · 20/08/2026 20:49

If you "had to hurry them out" in the morning, why were they still here at 5.30?

She was hurrying them out to lunch. Op and her nieces and dc returned from lunch at 5.30 pm.

Pearlstillsinging · 20/08/2026 21:16

Tina6458 · 20/08/2026 12:26

Thanks for all the messages . I don’t tend to leave a mess. I had a migraine and the boys also kept fighting every 2 mins, then it was getting really late for lunch , so I said the leave and we would come back and tidy. The only thing wrong in the kitchen was that some shopping that hadn’t been put away and some bowls in the sink - and 2 jackets and a cardigan on one chair. Id also spoke to dh to apologise for the mess and said that the morning was difficult because the boys kept fighting and were feral. I guess I’m trying to get a sense check sometimes I think I’m going crazy because he believes what he did was right , and obv didn’t apologise . Girls don’t want to come back again. We’ve had a really turbulent 2 years which him speaking down to me also in this kind of way and seeing him doing it to them has really hurt me.

He's got you well-trained hasn't he? Why the heck should you apologise to him for 'mess' in your own house? And since when were jackets left on chair backs mess?
He sounds like a nasty controlling bully. I wouldn't put up with his behaviour.

MyArtfulGreySloth · 20/08/2026 21:19

Ally886 · 20/08/2026 08:37

Early 20s? Summer holidays?

Fair enough if they're 21 but I had a mortgage at 22!!

Would you like a medal? 🥇

Tina6458 · 20/08/2026 21:27

Thinking about all you’ve said .. and there’s no way he would have shouted if they were nephews the same age

OP posts:
Gowlett · 20/08/2026 21:29

Tina6458 · 20/08/2026 12:26

Thanks for all the messages . I don’t tend to leave a mess. I had a migraine and the boys also kept fighting every 2 mins, then it was getting really late for lunch , so I said the leave and we would come back and tidy. The only thing wrong in the kitchen was that some shopping that hadn’t been put away and some bowls in the sink - and 2 jackets and a cardigan on one chair. Id also spoke to dh to apologise for the mess and said that the morning was difficult because the boys kept fighting and were feral. I guess I’m trying to get a sense check sometimes I think I’m going crazy because he believes what he did was right , and obv didn’t apologise . Girls don’t want to come back again. We’ve had a really turbulent 2 years which him speaking down to me also in this kind of way and seeing him doing it to them has really hurt me.

This stands out to me, as another poster had asked if you blew your top at him in response. I was thinking, no… She’s just used to it.

Tina6458 · 20/08/2026 21:35

@Gowlett i did blow my top! I told him not to speak like that and we left immediately. I’ve told him it’s over. I was furious. As things calm down , I always end up questioning myself whether i had done the right thing .. I guess that’s why I came on here. For validation I guess

OP posts:
Gowlett · 20/08/2026 21:41

Tina6458 · 20/08/2026 21:35

@Gowlett i did blow my top! I told him not to speak like that and we left immediately. I’ve told him it’s over. I was furious. As things calm down , I always end up questioning myself whether i had done the right thing .. I guess that’s why I came on here. For validation I guess

Good. You won’t get a casual LTB from me. Turbulent times at home, it makes life so much harder… Glad you said something to him!

Totally get where you are at with questioning yourself. It’s really hard living with a DH like this. I know. Seeing him doing it to your nieces might just be the catalyst for change.

OneMauveOP · 20/08/2026 21:53

Did you say it was the boys who made the mess? A jacket on a chair isn't a mess but what your described your own children created is a mess and you should have clarified that right away.

He sounds stressed to have arrived home to a bomb site but it was a bomb site created by your offspring not the nieces. The way you've described it it doesn't sound like you highlighted that it was your own kids that were the culprits of the mess - which had you explained that then perhaps he wouldn't have had any reason to verbally attack them like that.

Filoparcels017 · 20/08/2026 22:02

I don’t blame you for not being able to forgive him for not apologising Op, especially if this is a pattern of behaviour on his part, and not a one off; your dh was completely in the wrong. Your house as you describe it in your update doesn’t even sound that messy to me.

First, he should not be shouting at anyone full stop. If he had a problem he needs to express it in a reasonable manner, at an appropriate time, to the correct person.

In this instance he should have waited until he could talk to you in private and quietly expressed his irritation at the mess. That would have given you a chance the next morning to ask your nieces to give you a hand tidying up.

It was really rude to address your nieces directly as they are guests. And he didn’t know that you had hurried them out of the house bc he launched in to shouting without hearing your side of the story.

I suppose it might be mildly irritating to come home from work and find everyone is out having fun, the cleaner hasn’t come and the house is a mess, but that’s life. It’s the summer holidays fhs! He has young boys! It’s normal for the house to get messy when the family gathers together and it’s no big deal.

My dh would have maybe stacked the dw, Collected up any rubbish and the worst of the toys, emptied the bins, ordered a takeaway and sat down in front of the tv surrounded by the forts and enjoyed his child free time! And he would be genuinely pleased we were having a good time too!

Keeping a house clean and tidy is never more important imho than maintaining good family relationships and making guests feel at home, especially young relations. Yes they should have been a bit tidier but lots of people go through a messy stage in their twenties and it wasn’t your dh’s place to intervene.

The fact that his reaction was so extreme and he can’t or won’t see where he went wrong, makes me worried for your boys when they become teens tbh Op.

If you are permanently walking on eggshells around him, you may need to reconsider this relationship. It’s no fun living with someone who can’t regulate their emotions, who takes their frustrations out on everyone else, who is never wrong, who can’t apologise, who doesn’t respect your side of the family, who can’t take pleasure in other people’s happiness, and who frankly sounds like a bully.

dontforgettofloss · 20/08/2026 22:20

Ally886 · 20/08/2026 08:37

Early 20s? Summer holidays?

Fair enough if they're 21 but I had a mortgage at 22!!

Ok good for you, but not sure what that has to do with anything in this post. 🙄

WinterBlues26 · 20/08/2026 22:30

Tina6458 · 20/08/2026 21:35

@Gowlett i did blow my top! I told him not to speak like that and we left immediately. I’ve told him it’s over. I was furious. As things calm down , I always end up questioning myself whether i had done the right thing .. I guess that’s why I came on here. For validation I guess

I hope you stay separated as he is a really horrible, controlling, angry man who shouldn't be around children. You and your children deserve better ❤

LouiseMadetheBestBroccoliPasta · 20/08/2026 22:42

Filoparcels017 · 20/08/2026 22:02

I don’t blame you for not being able to forgive him for not apologising Op, especially if this is a pattern of behaviour on his part, and not a one off; your dh was completely in the wrong. Your house as you describe it in your update doesn’t even sound that messy to me.

First, he should not be shouting at anyone full stop. If he had a problem he needs to express it in a reasonable manner, at an appropriate time, to the correct person.

In this instance he should have waited until he could talk to you in private and quietly expressed his irritation at the mess. That would have given you a chance the next morning to ask your nieces to give you a hand tidying up.

It was really rude to address your nieces directly as they are guests. And he didn’t know that you had hurried them out of the house bc he launched in to shouting without hearing your side of the story.

I suppose it might be mildly irritating to come home from work and find everyone is out having fun, the cleaner hasn’t come and the house is a mess, but that’s life. It’s the summer holidays fhs! He has young boys! It’s normal for the house to get messy when the family gathers together and it’s no big deal.

My dh would have maybe stacked the dw, Collected up any rubbish and the worst of the toys, emptied the bins, ordered a takeaway and sat down in front of the tv surrounded by the forts and enjoyed his child free time! And he would be genuinely pleased we were having a good time too!

Keeping a house clean and tidy is never more important imho than maintaining good family relationships and making guests feel at home, especially young relations. Yes they should have been a bit tidier but lots of people go through a messy stage in their twenties and it wasn’t your dh’s place to intervene.

The fact that his reaction was so extreme and he can’t or won’t see where he went wrong, makes me worried for your boys when they become teens tbh Op.

If you are permanently walking on eggshells around him, you may need to reconsider this relationship. It’s no fun living with someone who can’t regulate their emotions, who takes their frustrations out on everyone else, who is never wrong, who can’t apologise, who doesn’t respect your side of the family, who can’t take pleasure in other people’s happiness, and who frankly sounds like a bully.

"My dh would have maybe stacked the dw, Collected up any rubbish and the worst of the toys, emptied the bins, ordered a takeaway and sat down in front of the tv surrounded by the forts and enjoyed his child free time! And he would be genuinely pleased we were having a good time too!"

THIS is exactly how it should go.

notacooldad · 20/08/2026 22:48

An aggressive older male deciding young female adults need to learn manners.
Who would have thought it!!!

Fair enough if they're 21 but I had a mortgage at 22!!
So did I but what's that got to do with anything. I really cant see how your life choices contribute to this discussion.

My dh would have maybe stacked the dw, Collected up any rubbish and the worst of the toys, emptied the bins, ordered a takeaway and sat down in front of the tv surrounded by the forts and enjoyed his child free time! And he would be genuinely pleased we were having a good time too!
Yep, mine too. I coukdnt be with a rude shout man. Life is hard enough at times you've got to grab the good times when they happen.

Firethehorse · 21/08/2026 06:19

I noticed you felt the need to apologise rather than simply mention the house was a little untidy and you had a migraine, this was very telling.
Your husband sounds misogynistic and as if he enjoys bullying women. Is he possibly trying to isolate you from your family too? Your sons will learn these traits if you don’t make a stand now.
I would normally say to stand up for yourself first and try to demand change when there are young children to consider but his shouting at your nieces makes me think I would just end it now.
I suspect he will make this hellish difficult for you OP because he is coming across as a controlling bully but use the support of your family to make this happen as soon as you can.
In this case loose him and not your own family.

AggroPotato · 21/08/2026 06:32

This doesn't sound like it was that bad at all. My house is worse than that most of the time, I don't feel the need to apologise for it. Who decided he is the boss anyway?

The H sounds very unreasonable and rude. Houses are to be lived in, not preserved in a state of perfection.

nrp2 · 21/08/2026 09:19

Why was DH not parenting his kids that morning?

He's being very very unreasonable

FluffMagnet · 21/08/2026 09:34

Glad you are getting away from this awful man OP. Obviously thinks that all women arenthere only to slave after men and boys (no 20 odd year old woman is going to be making forts for her own amusement at someone else's house, so it would be clear the mess was from his own sons), plus the idea he was teaching two grown women "manners" by yelling at them?! Fucking hell...

Tina6458 · 21/08/2026 15:45

Tried again to talk to him. He said he would do it all over again. Thinks my brother in law agreed with him. He just told the girls to not come over here to stay anymore.

OP posts:
Beetrootsmoothie · 21/08/2026 15:54

Wow, what a nasty individual.

Dobeebeedah · 21/08/2026 15:59

He has decided you cannot live having children with any toys being used, no breakfast bowls, no laughter, no coats left on a chair.

Nobody lives life like that with/without children. Your nieces, children and yourself were enjoying life and this sourpuss decides that is not right.

Leave him to his 'perfect' lonely sad life and enjoy yours with chaos, laughter, joy and mess alongside your children and family.

blythet · 21/08/2026 16:01

Op it sounds like he often speaks to you like this and you tolerate it, but hearing him speak to your nieces like that crossed a line for you.

i think he sounds like an arse and was completely out of order for speaking to your nieces like that.

however the bigger question is why do you tolerate the way he is with you on a regular basis?

WerewolfOfLoudon · 21/08/2026 17:31

Tina6458 · 21/08/2026 15:45

Tried again to talk to him. He said he would do it all over again. Thinks my brother in law agreed with him. He just told the girls to not come over here to stay anymore.

He's in for a wake up call if he has to parent his own children 50/50. Or is he just going to yell at little kids all the time?

Anendlessseriesofunfortunateevents · 21/08/2026 17:40

He sounds horrid.
Your life sounds hard - walking on eggshells and making yourself smaller. 😢

I hope hearing him speak to someone you love like this has made you realise he shouldn't speak down to anyone like this. Including you.

Don't doubt yourself op or let him gaslight you. What he did was unforgivable. As is the way he speaks to you too.

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