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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

do you think this set up is fair? (duties/sleep related)

27 replies

Zooropa · 05/01/2010 12:41

I think DH and I are both in a situation where we feel a bit hard done by - sp I'd like some perspective please! I know every partnership is different but I'd be interested to know peoples thoughts.

DH works 5 days a week, I work 2 days.
We have a toddler who still doesn't sleep well. He is breastfed, but this is not the only reason he wakes - he's just a bad sleeper.
Our current arrangement is that I do pretty much all the night duties every night unless ds is ill when I have help administering calpol etc.
We have one lie in each at the weekends. If ds wakes up in the week before DH needs to get ready for work, DH gets up with him most days (I do maybe once a week if he wakes early for 4 days in a row!)

Housework - I cook every day and do all washing, dh does cleaning up after meal, bathing. We try and share the cleaning but I probably do a bit more. When we're both at home DH probably does 60% of the looking after DS - slightly more than me because I get 3 days off with him in the week - this isn't planned obviously it just works out like this! Dh does all the diy, we also have cats and we share the cleaning out of the trays etc though dh probably does it slightly more.
DH gets time to himself in the evenings after ds has gone to bed, I do at the start of the evenings but often go to bed early as I know I'll be up in the night. I also have DS's nap times (1 hr a day) on my days off- I usually do stuff for half of it and veg/snooze for half of it!
Do you think this sounds fair or if you were either party would you feel hard done by?

OP posts:
sunshine2010 · 08/01/2010 08:31

I do 25 hours a week at work spread over 5 days. Then I wake up at least once but up to 5 times a night with my toddler. If she wakes up loads of times though she usually wakes up at about 9 and if its just once then about 6.30/7ish. I get up with her every morning and then work in the afternoons. She is with me all day as I work with kids and I dont ever get to lie in without her cause if she has woke up loads I have to sleep in a single bed with her so its pretty uncomfortable and my husband is at work.

I do cook every night when we both get in and do the majority of the cleaning (We only live in a small place though). My husband always offers but I feel its harsh on him having to do it cause he does a very physical job. I also do it so I can go out clubbing every 3 weeks or so but when I do that I come in about 4am and get up at 7.30 cause I cant sleep when my daughter is crying. I have a lie in every 2 weeks or so till about 10/11ish. If he is off work for any reason then he does the cleaning and cooking. He also oftens cleans on a friday when he is off.

I think what you have sounds fair. I still dont feel with all I am doing that my duties are half as bad as my husbands job so am happy to do it.

sunshine2010 · 08/01/2010 08:39

I also think you are lucky getting the naptime every day. When my daughter goes down I am at a busy nursery and have to look after 25 others. You hardly get a chance to sit down for 5 minutes the entire shift.

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