I'm struggling. Have been for a while. I've had one break from parenting my daughter, that was for 3 hours in December when I left her with her dad.
She's 14 months old and I'm just tired. I've done every night by myself. He's out of bed at 4am and doesn't get home until 7-9pm. He drives for work, very physically tiring.
On the weekends he was doing 6 days, one weekend day off, but now has both off.
He doesn't sit on the floor and play with her, he doesn't read to her because he says she doesn't have the patience.
He will pick her up and hold her whilst he's cooking.
Recently I've been "snappy" with him.
He got back from the mechanic last weekend, she was getting onto the sofa and he put his headphones on and started to watch Netflix on his phone.
The same day I told him I was going to run her bath and to watch her whilst she was still eating, he fell asleep on the sofa.
Today he went to football after going shopping, so was out 1-3 and then from 4-8.
He got back and I was snappy.
"I don't get why you're so snappy with me"
I said - Probably because I haven't had a break since December.
"Do you think I don't know you haven't had a break. I haven't had a break", "I just won't go to work, I'll sit at home all day".
Then "do you think I like not having a connection to my child"... But that's on him? He never sits to play with her. He "doesn't see the point". He's stated that this age is boring to him.
Since she's been born, he has been to a friend's once a month. Football - He stopped going for 7months, but has been the last two weekends.
Are these not breaks?
He does do the washing/washing up/cooking/vacuuming when I haven't had a chance to; but I'm the one in charge of feeding her, naps/bedtime, teeth brushing, hair brushing, baths, dressing her, making sure she has the right shoes, appointments etc. Everything falls on me.
If your partner works ridiculously long hours, how much do they look after your child? Do you ever get a break?
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I could’ve written this myself - especially the football part - nothing makes me angrier than the fact football seems to be on every other week?! (My husband did not have any break from going to watch it since my little girl has been born 😂) He also tried the “well when is MY break?” comment, as if he doesn’t go to football, to the gym, out with friends - even a commute to work and back would be a break for me at this point?!
I completely empathise with you… My only ‘break’ away from home alone is when I go and get my nails done once a month for an hour, otherwise I’m mum mode 24/7…
I just truly tbink they live on another planet to us and will never really understand what it’s like to be a mum!

If he has been working incredibly long hours, then haven’t you been also? Raising children is also hard work

I think it's about balance, my husband works long hours, but i force him to also take on childcare duties, especially on his days off, so that I can take a moment of peace and listen to music/podcast etc e.g. when he's hoovering/cooking etc, I'm guessing you're dressing/bathing/ mum mode - just switch roles, I feel like men sometimes need to be asked to do things, it doesn't come naturally to them like it does to us, e.g. "can you bath X whilst I cook tea?" / "can you read to X whilst I hoover?" Like he's clearly helping you despite his long hours, so get him to help you with the childcare chores instead of house chores, it will give you a break (even if only for 10 mins) and also help him build a bond more

My husband works insane hours so naturally I do a lot more but he will do anything I need him to when it comes to our child. Our baby is only 2.5 months so she’s in that “boring” stage where she can’t really be “played” with, she’s more like a floppy potato. But he will give her a bath, soothe her to sleep, feed her, etc.
I think you both need to come to a compromise. He can do football every other weekend but you’re doing x every other weekend. You just need a break from being mom 24/7 and need to fill your own cup. Whether that be a club you join, getting ur nails done, even food shopping alone without baby.

I feel like parenthood comes more naturally to mum's than it does dad's, my husband is great now and I can't fault him much at all, but I still do have to ask sometimes, e.g. if he is in charge of bedtime (he is on all of his days off, I'm in charge on all his days at work) then sometimes my 4 y/o could be still up hours past bedtime if I hadn't given that gentle nudge, "right 5 more mins and then it's bedtime, come give mummy a kiss" - sometimes I think they need things spelling out x