Conflicts occuring over and over it's becoming insane

@aconner (218)
United States
May 20, 2008 11:35am CST
Ok, so the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results each time. Well I'm tired of doing all the house work. If I were a house wife I would not be complainging but the fact is my husband and I both work 8 hours a day, sometimes he works more than 5 days a week and I only work Monday - Friday. On my weekends I clean the house and don't expect him to lift a finger on days that he works and I don't. But all he does is goes to work, comes home, plays computer games all night, comes to bed at about 12am and does the same thing over again. The definition of insane does not describe him because he doesn't desire different results. It's me that's insane apparently because no matter what I say or do to get him to help me do a few chores around the house he never does it. My normal day consists of getting up, working out, going to work from 8 - 5, get home, cook dinner, leave the dishes on the table in hopes that he will clean the table off for me, doesn't happen, I might get them up tomorrow morning, I'll wash a load of clothes, dry them, fold them, sometimes put them away, sometimes I will just leave them on the dryer for a while. I'll take the trash out, sweep the floors, mop the floors once a week, clean up his computer desk and all the dirty socks from under it to be washed for his next week. His normal day, wake up, go to work 7 to 3, come home, take work clothes off and throw them in random places (shoes by the door, socks on the recliner, work shirt on the dinning room table, belt on the dinning room floor), sit at computer until Wife gets home and cooks dinner. Eat dinner, get back on computer. Go to bed. I'll admit I'm not the best at doing house chores. But I do the necessity things so we'll have clean dishes to eat off of and clean clothes for the next day and normally on the weekends (my ONLY TIME OFF) I'll do the rest of the house cleaning just for my husband to mess it up. If I had some help throughout the week then I would be able to take my 2 off days and enjoy them. What can I do? I've tried telling him how I feel, he apologizes says he'll change and then NEVER does. I swear we've argued about this 50 times in the 2 years we've been married. If I ask him to do something and he actually BEGINs to do it he'll pout like a 3 year old child until I tell him to forget about it. I'm ready to hire some help to clean my house... he won't like it because it will cost money but I don't care at this point.
3 people like this
4 responses
@aowaow (1516)
• Indonesia
21 May 08
You may proceed by renting a house-maid. This is the only solution.
2 people like this
@subha12 (18441)
• India
21 May 08
I think in this situation it is bound to occur conflicts.its actually the case where the husband is taking the all advantage.he is not at all considering that you are also working the same. he should always do the work.no, i think now time has come that you can talk clearly with him and take forward your points.
2 people like this
@jillbeth (2705)
• United States
20 May 08
"Man may work from sun to sun, but woman's work is never done." You are in the same boat with a lot of us, sweetie! If you've only been married a few years then maybe there is hope for you. My hubby does not do much housework, but then he doesn't leave messes for me to clean up, either! It could be that his standards of cleanliness aren't up to yours. If I were in this situation, I would leave the laundry wherever he throws it and when he asks where his clean clothes are, tell him you only wash what gets into the laundry hamper. This has always been my rule; I never picked up hubby's or kids' laundry and if it wasn't in the hamper (or at least nearby) it didn't get washed. Next I would let him do his chores and pout until they are done. By now he has figured out that you will step in and finish for him if he acts like a child. My mother would refuse to cook dinner unless the kitchen were cleaned up first. She refused to cook in a cluttered kitchen, a habit I picked up from her! She never told us we had to do it, but we did if we wanted to eat! Let him pick a few chores he feels he can handle, and let them go. If he doesn't do them, they won't get done. Don't argue with him about it, and don't nitpick the job he has done, even if it's not up to your standards. You need to take a firm stand now about him helping you because the longer you are married and putting up with his lack of help then the harder it will be to get him straightened up! Nip it in the bud!!!
1 person likes this
@aconner (218)
• United States
20 May 08
I have tried all of those things. If I leave the laundry where he left it he MIGHT actually do it but he will only do HIS he won't touch anything of mine or even say "Hey, I'm washing clothes and don't have a full load is there something you need washed?" He'll put a pair of pants, a shirt, and a couple of pairs of underwear and wash with hot water on "heavy" load. GRRRRRRRRRRR. I've tried saying "What chores would you LIKE to do?" he said Bathroom and trash, never once has he touched it! If he has ever done anything in the house if it drives me crazy I don't say anything because I'm hoping he'll keep it up. Even when he washes his own clothes I won't say anything. So I've tried nipping it in the bud and it hasn't done any good yet. I'm getting ready to throw out all of our dishes and use paper, separate our laundry. I've also tried the "No cooking in a dirty kitchen" but then our bank account feels it because he'll go out and order fast food (wasting gas and money when we have a fridge stocked full with groceries) before lifting a finger in the kitchen.
2 people like this
@aconner (218)
• United States
20 May 08
Thanks for the help though. I really appreciate it.
2 people like this
@Hatley (163772)
• Garden Grove, California
15 Jul 08
aconnor go ahead and hire someone to help clean your house, and I bet you anything he will really buckle down and help out becauser men hate to have to pay for extra things, and if not you will have a break and a clean house. also you could start not doing his laundry and letting his clothes pile up as a silent reminders you need his help. also when you get this extra weekly help; go someplace on the weekend that you love and let hubby batch while you enjoy yourself lol and lol. shake him up a bit.