I am stressed and depressed due to my husband not helping with the kids or house: Advice?

I’m on my 2nd marriage, three kids total, under seven years old. I’ve been with my husband for 4.5 years. Right now, I’m literally depressed. I’m so stressed out. My husband isn’t much of a talker so. Therefore, he rarely supports me(mentally & emotionally), doesn’t ask how I’m doing, how my day is going. When I try to tell him how I feel and such, he’ll be like, “oh ok,” and that’s it. It makes me feel like I’m not being understood. Sometimes he talks like he’s right, which I absolutely can’t stand. He works 12 hours a day Monday-Friday. All he does is discipline the kids and just chill out on the couch with his phone and his iPad. He doesn’t read books with the kids(we have one child together, other 2 are mine), he doesn’t play board/card games with them, basically does nothing with them although he may pick on them for fun once in a while. He helps out around the house a little. I’m a stay at home mom, so sometimes he comes home and would just immediately nag about this or that, kind of like he has HIGH expectations of me when it comes to household chores. We have a 15-month-old son; sometimes, it’s just not easy getting chores done. If he can have a 1.5 hours break(2 15 min and 1 hr lunch), then why don’t I get breaks too??? I’m just depressed because I’m just so damn stressed, I don’t feel appreciated, I don’t feel like a wife, I feel like a roommate/caretaker. I’m just really lost right now.

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my reaction is…….was he like this before? was he good with your kids before? maby a councilor is need? the basic thing needed to be done is for you to be in contact with mental health ass. and request help just so you can get back up to par then progress on to what ever is needed to be done.

Get a job. Even if it’s just enough to pay for child care. It would give you someone besides your husband to talk to and something else to think about.Start your own business from home. If some of them are school aged then child care would be even cheaper. Make a show of some form of independence not to prove a point to anyone but yourself.

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In my opinion, you sound extremely lazy. I work full time, go to school, have 2 kids, and maintain a spotless home. Is it easy? Absolutely not. But neither is working 12 hours a day. Neither is stepping up to a plate another man left on the table.

Hire a maid. Usually hitting them in the wallet get’s em off their ass

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I’ve been doing that for 25yrs. :pray: thinking of you

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Getting a job is a great idea, skip child care, find a part time when he’s off and let him watch the kids…If he’s not down start planning your next move, cause if you can’t leave him home with the kids, then he’s not really much of a father…Set the expectations for him…I work at least 50 hours a week, single mom and my kids are teens involved in school. Push for your happiness too…

You need to sit down and tell your husband how you feel. How do you expect him to know how you feel if you dont talk? And you said hes not much of ta talker. You knew this before marrying him though. Sometimes guys suck at understanding us girls, but if you talk to him and bring a couple ideas up, you may have a better way at him understanding it. I was and still am depressed and my husband didnt get it at all until he went to therapy and counseling with me and learned about it. Now he gets it and understands it more. But it took me talking to him and asking him to come with me…

You need to talk to him and tell him how you are feeling and depressed,men unfortunately most cases don’t notice things when they are busy themselves,talk to him:)

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I agree with the person that said to get a job…It will get you out of the house, give you a break from the children, and give you something that is yours and yours alone.

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My husband complained about the same thing with me. I laugh at him and ask him if he’s a female. Why stress over such small things?? He used to leave all the time and I was left with the kids so I pulled what he did. He got to experience the questions and such from the children. Where’s mom? Why does she always leave? I want mom! And now he helps more often. We do things as a family even if I have to drag him by the ear. Lol that roll too has flipped and he has to drag me everywhere now lol. Yours may not understand either. They are raised to show no emotions. If they do, they’re weak. They don’t know how to respond because nobody taught them. Don’t stress over tiny things.

Was he like this before the marriage?? Did you think he was going to change? I worked like that and my significant other stayed home guess what didn’t feel like talking much either. It is hard when all the responsibility of paying all the bills is on 1 set of shoulders.

Pretty much it is. He works 60 hours a week plus drive time. If you are a stay at home mother what else do you think you are supposed to do? Sit on the couch and eat bon bons and watch soaps? I’ve done both stay at home mother and worked. You could eat off the floor, 3 meals plus 2 snacks, gardened, canned, mowed lawn, landscaped. I also did little league, boy scouts, play dates, school activities. Whether you are appreciated by the other or not. It’s about how much you love your children and home as well as yourself. You just have to have a routine. It can all get done without being stressed. Even when I was a single mother, I did it all. You have to have a positive attitude about it instead of “why do have to do everything”. You are stronger than you give yourself credit for. Good luck and be determined.

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Was he a talker before you met him? Did he help out with the house and kids in the early days? If not, that is who you married so no point complaining now. Its time you did something for yourself. Get outside interests, social interactions with others is one way to refuel your cup. Join a mums group for example. Dont rely on him to fullfil your need to vent.
Also, how is he feeling? Have you asked? Im sure he might be feeling overwhelmed that in a matter of 4 years he has two step children, one of his own and a depressed wife to come home to after 12 hours of work.

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Wow I’m so shocked at the comments on here. First off…depression is no joke, so it’s not as easy as some of you may think for her to go and get a job, or do something. Some days are harder than others. Also, just because you’re a stay at home mom, doesnt mean everyday that you’re going to get a whole.lot done, because you have kids to take care of. And just because it may have been easy for one mother doesnt mean every mother is the same way. I think you just need to sit down and talk with him and tell him how you feel, and see how he feels. Maybe when he comes home, he just really wants the dishes done, or something like that. Communication is key. My husband and me both work, different shifts, but I know as long as I do the dishes and keep the downstairs area clutter free, hes happy. Marriage is about teamwork love. And I feel really sorry for some of the advice your getting on here. Sounds like a lot of you ladies just settled for any man.

Join a mums group take baby to park stuff your house work

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I’ve been doing the same thing for 16 years now. I think you slowly build a tolerance for being on “your own” and not caring anymore.

Either speak up, give him an ultimatum, or leave. There really isn’t any in-between on a situation like this.

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He could also be battling depression so maybe talk to him to see if that’s the case. They say men mask their feelings and won’t admit to it but it’s a start. I just got out of relationship and I realized I got very down because everything about him was going negative.

Tell him that you need couples counseling. If he won’t listen to you maybe he will listen to a counselor telling nine bringing home a pay check isn’t his only duty.

Sounds like my ex-husband…
Communication is key, he needs to know how you are feeling, plan for a sitter and go out or have a sitter take the kids for a few hours and talk, write things down before hand so you dont forget what you want to address- date just the two of you. Hash out what your expectations are of him as a father/husband. You might feel like just letting it be and do everything but that leads to resentment and more frustration towards him. When he married you he also took on responsibility of your kids from previous relationship, he needs to own that responsibility. Then get yourself organized to help alleviate the stress of handling 3 kids, a stay at home mom is a full-time job! do not think otherwise! Also save some $ on the side, you just never know when you might need it, financial dependency can be daunting (worst case scenario). Maybe counseling can also help? If he doesn’t want to go, then you go and get yourself some kind of mental health assistance, it’s ok, not to be ok, but more importantly doing something about it for you and your kiddies! You got this :muscle:

He is not probably going to change. So you have to change yourself. As a caregiver you have to make a effort to care for yourself too. That means scheduling your time. A hot bath after the kids are in bed, a chapter of a book, a cup of tea ( or glass of wine😊) on the back porch. He won’t offer you these things, but probably won’t deny you need the time to yourself. As far as him helping I’m going to share something a good friend taught me. Break yourself from saying “I want or I feel” instead say “I need”. There’s a lot of power in that one little change. And if you are not just overwhelmed and worn out from being the Momma, and truly depressed speak with your doctor.

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this is ntn new i m sure it had signs of this before you got married sit down n talk to him on a level he knows he always on his ipad send an email write a letter after that if ntn changes get a part time job get a hobby you said he wrks mon -fri get something to do one day of the weekend

She’s tired, sick and tired. She is feeling overwhelmed and she wants some help. Does your husband really have to work 60 hours a week. Is he stressed??? Can you afford a housekeeper 2 times a month??? I understand where you are. Depression makes everything a great big mess. You need to take care of yourself too.

Time for counseling. If not both of you, then just you.

Also sounds like you may need to just go. Take the kids and go.

Naww hun god i feel your pain im in the exact same situation literally i would love to pm you for a chat :heart_eyes:

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Go to work and yes i know its hard but trust me you will feel so much better for it and so will he. You will see alot of good changes in your husband right now he feels that your home all day so why couldn’t you do the house work because he was working all day so and he feels like you can handle it all day with no adult interaction. The reason why i said this is because i was once too in the same situation my husband believed that just because i was home all day that he shouldn’t have to do anything and all i did was just lay around but with four kids thats not possible in any way shape or form but in his mind that was all i did so i decided to start working again after my youngest and he had to help around the house and with the kids as well and thats when he finally understood that managing a home with kids is not easy and you really dont get a break and after that things changed for the better. Alot of men don’t know what we do at home because they aren’t there with us and when they are off work they are tired but what they don’t understand is we are mama’s and we don’t get a break our jobs are 24/7 all the time even when we are sick we still have to care for our families while if they are sick they are (dying) in bed because they can’t handle a simple cold lol but the point is dont let him continue to be the way he is cause in the end it hurts your kids and you so go to work and sit back and watch the changes happen. Your husband will be more understanding, loving,kind,happy,not as tired,and most of all helpful

It’s not as easy as it may seem to just go get job. I would guess only 1 vehicle & he being who works has total control over every penny. My youngest is few weeks shy of 22 so things have slightly changed but you described my life. I at 1 point figured out how much it would cost to hire someone to do my job as stay at home Mom/wife. You do work 1st off so don’t think down of self. Being unpaid maid,chef,caretaker,chauffeur regardless if driving walking or taking public transportation. I’ll stop list all get point & being depressed stressed letting house go a day without cleaning has nothing to do with not loving kids enough, still baffled over that. Sadly unless your hubby is very different than ours that can relate he is never going to change. Learn how to deal, slowly go insane, or by time until you can walk away.

sounds like life for most moms, it is what it is. You’ll get through it, leaving doesn’t make it better, you’re on a 2nd marriage and trust me, men you marry change but the actions stay the same. If you do leave, don’t marry till you been dating for a couple of years and see how they are, pick different men also. Good Luck

If two of your children are school-age, take the baby with you to the gym for an hour or so. This will allow you to relieve stress and socialize with others.

Is your husband at work 12-hours a day? Kids to school, clean the house (30 min a day), gym clothes on, off to the gym with the baby, food shopping, or whatever, and write an hour a day!! Create your stream of income.

You got this! Stay at home moms rock! I wish I was a mother and not on the rat race of this thing called work.

You got this so you can get this!

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I understand this…I am a stay at home Mommy, we have 5 children, and Hubby is truck driver, only home on weekends. And those are times He goes hunting, four wheeler riding with friends, etc. Now we have just had a hell the last two years. Hubby diagnosed with stage 4 lymphoma cancer, I had two stillborn babies, a close friend of ours and fellow soldier of Hubby, took His own life, and my Mother In-Law had a shocking heart attack at 59, and died, 5 days before Hubby went into hospital for stem cell transplant. Now our kids are my world, but children can drain you of energy. You are their strength, support, comfort, etc. And without getting refilled yourself and can go downhill. I believe children eventually will love and appreciation that you were always there for them, just at this age. They show no appreciation or thankfulness and instead whine and complain, fighting with their siblings. So you have to learn to get energy, not from others, for yourself. Enjoy a coffee alone in the morning. Turn on some music and dance as you make dinner. Buy yourself some flowers. Focus on the accomplishments you make, clean kitchen, dinner was great, take time to do your hair and make up. It will brighten your spirit. Give yourself some credit!

:sleepy:I hear you. Although my story differs I would suggest many things yet that feeling has gotten in you and that I understand personally. Definate good suggestion to have a difficult conversation yet I know I have also negated to do such…its hard. You will find the courage mabie ask a person to edify for or with you. I also would keep a journal write down what you feel and insights to dhat can improve things for each of you in the future, definitely dont bury these emotions and or let the wall get to high…those things get shed onto others unintentionally. Praying you find you voice and speak gently to yourself and find soon what works best for you