Men are such WIMPS!!!

[twins r fun]

I shouldn't say that-no offense to Flagger, Dan, and any other men reading this. I should clarify and say my DH is such a wimp! Poor thing has a cold and is pretty much out of comission. Now, on Sunday, I had a stomach virus. DH was out playing golf when I started feeling sick. So for about 4 hours I gritted my teeth, fought off the nausea and managed to change 2 poopy diapers, serve a snack, and halfheartedly play with the boys. To his credit, when he got home he took over and I spent the rest of the day and night in bed or in the bathroom. Okay, so now he has a cold (I should add that he is a teacher and on spring break). Last night I told him one of the things I want to do while he's home is go shopping for clothes for myself. He tells me that he really can't take care of the boys by himself in the state he's in and can I wait until he's better. I'm sure I will, but are you kidding me? Did I not three days ago take care of our boys during a full fledged stomach virus? Not to mention, when I get a cold, nothing changes around here. I do all the normal stuff with the boys when I have a cold, not even halfheartedly. The only thing that might change is I go to bed earlier and leave a few things around the house not done. I'm sorry, I just have no pity for him! Anyone else in the same boat? And what do I do to avoid raising my boys to turn out like their daddy?!

Nicole

[mamahill]

Oh Nicole - I hear you sister! Please please PLEASE say you're still going to have some YOU time. Just say, "A few hours won't kill you, and I REALLY need to do this. For my sanity." DH and I have very different approaches to being sick - he lays in bed ALL day, and I lay down and then vacuum, lay down and then clean toilets, lay down and then clean the kitchen, etc. Of course, DH is generally only sick for a day and I end up feeling lousy for a week, so maybe he's on to something, but STILL! The world doesn't sit around while I decide to take a day off! There are things to be done. Anyway, I hope you still go out and get some clothes for you. I look forward to you posting your purchases... ;)

[twins r fun]

Thanks Sarah! If I have to hear him complain about how he feels like he's going to die one more time, I'm going to make that feeling a reality!!! Honestly, it is all I can do to not roll my eyes and tell him what I think of him every time he sniffles!

On the upside, he is off of work until Tuesday and I think not even he can drag a cold out for 6 days, so I think I should be able to get some shopping in. On the downside, he's off of work until Tuesday and I don't think I can take even one more day of this whining! I think the boys and I will have to go visit Grandma tomorrow! You know, the woman who has cancer (treatable), is undergoing chemo, and NEVER complains!

Nicole

[momathome]

Ugh!!! This is me and my dh entirely! Last winter, I had a terrible stomach virus and I was home with Kasey, who was 12 months old then. I would drag myself to the bathroom, throw-up, and then crawl back to the couch, pick-up the screaming baby, nurse her, and then run to the bathroom again. That night Liza, then 4, threw up all over the carpet and my dh asked if I wouldn't mind taking her upstairs and giving her a bath, seeing as he had to clean the carpet and all. SURE, no problem, feeling just GREAT today! I layed on the floor of the bathroom while she was taking her bath and prayed I wasn't going to die. The next day, when dh got the same bug,he only left his bed to go to the bathroom. Meanwhile, I was still sick and had the pleasure of taking care of both kids by myself. Oh, joy.
Get out and go shopping!!!!!
-Lauren

[ddmarsh]

Honestly I think it's a practice thing - he's never done that and therefore can't imagine doing so, etc. Therefore the only solution is to throw him in there and let him have a go at it! DH has gotten better over the years but the times I wanted to scream the most were when I would say "could you take childX with you to placeX" and he would say "oh I can't take childx there." My response was always "do you want a list of the places I take at least one child, often several?" Eventually he got the hint and got lots of practice :).

Good luck in training him and I hope you feel better:)))

Debbie

[emilyf]

I am so with you Nicole-dh is a total wimp when sick, and while he adores Charlie and is a great dad, he always acts like he's doing me a favor when I leave them alone. I mean, he's his kid too right? Emily
mom of Charlie born 11/02

[nitaghei]

Me too!! I still work, take care of the baby and the dogs, and cook dinner, even with a migraine. DH has a tiny little headache (the kind a single tylenol can fix) and it's the end of the world!!

If I have the flu, and he has a cold - guess who stays moaning in bed? And who takes care of the baby, the dogs and the house?

What is it with men?!

I would love to hear of tips to prevent DS being like his daddy, in this particular way.

Have to say, my father is the one exception to this rule that I know - he never complains when he's sick, (he wanted to be back doing all his normal stuff the day after a cardiac procedure)!! And he has unending patience with DS, and never considers time spent with DS an obligation.

Nita

[egoldber]

Don't even get me started on this!! DH is such a baby when he is sick. But when I'm sick (and it almost invariably happens when he is gone on a 3 week business trip to Japan) I still have to take of Sarah, the dog, the cats, the house, etc. If he has the sniffles, he has to curl up in bed and moan away. GRRRR!!!!!

[trumansmom]

My biggest pet peeve in my household is that when DH is alone with Truman he is "babysitting". But when I'm alone with Truman, well, I'm his mom! I don't really understand how that works...

Jeanne
Mom to Truman 11/29/01

[josephsmom]

Yeah, yeah, this happens in my house too. Sick daddy is incapacitated, but sick mommy is still mommy. And even when DH is NOT sick, he's off duty at night. He'll lay in bed and cover his ears when DS is crying. One night, he came to DS' bedroom when I'd already been there for about an hour. I thought he was going to offer to relieve me, or offer SOME kind of help, and he nastily asked if I'd mind keeping the door closed! And weekends! DH is soooo tired on the weekends that he will spend whole days laying comatose on the couch in front of the tv, while I run around doing everything. Men!


Helene
mommy to Joseph 12/29/01