Hi, my name's Katie and I'm officially a college football widow. Why does this bother me? Why am I surprised by this EVERY fall???
When Mike and I got married, we had the perfect Saturday arrangement. He'd get up at 9am (noon on the east coast) and begin watching his weekly 12 hours of college football while I made a mess of the kitchen with my scrapbook supplies.
After Ryan came along, I began throwing out the idea of reducing the college football marathon to a couple of key games each week. Ryan was only a few months old, so it wasn't a big deal at first. But the next year he was crawling/walking and requiring more attention. Then the next year Kaylin joined our family. And the year after that SHE was crawling/walking and required more attention.
Do you see where I'm going with this?
A few years ago, we came up with an agreement. Or rather, I put my foot down and explained that the kids and I were sick of being ignored for half of his weekend off while he parked himself in a chair all day. My compromise to not watching tv at all was that he could watch 6 hours of college football on Saturdays. At first, Mike practically trembled with instant withdrawal. Until I gave him a suggestion: it could be two live games or he could maximize his time by DVRing the games and fast forwarding through the commercials. If it were me, I'd choose the DVR route. But something about watching live t.v. and flipping between games gives Mike a certain sense of control in the outcome of the games. (maybe if he yells loud enough, the refs can hear him and adjust their call accordingly...???)
What's worse is that college football isn't only on Saturdays anymore. It's often Fridays, sometimes Thursdays and occasionally, when we're lucky, a Wednesday and Sunday game or two will be thrown in for good measure.
So here we are...a few weeks into college football season and I'm already feeling lonely and sad and neglected. It doesn't help that I'm totally on my period and I had three parties this week and I'm getting over being sick so taking care of the kids on my own for a whole 'nother day just isn't as fun for me.
(*sigh*)
I guess I should be grateful he hasn't yet discovered College Fantasy Football. Or that he's home instead of watching the games at Hooters with girls flaunting their ta-tas in his face.
I just needed to vent. Am I the only heartless wife out there? It wouldn't be so bad if the kids were able to entertain themselves and I could go back to scrapbooking, but such is not the case. Jason won't sit still for 5 minutes while I try to scrapbook or, heaven forbid, if I tried to sit and actually watch a game WITH Mike. (I actually DO like football...just not 9 hours of it) He's just too busy. Someday he'll sit and want to watch with Daddy and I can use my Saturdays to catch up on hobbies of my own again.
Someday...
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6 comments:
Tit for tat, my dear. If he gets 6 hours on a Saturday to ignore the four of you, then you deserve to get 6 hours on Sunday to ignore the four of them (at least during the season). I am sooooo not kidding. I really mean it! Good for the goose, good for the gander and all that.
I say go get what's owed you!
Oh man, can I vent with you?!
Our second baby was born five weeks ago. One of the perks of Hubby's job is six weeks of paternity leave.
When he submitted the HR paperwork for this leave, I had visions of being brought breakfast while I nursed the baby, and Daddy taking Son #1 to the park while I napped with the baby.
HA HA HA HA!
Dear Husband stays up most nights to play video games. Or to "organize the garage" (while watching movies). Often times he doesn't come to bed until 3 or 4 in the morning AND THEN he sleeps until noon, takes an hour or two to eat breakfast and shower. Leaving me alone with a needy toddler and nursing baby all morning.
The one morning he got up with the toddler, he took a long nap after I got up - so I was still stuck with two kids.
Argh.
Put your foot down again and tell him about it. I can barely take when my husband watches Football on Sunday and it's only 4 hours why watch a team that is going to lose anyways! But all weekend after your home with the kids alone all week would not fly with me at all. He had the kids too he needs to spend time for them and for the other comment oh Honey you need to nip that in the bud ASAP!
I have the exact same problem with my husband! Once October come around my husband disappears most weekends to hunt. I try so hard to be understanding, but it gets so LONG to be home all week and weekend without a break! I tell my husband it's kind of like if he had to work on weekends and then wake up Monday morning and start his regular week all over. I know that I volunteered to be a stay at home mom and to homeschool our kids, but having my husband around on the weekends at least changes up the hum-drum of the week. I feel for you! We try to go and visit him while he's hunting. Maybe you could have football parties. Make snack food, posters, pick a team and cheer. Make it a family day. Good luck!
I am having the same problem with my spouse. I currently have 3 kids under 5 and a husband who travels monday-thursday for work. Yesterday he watched exactly 9 hours of football while I ran the household. I was furious at the end of the day and he still has non idea why. His responsr was "I cleaned the kitchen." It is unnacceptable. We have been married 10 years now and we fight about this every fall.
I am like you, it was fine when we were first married, but now that we have 3 small kids and he travels during the week, I can't take it anymore.
I have NEVER sat on the couch for 9 hours straight and ignored my family. Why does he think this is ok. His reponse is always "it is the one thing I enjoy doing. It is my hobby." I am sorry, but I don't enjoy my hobby every saturday for 9 hours. It is insane. I don't know how much longer I can take it.
I am sorry. I don't think there needs to be any compromising here. Your husband is not 16 anymore. He has a family. 9 hours parked in front of the tv on a Saturday is just wrong. Tell him to grow up.
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