Monday 21 March 2016

My life in a male oriented family

I don't know if the males in my household do this on purpose or not, or whether it's the difference between males and females or if it's because I'm mum, I have no idea, but with 3 adult males and 1 teenage son and a husband, I am out numbered for sure.

This Christmas hubby was off work, the teen was home for the holidays and the 23 year old was here also. The testosterone hit rocket high levels, every one was fighting for supremacy and the alpha male took control of all our lives.

The male humour wore me down, it just goes on too long, I don't want to be part of it, not even included, but I have to find the right moment to leave the room/conversation or they all think I'm in a strop.

I have to be so careful about what I say, when and how I say it. If I use too many words or not enough words, I'm met with the following statements:

Leave it now
Just say what you mean
Stop nagging
What are you on about now
Calm down
Yes we heard you (but failed to let me know that)
Yes we understand (but failed to let me know that)
Yes we'll do it (but failed to let me know that)

I asked one of them to help me with putting the washing away.

Me: Please put the blue towel in that cupboard (pointing to cupboard) on your way out the room.
Them: Yeah ok

Me: *looks at blue towel on the bed and mutters loudly*
Them: *from other room* What did we do wrong now?

Me: You didn't put the blue towel in the cupboard
Them: There was only a grey towel on the bed

Me: OK sorry I got the colour wrong, but it was the only towel on the bed
Them: But you said blue towel and we didn't want to get in trouble if we put the grey towel away and then you couldn't find it

Me: Why didn't you ask?
Them: See, you're having a go at us now because you got something wrong and now EVERYTHING is all OUR fault

Me: *leaves conversation*
Them: What's the matter with her now?

and repeat.............



14 comments:

  1. This made me laugh! Our house is pretty male-dominated too - there's three of them and two of us and the boys are all up later than my daughter, usually watching The Simpsons when I want them to go to bed! Football is on TV far too much and there is a bit of alpha male jostling for supremacy starting between my eldest and my husband.
    I'm so grateful for my little girl!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. thankfully i love sport, especially football and like quite a few of their tv shows, but i just don't get their humour and their relentless piss taking

      Delete
  2. Oh poor you. I was totally cheering you on there with the towel. As I always say, just bloody pick it up and save the 5 minutes arguing - but then I'm not outnumbered by boys!! Thanks for joining us again at #TweensTeensBeyond, Nicky

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. i've realised it's not kids, but males in general, i'm still having similar conversations with my hubby now it's just me and him at home

      Delete
  3. This! "Yes we heard you (but failed to let me know that)
    Yes we understand (but failed to let me know that)
    Yes we'll do it (but failed to let me know that)"

    I'm the only female in my household and I get this ALL.THE.TIME (and the blue towel thing!) #tweensteensbeyond

    ReplyDelete
  4. We're clearly different species. My two teens are boys and they will follow ALL instructions to the EXACT letter, with no independent thought whatsoever! #TweensTeensBeyond I can't log in to the 'comment as' box, no matter what I put it won't accept it...I hate technology! So I've gone down the anonymous route, but I'm Midlife Dramas in Pyjamas.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. now i'd forgotten that bit, where they follow the instructions to the letter then can't cope with the slightest change, that's why the colour of the towel mattered

      Delete
  5. I don't know if it's necessarily a male oriented issue. I think it's with anything moms say! I have to repeat, elaborate, argue, coerce till it gets done!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. i have to disagree it's a male thing, as I'm still having the same conversations with my husband, long after the kids have left home

      Delete
  6. I live in a female dominated house myself which comprises me, my husband and 3 daughters. I often wonder how I'd cope in a testosterone dominated environment and after reading your post I think the answer is 'not very well'! The least effective way of getting anyone to calm down is telling them to calm down! Thanks so much for joining us at #TweensTeensBeyond.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I have friends in all female households and they have their own set of issues, such as bathroom times, clothing and make up issues that seem to cause just as many battles

      Delete
  7. We are equally balanced in our house but the argument you describe is one I recognise, along with the one where I ask the male teen to do something and he argues with me about why I asked him and and not the female teen! It is definitely a male thing. Thanks for coming back to link up. #TweensTeensBeyond

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I think the most common phrase in our house was 'it's not fair, why do i have to do it?'

      Delete

ShareThis