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OT Give it to me straight - Am I being ridiculous?

jojo68's picture

Today is my husband birthday. The girls at his work
had a party for him complete with cake, videos and pictures on Facebook of him embracing them and one of them throwing cake in his face.
I should give you a little background. Never has he had a party at work or wanted to go out socially with anyone at work until these two 20 something year old girls started working there. My husband is their supervisor. In the few months that they have worked there, they have created this super social work environment. I have never had a problem with any woman that my husband has worked with and I am not a jealous person. They invite him to go to lunch and buy him breakfast all the time. They also text him outside of work sometimes.
I think it's great if coworkers bring you a cake for your birthday but an all out party posted on Facebook is another story. I was really upset and left out. I made him a homemade cake that he didn't even touch.
I feel terrible.. Am I wrong for feeling this way? Or just being insecure because I can't compete with twenty something year old girls.

Comments

notasm3's picture

Not sure. I was once a 20 year old who loved my bosses but NEVER considered them anything but "old men" that were of no sexual interest to me at all. ZERO interest - would have been repulsed at the thought of anything other than friendship.

But the world is different today. Trust your gut.

jojo68's picture

I honestly don't think that anything is going on between them but maybe it is that he is so flattered by all the attention that hurts my feelings and makes me very insecure.

BethAnne's picture

Ugh he is either having an affair or he is not. You know him, we don't.

You may say that you do not get jealous, but all of the things that you described and how you described them very much sound like you are jealous.

If it were me I would definitely be annoyed he didn't have any of my homemade cake, that is a serious offense in my book. The other stuff would not bother me, but I know my husband would not have an affair, and if he were I would not want to know about it anyway so I wouldn't go poking my hand into the bees nest and then get upset when I get stung.

You may have other ideas.

jojo68's picture

Guess your right. I am jealous--- never had a reason before I guess because there weren't any twenty year olds hanging on my husband until now. Probably need to get over it and just realize it is what it is.

BethAnne's picture

Yes, that is what I said. My husband knows how to use condoms. If he is stupid enough to get an std and pass it on then we will deal with that but I am not going to end my marriage just because my husband wants to have sex with someone else.

Tuff Noogies's picture

different strokes for different folks! everybody has their own personal dealbreakers.

jojo68's picture

That's what I don't get...no one calls anybody out on it and clearly these women get special treatment. At my workplace, if there was even a hint that any of the girls got special treatment..we would get called out so fast our head would spin.

jojo68's picture

There were others at the party---I don't know who all goes to lunch when they go--random texts. I have seen the texts and there is nothing bad. This made me decide to discontinue Facebook. I can still connect on other social media with my old friends and not have to deal with seeing the posts from these girls come up because my husband "likes" or is tagged in all their posts.

ldvilen's picture

These 20-something girls are playing your husband like a finely tuned violin. For most millennials, the end justifies any means. So, they are sucking up to him (and others?) to get what they want. Hopefully it is just a promotion they are looking for ;).

BTW: Years ago something like this happened to a friend of mine, only she was one of the 20-year olds. After word got out about the par-t, she and a couple of others got fired. Nowadays, they'll probably get promoted.

momjeans's picture

Oof. This is no bueno.

He's their supervisor; he cannot successfully lead without boundaries. Yeah, he may have been blindsided with all of this in way of a "Surprise!" and all, but he needs to put full stop to all this, like yesterday.

mommadukes2015's picture

Granny with the winning comment of the day!

She's right. It never hurts.

jojo68's picture

That is very good advice... keep him happy at home and he'll want to stay. I do t mind him having friends at work. I mind when his work affects our time together. All the years we have been together he has never been a work socialite and now he's right in the big middle.

jojo68's picture

That is very good advice... keep him happy at home and he'll want to stay. I do t mind him having friends at work. I mind when his work affects our time together. All the years we have been together he has never been a work socialite and now he's right in the big middle.

jojo68's picture

Thanks!! I needed to read that. I think too that he loves the attention and that is why he allows this behavior. I think why I am reacting so strongly to it though is that I know he has had an affinity for much younger women in the past BM is 15 years younger..GF before me was over 20 years younger...so I think this is what is compounding the problem for me.

mommadukes2015's picture

I resent the "for most millennials" generalization. I'm a millennial. Most of the millennials I know, which is quite a lot, are not the "suck up to your boss to get promoted and just skate by in life" type. In fact most of the millennials I know bust their rears for very little anything-in return. For SOME PEOPLE-because I've seen office skanks of all ages, shapes and sizes that do exist and are not not predominately one age or another-it's the only thing they've got going for them and looks fade....fast.

Generational generalizations aside, you have every right to feel however it is this situation makes you feel. There is no over-reacting unless you do something that is in fact, an over reaction. You are currently in that terrible-how do I feel about this-limbo.

You could calmly tell DH how this made you feel, you went through all the trouble of making him something special, just for him to barely notice. That's pretty sucky. It's even more sucky when you come across photos of how he reacted to birthday surprises from other people. Particularly other women. On Valentines Day. Tell him that you're hurt and confused by all of this. Tell him what you need from him, reassurance, to know that you and your marriage is still meaningful and fulfilling to him.

See what he says. But don't forget, he married you darlin'. There will always be someone younger. Knowing this he still chose you forever. That means something. You don't just step in marriage, it's a choice. What you need to know is that he is still actively making the same choice he made on your wedding day everyday. Tell him that.

jojo68's picture

Very well said...I am really hurt and left out more than anything. I feel like he would rather spend his birthday with his friends st work than me.

notsurehowtodeal's picture

Your DH is an idiot. Pictures on facebook of him embracing young, female subordinates will be great evidence when on of the them doesn't get something she wants and goes to HR with a complaint about sexual harassment.

It doesn't sound to me like he is having an affair - yet. He is an older man delighting in the attention of 2 younger women. It may stay at that stage or he may cross the line.
It doesn't matter if nothing has happened yet - he is doing enough at this point to make you uncomfortable. That is all that counts. It needs to stop.

I would sit him down and calmly explain your concerns. There are two problems here, how the situation is making him feel and how it could negatively effect him at work. Hopefully he will get it once you point it out to him.

jojo68's picture

It is a family business and my husband is one of the family so I doubt whether anything will come of ihim being reprimanded. The higher ups are also manipulated. They actual call one of the women their little sister without even knowing her for little less than a year. The other one is one tries to be buddy buddy with all the guys and is also goods friends with "little sister" I thought at first that she was into girls but I no longer think that way
Those two girls flirt around with the other men too hell even the women. I actually for a lack of better words feel threatened .

jojo68's picture

I actually have thought that one day (before any of the BS happened yesterday)that one or the other would try to put him in a compromising position and use his unprofessional behavior against him.

sunshinex's picture

This is super inappropriate behavior for a supervisor. Also I am 22 and work with a lot of older men (not as my boss but as clients) and I'm not alone when I say older business men are attractive when you're young. Personally I'm married but theres a certain degree of attractiveness to older business men when you're young. I would put a stop to situations like this.

sunshinex's picture

Also on this topic... I don't go out for drinks alone or hangout unnecessarily with the clients I work with for this reason - out of respect for wives who likely wouldn't appreciate it given my age. I've met clients' wives who clearly get uncomfortable with their husbands working closely with a young 20 year old woman so I make sure to act very professional to remove any doubt. Have you met these girls? I would want to meet them lol

sunshinex's picture

I was once told by an older women at a conference that if I want to be taken seriously as a young, good looking career woman, I should wear a wedding ring even before I get married. I quickly realized she was right. Women AND men take you more seriously if they don't think you're there to flirt or something.

sunshinex's picture

It really is! I went to a clients office to meet him for the first time in person (we do marketing for companies throughout the US) and when he opened the door, he said "just wait until the boys in the office meet you!" and proceeded to bring me around like an object, as if I didn't take time out of my day to come meet with him and discuss how we're going to grow his business. Needless to say I didn't work with him much longer.

sunshinex's picture

Exactly. The amount of times women come into my workplace and flirt with people who are in a committed relationship is ridiculous. Coincidentally these women don't last long, because the lack of professionalism carries over into their work/ability to communicate and meet deadlines. I always believe "the way you do anything is how you do everything" so if you're careless in who you choose to flirt with, you're probably careless in your work.

jojo68's picture

I hope you're right. I feel that eventually something will happen (different job) and these little girls will move on or get boyfriends and get out of my life.

jojo68's picture

LOL...me too. My work environment is 90% guys (mostly younger). We joke around with each other but I am like one of them. They treat me like an equal to them and vice versa. We like each other and we make our work environment fun sometimes. We don't hug each other other than a "side hug" if we haven't seen each other in a while. Never ever would anyone post something on Facebook or other social media like all of us hugging around on each other...lol :sick: think I threw up a little.

I have the utmost respect for people's relationships so I can't understand why these girls posting pictures of themselves hugging around on my husband is cool. How would they like it if they ever get a damn boyfriend and girls from his work post pictures of themselves hugging around on him...bet they wouldn't think it was so cool then.

jojo68's picture

Thank you for telling me like it is...everything you have said is correct. I have always thought that those two girls probably laugh their ass off at how big of puppets that these guys they work with are. All you gotta do is shake your ass and you get what you want. My husband isn't the only one but the only one that matters to me...lol

Acratopotes's picture

jojo - I agree with Granny and I will take it one step further...

get yourself a hair appointment and nail appointment, then some fab clothes.... surprise DH at the office and flaunt it in front of the little girls... show them what a real classy woman is like..... not the cheap tramp type they are...

will not hurt if you dress sexy and age appropriate, then close Dh's office door behind you and the blinds on the window... chat with him for a while, share a sandwich and before walking out... fumble with your hair... }:)

those little snot nose girls will be whispering etc... I would casually say - next time before you post photo's of my husband on FB< make sure you have permission, it's against the law to post pictures of people without permission...

Acratopotes's picture

no why - she visited her husband at the office she did not attack them lol...she can keep quiet about the FB posting and just flag their pictures on FB self

Acratopotes's picture

I just don't care Morri - 2 things will happen... either they will pity my DH and start up affairs with him, then I'm rid of him and have no worries, or they will all resign and I have to keep the old man all to myself... Wink

jojo68's picture

lol Smile

mommadukes2015's picture

I'm going to try to expand on Granny's sex comment but not in the way that you would think.

Jojo-confidence is a two way street. The first way we think about ourselves is through the lens of what we interpret other people's perceptions of us to be. Which is why we hate running into old crushes/high school classmates at Walmart on a Tuesday morning with pajamas and no make up on. We want others to validate us as desirable in some sense-no matter who it is.

So we base our self-views on others' reactions to us.

The second and more complicated way we build confidence, is how we view ourselves internally, regardless of how others' see us. This is that quiet voice in your head that should be saying "I am enough". On my worst days I am enough.

We don't listen to this second voice as often, because we don't trust ourselves enough to believe it and therefore seek the external validation on which we base most of our self esteem.

So in sum, confidence comes from how we see others reacting to us, and how we view ourselves without the interpreted input of others.

The second voice takes cultivating. It grows stronger over time.

So Granny's comment and Acra's support of Granny's comment are-if you help yourself on the outside to feel the confidence you're currently lacking, you will feel more secure in your relationship with DH and more aligned with how you want him to perceive you. And you will to an extent. However the long term fix is that you learn to value yourself outside of other's reactions to you.

So he may react to other pretty women, but as long as you know deep down inside you that they can't hold a candle to you because ABC reasons, it will show and he will notice. You will also will be more calm in discussing these instances with him because you know you are enough, he needs to recognize that and act appropriately and respectfully.

Gimlet always says "you teach people how to treat you". Teach him how to respect his wife by knowing your worth girlfriend.

ctnmom's picture

Hmmm, I'm looking over the responses and don't see my question answered. Has he ever cheated on you? Did he cheat on former spouses/so's? My advice will depend on the answer to this.

ctnmom's picture

Then I wouldn't worry about it. Past behavior is the indicator for future behavior in almost all cases. If he's interested in your opinion, I would say if I were you to tone it down a bit with the work shenanigans before someone gets sued/fired.

Acratopotes's picture

depends on how you grew up..... and what country lol....

that's why my office door is locked on my birthday..... from the boss right down to the cleaner comes to give you a hug..

jojo68's picture

Jojo dictionary:
Embrace: old guy in the middle with his arms wrapped around both young ho's with their arms wrapped around him at about the waist

note: Side hugs are not embraces

Dirol

jojo68's picture

Lol ...side hug: old guy hands Would not wrap around ho's arms but they did. Side hugs would have old guys hands patting the backs of ho's

jojo68's picture

Come on a let me have my fun Morri of pinning the blame on the ho's...LOL Seriously I do blame my husband 100%. He has all the power and is using it to "embrace" young women instead of looking at it from my view and realize that this might be hurting me.

jojo68's picture

I posted in another comment that my own work environment can be social at times and that I work with 90% guys. They treat me like one of the boys and we joke around but we don't hug around on each other and we don't post stupid shit on social media so that the whole world can watch. I think a social workplace is fine but there are boundaries you don't cross and trust and you respect other people's relationships period.

My husband actually worked with another girl before and they were friends. I walked in their office one day and she said "girl you know the rules...he's mine during working hours and yours after and before so why you coming up in here..this is my house!" LMAO I had no problem with that at all because I knew it was just playing around. I liked her and never thought of her as a threat but these little other girls are a different story.

ESMOD's picture

One thing I have noticed with several of the young women just entering the workforce is that they don't understand how to be professional yet.

They don't know how to dress or act.

I work in a more male dominated office... and most of the women dress professionally however there ARE exceptions.

There are "girls" that wear things too tight, low cut, short etc...

I read somewhere that when you are getting dressed for work, look in the mirror. If the first thing that comes to your mind is "I look hot"... CHANGE. It's not a club or a chance to meet a guy, it's work. Dress professionally and you will stand a better chance of being treated professionally.

The other behavior OP described as being flirty and too "fun" is also a pitfall for the younger set. They really just come from a place where most of their interaction is with people their own age in a social setting. Understanding that hugging your boss isn't really appropriate might not occur to them.

I'm not sure they have nefarious intentions here, but as their boss, he can certainly set the tone by not letting things get too over the line. Nothing wrong with lunches, or cake, but physically touching beyond a handshake really isn't appropriate.

I guess we haven't seen the pics so not sure if it was just a "group pose" where people will put their arms around shoulders to scrunch in.. or whether it was a "real hug".

The texts out of working hours would be ok if it were related to something about work. As in, I will be in late tomorrow.

DaizyDuke's picture

I'm wishy washy on this one. They took pics and video and posted it on FB.. so nothing to hide right? I am all for having fun at work. I've done both... the stuffy, all business work environment and the fun, silly work environment. Fun and silly is far better and far more motivating. When I was in my early 20's I worked for a GM dealership. The general manager was twice my age. Sometimes he'd treat me like his daughter, sometimes he'd treat me like his lust nugget. I really didn't care, I had a job and he was cool and if it was boring day, he would take a bunch of us out for lunch and a drink and we'd play shuffleboard or darts or do stupid shit. Seriously the most fun job I have ever had! Not sure if his wife knew about all of this or not and if she did, I can imagine that she didn't like it. BUT like someone above said, he was just my cool boss. I wasn't looking for a fuck buddy that was twice my age and married with kids at 22 years old!

I would have been hurt, as you were, that he didn't even touch the cake that you made him. And the texting outside of work? NO! Unless they all have some type of job that requires communication outside of business hours? I am actually "friends" with my current supervisor. He is my age, we went to school together, he used to work with DH years ago, he's funny and we can shoot the shit at work and laugh etc. BUT I would NEVER dream of contacting him outside of work!

Tuff Noogies's picture

i agree with every word of this. and we have a very close-knit staff, part of that comes with just compatible personalities, and part of it is being in eachothers' faces 40+ hrs a week (there's only 5 of us here full-time).

i cant imagine one of the girls shoving cake in my face. and i certainly cannot imagine myself doing that to MY boss (co. owner), even tho' i've known him a very long time and he has taken on the roll of pretty much a surrogate dad to me.

if i were OP i'd talk to him about the lack of professionalism it shows, how it might reflect on the company's image and clients' perception of the company, and see if he'd be open to a quick staff meeting explaining that 'things have been very social and laid back lately, but it's time to tighten up and focus on our reason for being here.'

ETA - take the tactic of feeling nothing but concern for dh and his employer, showing that you're on the same side so hopefully he wont turn it around as a 'you're just jealous' kind of thing

notarelative's picture

Your husband needs to learn the first rule of supervision.
You can be friendly with those you supervise, but you are not their friend.

thinkthrice's picture

I've seem some craptacular flirting in my work career of 38 years. Even as a young fairly attractive woman, I NEVER was anything but 100% serious about the job. No flirting, brown nosing, nothing. I have worked with suck ups and flirters.

The most recent one is we have this guy who is a bigshot of his dept. Gets to wear this uniform etc. He's married with children and BONE UGLY!! Boy was he flirting to high heavens with the latest addition to the DA's office. A young, attractive attorney, freckles, wavy auburn hair, "go-go" boots as they used to call them and an engagement ring that was the size of a small planet.
Now married to a golf pro.

I thought he was going to do the horizontal mambo with her right there on the conference table. Now MY immediate boss is a HUGE flirt married to a GUBM--he is a stepdaddybigbucks in his own right. His skids are all grown and moved away but he will give "preferential service" to any fairly attractive woman under the age of 50.

I think Jojo's H is being unbelievably juvenile and can't see through the ruse of flattery for preferential treatment. What's next? Will his employees come in late and take scads of time off or do a terrible job just because they are his fav employees?

jojo68's picture

These two girls get away with murder. They have done things that any of the guys would have been wrote up or fired for. One of them has worked there barely a year and was voted employee of the year. She has the highest up guy in the company snowed over. The other girl is not near as pretty so she has to work a little harder and she's the one who works my husband and the one that I think would take advantage of the situation if given the least bit of a chance. I think that they both think that my husband (because he is part of the family) that he is a good ally to have.

still learning's picture

What these young ladies are doing is absolutely inappropriate and would not fly in most corporate environments. Since this is a family business it sounds like a lot of rules are ignored and as long as the older men's ego are flattered its all good.

I would make myself a presence at DH's work. Show up and take him out for lunch looking fabulous and when you see those two girls say, "You must be the ones texting my husband after work." "Aren't you the girl who gave out a sex toy at the white elephant exchange? Very trashy." "Oh, you're the ones who smashed cake in my husbands face and posted it on Facebook (insert disapproving look)." Place a mirror to their unprofessional behavior. You are his wife, stake your claim and make your presence know. Poor little girls won't know how to react.

Next time you are with your DH and an after work text comes in, be the one to text them back letting them know he's busy with his WIFE.

About 10 years ago exDH had to go to therapy after an injury and he suddenly had a handful of new young female FaceBook friends and random texts checking up on him. I thought it was absolutely unprofessional and wrote a letter to the director (a woman in her 50's) of the center letting them know what was occurring. Magically the texts stopped and those therapist FB friends disappeared. Speak up, expose their behavior.

jojo68's picture

One of the other employee's wives actual told the prettier one that she had better stay the F away from her husband...basically a come to Jesus meeting of sorts and that definately stopped all of that nonsense. It might come to that for me with the less pretty girl. }:)